Treasure Storehouses

The author gratefully acknowledges the photo courtesy of and copyright © by Carrol A. Grimes. freerangestock.com/

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ~ Maya Angelou

Exploring Treasure Storehousesof the World

By Linda Davis-Kyle, MA

The wonderful learning treasure storehouses of the world are certain to enchant youryoungsters, foster their development as they grow and change, and enhance their love oflearning as they develop into young adults. Young learners will be over the moon inmany of the grand repositories—the wonderful museums and art galleries of theworld—where they actually are invited to examine artefacts, touch art, and feel sculpturestreated to withstand wear and tear. Abundant hands-on activities and a host of physicalexercises create indelible understanding with a favourable result that echoes the Chineseproverb, “Tell me, and I’ll forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I’llunderstand.” Or, similarly, as Mark Twain’s words amusingly suggest, “If you hold a catby the tail, you learn things you cannot learn any other way.”

2 of 22 Exploring Treasure Storehouses of the World by Linda Davis-Kyle [Revised & expanded January 2012]

Exploring Museums and Art Galleries

In about 350 museums around the world, young learners can engage in hands-onopportunities like sketching what is before them or drawing from their own imaginations,writing stories, painting, throwing pottery, carving soap, making paper, baking bread,panning for gold, digging for fossils, planting trees, petting animals, and even morephysical activities like running relays, climbing rockwalls, slithering like snakes throughspecial tunnels, flying like birds, or wearing costumes to become different characters.

These activities can help carry children through their own unique metamorphosis like thegrowth of tiny caterpillars into magnificent butterflies. For children build not onlystamina, but also they can discover their own uniqueness and beauty as they learn toshare and work with others.

Planning Your Family’s Adventures

Count yourself lucky if your city boasts sparkling treasure storehouses that offerincredible learning opportunities, action-packed activities, and much more. Some suchfacilities are open seven days a week, and admission is free or costs very little for thegreat wealth of information and recreation they share so exquisitely. Others are closedpart of the week. To make your family’s visit a memory to cherish, be sure to find theircurrent phone number and call ahead to learn their regularly scheduled hours, if there isan admission cost, and to get answers to any other questions you may have.

To prevent disappointment, you even may wish to call the day before your designatedvisit date to make sure the museum of your choice is not suddenly closed for someunexpected reason or for some special renovation. If your city is fortunate to have severalawe-inspiring museums, you even can have alternate plans in the event of an unexpectedclosing.

Navigating Your Online “Learning Treasure” Preview

A modest sampling of fine museums and art galleries from around the world follows.You can click on the active URL links for a quick online visit, if you would like. If theURL does not cooperate, then you still can read about the museums of your choice bymerely putting their names into your favourite search engine or by using the URLprovided.

In addition to the tiny random sample group shared here, you can use the search engineyou like most to locate museums and art galleries of interest near you. Or you may decideto travel far away to visit the ones that intrigue you most for all the fun learning pleasuresthey can offer your entire family. One of the supreme goals of many such institutions isto honour the talents of young and mature alike and to encourage family bonding.

Exploring Treasure Storehouses of the World by Linda Davis-Kyle [Revised & expanded January 2012] 3 of 22

Introducing a Mere Handful of Wonderful Museums and Art Galleries

A red check mark √ appears before the museums and galleries included thatprovide hands-on exhibits, interactive projects, and even take-home art of yourchildren’s own creations and yours.

Also for your convenience, a bit of information is supplied about each facility to give aglimpse of just which masterpieces of nature, science, history, art, literature, music, orother wonders of the world they so proudly present. The institutions follow inalphabetical order by country and then by name and by state and name where applicable.Sources of the specific information included about the facilities shared here areacknowledged by their URLs following their addresses.

ARGENTINA

√ Museo de los Niños AbastoAvenida Corrientes 3247Shopping Abasto de Buenos AiresCapital FederalBuenos Aires 1193ARGENTINAwww.museoabasto.org.ar

The Abasto Children’s Museum caters to youngsters ages 3 to 12, offers delightfullyfun hands-on exhibits that also teach young learners, and welcomes the whole family.

AUSTRALIA

√ Heide Museum of Modern Art7 Templestowe RoadBulleen Victoria 3105 AUSTRALIAwww.heide.com.au/

Activities at the Heide Museum of Modern Art near Melbourne “range from tours andart-making workshops to intensive forums with artists and other arts professionals.”

