“Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes & Other Riches”

Scare your kids silly at Space Center Houston’s “Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes & Other Riches.” The enormous exhibit (5,000 square feet) is a journey to seven ports of call along the Amazon, the most biologically diverse river in the world. Yeah, yeah, the jungle river is home to a gorgeous variety of flora and fauna, but what it’s really known for is its notorious creatures, such as the meat-eating piranhas, which have center stage in “Amazon Voyage.”

In addition to those maneaters, you’ll also see the knifefish, nicknamed the “Electric Fish” because it produces low-voltage electricity, and the deadly stingray. Kids can even stick their hands into super-strength gloves and dig through mud, looking for the newly discovered muck fish (that should have a high “ick” factor) or learn about the 1,200 species of catfish that live in the Amazon — from as small as an ant to as big as a bear! The exhibition features live fish, artifacts, storytelling, computer programs, live demonstrations, dance and music — but don’t be surprised if the primary focal point is the piranha’s sharp, sharp teeth. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Through May 5. 1601 NASA Parkway. For information, call 281–244–2100 or visit www.spacecenter.org. $14.95 to $18.95.
Feb. 23-May 5, 2008