Mayborn Museum Receives $300,000 Grant to Advance Exhibit on Texas Ecology
The Mayborn Museum was awarded $300,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to complete the design of a new exhibit that brings Texas ecology to life. Naturally Texas: What Makes Land a Home is Phase 2 of the Mayborn’s master plan to renovate the natural and cultural history wing of the museum wing.
Following the successful opening of Cultural Crossroads in May, Phase 2 is all about the sensory experience. Visitors will experience a simulated bat emergence, feel the heat from a controlled burn in the Blackland Prairie. Grandparents and grandchildren can catch virtual fireflies together while learning about our role in caring for the wild, diverse and resilient ecosystem we call home.Through the Mayborn’s extensive collection of specimens and immersive experiences, Naturally Texas will give families a new way to explore the ecology of Central Texas—up close.
“The support from IMLS is an important investment in the future of the Mayborn Museum and in our ability to connect visitors with the natural history of Central Texas,” said Charlie Walter, Mayborn Museum Executive Director. “This project will help us create an experience that is grounded in our collections, informed by our community and designed to inspire curiosity, learning and stewardship.”
The Mayborn has contracted with the Science Museum of Minnesota to develop the exhibit’s comprehensive design package, including interpretive content, bilingual English and Spanish text, media and interactive specifications. The grant also supports community engagement, giving the Mayborn an opportunity to gather feedback and refine the visitor experience before the exhibit moves into fabrication.
From September 2026 through April 2027, the Mayborn will work with the Science Museum of Minnesota to test exhibit ideas, engineer exhibit components like the controlled burn experience, and finalize the learning goals and experiences that will make up the exhibit. By April 2027, the Mayborn will have a complete exhibit plan ready to build.
The project is expected to serve approximately 200,000 visitors each year, including over 20,000 schoolchildren from 75 regional school districts. From our legendary big cats to the diversity of our bird species, Central Texas is home to a whole world of amazing wildlife. Naturally Texas will explore our connection to this land, both past and present. We hope visitors leave with a deep connection to nature and see themselves as stewards of this place we call home.
About the Mayborn Museum
The Mayborn Museum Complex at Baylor University provides a wide spectrum of learning opportunities to engage visitors of all ages.
The exhibits and education programs encourage families to learn together and design their own museum experience. This complex features a natural science and cultural history museum focusing on Central Texas with walk-in dioramas including one of the Waco Mammoth Site. The Mayborn Museum Complex also encompasses a multi-floor science discovery center encouraging hands-on learning for all ages and the Gov. Bill & Vara Daniel Historic Village. The nine wood frame buildings that comprise the village provide a glimpse into the past, bringing to life a community in the 1890s.
The museum’s hours are Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm & Sunday 1 pm-5 pm.
The museum is open all year long except for Baylor University home football games and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday through Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The museum is located at 1300 S. University Parks Drive, Waco, Texas 76706. For more information, call 254-710-1110 or visit www.MaybornMuseum.com.