√ Museum Victoria11 Nicholson StreetCarlton, Victoria 3053AUSTRALIAmuseumvictoria.com.au/


Museum Victoria oversees the cultural and scientific collections of the state andprovides activities and events for visitors at the Melbourne Museum, ImmigrationMuseum, Scienceworks, and the Royal Exhibition Building.

Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street, Carlton Gardens, Victoria, AustraliaImmigration Museum, 400 Flinders Street, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaScienceworks, 2 Booker Street, Spotswood, Victoria, AustraliaRoyal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens, Victoria, Australia

AUSTRIA

√ Frida and Fred Graz Children’s Museum Friedrichgasse 34 - Graz - A-8010Graz AUSTRIAwww.fridaundfred.at

The Frida and Fred Graz Children’s Museum opened in Augarten Park in 2003. The museum’s motto is “Minds-on—Hands-on.” The Frida and Fred Graz Children’s Museum emphasizes creativity with hands-onthemed activities to encourage participants to use all their senses to explore andexperiment to develop a deeper understanding of how their world works, its diversities,and its complexities. In addition, the museum concentrates on guiding young people to interact thoughtfullywith others and to appreciate their environment to become strong, responsible citizens. Also, the museum provides a place where parents can feel at home and delight in thelove of learning. “Dialogue in the Dark” at the Children’s Museum in Graz introduces visitors to theworld of those who are blind to help sighted persons learn more about their senses ofsmelling, tasting, touching, and hearing.

√ ZOOM KindermuseumMuseums QuartierMuseumsplatz 1A-1070 ViennaAUSTRIAwww.kindermuseum.at/

The motto of ZOOM Children’s Museum is “Hands on, minds on, hearts on!” At ZOOM, children are free to question, to see, smell, listen, touch, and really to feelthe exhibits to learn with all their senses and make the world their own. At ZOOM, children are encouraged not only to explore and interact with the displaysbut also to discover their uniqueness and their own abilities and to be excited to gain newknowledge on their own terms.


BELGIUM

√ Scientastic Boulevard Anspach 72-731000 BrusselsBELGIUMwww.scientastic.com

Scientastic, a paradise for children and adults, is brimming with more than 100 hands-on, interactive science exhibits that invite youngsters to use their five senses toexperiment with and learn about light, optics, sound, and the world of illusions. In this museum, visitors can “fly like a bird “ using a special mirror, make their voices“sound like an alien,” enjoy “upside down illusions,” and much more. To learn about all Brussels Museums, you will be happy to discover the portal—www.brusselsmuseums.be—that includes information about all of them from “thesmallest to the biggest, from the most classical to the funniest, from the artistic to thescientific … .”

BULGARIA

Blagoevgrad Regional Museum of History√ Houses the First Interactive “Children’s Corner” in BulgariaVarosha QuarterBlagoevgradBULGARIA

In September 2010, the Regional Museum of History in Blagoevgrad opened the firstinteractive “Children’s Corner” ever to be established in Bulgaria. If you would like to offer your support or learn more about helping with the BulgarianMuseum Revolution, you may wish to read Chief Instigator Paul Orselli’s review atwww.exhibitfiles.org/childrens_corner complete with photos.

CANADA

√ Winnipeg Art Gallery300 Memorial BoulevardWinnipeg, ManitobaCANADA RC3C 1V1wag.ca

The Winnipeg Art Gallery was established in 1912 as the first civic art gallery inCanada.


The Winnipeg Art Gallery Family Sunday and the new StoryTime and PictureTimeprogrammes provide children with “art adventures” to match the themes of currentexhibitions. The weekly Art for Lunch presents artist and curator talks, exhibition tours, and artvideos. The gallery shares an abundance of Manitoban art. WAG proudly exhibits the most complete collection of Inuit art in the world with morethan 10,000 pieces.

CYPRUS

The Cyprus Museum (The Archaeological Museum of Nicosia)1 Mouseiou StreetNicosiaCYPRUSwww.cs.ucy.ac.cy/projects/museums/team6/museum.php?langId=2

The Cyprus Museum, also known as The Archaeological Museum of Nicosia, fills14 rooms with its collection of artefacts and specimens arranged chronologically andthematically. Exhibits include tools, stone vessels, and figurines from the Neolithic period. Two full rooms display pottery of the Early Bronze Age and hundreds of clay figurinesand statues that originally were found in the Archaic sanctuary at Agia Irini. An outstanding bronze statue of the Emperor Septimus Severus stands before visitors. An exhibit of jewellery, silver artifacts, vessels, and glass objects interest some visitors. The evolution of writing in Cyprus is depicted in Cypro-Minoan script, specimens ofCypro-syllabic script, and finally the alphabetic script. Currently, the museum does not have hands-on activities for young learners, but stillthey can enjoy viewing its many historic offerings.

