A Day at the Museum

I’m pretty sure if it wasn’t for beginning this project we never would have made it to the museum this particular Saturday. The snow started falling, and Court and I were fighting the ickiest of chest colds. It would have been super easy to stay at home in our jammies, watch the Star Wars Trilogy  and order a pizza. Not that there would be anything wrong with that.
    But this day was to be the kick off of our commitment to making the most of family time and it happened to also be the grand opening of the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. No silly colds or a little snow would stand in our way.
    I feared it might be a madhouse, but it wasn't too crazy and we never had to wait too long to enjoy any of the exhibits.  With a two-year old, we didn’t spend a lot of time at any one, we let her lead the way, as she explored all the sights, sounds and other kiddos.
    Of course the Music and Sound Lab was a big hit of both my toddler and 35 year old. Layla especially loved the xylophone room. We got to hear some local pre-teen talent in the ‘garage’ where they had a full drum kit, bass, guitar and keyboard set up. I could totally see some future local bands being born right there.
    Another big hit was the Wildlands and Wildlife area where a bison stood along side it’s pre-historic ancestor’s skeleton- especially since we had just been to Yellowstone this past September. This corner of the museum had large windows over-looking the Poudre River and even had binoculars and a guide to the wildlife that might be in sight. That day it was a beautiful spot to watch the snow fall.
    The Museum of Discovery is not just a place to learn but it really celebrates Fort Collins from a historical, cultural and scientific perspective. Everything is hands on, especially the Schatz Family Exploration Zone where on this day kids were able to build their own parachutes with little cups, yarn and napkins and try them out in a vertical wind tunnel to see what designs worked best.
    We didn't buy a year family pass, Layla's still a little young, but we could tell this is a place where my toddler will grow and discover new ways to appreciate the exhibits and the place where she lives. So glad we didn't stay home.  For more info visit their website at www.fcmod.org