As part of an informative hard-hat tour of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, it was announced that the museum would open Dec. 1, well ahead of schedule.

Visitors will enjoy the Science Plaza, which has huge musical instruments that kids of all ages can play, frogs for leaping over, as well as the lobby with its dancing water molecules. Both of these areas will be admission-free, and the Science Plaza will have tables and Wi-Fi for lunchtime crowds.

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The museum is pursuing three environmental certifications for the building and will reuse both its runoff and condensate water. Of particular interest to Oak Cliff, there will be many bike racks. While the Tom Mayne-designed building has a fortress-like exterior from afar, the construction materials, hard scape and landscaping result in a welcoming ambiance up close. The building also offers many places for enjoying vistas of downtown Dallas. Online tickets for the museum’s holiday-season programs will be available starting Oct. 2. For more information about the museum, go to perotmuseum.org.