A Natural History Museum is an Educational and Fascinating Place to Take the Kids

The Natural History Museum is a whole world of wonder for both parents and kids. Most major cities have their own museum, such as the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, or the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh (two of my favorites.) When visiting, take your time and really study the various exhibits. From animals both modern and extinct to prehistoric life, and beyond; there are many fun learning opportunities.

Paleontology - The study of dinosaurs other prehistoric creatures

In this department you will find fossilized animals, big and small, along with prehistoric skeletons. The dinosaur room was an exciting place for my classmates and I to visit, as kids. We saw Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus and Triceratops, to name a few. Great fun for any child who loves prehistoric stuff. Seeing the massive bones and the overall size of each animal, seeing these exhibits will give kids the ability to imagine just how large these ancient creatures really were.

Archeology - Studying the ancient history of humans and their cultures

At the Carnegie Natural History Museum, you can actually watch the archeologists work on digging artifacts out of a big, block of dirt. It is interesting to watch real scientists do their jobs in front of the public. When visiting the Cleveland Museum, scientists also dug out items from a large block of dirt, but at that time it was not public. A friend of mine used to work for the museum and he gave me a tour of the basement, and the archeology workroom. Even as an adult, it left an impression on me to see the work that these highly patient archeologists do.

You can see exhibits of ancient cultures worldwide, such as the pyramid at Chichen Itza in Mexico or the Great Pyramids in Egypt. Learn through dioramas and narration of how various groups lived their everyday lives. See each individual group's kind of pottery, tools and clothing.

Zoology- The study of animals