Rainforest Pyramid: Best Place To Visit During Your Galveston Vacation
What Are the Three Pyramids at Moody Gardens?
By Taylor Fuller | Published on December 6, 2022
When thinking of the best places to visit in Texas, the rainforest certainly doesn't come to mind. You may think of cowboys, barbecues and wide-open spaces but definitely not trees dripping with water or exotic birds. However, when you plan a Galveston vacation, you'll probably come across some at the Rainforest Pyramid. You can find this pyramid at Moody Gardens, a public educational destination that also includes the Aquarium Pyramid and the Discovery Museum.
If you're looking for things to do in Galveston, start with a visit to these pyramids. The collection of three living museums might just be a highlight of your trip. You'll be transported all over the world and under the sea for a truly remarkable experience right in Texas.
Rainforest Pyramid
What To Know Before You Go
The best thing to do when visiting Moody Gardens is to purchase a day pass so you can visit all three pyramids, plus a few more shows and exhibits located around the grounds. Some of the other attractions are 3D and 4D theaters, an audience recognition theater, a paddlewheel boat and more. Prices range from $60-$75 for adults and $50-$65 for children and seniors. If you get hungry, you can always head to the Rainforest Cafe or other on-site dining options, or visit Galveston to check out the food scene. There's also a spa and a golf course, which means fun for the entire family all in one location.
Transport Yourself To The Rainforests Of The World
The first of the three discovery pyramids, the Rainforest Pyramid is a greenhouse jungle filled to the brim with beautiful tropical plants, animals and even waterfalls. You'll feel as if you've teleported to the rainforests of Asia, Africa and the tropical Americas. The Moody Gardens rainforest features over 1,700 exotic plant and animal species, so there's plenty to see. You could probably spend hours trying to lay eyes on a sloth, a scarlet macaw or a shy fruit bat, but don't forget about the other things you can do at Moody Gardens.
As you enter the pyramid, you'll be enveloped in a blanket of humidity. You'll feel the sweat start to roll down the back of your neck as if you've stepped directly into the Amazon. The entire setting is immersive as you step out onto the skywalk, about 15 feet above the floor. The sounds of birds chirping will fill your ears and the rushing of waterfalls will calm you. It'll be hard to convince you that you're inside a glass pyramid and not wandering through an Indiana Jones adventure. Walking through the indoor forest canopy will bring you eye-to-eye with tropical birds and endangered species. Make your way across the skywalk, and you may even spot a monkey!
Keep your eyes peeled as birds will swoop down around you. Your adventure continues as the path wraps around the pyramid, allowing you to see the entire exhibit from all angles so you don't miss a thing. It's really something else considering it's all inside a building in Texas.
After you've finished walking through the canopy, you'll enter a winding hallway with exhibits that feature snakes and frogs. Once you make your way through that room, you'll end up on the forest floor, where you can see different regions of the world's rainforests like Asia and Africa.
The ground floor offers an even larger variety of animals, including Komodo dragons, different types of fish, snakes and more. You'll also come across several water tanks meant to represent the bodies of water in real-life rainforests. It's here you can see turtles, fish and more birds. Take a moment to gaze at the international gathering of rare trees towering over your head, too.
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Aquarium Pyramid
Next up on your day out in Galveston is the Aquarium Pyramid. The largest of the three (it's a 1.5 million-gallon tank!), the blue pyramid is hard to overlook. Head inside, and you'll come face-to-face with a mock oil rig. This rig is actually a platform aquarium where you can see marine life from different levels. You'll find oil rigs roughly 100 nautical miles from Galveston, so this feature is a reminder of the real forces that impact Texas ecology.
As you move through the pyramid, you'll find the penguins. You can see them hanging out on the rocks, diving into the water, swimming and splashing around. The pyramid features a few windows in key spots to watch them zoom through the water. Plus, you can view two different penguin habitats: an Artic hangout and the new Humboldt Penguin Habitat, where you can find penguins that are accustomed to warmer climates. If you want to get up close and personal with a penguin, you may choose to book a separate penguin encounter (they're cute, but they do smell like fish!).
Your View Under The Sea
If you want to get up close with more animals, head to the additional touch pool room with rays and other touchable ocean life. Finally, be sure to check out The Pride, a replica of a 19th-century rum-runner shipwreck in the Caribbean Exhibit. Locals will tell you it's loosely based on the ship of Galveston pirate Jean Lafitte. On the way out, you'll exit through a tunnel tank that puts you directly under the water and lets you dream about swimming with the sharks.
Discovery Pyramid
More Than A Science Museum
The Discovery Pyramid, better known as the Discovery Museum, is the smallest of the three pyramids. It's a great stop if you have younger kids, as many of the exhibits are designed around the early stages of understanding art, science, nature, and more. Exhibits can change from time to time, checking the website before visiting is a great way to get ahead with the latest information on what the Moody Gardens has on display.
Curious minds are sure to enjoy and with interactive exhibits your young ones will love it too. Though if your older children, or yourself, are wanting to skip this part for a different journey, you can purchase tickets that only cover entry to the Rainforest and Aquarium Pyramids (tickets range from $49-$52 for adults and $39-$42 for children and seniors).
If you're able to experience these amazing attractions, you're in luck! Visiting any one of the three pyramids at Moody Gardens is a real special opportunity. It's fun for the whole family and is an excellent day out in Galveston.
