FAMILY
Photo courtesy of the Dallas Zoo
Dallas Zoo
650 South R.L. Thornton Freeway, 469-554-7500, dallaszoo.com/dinosafari
Dino Safari Check out critters of a different sort as you join a “field team” via a guided shuttle bus as part of a research group to observe dinosaurs in their habitat. You’ll see more than 30 life-size animatronic dinosaurs and help search for a baby Amargasaurus. Tickets must be purchased along with zoo admission. Through Sept. 5
Polished wood makes up the body of this praying mantis. Photo courtesy of David Rogers
Fort Worth Botanic Garden | Botanical Research Institute of Texas
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., 817-463-4160, brit.org
Butterflies in the Garden Now aflutter with exotics — with more being released from time to time — the Rainforest Conservatory’s fan favorite exhibition holds the promise of magical encounters. Those unexpected moments when a kaleidoscope of winged beauties decides to light on a visitor are especially Instagrammable. Tickets, online or at the door, are issued with a specific entrance time because the number of viewers in the exhibit is limited. Through April 10
David Rogers’ Big Bugs Giant critters lurking in the gardens help usher spring into Fort Worth. Rogers uses natural materials — dried branches, green saplings, carved logs — to sculpt massive ants, spiders, bees and more. The exhibit has appeared in botanical gardens throughout the country. This is its first appearance at FWBG. Through June 12
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
3501 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 817-738-1933, cartermuseum.org
Sensory Explorations Aimed at children of all ages who are on the autism spectrum, this program is designed to be fun for parents, caretakers and siblings, too. In April, the museum’s focus is on artwork that includes words. And in an effort to involve more families in the experience, hands-on creative activities are being scheduled. Learn more about this program and others on the website. April 9
Photo courtesy of Prehistoric Park
Meadowmere Park
3000 Meadowmere Lane, Grapevine, gograpevine.com/event/prehistoricpark
Prehistoric Park Dinosaurs roam the earth in Grapevine, too, thanks to this educational and entertaining outdoor exhibit featuring animatronic creatures. Learn about their history, check out the dig site and enjoy hands-on activities. There’s even an after-dark option for exploring the exhibit, which is presented by the city’s Parks & Recreation department. For tickets, one per vehicle, call 817-410-3450. Through April 3
ART
Kimbell Art Museum
3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 817-332-8451, kimbellart.org
The Language of Beauty in African Art This world premiere takes viewers to different parts of the African continent. More than 200 objects allow viewers a glimpse at how regional artisans embrace artful aesthetics from different perspectives. Included are intricately carved masks, figures, sculptures, textiles and objects used for decoration, domestic work and rituals. April 3-July 31
Yòrùbá: Yewa culture, Nigeria; Dance Staff, early 20th century, wood and pigment. Photo courtesy of Kimbell Art Museum
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
3200 Darnell St., 817-738-9215, themodern.org
Women Painting Women This show, curated by Andrea Karnes, covers works from the late ’60s to the present. More than 60 portraits represent intriguing portrayals of women from around the world. Karnes says of the exhibition, “The pivotal narrative in ‘Women Painting Women’ is how these artists use the conventional portrait of a woman as a catalyst to tell another story outside of male interpretations of the female body. They conceive new ways to activate and elaborate on the portrayal of women. Replete with complexities, realness, abjection, beauty, complications, everydayness, pain and pleasure, the portraits in this exhibition connect to all kinds of women, and they make way for women artists to share the stage with their male counterparts in defining the female figure.” May 15-Sept. 25
Arpita Singh, My Mother, 1993, oil on canvas, 72 by 54 inches. Photo courtesy Kiran Nadar Museum of Art and Talwar Gallery
Nasher Sculpture Center
2001 Flora St., Dallas, 214-242-5100, nashersculpturecenter.org
Harry Bertoia: Sculpting Mid-Century Modern Life You know at least one of his iconic chairs. Like so much of Bertoia’s work, the look and feel of the forms are unforgettable. The Nasher exhibit pulls together more than 100 pieces of work by the sculptor, metalsmith and jewelry and furniture designer in the first U.S. retrospective of his work in almost 50 years. The Italian-born American artist’s large-scale sculptures made him the commissioned darling of name architects. Collectors and museums came calling for the smaller handmade pieces. Breaking ground by using sound as a sculpting material, he created “sonambient” works that sway and collide, resulting in reverberation that Bertoia considered an artful environment. It’s a lot of form and function, imagination and vision; the Nasher connects the dots. As for those chairs, the artist’s designs remain in production. Buy tickets online. Through April 24
Photo by Kevin Todora, courtesy of Nasher Sculpture Center