I have a confession to make: I’m 34 and have spent the past three decades never stepping foot into a planetarium … until now.
About a month ago, my husband and I were looking for something a little out of the ordinary to do with our daughter, Danielle. The weather continues to be cold, so outdoor activities were out of the question. I suggested we go to the North Museum of Nature and Science because 1) I had never been, 2) my husband had never been 3) our daughter had never been, and 4) I wanted us all to experience something educational and fun together as a family.
We checked out the times and other information online and planned our trip to the museum. The shows featured were Magic Tree House: Space Mission, Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure, Night Sky Tour – Live Astronomy Show! and Planetarium Demo Hour (which is included with general museum admission). We chose Sea Monsters because of the day’s schedule.
We arrived at the museum, paid the show price at the counter and was shown into the SciDome Theater. We chose our seats and settled in for the adventure. It wasn’t too crowded this particular Saturday, which I thought was good, especially since a few members of the audience were very young and talkative. (By the way, on North Museum’s website, each show recommends an appropriate age for its audience.)
The show was interesting and educational. The sea monsters swam and flew overhead as the storytelling (told by National Geographic) captivated its audience. The only criticism I had was at the beginning of the show when the volume needed to be turned up a few notches for noisy visitors.
If your kid, grandkid, niece or nephew enjoy dinosaurs and fossils, then this show is right up their alley. Danielle had a few questions during and afterward, but she seemed to enjoy it (except for this one part where a sea monster pops up out of nowhere; she said it was a bit scary).
So, for those looking for some educational fun, I suggest checking out North Museum’s SciDome Theater. Next time, we plan on touring the museum and maybe catching another flick. You’ll also discover some interesting finds in the museum’s store. It’s definitely worth exploring.