The $185 million expansion is being funded through private donations. The museum says its Curiosity Unbound campaign has raised $135 million, leaving $50 million to reach the project’s target. The center is expected to open by the end of 2028.

Planned attractions include an exhibit simulating a fire tornado, a pavilion focused on thunder and lightning, and areas for science demonstrations. Visitors would also find a mist maze, a river and shaded outdoor spaces for learning and recreation.

A terrace will feature fossilized plants and animals, with a model of Tylosaurus rex, a mosasaur species identified in North Texas earlier this year, planned as its centerpiece. A public pollinator garden along River Street is intended to link the museum with the nearby financial and banking district, sometimes called “Y’all Street.”

Museum leaders say the expansion is designed to connect the campus more closely with surrounding areas, including Victory Park, Klyde Warren Park, the Dallas Arts District and the broader downtown corridor. The project would add outdoor public-facing space in a district where development has been growing, while offering families and students new opportunities for hands-on science learning.