FRANCE

√ Musée du LouvrePalais Royal75001 ParisFRANCEwww.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp

Musée du Louvre, founded in 1793, is one of the largest and most visited museumsworldwide. The Louvre displays 35,000 of the “most stunning art works in the world” as permanentcollections in an area of more than 60,000 square metres.


The Louvre Museum exquisitely presents eight departments: Egyptian Antiquities,Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Near Eastern Antiquities, Islamic Art,Sculptures, Paintings, Prints and Drawings, and Decorative Arts. The grand palace dates back to the 12th century, and for almost 700 years the buildingsconstituted one of the principal residences of the kings and emperors of France. At the Louvre, many popular lecturers, local artists, curators, and academic professorspresent workshops and classes some of which include lectures and others include hands-on activities.

√ Musée Les Secrets du Chocolatrue du Pont du Péage67118 GeispolsheimStrasbourgFRANCEwww.musee-du-chocolat.com

The Chocolate Museum is divided into distinctive thematic areas. It has a conference room, a museum, a demonstration workshop, a tearoom, and a“shop dedicated to the world of chocolate.” A film about cocoa and chocolate welcomes visitors in the conference room. The Chocolate Secrets Tour starts with the history of cocoa beans from the Aztecs andbrings it up to the modern day and its importance in world trade. The enchanting story of chocolate is conveyed through animated scenes. During the amazing story of how the cocoa bean is transformed into chocolate, visitorsexperience the thrill of being “plunged by a machine into the heart of the chocolate-making process.”

GERMANY

√ Deutsches MuseumMuseumsinsel 1 80538 München GERMANYwww.deutsches-museum.de

The German Museum for Children focuses on nature and physics and is described as“heaven for young kids,” because “this museum is for touch.” Young and mature alike are encouraged to “experiment” and “push the buttons” insmall exhibition chambers to make discoveries. The museum is the perfect place for young scientists-in-the-making. One real life exhibit includes a real airplane. The German Museum for Children exhibits 28,000 items from 50 science andtechnological fields.


GREECE

√ Greek Reptile CenterAntonis Tristis Environmental Education & Sensitization Park23 Spyrou Moustakli13121 IlionAthensGREECEwww.erpeta.org

The Greek Reptile Center is the home of one of the largest collection of reptiles in allof Europe. The Greek Reptile Center cares for live snakes and lizards from all over the world andhouses “six kinds of pythons, some of which are six metres long, three varieties of boaconstrictors, seven types of rattlesnakes, six kind of cobras and king cobras, blackmambas, anacondas, iguanas,” and a great many other kinds of reptiles. Vipers, the only poisonous snakes in Greece, also are exhibited. An expert with more than 30 years’ experience studying and caring for snakes educateschildren on the topic of snakes.

HONG KONG

√ Hong Kong Museum of History100 Chatham Road SouthTsim Sha TsuiKowloonHONG KONGhk.history.museum

The Hong Kong Museum of History—housed next to the Hong Kong ScienceMuseum — maintains five additional museums Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defenceat Shau Kei Wan, the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum at Sham Shui Po, Law Uk FolkMuseum at Chai Wan, Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery inside theQuarry Bay Park, and Dr. Sun Yat-sen Museum at Mid-levels in Central.

INDIA

The Nehru Children’s Museum94/1, Chowringhee RoadKolkata - 700 020KolkataINDIAwww.nehrumuseum.org


The Nehru Children’s Museum — A Project of National Cultural Association — hasas its goal to educate youngsters in ways that naturally please and encourage spontaneouslearning in youngsters brimming with curiosity and a natural desire to explore andexperiment. The National Cultural Association serves families and children in numerous waysbeyond informal schooling, for it provides vocational training, job-oriented computertraining for youth without sufficient funds, those who may be physically challenged, andscholarships to diligent students who are in need of funding. Their programmes and exhibits are geared thoughtfully to help make the younggeneration culturally aware, both nationally and internationally.

