🦖 Houston Museum of Natural Science (Houston, TX) – 2 Penny Machines + 1 Token Machine – 16 Designs

Location:
5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77004
📞 (713) 639-4629 | 🌐 HMNS Website

Where to Find It:
All penny and token machines are in the main entrance causeway, on the right-hand side.

• Machine 8: near the information desk.

• Machine 9 & Token Machine 2: ~20 feet further down the hall.

Cost:

• Penny Machines: $1 per coin (cash) OR 8 for $5 (cash/credit).

• Token Machine: $5 each, or $15 for 4.

🎨 Designs Available (16 Pennies + 4 Tokens)

Machine 8 (8-die, 2020)
✅ / ⬜ 747 with Space Shuttle on top
✅ / ⬜ T-Rex
✅ / ⬜ Butterfly
✅ / ⬜ Triceratops
✅ / ⬜ Bust of Nefertiti
✅ / ⬜ Rhino
✅ / ⬜ “I ♥ Science” with Lithium atom
✅ / ⬜ Longhorn

Machine 9 (8-die, 2020)
✅ / ⬜ Soyuz spacecraft over Earth
✅ / ⬜ Hadrosaur
✅ / ⬜ Butterfly
✅ / ⬜ Polar Bear
✅ / ⬜ Aztec Statue
✅ / ⬜ Brontosaurus
✅ / ⬜ Swinging Pendulum Ball
✅ / ⬜ Skeleton, Leaf & Beaker

Token Machine 2 (front + back)
✅ / ⬜ Moon Landing
✅ / ⬜ Tyrannosaurus Rex
✅ / ⬜ Cockrell Butterfly Center
✅ / ⬜ Hall of Ancient Egypt
Back design (all): Museum name + Space Shuttle, Butterfly & 3D glasses.

Retired Machines & Tokens

• Retired penny machines included themed sets: astronomy (Haley’s Comet, Saturn), dinosaurs (Stegosaurus, Velociraptor), butterflies, saints/religious themes, and ocean life (Octopus, Lanternfish).

• Retired Token Machine 1 featured Monarch Butterfly & Tyrannosaurus Rex designs.

📝 Collector Tip
Even when machines are down, the gift shop sells PennyCollector albums, and you might find discounted older HMNS coin books. Machines take bills or card for bulk sets, so no extra quarters needed.

⭐ Fun Fact – Houston, TX
The HMNS houses one of the world’s oldest astrolabes (1554) recovered from a Spanish shipwreck off Padre Island.

📊 Progress Tracker
Pressed so far: ⬜ 0 | ⬜ 1–4 | ⬜ 5–8 | ⬜ 9–12 | ⬜ 13–16 of 16 designs

Trail Completion: Part of the Houston Metro Trail and the Science & Space Collector Challenge.

🎯 Why This Stop Matters
With two 8-die machines plus tokens, HMNS offers one of the largest hauls in a single Texas museum. Themes cover dinosaurs, space, ancient cultures, and science—perfect for building a well-rounded set.

✨ PennyTrail Pro Tip
Press your “I ♥ Science” penny and snap it with the museum’s giant pendulum exhibit for a clever #MyPennyTrail shot.

🚀 Space Center Houston (Houston, TX) – 3 Penny Machines + 2 Token Machines – 12 Penny Designs + 8

Token Designs

Location:
2101 NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058
📞 (281) 244-2100 | 🌐 Space Center Houston Website

Where to Find It:

• Machine 2 – Food Court (next to soda machines)

• Machine 5 – Arcade area

• Machine 6 – At the front of the main gift shop

• Token Machines 1 & 2 – Space Traders Gift Shop

Cost:
Pennies: $1 each (pre-loaded zinc, no need to bring your own).
Tokens: $5 each or 4 for $15.

🎨 Designs Available (12 Penny + 8 Token)

Machine 2
✅ / ⬜ International Space Station – “Space Center Houston”
✅ / ⬜ Hubble Telescope – “Space Center Houston”
✅ / ⬜ Astronaut in Suit – “Space Center Houston”
✅ / ⬜ Shuttle Take-off – “Space Center Houston”

Machine 5 (2013)
✅ / ⬜ Saturn V
✅ / ⬜ Space Shuttle Taking Off
✅ / ⬜ Orion
✅ / ⬜ Apollo Space Capsule

Machine 6 (2016)
✅ / ⬜ NASA Logo
✅ / ⬜ Space Shuttle
✅ / ⬜ Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
✅ / ⬜ Mars Rover
Rear: All have Space Center logo

Token Machine 1 (2019)
✅ / ⬜ International Space Station over Earth
✅ / ⬜ Space Shuttle landed
✅ / ⬜ Astronaut floating in space
✅ / ⬜ The Saturn V Experience
Rear: Space Center Logo

Token Machine 2 (2019)
✅ / ⬜ Endeavor on launch pad
✅ / ⬜ Apollo 11 First Lunar Landing 1969–2019, Station over Earth
✅ / ⬜ Independence Shuttle on top of 747
✅ / ⬜ Mission Mars – spacecraft over Mars
Rear: Space Center Logo

📝 Collector Tip
All three penny machines were confirmed operational as of July 2024 and now take credit cards or $1 bills. No need to carry quarters or pennies!

⭐ Fun Fact – Houston, TX
Space Center Houston is home to Mission Control and astronaut training facilities. It’s the official visitor center of NASA Johnson Space Center.

📊 Progress Tracker
Pressed so far: ⬜ 0 | ⬜ 1–4 | ⬜ 5–8 | ⬜ 9–12 of 12 penny designs
Tokens so far: ⬜ 0 | ⬜ 1–2 | ⬜ 3–4 | ⬜ 5–6 | ⬜ 7–8 of 8 token designs

Trail Completion: Part of the Houston Space & Aviation Trail

🎯 Why This Stop Matters
For space enthusiasts, this is a bucket-list stop—with designs celebrating everything from Apollo to Mars exploration. You can press coins with the Saturn V, Shuttle, Mars Rover, and more all in one visit.

✨ PennyTrail Pro Tip
Press the Apollo 11 token and photograph it against the real Apollo 17 Command Module on display for an epic #MyPennyTrail space shot.