Natural History + Merry-Go-Round = Fun Day
On Saturday the entire DadReport.com crew headed to one of our favorite destinations, the Museum of Natural History. In particular the new Sant Ocean Hall, the Insect Zoo and the new Butterfly Pavilion.
The Sant Ocean Hall is very cool, a big whale dangling from the ceiling in mid-swim, a 30ft squid and smaller exhibits just skim the surface of what’s there to see. This is a good link to see the layout of the gallery and to help plan a visit. Remember out of towners, this is a FREE museum, one of many here in DC.
The Insect Zoo which was closed for many months was oddly untouched when it re-opened. Smaller kids will love it, lot’s of bugs to see and room to roam plus one place to crawl through. Austen held a giant tomato caterpillar (felt like a human finger) and a Madagascan hissing cockroach (didn’t touch it) . . . he/she was a big one.
The Butterfly Pavilion was a disappointment. We’re spoiled from our many trips to Wings of Fancy butterfly show at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md. The BP is really small, plus it does have a cost of $6 bills for the big peeps and $5 for the little ones. We’re members of the Smithsonian so we saved a couple of bucks. My advice, if you live nearby go to Brookside, if you’re in town for a visit . . . eh, skip it.
Here is a much better use of the butterfly money you just saved. Do not miss the chance to see Deep Sea 3D in the IMAX theater. It runs 41 minutes but it seems shorter. It is mesmerizing and your kids will have fun reaching out to try and catch the baby jellyfish that seem to swim right by you. Johnny Depp and Kate Winslett narrate and the superb Danny Elfman provides the perfect score.
No trip to the mall is complete without a quick ride on the Merry-Go-Round in front of the Smithsonian. I know it won’t be long now before my girls turn their noses up on the idea of being so uncool as to ride the MGR. It never gets old for moi, so they’ll just have to continue to be embarrassed by me.
A few pics from the day in DC.