IRELAND

√ Imaginosity, Dublin Children’s MuseumThe Plaza, Beacon South QuarterSandyford, Dublin 18IRELANDwww.imaginosity.ie/

Imaginosity, Dublin Children’s Museum is designed for adults and children to visittogether, and the adults and children must abide by the house rules that one adult mustsupervise—at all times—the young guests for which they are responsible. Each adult canbring along no more than five children. Imaginosity’s strict visitation policy is “No children without adults, and no adultswithout children.” Their goals are not only to entertain but also to educate youngsters by encouraging theirimaginations, enhancing their sense of place and self, fostering their self-confidence, self-esteem, and helping them to recognise their potential and self-sufficiency. Children enjoy projects that require thinking and planning to build strong minds andphysically exercising to build strong bodies. Imaginosity also supports family bonding and works to empower youngsters and theirfamilies to become an integral part of a healthy, vibrant community. In all their activities, Imaginosity provides hands-on practical experiences using propsthat propel children’s imaginations.

MEXICO

√ Papalote Museo del NiñoAvenida Constituyentes, 26811560 Mexico CityMEXICOwww.papalote.mx/


The Papalote Museo del Niño has been described as “the largest and mosttechnologically sophisticated ‘touch and do’ museum in the world.” The Papalote Children’s Museum houses more than 200 interactive exhibits that focuson science, art, and technology that appeal to youngsters. An IMAX theatre features awe-inspiring films on archaeology and Mexican cultureamong other topics of interest to young learners. Mexico City has more than 150 museums. For additional information, please visit AllAboutMexicoCity.com.

NEW ZEALAND

√ Sarjeant GalleryQueens ParkWanganuiNEW ZEALANDwww.sarjeant.org.nz

The Sarjeant Gallery houses more than 5,500 works of art that span 16th centuryEuropean art through 21st century New Zealand art. The Sarjeant Gallery also holds one of the most complete surveys of New Zealand arthistory. At this gallery, visitors can experience hands-on “colourful adventures in painting.”

NORWAY

√ Det Internasjonale BarnekunstmuseetLille Frøens vei 40371 OsloNORWAYwww.barnekunst.no/en/

The International Museum of Children’s Art shares children’s art in the form ofdrawings, paintings, and sculptures from 180 countries and works to collect, protect, andpromote children’s art around the world. Children and adults alike are invited to enjoy activities such as singing and painting.

ROMANIA

√ Muzeul National de’Arta al RomanieiCalea Victoriei 49-53BucharestROMANIAwww.mnar.arts.ro


The National Museum of Art of Romania exhibits galleries of Romanian Medievaland Modern Art and European art. It shares the international art collection of the Romanian royal family. It offers interactive opportunities to delight visitors about art and the world in general. The National Museum of Art of Romania is associated with three satellitemuseums—The Art Collections Museum, Pallady Museum, and K.H. ZambaccianMuseum.

SINGAPORE

√ National Museum of Singapore93 Stamford RoadSINGAPORE 178897www.nationalmuseum.sg/

The National Museum of Singapore features Show & Tell for 9-12 year olds andintroduces various themes and craft activities. The museum presents Story and craft activities for 5-8 year olds to enjoy. The museum includes the 2,800-square metre Singapore History Gallery that educatesvisitors about Singapore’s history from the 14th century to the modern day. It also includes Singapore Living Galleries such as Film & Wayang (Shadow PuppetPlays), Photography, Food, and Fashion and much more.

SPAIN

Museo de Cera de Madrid*Paseo de Recoletos, 4128004 MadridSPAINwww.museoceramadrid.com/

The Madrid Wax Museum exhibits more than 400 wax replicas of historical figuresand popular, contemporary celebrities.* This museum is a favourite of youngsters, but you will need to check the on-site rulesof the wax museum to be certain what can or cannot be touched.

SWEDEN

√ The National Museum of Science and TechnologyMuseivägen 7Box 27842S-115 93 StockholmSWEDENwww.tekniskamuseet.se


The National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm shares with itsvisitors an exhibition of Christopher Polhem, the great Swedish inventor, known not onlyfor his ingenuity to complete and repair of the medieval astronomical clock, but also hisincredible foresight to automate and mechanise mining operations, and to help with theearly work on the Göta Canal that eventually would connect the East Coast with the WestCoast of Sweden. Among other fascinating exhibits are The Mine, where youngsters can observe howmining has evolved, Ferrum — Swedish Iron and Steel through the Ages, The ModelRailway, The Energy Game to teach children about climate, The Play Lab where younglearners can experience the mechanics of light, sound, and time, and Teknorama, anexciting science centre, where young ones can enjoy experimenting. In addition, The Inventions of Women displays more than 80 inventions,Inspiration—Imitation teaches children the difference between inspiration and imitationand how to protect their ideas, Now, then comm takes information from its beginnings totoday, and the Beloved Telephone shows not only some of L.M. Ericsson’s renownedSwedish telephone models but also acknowledges Sweden’s influence on the technicaland functional design and aesthetics of the telephone.

