Top Family-Friendly Museum Exhibits In Denver
(credit: Morrison Natural History Museum)
While some children spend their summer vacations at sleep-away or day camps, many hang around their homes wasting the hours in front of the TV or glued to their tablets and smartphones. With summer vacation rapidly approaching, many parents are starting to wonder how they can entertain their children while teaching them a thing or two while school is out. Fortunately, the Denver metro area is home to many museums and other educational retreats. Expand your kids' minds this summer with these family-friendly museum exhibits in Denver.
Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids
Denver Museum Of Nature And Science
2001 Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 332-7009
www.dmns.org
Date: March 20, 2015 through Sep. 7, 2015
There are many permanent exhibits at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science suitable for families such as the Discovery Zone, Prehistoric Journey, and the Egyptian mummies. A temporary exhibit that you'll want to check out with your kids is Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids. This exhibit is open through September 7 and is free with museum admissions. Revealing the truth behind these animals of folklore, the Mythic Creatures exhibit also has interactive elements to keep kids engaged.
We ❤ Rocky Mountain National Park
History Colorado Center
1200 Broadway St.
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 447-8679
www.historycoloradocenter.org
Date: March 21, 2015 through March 2016
In honor of the centennial birthday of Rocky Mountain National Park, the History Colorado Center opened its year-long We ❤ Rocky Mountain National Park exhibit in March. A great outing for Colorado kids, this exhibit explores the year's 100 year history beginning with an introduction to Ted Matthews who attended the 1915 dedication of the park. Through pictures and artifacts, exhibit visitors discover the important role Rocky Mountain National Park has played in Colorado's history. This exhibit instills within children the urgent need to protect and respect our state's environment.
Joy Park: An Outdoor Adventure
Children's Museum Of Denver
2121 Children's Museum Drive
Denver, CO 80211
(303) 433-7444
www.mychildsmuseum.org
Date: Starts June 2015
For more than 40 years, the Children's Museum of Denver has served Coloradoans up to 8 years old. Open this June is the Joy Park: An Outdoor Adventure. This new exhibit at the museum allows children to explore an ever-changing outdoor wonderland with ziplines, a fruit tree orchard, a natural amphitheater, caves, forts, and much more. The museum offers a variety of other exhibits to engage and educate your young ones. Topics such as health, veterinary care, farmers markets, engineering, and many others are covered throughout the exhibits at the Children's Museum of Denver.
Related: Top Playgrounds for A Playdate in Denver Area
Ice Age
Morrison Natural History Museum
501 Colorado Highway 8
Morrison, CO 80465
(303) 697-1873
www.mnhm.org
A short drive west of Denver, the Morrison Natural History Museum puts kids in front of fossils, dinosaur bones, and one-of-a-kind geological specimens. The Ice Age room features live reptiles and amphibians alongside fossilized ancestors. A few of the other exhibits at this museum include the Fossil Dig Pit, Jurassic Garden, and the Paleontology Laboratory and collections. This outing is ideal for children who are fans of the beloved Dinosaur Train TV series and the Frozen movie.
Space Station Module
Wings Over The Rockies Air And Space Museum
7711 E. Academy Blvd. #1
Denver, CO 80230
(303) 360-5360
www.wingsmuseum.org
Launch your children's interest in space exploration and air travel at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in the Lowry neighborhood. The aircraft, space, and rocketry exhibits put kids directly in front of the machines that allowed humanity to fly and and soar into outer space. The Space Station Module shows a model of the original station designed for American use. Every other Friday morning, the museum hosts story time in the Exploration Station where kids of all ages can learn about the history of space travel. This museum also hosts a variety of events throughout the year so be sure to visit their calendar for more events you and your children can attend this summer.
Related: Top Family-Friendly Bike Trails In Denver
A Denver native, Alli Andress has been a writer for over a decade. Over the course of her career, Andress has written about topics ranging from indie music, animals, health issues and the best of the Mile High City. Her work can be found on Examiner.com
