The Putnam Museum

 

 
While we were camping we wanted to take the kids to some local museums, and Handyman really wanted to visit the Putnam Museum which he'd seen good things about online.

What an excellent choice!  It was by far the best history museum we had ever visited, at least when one is also having to consider the needs of children.  Every exhibit section (which had the typical cool items behind glass) also had a hands-on area for children to kinetically explore.

Well, I say "children", but perhaps I should include a wider age range . . .

 

Along with an area of local history and history of the plains Indians and early pioneers, there was a really cool section that had ocean themes.

The staff was extremely friendly and helpful, and I nearly fainted when the section guide actually urged the kids to climb on the giant squid.  (What, my children are allowed to climb like maniacs all over your beautiful exhibit?  I had no idea heaven was underwater!)

 Handyman also seemed to get into the moment.  I am sad to say that he lost his fight with the paper mache' squid.

There were even flippers for the kids to try on while they "swam around and explored the ocean depths"!

 

(The best thing about flippers is that it slows them down, making them easier to keep track of.  I'm taking serious consideration of trading all of Gabe's tennis shoes for flippers.  Just think how practical they'd be in the winter when they can be converted to snow shoes!) 

 

I was personally stunned to see the finest example of the fiber arts I had ever seen. 

It's a hand crocheted art sculpture of the coral reef, and as someone who has personal experience with coral reefs, I can tell you it was breathtakingly accurate.

I just wish that my photos could do justice to the beauty of this piece of art.  It was amazing.

Then there was the woodland exhibit.

It was equally fantastic!

 

(Did you know that if you purchase a year admission to certain museums, it also allows you free access to hundreds of other museums all across the country?  Its a reciprocal program that isn't advertised because it cuts down on the potential admission fees of an individual museum, but is legally required for federally funded museums.  For a list of museums that are also part of the Putnam Museum reciprocal program, click here.  It's an excellent bargain!)