Dinosaur Museum

This summer, I have decided, is going to be more fun and constructive than in past years. I have decided to plan little field trips for us and do more things to keep up the girls' school skills. Things like swimming at my parents, going to parks, or visiting various attractions and museums. I also plan on adding in more reading with weekly trips to the library and keeping up math skills with daily games and activities. So, as part of that goal, we went to the Museum of Ancient Life today.

Besides the "Do Something Constructive Summer" agenda, I also had a second agenda by visiting the museum. Thanksgiving Point has a deal where for $175 two adults and their children 17 and under can get into the Museum of Ancient Life, Farm Country and the Gardens free for a year. I am interested in that deal but before I buy a year long membership I wanted to check out each of the places. The Museum of Ancient Life just seemed a good place to start. (They do have individual year membership plans for each attraction at $45 for just the Farm Country or $100 each for the other two.)

I really enjoyed the museum but the kids seemed to rush past the exhibits faster than I could read about them so that was a little frustrating. Kent III really seemed to enjoy himself, however, I believe he officially wore out the phrase "Look! A Roar!" :)

Most of today was filmed so I don't have a lot pictures at the museum, but here are a few.





Besides exhibits and dinosaur bones there were a lot of hands-on displays (50 to be exact!).



Kent III's favorite area was the Erosin Table. He and the girls played in that for about 15 minutes and when the girls got bored and came to sit next to me, he played in it for another 15 minutes. And then cried when we finally made him leave.



The girls thought this mannequin in one of the exhibits looked like Kent. :) I could possibly see the resemblance...if you stood across the room and squinted a little while tilting your head... ;)



I really enjoyed the museum. I thought it was informative, fun and well put together. I even thought the hidden gnomes were fun even though we only found 1 of 13. However, the girls said it was more of a once a year thing rather than several times a year thing.

Admission to the museum for an adult is $10, children are $8 (3-12). (We did have coupons today though for $2 off each admission.) So, if the girls don't really want to go often and Kent III is free for the next 6 months, it would cost me $10 to take just Kent III to the museum. If I got the year long pass at $175 that would mean Kent III and I would need to visit the museum more often in that year then I think I want to drive up there, to make it worth it. I think it would be an amazing deal if we had a bigger family or Kent III was old enough to appreciate more of the things in the museum. But for now, I don't think so.

Don't worry though, we still plan on visiting Farm Country and the Gardens. :)

If you have a favorite activity, game or museum, please let me know! I am always looking for activities to add to my list!