Parents, you can finally breathe that sigh of relief, reinforcements have arrived. After an almost year-long closure, the Children’s Museum of Houston finally reopens its doors June 8. And the staff can’t wait to take your kids off your hands.

“It’s glorious for us to be able to see people again,” Keith Ostfeld (aka Mr. O), the museum’s director of technology and exhibit development, tells Houstonia. “Last summer, we didn't get to enjoy it together as much as we wanted to.”  

Every Houston parent’s one-stop shop for educational fun, the museum pivoted to virtual programming during the pandemic (it opened briefly last summer with various safety adjustments), “but it just wasn’t the same,” Ostfeld admits. “We're so used to talking to kids and families.”

Well, the wait is over for both youngins and staffers alike. And when the museum ushers in its young learners, those excited minds will be greeted by Sights Unseen, a brand-new exhibit that delves into the science of vision—both ours and that of the creatures around us.

While Sights Unseen dives into the physics of how the human eye translates images and sees color, it also explores how animals and insects perceive the world in infrared, ultraviolet, and polarized lights, allowing them to see hues we can’t even imagine, at speeds that’d make our heads spin. Plus, the entire exhibit is bathed in black light, so prepare to get your glow on. 

“It’s not your traditional exhibit,” Ostfeld explains. “The human eye is fascinating, it's amazing, but there is a whole lot we don't see that other animals can. So, we want to take a look—pun very intended—at all the things we can't see.”

But that’s not all the museum has in store. It’s also launching a “Fun Summer Vibes” series that's filled with science demonstrations and workshops, guest entertainers, and themed events, like a National Ice Cream Day celebration, a Marvel superhero day, and a princess party.   

Our goal is that all summer long, every two weeks, there is a different set of activities,” says Ostfeld. “So, if you come back every other week, you are going to encounter something different.”

From $11. Children’s Museum of Houston, 1500 Binz St. Keep an eye on cmhouston.org for the full “Fun Summer Vibes” schedule.