TSCRA News Update: New Cattle Raisers Museum helps thousands discover ranching

TSCRA News Update, Nov. 20, 2009

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New Cattle Raisers Museum helps thousands discover ranching

Rainfall seemed to have little effect on the crowd filling the entry of the new Fort Worth Museum of Science and History this morning.

Fort Worth and area dignitaries and several hundred visitors crowded into the new building, along with the TCU marching band, to witness the ribbon cutting of this newest addition to Fort Worth's cultural district.

Housed within the museum is the newly designed Cattle Raisers Museum. Brad Barnes, president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Foundation, was one of the grand opening speakers. "We are proud of our partnership with the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and grateful for the opportunity," he said.

The new Cattle Raisers Museum is a place of discovery, much like the other galleries within the larger setting. Visitors to the Cattle Raisers Museum will learn the history of cattle production in Texas and the U.S. through displays of artifacts and by enjoying an educational presentation in the new Noble Planetarium.

The Cattle Raisers Museum gives visitors of all ages the chance to learn about the cattle business of today and gives them a glimpse into tomorrow. Interactive video touch screens challenge visitors to "Run a Ranch". Electronic horses are hooked up to a video screen showing a pasture full of cattle that need to be penned. It's the rider's challenge to get as many cattle into the pen as possible.

The nutritional message of beef is told in more video displays and through the generous selection of books in the gift shop. The shop also includes "USDA Prime" buttons for proud museum goers to buy.

Along with telling the cattle industry's history and highlighting its heritage, the new Cattle Raisers Museum tells the positive story of beef and helps a huge and diverse audience of urban and suburban school children and their families discover the positive contributions of ranching to our society and economy. Barnes said in his welcoming comments, "We are poised to educate like never before."

The changing colors of the Lucite cow, formally known as the Interactive By-Product Display, highlight the myriad products that come from beef cattle – gummy bears to pharmaceuticals. TSCRA sponsors this display in the Cattle Raisers Museum Digital Trail.

The Will Rogers Memorial Center is reflected in the doors of the new Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

A trick roper was just one of the entertainers at Friday's ribbon cutting at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and the Cattle Raisers Museum.

Museum officers were aided by area school children in formally opening the new museum.

"We are poised to educate like never before," said Brad Barnes, TSCRF president.

From left are Rusty Noble, TSCRA honorary directory, Ardmore, Okla., whose family supported the new Noble Planetarium, adjacent to the Cattle Raisers Museum; TSCRA Past President John Dudley and Ginger Dudley, Comanche; Brad Barnes, TSCRF president; and Jon Means, immediate TSCRA past president, Van Horn.

"Run-A-Ranch" touch screens give visitors a budget, a herd and weather conditions and challenges them with the cattle business.

Riders of all ages are welcome to try rounding up their herd.

From left, Larry Gray, TSCRA director of law enforcement, and Dynamo, mascot of the new Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.