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Last month when I was in New York City one of my major goals was to finally visit the American Museum of Natural History. I set aside an entire morning to walk the halls of the museum that Ben Stiller, Theodore Roosevelt, and their rag tag team of characters brought to life on the big screen. Well, that morning quickly turned into an all day event and I still didn’t even come close to seeing it all! The museum is HUGE and filled with so many types of exhibits that there truly is something for everyone. If you only have a few hours and want to get a good glimpse at what the museum has to offer, here are some of my must sees:
Stand In In Awe The Hall of Biodiversity: Wow. This was my absolute favorite part of the museum. The Spectrum of Life dominates one wall of the hall and showcases 28 different groups, from butterflies to fungi. Its a great way to see diversity in both size and adaptation, along with the true beauty of the natural world.
Visit Some Dioramas: Nothing says Natural History Museum quite like a hall filled with dioramas of stuffed mammals. Kids love them because they can get up close and personal with animals that they are familiar with, and parents love them because they provide a nice sense of nostalgia. I am always impressed at just how big some animals actually are. The American Museum of Natural History offers African, Asian, and North American Halls of Mammals.
Learn About An Ancient Culture: An important part of natural history is the culture of our ancestors. Not that long ago, the world was a lot less homogenized and many communities lived in total isolation. Learn about Native Americans, African, Asian, and South American peoples, or my favorite cultural exhibit: Margaret Mead’s beloved Pacific Cultures. Pick a hall and teach your children about a way of life that is vastly different from their own.
Hit Up The Planetarium: Space is such an abstract concept for so many of us. We know its up there beyond the clouds, but its hard to imagine anything bigger than planet Earth. A great way to experience outer space is by sitting in a planetarium and gazing up at the incredible beauty of a recreated universe. The Hayden Planetarium is massive and dominates Rose Hall with its 4 million pound sphere. Buy a ticket and step inside a world that inspires children to dream of something bigger.
Walk with the Dinosaurs: My kids would never let me walk out of a natural history museum without visiting the dinosaurs. I am not exactly sure what is so captivating about the skeletal remains of giant lizards, but they seem to be pretty much universally loved by kids. The American Museum of Natural History has some excellent fossil displays including Tyrannosaurus, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, and a few “sauruses” that I have never even heard of. Fossils of prehistoric mammals such as the mastodon are also represented, and guaranteed to excite you fossil loving little ones.
Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week?
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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
Museums are often filled with exhibits designed to grab the visitors attention and educate patrons about aspects of life we often take for granted. Subjects can be as abstract as the tiny atoms which make up all forms of life, to something simple that often gets taken for granted, such as the tree. From now until September 26th, the California Science Center has dedicated an entire exhibit to trees. Its designed to appeal to the 2-7 year old age group and is called “Exploring Trees Inside and Out“.
Our very own Superoo, Debi Huang (aka GoExploreNature), recently had the opportunity to visit this amazing exhibit with her 2 and 5 year olds and came back with nothing but great things to say about what they saw. The exhibit was designed by the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, and developed with a grant from Doubletree Hotels, with the purpose of creating a better understanding of the importance of nature among children. The museum has traveled all around the country, reaching 650,000 children and their families already. Do you live in the Chicago area? Well lucky you! The exhibit’s next stop is Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago, where it will be featured from October through December.
Here is an excerpt of Debi’s review of this incredible (and fun!) exhibit:
“The goal of this exhibit is to teach young kids the significant role trees play in the environment. We listened to the sounds of the trees (think birds, leaves falling and squirrels), smelled tree scents (like sap, bark, wood and apples) and looked at parts of the tree under a microscope. The 5-½ year old loved playing in a larger-than-life bird’s nest.
He also got a kick out of pretending to be a forest creature as part of a blue-screen flying experience. The exhibit provides the costumes, the blue screen and the video. All your child needs to do is to get dressed, flap his arms and watch the screen to feel like he’s flying through the forest. (Don’t forget to take video of this if you can!)
The highlight for our 2 year old was the giant tree house play structure smack dab in the middle of the exhibit. He ran through the “branches” and slid down into a pile of “leaves” more times than we could count! The best part? Getting there right after the Center opened meant we had the exhibit pretty much to ourselves.”
Read Debi’s entire review of Exploring Trees Inside and Out here.
Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week? Perhaps its a post about a vacation you just took or a day trip that you think our readers should know about. Spotlight your posts here by following the instructions here and filling out the Mr. Linky Form below.
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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
Museums across America are getting more and more kid-friendly. Many have special exhibits geared to the interests of kids with interactive hands on learning stations. If you’re looking for a special outing or some exceptional educational experiences, you’ve got to put these on your list of activities to hit up before the year ends.
