The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has launched an interactive soccer exhibition, blending hands-on activities with lessons on science, technology, and careers in the world’s most popular game as North Texas gears up to host FIFA World Cup 2026 matches.
“Soccer: More Than a Game” spans 10,000 square feet and invites visitors to design their own jerseys and mascots upon entering, then explore stations where they can select roles such as equipment specialist, statistician, or chart maker based on what appeals to them in the sport.
One area lets guests watch real-time player tracking across a pitch, while another mimics a skee-ball setup to test how soccer balls bounce at varying angles and trajectories. Families can also step onto an electronic pitch and navigate out of a virtual lava flow.
Dr. Linda Silver, the museum’s Eugene McDermott chief executive officer, said the setup makes STEM concepts accessible.
“This is learning that feels immediate. It feels relevant and fun,” Silver said, Audacy reported.
She noted the exhibit spotlights jobs that many overlook in soccer.
“It highlights careers you don’t think about when it comes to soccer,” she said.
“We always think about the athletes, we think about the coaches, but we rarely think about the engineers who design the stadiums or the scientists who create the balls, the cleats, or all of the analysts who deal with the data and help us understand statistics. No matter what your skill set is, there’s probably a place for you,” Silver added.
Silver noted that the activities underscore a core museum belief.
“Together these experiences reflect our belief science is everywhere, from the games we play to the material we use to the shared moments that bring communities together.”
The exhibition, developed in collaboration with Mexico City’s Museo Interactivo de Economía, opened March 7 and runs through September 7. It includes a locker room and entrance tunnel to simulate players’ pre-game experience, displays on the sport’s global cultural impact, and two signature zones: the C.L.E.A.T.S. Lab presented by Amazon, which delves into biomechanics, data analytics, and material science, and The Academy presented by Verizon, focused on speed, balance, and human movement.
Amazon’s sponsorship highlights how classroom skills in math, science, and engineering directly apply to soccer.
At Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mexico’s consul general in Dallas, Luis Rodriguez Bucio, sampled the interactive stations. “For kids, it’s very interesting to see how technology can be used in sports,” he said, per Audacy.
Dallas Trinity FC representative Alyx Wynn attended and said the timing aligns with the sport’s booming local interest.
“Dallas Trinity FC exists because representation matters, because when a young girl sees a professional women’s soccer club in her city and in a world-class museum, she starts to believe she belongs in this sport as a player, as a scientist, as an engineer, as a leader,” Wynn said, per Audacy.
She added that the club’s partnership with the museum felt natural.
“Soccer in North Texas isn’t just growing, it’s thriving. This is one of the most passionate, diverse communities in the entire country. On any given weekend, you’ll find thousands of kids on fields across the region, families driving to matches, communities gathering around the game; It connects people, cultures, and generations in ways few things can,” Wynn explained.
The exhibit is sponsored by Amazon and Verizon, with additional support from American Airlines, Bank of America, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Kroger, Lonsdale Resources, SELECT Sport, Texas Counter Fitters, Texas Instruments, the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, and Visit Dallas.
Ticket and exhibit information can be found on the museum’s website.