Moody Gardens is a popular destination on the island of Galveston, Texas. From museum to aquarium to conference center, there’s lots to see and do.
Indeed, Moody Gardens is a public, non-profit educational destination bringing many exciting opportunities to the island. Its focus is on rehabilitation, conservation, recreation and research.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My favorite exhibit at Moody Gardens was the jellies in the Aquarium pyramid.
Jellyfish amaze me. These golden yellow ones were mesmerizing as they moved through the water, their oral arms swaying behind them.
Oral arms, you ask? They’re those long thread-like strands that float around the jellies. Of course not all jellies have appendages called oral arms. Some jellyfish have long thin tentacles instead.
What’s the purpose of a jellyfish’s oral arms?
The jellyfish in the photo have oral arms. They use the oral arms to move captured prey to their mouths. Some jellies even use the arms to injest their food!
What’s in Moody Gardens Pyramids?
In March, 2024, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) granted accreditation to Moody Gardens. So, Moody Gardens has the world’s ‘gold standard’ for the zoological and aquarium profession.
Moody Gardens has three exhibit pyramids:
- Aquarium pyramid
- Discovery Museum
- Rainforest pyramid
I found time to watch a show on its giant 3D screen (it measures 60 by 80 ft). While I wasn’t able to try them out, there’s also a paddlewheel boat, explorer ropes course, zipline, water park, and Palm beach.
While visiting the educational exhibits, I did peek in at their 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea interactive adventure for kids.
Captain Nemo is the star of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea — well, Nemo and his famous Nautilus submarine. The great thing for visitors, especially the kids, is that they also get to be part of the crew, helping operate the ship, choosing travel directions, turning on the camera, and interact with sea creatures.
Aquarium Pyramid at Moody Gardens
The Moody Gardens Aquarium (the blue pyramid) is a spacious, well-laid out exhibit area approximately 12 stories high. It holds a massive 1.5 million gallons of water!
There are creatures from five distinct ocean environments swimming around in all that water. The collection includes seals, sea lions, sharks,thousands of fish and more than 100 penguins across seven different species.
Discovery Museum at Moody Gardens
The Discovery Museum is in the pink pyramid. And it truly is a museum for those who like to discover new things.
One of the most exciting things about the Discovery Museum is that it’s constantly changing to display visiting exhibits. During my visit, I was able to view the Body Worlds RX: Prescriptions for Healthy Living.
In this image, the skeletal system is displayed on the body’s left and the muscular system on the right. As you can see the lungs (right) are blackened by years of smoking. Chemicals in cigarette smoke increase mutation and rates and inhibit cells from repairing DNA.
This particiular exhibit was also paired with a related show in the 3D theater, which we were able to see: Superhuman Body – World of Medical Marvels.
I really enjoyed the groundbreaking medical breakthroughs portrayed in the documentary. Taking a 3D ride through the human body tied well with all I learned in the Body Worlds display.
Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens
The Rainforest Pyramid, built in 1993, was the first of the three pyramids. This 10-story glass structure is home to more than 1,000 species of plants and animals.
Species in the rainforest are from around the world, including Africa, Asia and the Americas. Many of the animals, such as the Cotton-Top Tamarin, are free-roaming.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
We visited the educational pyramids at Moody Gardens while attending the NATJA travel writers conference held there.
The hotel was very comfortable and had all of the amenities you could ask for. While most of our meals were part of the conference activities, we did have time to enjoy the Café in the Park and the pizza from Blossum’s menu (we did room service for a late night snack!).
While my friend hit the pool and said it was great, I’d forgotten my bathing suit, so missed it.
Who Should Visit Moody Gardens?
Moody Gardens is a great destination for all ages. With its combination of conference facilities and family destination options, it’s the perfect place to combine business and relaxation.
You don’t have to stay at Moody Gardens to experience all the fun either. Our visit coincided with the end of the school year and there were lots of busloads of kids enjoying the educational activities. Likewise, families can plan day trip visits.
With the many activities and rotating displays, Moody Gardens is a weekend destination you’ll enjoy on a regular basis.
How Do You Visit Moody Gardens?
Moody Gardens is on the island of Galveston, Texas, at One Hope Boulevard (my gps required entering the number, 1, Hope, to find it).
Find hours and costs on the Moody Gardens Website.
Stay up-to-date with the latest on the Moody Gardens Facebook page.
Visit the Moody Gardens YouTube page for virtual tours.
Read More Texas Museum Reviews
Check out all the guide2museum.com museum reviews for Texas.
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Reference(s)
Moody Gardens. (n.d.). MOODY GARDENS® FACT SHEET AND ATTRACTIONS
guide2museums.com 