Kid friendly Museum Exhibits in: San Francisco | Los Angeles | Seattle | Chicago | Dallas | New York City | Boston
In particular, these 10 kid-friendly museum exhibits really got us excited. If you can, try to get to some of these with your kids! These exhibits promise big fun, educational experiences, and a plethora of interactive exhibits.
Exploring Trees Inside and Out
This 2,500-square-foot exhibit is designed for kids ages 2 to 7 to better understand the significant role trees play in the environment and how they can be involved in preserving them. This exhibit engages all of your child’s senses. They’ll be happy as an cockatoo crawling, smelling, listening, and pretending. website
Catch this exhibit at:
California Science Center, Los Angeles, California – May 28th to September 6th,2010.
Reviews of California Science Center with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotel in Los Angeles
Chicago Children’s Museum from October 2nd to January 9th, 2011.
Reviews of the Chicago Children’s Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Chicago
Photo by: Arbor Day Foundation
Chomp 2! Return of the Carnivorous Plants
What kid can resist the excitement of coming face to face with meat-eating plants like the statuesque white trumpets of the American Southeast, the sinister pitcher plants of Borneo and the glistening sundews of South Africa. This swampy paradise is sure to delight your child. Do not get your fingers too close to these plants, little ones…. they bite! website
Catch this exhibit at:
Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco, CA – now till October 31, 2010
Reviews of the Conservatory of Flowers with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in San Francisco
Photo by: Conservatory of Flowers
Living in Space, about the International Space Station
This traveling exhibit provides an interactive experience where kids eat, sleep, work, and play in space. If you have a young child who loves anything to do with space, don’t miss this wonderful exhibit. website
Catch this Exhibit at:
Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito, CA – May 29th to August 15th,2010
Reviews of the Bay Area Discovery Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in San Francisco
Minnesota Children’s Museum, St. Paul, MN – Sept 4, 2010 through Jan 2, 2011
Reviews of the Minnesota Children’s Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in the Twin Cities
Photo by: Bay Area Discovery Museum
Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age
This brand new traveling exhibit will allow kids to explore the world of mammoths and mastodons through fossils, artifacts, engaging interactives, immersive media, and the story of the most complete and best-preserved mammoth ever found, the baby Lyuba. website
Catch this exhibit at:
The Field Museum, Chicago, IL – now till September 6th,2010
Reviews of Field Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Chicago
Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ – October 16, 2010 to January 9, 2011
Reviews of Liberty Science Center with Kids
Photo by: Flickr/taygete05
Curious George saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H.A. Rey
Kids and adults all have fond feelings towards Curious George. In this wonderful exhibit, you’ll see original drawings and learn about how George actually saved his ‘parents’ from Nazi occupied Europe. Website
Catch this exhibit at:
Jewish Museum, New York City – now till till August 1st, 2010
Reviews of Jewish Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in New York City
Photo by: The Jewish Museum
Bodies
The ‘Bodies’ exhibit provides a rare look into real human specimens, showing how amazing our human bodies are. For young children, it may be too much, but for your tween and teens, this exhibit is a must see. website
Check their website for where you can catch this exhibit. They are showing in many cities across America including Atlanta, Dallas, Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Las Vegas, Tuscon, New York
Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Atlanta | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in New York City | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Dallas
Toys: the Inside Story
This fun exhibition literally breaks open the world of toys so that your child can discover the simple mechanisms commonly found in toys. Your budding toy designer can also create their own toy-like combination of gears, pulleys, linkages, cams, and circuits. Enjoy some free-form and open-ended toy design. Caution: get ready for massive toys dissection when you come back home! website
Children’s Museum of Manhattan, New York City – from May 29th till September 18th, 2010
Reviews of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in New York City
Photo by: John Douglas
Peter Rabbits Flower Village
Enjoy the flower houses at the Dallas Arboretum that bring alive the world of Beatrix Potter. This is the cutest little exhibition. Fans of Beatrix Potter should not miss this. website
Catch this exhibit at:
Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Dallas, TX – now till July 31st, 2010
Reviews of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Dallas
Photo by: Dallas Arboretum
Lizards and Snakes: Alive
Hate them or love thme, your kids will fascinated by the 60+ live lizards and snakes in re-created habitats. This exhibit introduces visitors to a diversity of legged and legless creatures and their remarkable adaptations. website
Catch this Exhibit at:
American Museum of Natural, New York City – now till September 2nd,2010
Reviews of the American Museum of Natural History | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in New York City
Photo by: Michael & Patricia Fogden
Headgear: the Natural History of Horn and Antlers
This multimedia exhibition provides an unusual in-depth look at horn and antler headgear dawned by some animals, providing a look at the evolutionary process of such animals. 3-D diorama and video presentations illustrate the use of horns and antlers in combat. website
Catch this exhibit at:
Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, MA – May 22nd, 2010 till January 2nd, 2011
Reviews of the Harvard Museum of Natural History with Kids | Kid-friendly activities and hotels in Boston
Full List of Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits:
- Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in San Francisco, California
- Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Los Angeles, California
- Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Seattle, Washington
- Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Chicago, Illinois
- Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Dallas, Texas
- Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in New York City
- Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Boston, Massachusetts
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LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
One of the great things about living in the US is that we are such a heterogeneous society. I love that we live in a country where so many people from different ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds can live together in peace. When raising our children, it is important to make sure that they not only value their cultural background, but that they learn about and appreciate other cultures as well. I am always excited to expose my children to a new culture, whether it be through food, a museum exhibit, or personal interaction. Lydie, one of our Trekaroo Superoos , put together some fantastic lists
- Cross cultural experiences for kids in Los Angeles,
- Cross cultural experiences for kids in Washington DC
- Cross cultural experiences for kids in San Francisco
- Cross cultural experiences for kids in Pennsylvania
- Cross cultural experiences for kids in Texas
- Cross cultural experiences for kids in New York City.
