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 Ice Age mammals to its grounds in South Austin. The outdoor exhibit includes a 17,500-pound woolly mammoth and is included with general admission, while members get in free. The University of Texas at Austin-run center says the installation runs through August 15 at 4801 La Crosse Ave. in Austin. The attraction arrives as the center continues its regular spring programming across its 284-acre site. ### What exactly is on display at the Wildflower Center? The Wildflower Center says visitors can see 15 gigantic Ice Age mammals placed around the gardens. The center’s event page describes the animals as life-size and says the exhibit is designed as a walk-through outdoor experience. A 17,500-pound woolly mammoth is the exhibit’s signature figure, according to the center’s promotional page. (wildflower.org) Third-party event listings from Do512 and Visit Austin say the animals are animatronic and depict creatures that move and make sounds as visitors move through the grounds. ### Where is it, and how does it fit into the site? The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is at 4801 La Crosse Ave. in Austin and serves as the State Botanic Garden and Arboretum of Texas. (wildflower.org) The center says its property covers 284 acres and includes gardens, an arboretum, natural areas and trails across the Edwards Plateau and Texas Blackland Prairies. The exhibit is spread through the gardens rather than housed in a single indoor gallery, according to the “Ice Age in the Wild” page. (wildflower.org) That places the prehistoric-animal display inside a site better known for native-plant conservation, research and public programming. ### How long is the exhibit running? May 9 marked the opening date for “Ice Age in the Wild,” according to the Wildflower Center’s event listing. (wildflower.org) The center’s main exhibit page says the run continues through August 15, 2026. This weekend’s dates — Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 17 — fall within the first full week of the exhibition. Austin-area event roundups have listed it among local weekend options, but the Wildflower Center’s own page provides the official run dates. (wildflower.org) ### What does admission cost? General admission covers entry to the exhibit, the Wildflower Center says. (wildflower.org) The center’s page says members are admitted free. Do512 lists general admission as free for children ages 0 to 2, $9 to $12 for ages 3 to 17, and $15 to $18 for adults. Those prices match the event’s inclusion within standard Wildflower Center admission rather than a separate special-exhibit ticket. (austinot.com) ### Is this a one-off event or part of a broader programming push? The Wildflower Center’s calendar shows “Ice Age in the Wild” running alongside other May programming, including fitness classes, bird walks and family activities. (wildflower.org) The site has also used large outdoor themed exhibitions before, including 2025’s “Dinos in the Wild.” The center says it welcomes more than 240,000 guests annually and has more than 16,500 members. (do512.com) Those numbers give a sense of the audience the exhibit is aimed at as the institution mixes native-plant education with seasonal public events. August 15 is the posted end date for “Ice Age in the Wild,” and the Wildflower Center’s events page lists other scheduled programs before then, including a Nature Immersion Walk on May 17. (wildflower.org) Visitors can find tickets and current admission details through the Wildflower Center’s event and exhibit pages. (wildflower.org) (wildflower.org)