Spiders, Dinosaurs, and Cocktail Parties: Where to Go For Summer Museum Fun
From outdoor exhibits to attention-getting arachnids, museums have gotten creative with all kinds of ways to entertain us this summer.
Spiders!
Even Spider-Man might show up for this one: The American Museum of Natural History’s Spiders Alive exhibit showcases 20 species of the creepy crawlers.
This is not an itsy-bitsy spider. (Photo: American Museum of Natural History)
The New York City museum’s scientists scoured the globe for samples so visitors can get a firsthand view. Museum staff will be handling some of the spiders for those who want an even closer look.
“The summer is a very busy time for the museum,” Associate Director of Living Exhibits Hazel Davies told Yahoo Travel. Davies noted that despite the summer break from school field trips, the museum still draws a number of curious kids thanks to camp groups.
Kids are bugging out over the museum’s new eight-legged residents. (Photo: American Museum of Natural History)
The crowd-pleasing exhibit is popular with grownups too. ”Adults are really intrigued by spiders,” Davies said. “And we have many adults coming without children.” We can see why. Some truly fierce arachnids are on display, from the brown recluse to the black widow. Let’s hope none of them get loose.
Night at the Intrepid
Spend the night on an aircraft carrier. (Photo: Frankie Torres/Flickr)
This museum visit requires a sleeping bag and flashlight. Mark your calendars for the next Operation Slumber on the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on July 19.
Until these kids are old enough to join the Navy, “Operation Slumber” is their best chance for a Navy experience. (Photo: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum)
Youth groups and families can experience firsthand what it’s like to live aboard an aircraft carrier (without having to join the Navy). The overnight experience includes a flashlight tour of the flight deck, a scavenger hunt, and snacks on the mess deck.
Take a Selfie With Sue
Meet “Sue.” She’s seen better days. (Photo: Dave Mathis/Flickr)
If you’re passing through Chicago, check out the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever found at The Field Museum. The dinosaur known as “Sue” measures 42 feet long from nose to tail and is an imposing 13 feet tall. And according to the museum, the skeleton is more than 90% complete. Perhaps not surprisingly, with a smile filled with 58 dagger-like teeth, the T. rex is a popular subject of visitor photos. Say “Cheese.”
Related: Sleepover With the Dinosaurs — No Kids Allowed
Please Pet the Fish
Forget petting zoos. How about a petting aquarium? (Photo: Shedd Aquarium)
Fish are not the cuddliest of creatures. But at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, visitors are invited to be hands-on for the seasonal “Stingray Touch,” where you can get all touchy-feely with these fun fish. In the heat of the summer, it’s cooler to submerge your arms in a fish-filled patio pool than to simply watch the rays swim around in a tank.
An Out-of-This-World Experience
The telescope at the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory will have you seeing stars. (Photo: Intiaz Rahim/Flickr)
Get an eyeful at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa. Stargazers at the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory can take a look at the night skies through the museum’s historic 15-inch telescope. Next month, the museum is hosting an event to coincide with the Perseids meteor shower.
Related: The Virginia Museum Where Parade Floats Go to Die
Party in L.A.
Send your RSVP to the Los Angeles Natural History Museum’s Summer Nights in the Garden. In July and August, evening festivities include botanical garden tours, DJ beats, and performances that can be enjoyed with a picnic on the grass.
Parties at the museum? Another reason to love L.A. (Photo: Natural History Museum - Los Angeles County)
If you can’t make one of the parties, consider the museum’s other summer activities, like workshops on potting succulents or building a birdhouse.
See a Piece of History
One of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta is on display in Boston this summer. (Photo: AP)
Boston travelers can take in a special freedom-themed exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts this summer. On display: a rare copy of the 1215 Magna Carta, the inspiration for the U.S. Constitution. Drafts of the Declaration of Independence are also on display.
Related: 5 Patriotic Places to Visit This Summer
Go Play at the St. Louis City Museum
Don’t worry — that bus is supposed to be there. (Photo: Brian Johnson & Dane Kantner/Flickr)
The first thing you may notice at the St. Louis City Museum is a school bus hanging off the edge of the roof. It gets better: Guests can head 13 floors up, board the bus, and even sit in the driver’s seat.
As you may have guessed, this is no ordinary museum. The converted 1910 shoe factory is filled with caves, tunnels, and slides. And a castle is going up in the parking lot.
But back to the roof. Aside from the precariously placed bus, the museum’s roof addition, Atop the City, features a working, four-story Ferris wheel, where riders can catch a peek of the Gateway Arch and soaring views of the city. If that’s not enough of a thrill ride, try the indoor, 10-story, spiral slide.
For once, grandpa gets to leave the children on the ground while HE enjoys the ride. (Photo: AP)
The quirky museum is a work in progress, according to museum spokesperson Tracey LaRiccia. ”Crews are working right now to expand and build new attractions,” she told Yahoo Travel. “If you haven’t been here in a few years, it’s like you haven’t been here [ever].” That’s as good a reason as any to head back to the museum this summer.
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