USA Guide
Texas
Fair Park
Fair Park, a gargantuan Art Deco plaza bedecked with endless Lone Stars, was built to house the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936, and hosts the annual State Fair of Texas, the biggest event of its kind in the US. Its plethora of fine museums include the lively Women's Museum (Tues– Sun noon–5pm; $5; www.thewomensmuseum.org), full of intriguing facts and figures (women smile eight times a day more than men, apparently) and with temporary exhibits exploring subjects as varied as Marilyn Monroe, female photographers, and the lure of the shoe. The nearby African-American Museum (Tues– Fri noon–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 1–5pm; free; www.aamdallas.org) is also terrific, with a superb collection of folk art. The Museum of Nature and Science (Mon– Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm; $8.75) boasts exhibits on everything from fossils to dental hygiene.
The centerpiece of the park is the magnificent Hall of State Building, an Art Deco treasure of bronze statues, blue tiles, mosaics, and murals, with rooms decorated to celebrate the different regions of Texas (Mon– Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 1–5pm; free). The park also holds the Cotton Bowl stadium, home of the annual college football classic, and the largest Ferris wheel in the US.
Opening time: Daily
Price: Free