Here in Texas, there are artworks as vast as the sprawling Lone Star state—and fun, quirky and kid-friendly too. Take Ms. Pearl, for instance, the world’s largest squirrel statue, which stands in Cedar Creek holding a pecan larger than your head. In San Antonio, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center boasts the largest Virgin Mary mosaic in the world on a four-story tall votive candle. Even the state capital has a collection of enormous artworks, including a larger-than-life portrait of Alamo defender Davy Crockett and a massive 9-by-15-foot painting of the final battle of the Texas Revolution.
But you don’t have to travel far to take in some of the biggest—and greatest—art in Texas. Here’s some bigtime artsy fun to experience with the kids, right in Dallas-Fort Worth.
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Meow Wolf
It’s a full-scale sci-fi fantasy inside this new immersive arts attraction inside Grapevine Mills. It’s the first location in Texas too. Go online to reserve your timed entry tickets to experience this immersive artistry with the kids.
The only thing more fascinating than Meow Wolf’s The Real Unreal exhibition is that it’s also a Certified Autism Center. That means the staff has been trained in interacting with and supporting visitors with autism. Ask about the free sensory bags with noise reduction headphones, sunglasses and sensory toys and—later this year—for the visual description for blind and low vision guests.
Meow Wolf is open year-round. Opens daily at 10am, closing hours vary by day. Admission from $45 for adults 13 and up, and $40 for children 4–12, depending on the day. Free for children under 4. Go online to reserve your timed entry tickets.
The Museum of Illusions Dallas
Reopened in spring 2025 with a major expansion and an array of new mind-bending exhibits and experiences. Let your kiddos live out their superhero dreams, appearing as if their scaling the walls in a new gravity-defying illusion. Or, head to the Symmetry Room for a mesmerizing play on reflections. Other mind-boggling experiences include a walk-in kaleidoscope, body-swap exhibit, life-size dodecahedron, and a clone room that will have you seeing double…or quadruple. Learn more at moidallas.com.
NTPA Immersive Theatre
Theater will never be the same. In April 2025, the North Texas Performing Arts in Plano invites you step inside the story with the launch of its Immersive Theatre, a new theatrical experience where the audience becomes participants. Using dynamic sets, interactive characters and environmental storytelling, these shows erase the boundary between spectator and performance. The immersive theater schedule begins with Black Hollow: The Final Verdict April 17–20 and continues this summer with Ever After: A Grimm Fairy Tale, August 14–17. Learn more at ntpa.org/immersive.
Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater
Sure, summer is a great time to catch a flick on the big screen—but what about a massive screen? The $22 million Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History takes it to whole other level with its 8K resolution, 12,000 LED nodules and 75-foot screen.
Most of the content shown in the Omni Theater focuses on documentaries that create unique learning experiences—films like Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope, The Stars at Night, and Cities of the Future. Go online for the schedule and to purchase tickets, which are separate from museum admission. And keep in mind that while the theater is open to all, it’s recommended that children not sit in the first three rows. Learn more at fwmuseum.org.
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Dallas Arts District
Spanning 118 acres, the Dallas Arts District is the largest contiguous urban arts district in the nation. The neighborhood has more buildings designed by Pritzker award-winning architects (think the Nobel prize of architecture) than anywhere else in the world.
Among its many museums is the Dallas Museum of Art, one of the largest art museums in America. The museum’s permanent collection boasts more than 25,000 works with some pieces dating back more than five millennia. Their family-friendly offerings include story times, art-making activities, hands-on games in the galleries and family workshops. Plus, admission is always free.
Nearby, the Nasher Sculpture Center is worth a visit for its striking indoor galleries and one-and-a-half-acre sculpture garden featuring dozens of large-scale sculptures. Come on the first Saturday of the month for free admission and family programming from 11am–2pm.
Tip: Make Klyde Warren Park a pitstop while you explore the Arts District. Let the kids burn off some energy at the children’s park, cool off at the fountain and grab a bite from an ever-rotating lineup of food trucks.
The Eye
Minutes away from the Arts District, you’ll find an enormous eyeball plopped right in the middle of downtown Dallas. The three-story sculpture, Eye, fashioned after artist Tony Tasset’s own baby-blues, is one of the most iconic artworks in all of Texas. It sits on a lawn of plush green grass outside the swanky Joule Hotel.
Bring your walking shoes and make a day of it, checking out other quintessential outdoor artworks throughout downtown. About a ten-minute walk from the Eye you’ll come to the larger-than-life bronze bulls at Pioneer Plaza. The 4-acre site features native plants and trees, a flowing stream and a waterfall, but the big draw is the massive longhorn steers being driven by three cowboys on horses.
From there, visit Dallas’ original resident flying horse, the giant red Pegasus, about a quarter mile away. This Pegasus first landed in Downtown Dallas in 1934, perching atop Magnolia Hotel, then the city’s tallest building. It now sits outside the Omni Dallas Hotel, which, featuring 7,000 pieces by local artisans, is an art gallery in and of itself.
Tip: Just minutes from the Eye is the AT&T Discovery District, an up-and-coming downtown destination featuring interactive pop-up art installations, a 104-foot-tall Media Wall that brings digital art to life in 6K resolution, and plenty of green space to run around. There’s an array of family-friendly grub in its food hall, The Exchange, including sliders, pizza and Chinese hand-pulled noodles, but we’re most excited about Saturday Morning Ice Cream where you can pair creamy soft serve with your favorite childhood cereals like Froot Loops or Apple Jacks.
Kimbell Art Museum
This free Fort Worth museum is on the smaller side, but it’s a big name in art. Described as the greatest work of modern architecture in Texas, the Kimbell Art Museum is renowned for its architecture as much as its collections. Take the kids to see masterpieces by Monet, Matisse and Picasso, Egyptian antiquities and art from Asia, Africa and Mesoamerica.
Just for kiddos 5 and under, the Kimbell’s “please touch” room, Studio A, encourages littles to experience art on their level. The sensory-friendly drop-in play space is always free and open during museum hours. To make visits even more kid-friendly, the museum offers artwork picture cards, Kimbell Kids stickers and thematic guides that invite children to sketch what they see and search the museum for certain works of art. Monthly story times for ages 4–6 are offered, as well as drop-in artmaking for kids under 12 (reservations required).
Visit on July 16 for the museum’s Family Festival and enjoy live performances, artmaking, gallery explorations and complimentary ice cream.
Tip: Nursing mamas take note: Kimbell goes the extra mile for breastfeeding moms, inviting them to feed their child wherever they feel comfortable but also offering a special nursing room in the Piano Pavilion’s lower level.
More Big Art Experiences
Vortex at Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Though much of the art at Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is ever-changing, there is one piece that remains a constant—and it’s big. The Vortex, a 67-foot-tall steel structure that stands outside the museum, is a multi-sensorial experience. Step inside and you’re basically in a giant echo chamber, which, of course, the kiddos love.
Giant Teddy Bears at Lakeside Park
Beautiful Lakeside Park in posh Highland Park is dubbed Teddy Bear Park by locals because of its very grand—and very cute—statues. Four- to 10-foot granite teddy bears greet visitors at this tranquil 14-acre park, overlooking Turtle Creek.
Texas Sculpture Garden at HALL Park
The largest private collection of contemporary sculpture ever assembled and made available to the public, the Texas Sculpture Garden in Frisco showcases four acres of artwork created by Texas artisans. Take it in while moseying down walking trails that wind through lush landscaping past lakes and fountains.
Top image photo by Kate Russell, courtesy of Meow Wolf