SWITZERLAND

√ KindercityChlirietstrasse 128604 VolketswilZurichSWITZERLANDwww.kindercity.ch

Kindercity, a 6,000-metre area, is the largest Edutainment Center in Switzerland andserves families whose children are still pre-teens and suits activities to their age range. Kindercity offers numerous fun-filled activities to delight and to enlighten children asthey engage fully in opportunities to observe, participate, experiment, analyse, andsummarise. At Kindercity teachers and parents are invited to join the youngsters as they exploreand to encourage and support their curiosity and eagerness to learn.

TAIWAN

√ National Museum of Natural Science One Guancian RoadTaichungTAIWAN 404www.nmns.edu.tw/


The National Museum of Natural Science of Taiwan covers an area of 22 acres. This museum includes the Space IMAX Theatre, Life Science Hall, Chinese ScienceHall, Science Hall, Botanical Garden, and Global Environmental Hall, to name a few. It has more than 30 exhibition areas which cover subjects such as astronomy, ecology,tropical plants, and gems and minerals.

UNITED KINGDOM

√ The British MuseumGreat Russell StreetLondon WC1B 3DGUNITED KINGDOMwww.britishmuseum.org

The British Museum presents an astonishing collection of more than seven millionworks of art and artefacts that come from contributors worldwide, and it serves allcitizens of the world not only on site but also through its generous lending programmesand partnerships with many other countries.

√ Natural History MuseumCromwell RoadLondon SW7 5BDUNITED KINGDOMwww.nhm.ac.uk/

The Natural History Museum features “Investigate,” a science laboratory especiallyfor children 7-14 years old. In the “Earth Lab” young learners can hold and inspect geological treasures. The Natural History Museum provides guides to inspire youngsters 5-11 years old toexplore the museum to learn about topics compatible with their schoolwork. At the Natural History Museum children have the opportunity to draw, ask questions,answer questions, discuss their own ideas, and evaluate information as they tour thegalleries. There are six guides—three for ages 5-7 and three for ages 8-11—who shareinformation about dinosaurs, mammals, rocks and soils.

Reiterating the Purpose of The Preceding Selection of Museums

It is hoped that this tiny handful of wonderful museums around the world will ignite yourinterest to visit online now to read in greater depth and also to find additional museumsthat might intrigue you in each of these countries and other countries, as well, and thenenjoy visiting and exploring them for a grand adventure with your family.


Now, for those possibly interested, I have included my other article that takes you to ahandful of United States museums presented alphabetically by state and then by name.Once again, the purpose of the article is to draw your attention to the grand wealth ofmuseums at your fingertips. You can read more about them online, then someday youmay wish to visit, explore, and support your favourites.

UNITED STATES

√ Birmingham Museum of Art2000 Reverend Abraham Woods, Jr. Boulevard(formerly 2000 8th Avenue North)Birmingham, AL 35203USAwww.artsbma.org/

In the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Hess Education Gallery, inspired by a 1790Creek Indian village, offers “touch-and-feel stations,” videos, and music so that childrenand adults learn about Creek culture.

√ Heard Museum2301 N. Central AvenuePhoenix, AZ 85004USAwww.heard.org

The Heard Museum offers three hands-on galleries—Every Picture Tells a Story, WeAre! Arizona’s First People, and Home: Native People in the Southwest. Each ofthese especially invite children and adults alike to participate in make-it-yourself creativelearning activities for take-home fun. In addition, it provides numerous other galleries forthe viewing pleasure of its visitors.

√ Explorit Science Center3141 5th Street Davis, CA 95618USAwww.explorit.org/

The Explorit Science Center provides hands-on science exploration to encouragebasic science literacy to help “individuals and politicians to make informed choices.…”


√ ExploratoriumThe Palace of Fine Arts3601 Lyon StreetSan Francisco, CA 94123USAwww.exploratorium.edu

The Exploratorium of San Francisco offers hundreds of explore-for-yourself exhibits,workshops and day camps, creates programmes for educators, shares its exhibits withmuseums around the world, and currently is instrumental in creating new methods toteach science.

√ Yale Peabody Museum of Natural HistoryYale UniversityP.O. Box 208118New Haven, CT 06520-8118 USAwww.peabody.yale.edu

George Peabody founded the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History in 1866 “atthe urging of his nephew, Yale’s O.C. Marsh, the first professor of paleontology in NorthAmerica and the museum’s first director.” At the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, its visitors can learn about more than11 million specimens from anthropology, botany, entomology, ornithology, zoology,paleontology, and about the historical scientific equipment displayed. Marsh’s most famous finds—Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and ‘Brontosaurus’ areexhibited. Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History also is the home of Rudolph FranzZallinger’s famous murals The Age of Reptiles and The Age of Mammals.

