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Friday, September 9, 2011

Celebrate Museum Day With Free Admission!

Have I mentioned how much I love field trips? They are one of the best ways to get your kids excited about learning and can be a truly valuable tool for getting them to remember information.

Last month, during our first week of school, we piled in the car and drove, drove, drove, to go museum hopping. We started off at the Port O'Plymouth Museum in Eastern North Carolina, where we learned all about the Battle of Plymouth, the second largest Civil War battle fought in North Carolina. My daughter surprised me by taking copious notes and sketching many of the artifacts we saw.

Afterwards, we went on down to the God's Creation Wildlife Museum, which is a small, but beautifully kept museum featuring wildlife from the U.S. and Africa. My children were fascinated by the animals on display, and enjoyed learning about the conservation efforts that existed to protect many of the species, such as the African White Rhino shown below. This mount was actually a fiberglass replica made from an animal that the museum's owner had darted - for transport or health check, I forget which - while in Africa.



So naturally, I am pretty excited about Museum Day, which takes place on Saturday, September 24th. It is the annual celebration hosted by Smithsonian Magazine who started the event in the spirit of all the Smithsonian Museums who offer free admission daily. And I believe in the idea that all people should have access to a museum at least once, so that they may discover how truly fascinating history can be.


On Saturday, the 24th, museums all over the country will grant free access to anyone with a Museum Day Ticket, which may be downloaded here.

To find out if a museum near you is participating in the event, go here and enter your location, or simply search by state.

Don't forget to come back and share your trip with us!

Un abrazo...