Carnegie to partner with Perot Museum in Dallas for eclipse events

Pasadena, CA—Carnegie Science is proud to announce a partnership with the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Together, the two organizations will engage North Texans with unique eclipse-related educational experiences and presentations in 2023 and 2024, connecting the community to the wonders of nature and science.

Based on a shared commitment to science outreach and education, Carnegie and the Perot Museum are collaborating on public events for the annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023, and the Great North American Eclipse on April 8, 2024, for which Dallas will be in the totality.

"The partnership between Carnegie Science and the Perot Museum is a perfect match, and we are thrilled to help prepare North Texans for the amazingly rare Great North American Eclipse next year," said John Mulchaey, Carnegie Deputy for Science and Director of the Carnegie Observatories. "Joining forces with the Perot Museum creates an exciting opportunity for Carnegie Science to share the wonders of astronomy and explain the significance and impact of these remarkable eclipse events with the entire North Texas community.”

The relationship will officially launch at the Dallas-based museum with a September 12 public talk by Mulchaey. The program will focus on the mysteries of the upcoming eclipses and the exciting new era of discovery enabled by JWST. Since reaching its observing position last year, JWST has been fulfilling its promise, providing astronomers and space-lovers around the world with beautifully detailed images of the cosmos. During his presentation, Mulchaey will discuss the stunning observations that have been taken by the phenomenal telescope, and the secrets and mysteries that the telescope’s capabilities are unlocking about the nature of our universe.

Then, on October 14, Carnegie and the Perot Museum will co-host a celebration of the annular solar eclipse with an event on the museum’s grounds, featuring hands-on STEM activities, outdoor games, live music, food trucks, and beverages. Museum guests will join fellow astronomy enthusiasts to safely encounter the partial solar eclipse. Guests will also have full access to explore the exhibits inside the museum, where the Bio Lab, ChallENGe Lab and Art Lab will all have eclipse activities for guests to enjoy. 

Viewing the eclipses safely is a top priority for both Carnegie and the Perot Museum. The collaboration will educate and serve the community by providing more than one million special safety glasses between the annular solar eclipse this fall and the Great North American Eclipse next spring. Thirty thousand safety glasses will be available for the partial solar eclipse on October 14. One million safety glasses will be distributed for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

“As world-class, trusted science resources, the Perot Museum and the Carnegie Institution for Science, are pleased to work together to share these once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the entirety of our community,” said Linda Silver, the museum's Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer. “Experiencing an eclipse creates a powerful sense of awe and wonder, while also sparking significant scientific curiosity and discovery. The Perot Museum is committed to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to safely look to the sky and engage in these rare, historic events first hand.”