√ Phillips Collection 1600 21st Street NWWashington, DC 20009USAwww.phillipscollection.org

The Phillips Collection opened in 1921. Duncan Phillips founded what has come to be called “America’s First Museum of Art.” The Phillips Collection features splendid art works ranging from masterpieces ofFrench impressionism and American modernism to the art of today. The Phillips Collection is nearing 3,000 pieces not only by American artists such asCalder, Homer, Hopper, O’Keeffe, Stieglitz, and Whistler but also Dutch artist van Gogh,French artists such as Bonnard, Braque, Cezanne, Degas, Gauguin, and Matisse, Latvianartist Rothko, Spanish artist Picasso, and Swiss artist Klee, to name a few great masters.


The Phillips Collection’s educational programmes include interactive art projects foryoung learners.

√ Smithsonian InstitutionWashington, DCUSAwww.si.edu/

The Smithsonian Institution features 19 museums, 9 research centers, and has morethan 140 affiliate museums worldwide. Only a handful of the Smithsonian facilities in Washington, DC, follow. All the Smithsonian galleries located in DC are free throughout the year.

Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art MuseumSmithsonian American Art MuseumSmithsonian Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler GallerySmithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture GardenSmithsonian National Air and Space MuseumSmithsonian National Museum of Natural History

√ Art Institute of Chicago111 South Michigan AvenueChicago, IL 60603-6404USAwww.artic.edu/aic/

The Art Institute of Chicago is pleased to present a Touch Gallery that provides“specially treated and durable works of art” and invites visitors to “feel sculptures withtheir hands, which fosters understanding of form, scale, and texture.” Children can learn from their impressive “no touch” art, as well.

√ Children’s Museum of Indianapolis3000 N. Meridian StreetIndianapolis, IN 46208-4716USAwww.childrensmuseum.org/

Founded in 1926, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis concentrates on children’sinterests, has a very hands-on approach to educate and entertain, and is the largest of anyinstitution of its kind worldwide. The Dinosphere brings the Cretaceous Period of 65 million years ago to life foryoungsters so that young learners can enjoy a “world-class collection of real dinosaurfossils.”


The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a 400,000 square-foot facility that allowsexploration of everything from the ocean to ancient civilizations.

√ Lied Discovery Children’s Museum833 Las Vegas Boulevard NorthLas Vegas, NV 89101-2059USAwww.ldcm.org/

The Lied Discovery Children’s Museum offers 100 hands-on exhibits about science,arts, and humanities that teach as well as entertain.

√ American Museum of Natural HistoryCentral Park West at 79th StreetNew York, NY 10024-5192USAwww.amnh.org/

The American Museum of Natural History is the world’s largest natural sciencemuseum. The Discovery Room offers hands-on displays.

√ Museum of Modern Art11 W 53rd StNew York, NY 10019USAwww.moma.org

The Interactive Space for families at the Museum of Modern Art is a user-friendlyplace that encourages young and mature alike to “explore, engage, and create.” Its visitors also can listen to some of the artists whose works are included in TheMuseum of Modern Art and ask questions about the art that intrigues them.

√ Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum1071 Fifth Avenue (at 89th Street)New York, NY 10128-0173USAwww.guggenheim.org/


The permanent collection at the Guggenheim Museum contains more than 7,000works of art. It has on permanent exhibit from Justin Thannhauser’s generous collection works byPaul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, CamillePissarro, Pierre Auguste Renoir, and Vincent van Gogh. Also at the Guggenheim Museum, children will discover hands-on galleries and evencan enjoy hands-on art lessons.

√ Toledo Museum of Art2445 Monroe StreetToledo, OH 43620USAwww.toledomuseum.org/

The Toledo Museum of Art, founded in 1901 in two modest rented rooms, now hasexpanded to about 36 acres and fills seven buildings. It displays more than 30,000 works of art from American and European artists, Asianand African artists, and also includes works from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Toledo Museum of Art remains a non-profit, privately endowed institution.

√ Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals26385 NW Groveland DriveHillsboro, OR 97124-9351USAwww.ricenorthwestmuseum.org/

Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals is a quiet, hidden “treasure” inWillamette Valley preserved in the dream home of the late Richard and Helen Rice.Theirs is the first ranch style home in Oregon to be listed on the National HistoricRegistry.

