Think bugs are just pests? This exhibition might just change your mind.
Opening June 28, 2025, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science invites visitors to step into the secret lives of bugs — and discover how these tiny creatures are shaping big ideas. With oversized bug chambers, interactive labs and real specimens, Bug Lab invites guests to think like a bug, move like a bug and — possibly — appreciate bugs for more than just their ability to crash picnics.
What Is Bug Lab: Bug Skills, Human Problems
Developed by New Zealand’s national museum Te Papa in partnership with Wētā Workshop, the creative force behind The Lord of the Rings, the exhibition transforms six-legged creatures into unlikely role models. From dragonflies with precision flight to the lightning-fast reflexes of mantises, visitors will encounter the strange and genius mechanics of the insect world.
“Precision flight, swarm intelligence, even brain surgery — insects offer us a template for technology and innovation,” said Dr. Linda Silver, Eugene McDermott CEO of the Perot Museum, in an official statement. “With a blend of science, wonder and interactive learning that aligns with our mission to inspire minds through nature and science.”
At Bug Lab, you can:
- Enter immersive bug chambers and see the world through compound eyes
- Test your own reflexes against insects at interactive adaptation stations
- Examine real specimens and learn how scientists are studying insects to solve modern problems
From kids to grandparents, every visitor is invited to explore how bugs survive, adapt and — surprisingly — inspire human breakthroughs in engineering, medicine and beyond.
Behind The Exhibit
Bug Lab was built with input from leading entomologists and exhibition designers. Its creators say the goal is not just to inform but to reshape how people think about insects.
“This unparalleled exhibit is bold, cinematic and immersive — and one that will teach its human visitors as much about themselves as it does about bugs,” said Drex Owusu, chief learning officer at the Perot Museum.
Wētā Workshop, known for its Oscar-winning work in film, brings the same level of detail to the models on display, making it clear that this isn’t your average science exhibit. This is bugs, blockbuster-style.
Supported in part by Visit Dallas and the city of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, Bug Lab offers a rare mix of entertainment and education — where dragonfly wings, beetle armor and bug brains meet human curiosity and scientific progress.
Ticket Details
- Bug Lab opens June 28, 2025, and runs through January 4, 2026
- General admission to the museum is $25 for adults, $15 for youth ages 2–12, and free for children under 2
- Access to Bug Lab requires an additional ticket: $10 for adults, $8 for youth, or $6 for members
- Tickets go on sale May 27 for Explore members and May 29 for the general public
- The Perot Museum is located at 2201 N. Field Street, Dallas
To avoid long lines or sellouts, advance purchase is encouraged at perotmuseum.org.
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