Moody Gardens facts for kids
A Titan arum at Moody Gardens
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| Location | Galveston, Texas, United States |
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| Land area | 242 acres (98 ha) |
| Coordinates | 29°16′27″N 94°51′05″W / 29.2741°N 94.8513°W |
| No. of animals | over 9,000 |
| Annual visitors | 2 million per year (open 365 days) |
| Memberships | Association of Zoos and Aquariums |
Moody Gardens is a super cool place in Galveston, Texas, that opened in 1986. It's like a giant learning center where you can explore nature and learn about protecting animals and plants. The Moody Foundation created this non-profit spot to teach everyone about conservation and wildlife.
This amazing place has three main pyramid buildings. There's the Aquarium Pyramid, full of sea creatures. The Rainforest Pyramid is home to tropical plants and animals. And the Discovery Pyramid offers fun, hands-on science exhibits. Moody Gardens also has a beach, a golf course, and a hotel. Many people from Houston and around the world visit every year.
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Explore the Aquarium Pyramid
The blue Aquarium Pyramid opened in 1999. It's about 12 stories tall, which is super high! Inside, huge tanks hold around 10,000 marine animals. You can see fish, sharks, seals, and even penguins. These animals come from different parts of the ocean, like the North Pacific and the Caribbean.
The Aquarium Pyramid closed for a short time for updates. It reopened in 2017 with a giant 1.5 million-gallon tank. This tank shows off many different kinds of sea life. The updates cost $37 million. They help visitors learn how important it is to protect our world's oceans.
Discover the Rainforest Pyramid
| Rainforest Pyramid | |
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Moody Gardens' Rainforest Pyramid
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| Type | indoor rainforest |
| Area | entire interior |
| Operated by | Moody Foundation |
| Visitors | 2 million per year |
| Status | open 365 days |
| Plants | trees, bushes, flowers |
| Species | 1,000 plant species plus animals |
| Collections | exotic plants, plus otters, monkeys, alligators, bats, ocelots and birds |
This clear pyramid opened in 1993 and is 10 stories tall. After a big storm called Hurricane Ike, it got a $25 million upgrade. This project brought nature even closer to visitors. The "Rainforests of the World" project teaches about conservation. It also helps with breeding rare and endangered animals.
You can see giant Amazon river otters, saki monkeys, and ocelots here. There are also many other animals, birds, and reptiles. More than 1,000 different kinds of exotic species live here. They show how diverse the rainforest environment is. You can explore areas like bat caves and see crashing waterfalls. There are even Mayan Ruins! The inside is warm and humid, just like a real rainforest.
Experience the Discovery Pyramid
The Discovery Pyramid opened in 1997. It often has special traveling exhibits. It also used to have a cool motion simulator ride. In May 2015, a new ride opened on the bottom level. It was called the SpongeBob SubPants Adventure.
This SpongeBob ride used 3D animation and awesome sound and visuals. It even won an award in 2016 for being an "Outstanding Achievement." In 2017, the pyramid added a huge LED wall. This 20-foot by 10-foot wall made the experience even more immersive for visitors.
In 2019, the SpongeBob ride closed. It was replaced by "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea: An Interactive Adventure." This is a 4D film where you help choose the path of a submarine. A live actor plays a pufferfish named Deep. This means every show is a little different and special for the audience! The top level of this pink pyramid now features "JAM REMASTERED: THE SCIENCE OF MUSIC." This exhibit explores how music, science, and math are connected.
Splash and Play at Palm Beach
Palm Beach first opened in 1988. It was one of the first attractions at Moody Gardens. The white sand used here was brought all the way from the beaches of Florida!
Later, Palm Beach became a full water park. It has "Aquarium Adventure," which includes slides and a giant dump bucket. There's also a wave pool and a lazy river where you can float. You can zoom down the "Tower Slides" or play in the "Splashpad" area for younger kids. This artificial beach is right next to Galveston Bay, but it's not connected to it.
Soar on the Zip Line and Ropes Course
In May 2014, Moody Gardens opened a super tall ropes course. It's called the Sky Trail Ropes Course. This course is five stories tall, reaching 81 feet (25 meters) high! It has 48 different obstacles. The obstacles get harder as you go higher up.
The Moody Gardens Zip Line is 500 feet (152 meters) long. It connects to another tower near the wave pool. You'll be 60 feet (18 meters) above Palm Beach! This gives you an amazing bird's-eye view of the pyramids and gardens. Both the ropes course and zip line are open on weekends. They are also open on weekdays during school holidays and in the evenings during the Festival of Lights.
There's also a Sky Tykes Ropes Course for younger kids. It's for those under 48 inches (122 cm) tall. It has 9 obstacles on one level. Parents can easily walk alongside their child to help them if needed. Everyone wears a safety harness and lanyard. This lets you choose your own path and go at your own speed!
Play a Round at the Golf Course
In 2007, the Moody Foundation decided to completely rebuild the city's golf course. It reopened in June 2008 as the Moody Gardens Golf Course. This big renovation cost $17 million! They added new grass, improved the greens, and updated the irrigation system. They also fixed the drainage, cart paths, and clubhouse.
The famous golf course designer Peter Jacobsen helped design the new course. He made sure to keep the course's history while making some holes even better. This course has 18 holes and is 6,900 yards long from the back tees. There are 5 different sets of tees, so players of all skill levels can enjoy it.
Experience the Festival of Lights
Every November and December, Moody Gardens hosts the Festival of Lights. It's a mile-long trail with one million lights! The lights are set to holiday music. You can also enjoy live entertainment and an outdoor ice rink.
During the festival, you can watch holiday films at the MG3D Theater. There's also the 4D Special FX Theater and the Ridefilm Theater. You can enjoy a holiday buffet at the Garden Restaurant. The Colonel Paddlewheel Boat also offers fun evening cruises.
See also
In Spanish: Jardines Moody para niños