√ North American Museum of Ancient LifeThanksgiving Point3003 N. Thanksgiving WayLehi, UT 84043USAwww.thanksgivingpoint.com/museum/

The North American Museum of Ancient Life holds the world’s largest display ofmounted dinosaurs.


√ Experience Music Project √ Science Fiction Museum at Seattle Center325 5th Avenue NorthSeattle, WA 98109USAwww.empsfm.org/

The Experience Music Project (EMP) offers both interpretive and interactive exhibitswith the most up-to-date technology so that its visitors not only can feel how the spirit ofrock ‘n’ roll evolved from jazz, soul, gospel, country, and blues music, but also they canrecognize how rock influenced hip-hop, punk, and other music forms. In addition, visitorscan “ experience the creative process by listening to musicians tell their own stories.”

The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (SFM)—the first museum in theworld dedicated to appreciating science fiction literature—also hopes to inspire in itsvisitors new visions for humankind. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame pays tribute torenowned sci-fi artists, authors, publishers, and filmmakers.

√ Pacific Science Center200 2nd Avenue NSeattle, WA 98121USAwww.pacificsciencecenter.org

Among its many educational offerings, check out their Scientist Spotlight at the PacificScience Center where scientists perform experiments and explain their results in down-to-earth language their visitors can understand.

√ The Wyoming Dinosaur Center & Dig Sites110 Carter Ranch Road ~ PO Box 868Thermopolis, WY 82443USAwww.wyodino.org/

The Wyoming Dinosaur Center & Dig Sites, recognized as a world-class dinosaurmuseum, fills 12,000-square feet of display area to show off more than 200 exhibits. It chronologically displays fossils and life forms from earliest geologic time. The Wyoming Dinosaur Museum houses the mounted full-size skeletons of more than20 dinosaurs. It exhibits 60 identified dig sites in a 500-acre area.


Delighting in Observing Your Children Learn Joyfully

You may delight in observing your young adventurers as they, on occasion, find a loudring of truth in the words of Dr. Seuss, “Sometimes the questions are complicated and theanswers are simple.” With hands-on activities and interactive practice with materials andfellow explorers, they often may discover simple answers to what had seemed to becomplicated questions. Activities as simple as helping to mix, knead, and bake deliciousFrench bread and then sampling it can enhance thinking. Or having the opportunity tohelp measure and blend wholesome ingredients to make ice cream using an old-fashionedhand-crank ice cream maker and then sharing it can set in motion problem-solving skills.If these activities seem too mundane, then they, of course, may choose—throughillusion—to “fly” to the moon or “swim” to the ocean floor. Or perhaps, in the future,they can fly to the moon or swim the ocean floor.

But for now, imagination can take them everywhere, to paraphrase Albert Einstein, whosaid, “Logic can get you from A to B. Imagination can take you everywhere.” Delvinginto the treasure chests stored in the museums around the world is one wonderful way tofoster those amazing imaginations of their young creative minds. Brimming withknowledge about the wonders of the universe and the galaxies beyond and being able toshare their thoughts with you empowers them and encourages their articulation.Sometimes, though, just sitting quietly and “being” nurtures their imagination and offersinspiration.

When you can help your young learners cultivate their imaginations, sprinkle in goodsolid information, and let them know that you adore them, they just may sometimes beable to sit quietly and contemplate the world. They also may see their world as wonderfuland that they do have power. Then, when some others, who have not had their benefits,may judge them harshly and inappropriately without consideration for their feelings, yourchildren may barely hear the negativity, brush it away, and proceed with self-esteemintact and self-confidence to go forth and conquer their own next amazing goal.

Taking On-the-Spot Notes & Engaging in the Moment

If your young art lovers are inspired to think about what they hope to learn at the museumor art gallery, it can greatly increase their learning pleasure. If you feel that your youngexplorers might like to jot notes of their most memorable moments in their favouritemuseums or galleries while they are in the midst of the full atmosphere of these learningtreasures, be sure to take along a small notebook for them so that they can enjoyrecording their impressions and revelations.

In the museums and art galleries, read together the descriptive labels of the items or art.Then ask your young art critics to decide how well the label and title describe the images.Ask them what the art reminds them of and why. Ask your young art enthusiasts to talkabout the colours and surmise about the kinds of brushes and other tools the artists used.What kinds of textures do the art works seem to have?


