One of our favorite things to do is to create a bucket list of all the places we want to visit throughout the year. Museums are always included on that list because we love learning and experiencing things that we might not get to see on an every day basis. Every February, San Diego residents and visitors can take advantage of Museum Month where over 40 museums offer discounted admission. From history to science and everything in between, there are over 40 participating museums that will be offering 50% off admission. Here are some of our favorites to visit.
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
One of our favorite museums to visit is the Natural History Museum. We love meeting up with our friends and starting out in The Backyard. This gives the kids an opportunity to get their wiggles out after being in the car. There’s a space for little ones to crawl, a giant lady bug to climb and a light table to discover. There’s a comfortable seating space so moms can enjoy their coffee and catch up.
We had to check out the newest additions to the museum the Living Lab and Insects Face to Face. The Living Lab allows an up close view into a working bee hive, rattlesnake and more. The kids loved watching the bees collect nectar from outside and bring it into the hive. And while they were cautious around the rattlesnake they definitely enjoyed being able to check it out up-close. Insects Face to Face is an installation of giant photographs of bugs many of which you can find in your own backyard. We loved seeing all the details and brilliant colors and “running away” from the giant insects.
Once a month the Nat has Family Days. They are often on holidays, which is a great option to have when the kids are out of school. Each month is a different theme and features hands on activities and crafts for the kids to learn. Each station has a docent or educator so the kids can ask questions and learn more. On our visit it was whale themed. The boys loved getting to make a whale headband, learning about blubber and getting to use “blubber” to touch ice.
THE NEW CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
Inspiring children through art and creativity is what The New Children’s Museum hopes to accomplish. They have fourteen art installations that kids can explore. Plus labs, workshops and studios! We love that regardless of your age, it’s hands-on fun while learning and expanding your understanding of art.
We had so much fun checking out the art installations like Whammock! It’s this giant hammock (1,000 pounds of net to be exact!) that kids can climb, swing, bounce on or rest. And just across the way is Tikitiko, a sensory wonderland for toddlers (3 years and under) covered in colorful, soft and furry textiles.
On another level, all our kids had fun racing cars in Desert Derby engineered to reflect Southern California’s true nature. Sketch Aquarium was definitely a favorite. In this room we were able to draw and design a sea creature, scan it through the machine, and then watch it come to life and swim with all the other sea creatures in a wall-sized, moving aquarium projection. So cool! And 18,000 hand-cut wooden shapes were used to make The Wonder Sound area. Part treehouse, part playground, it’s a labyrinth of rooms, nooks, ropes and continuous exploration.
They are also art studios and workshops, a museum shop and cafe, everything you need for a full day of fun with the family.
SAN DIEGO RAILROAD MUSEUM
All aboard! Another great stop for museum month is the San Diego Railroad museum. With over 27,000 square feet of trains and tracks, this museum is a hit with our train loving boys. They could spend hours watching the trains. Their favorite room is the Toy Train Gallery, which incorporates many of their favorite characters into the train set-up. On our last visit, we brought along the grandparents of Family Entourage and they enjoyed all of the details and history of the exhibits. For families with little ones, there is also a space where children can build and play with trains. We all love the Centennial Garden train exhibit and wish we could have it in our backyard!