Amish in Pennsylvnia - Photo by: flickr/Bob Jagendorf
Today I would like to spotlight an experience from each of the lists with the hope that you will follow the links to see what other great ideas Lydie has listed. Lets get started with LA!
In Los Angeles attend the Los Angeles Greek Festival. Lydie says: “The Greek Festival is held every year in September and you will have to check the calendar for the exact date. It is a wonderful opportunity to discover the Greek culture and food without having to endure a long flight. There are lots of activities for children to enjoy as well as a separate play area where they can have fun.” Want to see what else is on the list? Check out Los Angeles Cross Cultural Experiences for Kids.
In Washington DC don’t miss the Freer & Sackler Galleries. Lydie says “This is the place to go to embrace Asian culture in Washington DC. Do not miss the ImaginAsia events held on a regular basis. They will help children understand the Asian culture by participating in projects and activities.” Want to see what else is on the list? Check out Washington DC Cross Cultural Experiences for Kids.
In San Francisco be sure to visit the Contemporary Jewish Museum. Lydie says “This is actually one of my favorite museums in San Francisco. They have wonderful temporary exhibitions that will make you fall in love with the Jewish culture.” Want to see what else is on the list? Check out San Francisco Cross Cultural Experiences for Kids.
In Texas take the time to see The Women’s Museum, an Institiute for the Future. Lydie says “The exhibition ‘Freedom’s Sisters’ is running till July 4, 2010 will showcase the stories of Harriett Tubman, Rosa Parks and many more. Young girls of any race will feel empowered by their visit.” Want to see what else is on the list? Check out Texas Cross Cultural Experiences for Kids.
No visit to New York City is complete without seeing the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Lydie says “Ellis Island was the last step for European immigrants and the last wait before entering the United States in quest for a better life. By visiting this museum, children will have a better understanding of what Irish, British, Polish, German, French and others endured in the quest for a better life.” Want to see what else is on the list? Check out New York City Cross Cultural Experiences for Kids.
In Pennsylvania visit Amish Village. Lydie says: “You will get an insider’s view on how the Amish work and live. You will see the blacksmith shop, a central shop in the Amish culture, the livestock, the smokehouse, the village store etc and you will leave with a better understanding of their culture.” Want to see what else is on the list? Check out Pennsylvania Cross Cultural Experiences for Kids.
We hope these lists will inspire your family to explore a different culture. Now lets see where these bloggers and Trekaroo friends have been exploring lately…
Let’s see where the spotlight shines this week!
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Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week? Perhaps its a post about a vacation you just took or a day trip that you think our readers should know about. Or maybe its a post about the vacation you are currently planning and going to book through Trekaroo! Spotlight your posts here by following the instructions here and filling out the Mr. Linky Form below.
Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo – a review site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids and the woman behind Double the Adventure.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
The Walt Disney Family Museum
We had the opportunity to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum this weekend with our two kids (6 and 3). The museum will open on October 1st, 2009 and is located near the Golden Gate Bridge, on the grounds of the Presidio of San Francisco, a former army base which is now part of the National Park System. The museum offers a fascinating look into the history and life of the Disney family, as well as the founding of the iconic Walt Disney Company by Walt and Roy Disney.
The museum is world class in it’s fit and finish, but be forewarned that it is first and foremost a museum and not a theme park. The museum starts off with the history of the Disney family and moves into the captivating story of the growth of the nascent animation industry. It showcases the pivotal role that Disney played in advancing the art and science of animation. I found all of it fascinating and I learned quite a bit about the history of animation. Our kids were engaged by the plethora of video animations, but spent the most time in the Disneyland model area near the end of the museum. Our 6 year old likes to draw and was especially intrigued by the history and the process of animation.
Limited stroller parking is available, but I would recommend not bringing one. Due to the lack of stroller access and the grown up nature of the museum, I would only recommend it for kids over 6 years old.
Read the full review and see photos of the new museum here »
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Brennan Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA
