Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary — Attraction in McKinney

I'm not really sure how to rate this place. The place looks like it's never been renovated or updated. I'm sure the dust on everything is straight out of the 1960's.

Although it IS a neat place to visit, it was a very sad place for me, as the animal enclosures were so small, the poor things didn't have room for anything they need to do. The snakes were in small boxes with no way to "run around". I swear to gawd that the Diamond Back Rattlesnake was looking straight at me and crying!!! I've never seen a sad expression on so many snakes!

Tiny boxes for the spider exhibits, tiny tanks for the turtles, who were apparently separated and all alone in one small tank each.

The Animals of the World was even more sad. Although they had big cages and looked like they were cared for and had their needs met, the cages were just that.......cages. They should be happy habitats for them, not dry, desolate, scary looking cages.

The butterfly atrium was as equally sad. With very few butterflies in a cramped space. Some of the butterflies looked like they were not cared for, as their wings were broken or eaten off by something.

The mechanical dinosaur walk was interesting, but could have been shorter, or they could have added some other attractions along the way, as there was quite a large space between dinosaurs.

This place definitely needs some major philanthropists donating some massive amounts of money to update and upgrade the sanctuaries and care for the live animals they have there.

If you like wildlife, its a nice way to spend the day. They do have picnic areas too! Kids like it.

I just hope some animal loving philanthropic people out there donate some funds to this place!! They really need it!

Even if you aren't rich, if you can spare a few dollars, and you love animals............donate some funds to help take care of the...

I took my family on Two-Dollar Day (by coincidence. But the discount was definitely welcome.) And it was the best $2 I've ever spent.

Would it be worth the regular $12 price? Maybe. But it's definitely a local little project without anything grand or terribly impressive. But conservation efforts are worth funding, especially in this area of suburban sprawl with fewer and fewer natural green spaces.

There's a little nature center museum with fossils, pretty rocks, and lots of taxidermy wildlife. Pretty cool. A far cry from the (fracking-funded) Perot Museum, but a very charming and solid local effort.

Outside there's a little village playground area. Looks like a great place to get bit or stung or poison ivied, but it's actually pretty well kept and not too bad. That's your $12 at work!

After that is an animal area like a little zoo, but it's all rescue and foster animals. They seem happy. There's a few deer that were up by their fence trying to bum some food off visitors. Please don't feed them, though.

The main draw at Heard is its trails, which have varying lengths and strenuousness for all levels, including some trails that are stroller friendly. I think? Fact check me on that.

The boardwalk trail over the "wetlands" is neat, except it's not wet during the summer. But the raised walkway is great for getting away from the poison ivy (it's everywhere) and from any snakes or stinging bugs.

Now that I'm typing it all up, I guess that $12 is worth it to keep those animals fed and keep the boardwalk patched up.

If you're around here and running out of cheap activities with the fam, here's...

If this didn't happen, I will give a five star since we actually like this place.

My daughter loves this place although the exhibitions look old. We came here at least once a week sometimes even twice. We actually thought of having her next birthday party here.

Today we came here at 4:11 (less than 1 hour to closing time) and we were refused to enter. We were quite surprised since we've been here so many times yet nobody has mentioned this before. I asked for information about operating hours and it turns out that they do say this on their website and door.

However, their members can enter any time during operating hours，including after 4pm. We do have membership from Perot Science Museum and Perot has this reciprocal program with Heard, but apparently the program doesn't enjoy the benefits of Heard membership.

I do understand this rule and understand this is the way to encourage Heard membership. But the real scene is, a two year old girl watched all other kids (member) entering and were told she couldn't enter her FAVORITE museum. Besides the crying, it just felt hurt.

I would rather the staff told me she can make an exception only this time. In that case, I will still get Heard membership, but with a much...