A Chorus of Colors, Frogs in DC!
Dozens of colorful exotic frogs are currently hopping around in Explorer’s Hall in the National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC through May 11th, 2008. The show is called: Frogs! A Chorus of Colors. This is a great exhibit for kids, it is relatively small and compact yet there is a lot to see. Oh yeah, it’s FREE!, we like free. We went on the weekend. (Free parking on the street.)
The small (about 1 inch.) Golden Mantellas were our favorites. There are poison dart frogs, frogs that look like moss and even some tadpoles. Each set of frogs is showcased in terrariums (eye-level for the little ones) that feature their native habits. Some have moving water, others are decorated with foliage, rocks, moss, etc. As soon as you enter the exhibit you hear the sound of frog calls, pretty cool. They were piped in, but hey.
You can also dissect a frog electronically. Sorry, no trips down high-school biology memory lane for us parents (ah, the bewitching essence of formaldehyde.) as it is on a touch screen. It’s cool, kids were lined up to play with it. There’s also a skeleton of the world’s largest frog. (Larger than you think.)
I had a quick freak-out: we (me) lost track of our eldest Austen for a few minutes as we searched around and around the exhibits. Of course when my wild-eyed-self found her she was like “what?”
There is a nice open outdoor courtyard (exit at end of hallway opposite 17th Street entrance) with some large rocks and a water feature that make for good photo-ops of the kids. It’s an excellent place to drag that little melt-downer or to quietly explain why you’re not buying that $30 stuffed animal from the museum store. It’s where my wife took me to explain why I wasn’t getting the GPS hand-held star/planet identifier. “But, it’s only $399.00 . . . and it’s educational and . . .”
The museum store is right next to the exhibit and has a wonderful selection of National Geographic books on photography. The museum is located right in the Dupont Circle area so food options are many, we like California Pizza Kitchen which is not far. The excellent Metro is only a block or so away. (Farragut North)
Here’s a nice tie-in to your visit, it’s from the National Zoo. You can adopt a Panamanian Golden Frog. BTW, the Zoo has a real nice collection of frogs, you can find them in the Amazonia Habitat. I’ll be reporting about the Zoo a fair amount here in the future.
National Geographic phone: 202. 857. 7588. Directions and hours.
