Exploring Our Backyard: Liberty Science Center

Last Monday, since I was off and Nick‘s school was closed, I had told him that we’d go to a museum involving the Presidents, which seemed only fitting since it was President’s Day.  Well, then the flu hit and I was down for the count … and then some.  I felt terrible because I knew he was so looking forward to going, but I was determined to make it up to him.  We didn’t go learn about the Presidents this weekend, but we did go visit the Liberty Science Center.

When it comes to going out to eat or when finding things to do with the kids, it seems we always tend to overlook what’s right here.  Even though I remember when the Center was built back in 1993, this was the first time any of us had been to it.  As soon as Madeline woke up from her morning nap on Saturday, we set off to explore.

Throughout the four floors of the center, there are opportunities for interactive play around every corner, starting in the very first exhibit.  The first room was all about skyscrapers, why they’re made the way they are (did you know that they’re supposed to sway a bit?) and even featured an area where you could walk across narrow construction beams high overhead complete with harness (we weren’t brave enough for that one!).  After the building area, we headed up to the third floor to catch a show in the Eat and Be Eaten area.  The kids were fascinated with the very ugly Snapping Alligator Turtle.

The next spot was the bacteria and germ section (perfect for a germophobe like me!).  There is this spot where a giant blue plastic nose sneezes every minute or so, spewing air and (I’m hoping!) water on anyone close enough.  Blech!  Around the corner, you can feed a tube into a “mouth” and watch real live video as it goes down your esophogus.  Equally blech. 

When we came out of that section, we ran into The Neighbors, coincidentally enough.  What are the odds that we all ended up in the same place on the same day, without having any conversations ever about the Liberty Science Center?  Apparently greater than we thought!  The kids were excited to see each other and raced back to the germ section to get sneezed on again and again.

We were there for about three hours and still only managed to do a section of the first floor, and a section of the third, so I think we’ll definitely have to plan another trip soon.  Their 3D movies and exhibits change all the time, so even if you manage to get through the entire center (as if!), there is always something new and different.  A reasonably priced, educational outing that’s right in our backyard… perfect.

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