The Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History opened in 1957 and this 85,000 square foot facility has been enriching the minds of residents and visitors of the area ever since. This facility has more than 87,000 artifacts and 400,000 photographs and records in its possession and allows visitors to learn about everything from the wire rope pulley used in modern technological designs to the methods used hundreds of years ago when the area was known as the New World. Here is a short overview of the museum and some of the highlights of this wonderful Corpus Christi attraction.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00am-5:00pm and from noon to 5:00pm on Sundays. Adult admission is $11.50 and children's (5-12) is $6.00. Children under five are free and there are also discounted rates for seniors and members of the military. Your admission fee grants you access to the entire museum as well as a guided tour of the Columbus Ships. If you're attending the museum as a large group as a break from working with a multifunction calibrator or planning a school day trip, there are special rates offered for that as well.

Saturdays are a great time to head to the museum with the entire household, as they offer Saturday Family Programs. Dad could use his skills from working in daylighting to head up a family team for the construction challenge or you could learn to build your own igloo. Then of course it'll be time to explore all of the museum's exhibits. You can head to the Gallery of Cultural Encounters and learn about when the French and Spanish first met the Native Americans. Or you could check out the Minnie Stevens Piper Hall of Earth Science. After a long week of making heat resistant tape, for example, it can be great to get out of the house and just be a kid again as you explore all that the museum has to offer.

There really is something for everyone at the Museum of Science and History. The Xeriscape Learning Center & Design Garden is located at the entrance to the museum and highlights seven different water preservation principles while maintaining an award-winning garden landscape. You can also look through the Flyways/Shorebirds exhibit or head into the World of Shells.

The museum even offers rental facilities for everything from weddings, to birthday parties, to meetings and work conferences. Instead of having your meeting of yacht keel designers in a boring hotel conference room, you could have it in a place where you can explore ships that are hundreds of years old. Or if you're looking for a unique wedding location, there are both indoor and outdoor facilities available.