Reviewing The Moments with Learning Treasures

You even may go as far as to ask them to imagine what the people or animals in an artwork might say to each other. Encourage them to share their wonderfully imaginativethoughts. During the next weeks ahead at your home, you might invite them to write littlestories about the characters in the painting. On their own they may begin drawing theirown imaginative characters and writing stories about them. You even may enjoycomposing stories together. Such wonderful times will help you to bond as you sharedifferent viewpoints about the characters you create. These are times you will longremember, and your young learners never will forget the times you shared with them insuch a fun way.

Remember to engage them in lively conversations about the museum exhibits andartefacts. Encourage them to think about how the ancient artefacts may relate to today’sworld by comparing and contrasting the characteristics of the items to some possessionsin your home or some games or sports they have played. You may be amazed at theirincredibly inventive comparisons and contrasts. Remember to give genuine praise tobolster their self-esteem.

Writing about Their Exquisitely Happy Adventures

You also may want to encourage your young learners to pick up some brochures to takehome to share with their friends or relatives. In doing so, you can help them practise theirreading skills. Ask them to compare the presentations in the brochures with what theyrecall from their own observations. You may interest your young learners in purchasingbooks available at the museum on history or space exploration or the lives of great artistsor some other topic of interest to them. In addition to finding wonderful readingmaterials, your young explorers might love writing about what they liked most. They canpractise their writing of good solid sentences complete with subject, verb, and predicate,careful spelling, correct capitalization, and proper punctuation just like you and theirteachers have been instructing them. As they write well-crafted sentences, they expandtheir learning processes and boost memory. Then they can relish every minute ofremembering their hands-on gallery experiences and every second of writing e-messagesthat they may share with their friends about their museum explorations. And the nexttime you plan a museum or art gallery outing, you may be taking along not only yourown young learners but also all their friends eager to share a glorious expedition in funlearning.

Enjoying the Abundant “Learning Laboratories,” Too

I often have encouraged students I have taught—and parents I have helped—to think ofsupermarkets, hardware stores, or office supply stores, for example, as “learninglaboratories.” While these businesses are not nearly as spectacular as fine museums andgrand art galleries, they, nevertheless, truly accommodate hands-on learning. Not onlyare such vendors brimming with an enormous assortment of goods, but also many ofthem display vibrantly coloured, bold-faced, large-lettered signs—sometimes even inmultiple languages. These make fine, fun “reading boards” for your young readers.


Making Every Day a Fun Learning Day

Because these businesses are available daily, your young explorers may enjoy visitingthese “learning laboratories” with you. As they see the words hugely displayed and feeland hold the objects that the words name, they build both spelling and reading skills. Themore fun learning adventures they experience—from the magnificent grandeur of thefinest museums and art galleries to mere modest shopping trips—the more they learn.Watch for the beautiful sparkle in your children’s eyes and the sweet smiles on their facesas they learn more, recognise and appreciate their own uniqueness, and gain greaterconfidence to conquer the challenges that come their way.

About the Author

Linda Davis-Kyle, MA in English, ACCET certified to instruct English as a Foreign Language, and writer,whose general interest and educational articles have been published in a dozen countries on five continents,is the primary author of The Writer’s Friend, Fun Foods for Kids & Grownups, and Change Your Life withMartial Arts. Davis-Kyle also edits professionally, gives parenting seminars on safety and nutrition, andteaches writing composition to guide aspiring writers of all ages to make their dreams to write and to bepublished come true. Most recently, Davis-Kyle worked some magic to help make Ready, Set, Action! AnEntertainment Fun Book for Parents of Dyslexic Pre-teens: Adventures in Writing & Performing [releasedate Spring 2012] come true for David Carlson, whose dream is to help other dyslexics like himself.

About the Photographer

Carroll A. Grimes, Photographer. Wings of Love Photo Courtesy of and Copyright © Carrol A. Grimes.Photo ID: 7296 Gallery ID: 29. Grimes, owner of A Touch of Class Photography in Sacramento, CA, USA,has been a professional freelance photographer for more than 30 years.

The author gratefully acknowledges the photo courtesy of and copyright © by Carrol A. Grimes. freerangestock.com/

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for General Reading Only. WritingNow.com, BlueberryPress.com, and the author and editor thereof shall not be heldresponsible or liable under any circumstances for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. The author has no affiliation with any of theseinstitutions, receives no compensation from any of them, and is not responsible for the information or materials presented on their websites or in their facilities. The active links areprovided to readers merely as a convenience.

First published October 2011 by the American Dyslexia Association www.dyslexia.me as “Exploring Treasure Storehouses of the World.” Revised and expanded, January 2012.Copyright © 2011-2012 by Blueberry Press and WritingNow.com.

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