Shelby's Social Diary

Dinosaurs rule at dinner party for major donors to Houston Museum of NaturalScience

Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson

No pith helmets or hiking boots for this safari. The privileged crowd that gathered for the "prehistoric safari" at the Houston Museum of Natural Science dressed rather for a chic preview of the new Hall of Paleontology that opens to the public on Saturday in the museum's Dan L. Duncan Family Wing.

The museum's major donors were invited in for dinner and a first look at what is said to be the largest paleontology exhibition space in North America.

They mixed and mingled around the all-bone T.rex, featuring the best preserved and most complete hands and feet of any T.rex ever found, as well as patches of original skin on display. Speaking of skin, these special visitors, just as those yet to come, were invited to reach out and touch the fossilized dinosaur skin. In all, more than 30 dinosaurs and large mammals welcomed the well-heeled gathering to the new digs that stretch the length of a football field.

After touring the new space and the unveiling of the donor wall, the 120 guests moved to the second-floor Morian Overlook that provided an astonishing eye-to-eye view of the towering T.rex. The champagne and lighter libations flowed as the crowd toasted the success of the museum addition for which $85 million was raised in a capital campaign.

Capital campaign co-chairs Laurie Morian and Brady Carruth were proud momma and pappa on this night as was HMNS CEO Joel Bartsch.

Sitting down for the dinner by City Kitchen were museum board chair Randa Duncan Williams and Charlie Williams, Jan Duncan, Janet and Ernie Cockrell, Stephanie and Ernie Cockrell, Estela and David Cockrell, Terry and Tommy Smith, Reed Morian, Windi Grimes, Mindy and Jeff Hildebrand, Kathrine McGovern and Susie and Mel Glasscock.

unspecified

Big Spenders

Retro futurism meets philanthropy as Houston museum gala raises $3.6M

Houston Museum of Natural Science Gala 2026

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Will Lee, Britton Daugbjerg, Ella Fertitta, and Jason Fertitta.

Big spenders to the front, please.

On a night when Houston’s black-tie crowd orbited the worlds of science, style, and a little retro-futurism, the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Futurama: A Stardust Odyssey Gala 2026 felt less like a traditional fundraiser and more like an expedition through the museum’s halls.

Chaired by Randa and Charlie Williams alongside Susanne and Joel Bartsch, the gala welcomed more than 350 guests who arrived ready to lean into the evening’s mid-century futuristic theme. Instead of a traditional program, tables were scattered throughout the museum, an intentional design that encouraged guests to roam. Blooming Gallery’s décor channeled a bright, Jetsons-inspired palette before shifting into a copper-and-marigold Mad Men mood as the evening progressed.

Let’s talk about the Vault Auction, as it had a gravitational force all its own, delivering a treasure trove of museum-worthy marvels and luxury collectibles.

Among the headliners was a jaw-dropping 90–troy-ounce crystallized gold specimen from the Beta Hunt Gold Mine in Western Australia, with a $850,000 starting bid. A Chanel brooch centered on a GIA-certified yellow sapphire had a starting bid of $180,000, while a dazzling pair of earrings featuring Paraiba tourmaline, Mahenge pink spinel, and diamonds was valued between $800,000 and $1.2 million. The crown jewel of the display? “Rocks in a Box,” a museum-quality curated mineral collection assembled by HMNS curators selling for $1.8 million.

Need a ride? We got you. A 1965 Jaguar XKE Series 1 4.2 Coupe donated by Stephanie and Frank Tsuru was up for grabs.

Gulf Coast Entertainment’s Justin and The SwingBeats Quartet filled cocktail hour with jazz standards and retro pop. Later, diners gathered in Morian Hall of Paleontology and the Morian Overlook for a multi-course meal of elevated Southern fare.

After dinner, the celebration shifted into high gear in the Grand Entry Hall. Joystix Entertainment transformed the space into a retro arcade with glowing pinball machines, Donkey Kong cabinets, and pool tables. Flamingo showgirls by J&D Entertainment strutted through the crowd. Guests danced to live music, sipped milkshakes, nibbled late-night mini grilled cheese sandwiches, and even tried their luck at claw machines filled with gemstones and minerals.

The affair became the most successful gala in the museum’s history, raising $3.6 million to support educational programs, exhibitions, and outreach initiatives.

Orbiting the scene were Mary and Ron Neal, Patty and T. Mark Kelly, Caroline and Jack Williams, Nancy and David Pustka, Cynde and Chris Stravros, Mary Helen and Pete Bowden, Meg and Dick Weekley, Al Walker, Joella and Steve Mach, Monica and Fox Benton, Lisa and Mike O’Leary, and Chandos and Ike Epley, alongside many of Houston’s leading philanthropists and community supporters.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Will Lee, Britton Daugbjerg, Ella Fertitta, and Jason Fertitta.