Life-size Ice Age mammals at Wildflower Center

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center opened “Ice Age in the Wild” on May 9, adding 15 life-size animatronic Ice Age mammals to its gardens in South Austin. The outdoor exhibit includes a 17,500-pound woolly mammoth and is included with general admission, while members enter free, according to the center’s event page. The installation runs through August 15, 2026, on the center’s campus at 4801 La Crosse Ave. in Austin. Local listings and television coverage this month described the display as a summer attraction built around moving, sound-producing prehistoric animals. ### How long is the exhibit actually staying at the Wildflower Center? May 9 marked the opening date for “Ice Age in the Wild,” and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center says the exhibit continues through August 15, 2026. The center’s main exhibit page lists those dates directly and says the attraction is part of the garden experience rather than a one-weekend event. May 15 to May 17 is the weekend in which the exhibit is being promoted in Austin event guides, including Austinot’s roundup of local activities. (wildflower.org) That means visitors can see it this weekend, but the official Wildflower Center listings show the display remains in place well beyond mid-May. ### What will visitors see in the gardens? The Wildflower Center says visitors will encounter 15 gigantic mammals placed throughout the gardens, including a woolly mammoth weighing 17,500 pounds. (wildflower.org) The center’s description says the animals are meant to evoke an Ice Age landscape and are positioned outdoors along the visitor route. KVUE reported on May 6 that the exhibit features 15 animatronic creatures such as woolly mammoths and sabertoothed cats roaming the grounds. (austinot.com) Tribeza, citing the center’s presentation, reported that the installation represents 11 species and that the figures are designed to move and make sound. (wildflower.org) ### Are these static sculptures or animatronics? The Wildflower Center’s own promotional copy says the animals are robotic and describes them as breathing, roaring, glaring and flicking their tails. That language indicates the display is built as an animatronic installation rather than a set of fixed statues. Do512 and other local event listings also describe the creatures as animatronic. (kvue.com) Those listings match the center’s description that the exhibit is designed to create a more lifelike walk-through experience in the gardens. ### Where is it, and what does admission cost? The Wildflower Center lists the exhibit at 4801 La Crosse Ave. in Austin, on the center’s grounds. The event page says admission to “Ice Age in the Wild” is included with general admission and free for members. (calendar.utexas.edu) KVUE reported that the exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through May, with summer hours changing on June 1 to 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (do512.com) The Wildflower Center’s broader event calendar also places the exhibit within its regular public programming. ### Why is the exhibit getting attention in Austin right now? (wildflower.org) May 11 event coverage from Austinot included the Wildflower Center attraction in a weekend guide for May 15 through May 17, putting the exhibit in front of readers looking for plans in Austin. Local television stations and city event calendars have also highlighted the opening week because it coincides with the start of the center’s summer programming. (kvue.com) KVUE said the opening comes after Austin paleontologists and cavers recently discovered Ice Age-era fossils in Central Texas. That connection was cited by the station as part of the reason the exhibit may resonate locally, though the Wildflower Center’s own materials focus on the garden experience and the animals themselves. (austinot.com) ### What is the next scheduled event tied to the exhibit? May 17 is the date for “Ice Age Night” at the Wildflower Center, according to a University of Texas events listing. The listing says visitors can see the prehistoric mammals after dark, giving the exhibit a named follow-up event during its opening stretch. August 15, 2026 is the end date shown on the Wildflower Center’s exhibit page. (kvue.com) Tickets and admission details are posted through the center’s event listings, which also show other scheduled programming on the grounds during the run. (wildflower.org) (cns.utexas.edu)