So how did the Five Hens kick off our Wild Week?  The Hens, Roosters and their chicks had a Wild Day of our own courtesy of The Wildlife Experience in Parker, Colorado.  The Wildlife Experience is an interactive museum that connects the community with wildlife and habitats to teach them how they can have a positive effect on the environment.   If your family is interested in learning about animals and their habitats around the world, this museum is for you!

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive at The Wildlife Experience is the setting.  The museum is architecturally stunning and is surrounded by several outdoor sculptures set among natural landscaping.  Our kids were immediately drawn in – who doesn’t like going nose to nose with a wolf, looking up at a giant crane or watching a bubbling woodland stream disappear beneath your feet?  What a great way to get kids ready to explore!

Amazing Butterflies

Our first adventure took place in the Amazing Butterflies maze.  As with all of the exhibits, the best way to make learning fun is to jump right in and try out all of the stations with your kids.  There’s something for every age group along the way.  The little ones are engaged as you work together to do various activities such as crawling like a caterpillar, hunting for leaves, peeking out of a cocoon, crawling up a spider web, learning to flap your wings and finally FLYING!  (Speaking from personal experience, flying along the zip line is fun for adults too!)  Not only are there interesting facts to learn at each stop, but you need to apply that knowledge to guide you along the maze-like journey of the Butterfly.  Each time you choose the correct path you are rewarded with a stamp for your Garden card.  Do kids want to try to find all of those stamp stations?  You bet!  Something as simple as a card with stamps can become a cherished souvenir for kids.

Globeology

Globeology is a 25,000 sq. foot expansion that opened in April of 2009.  Our journey began with an exhibit developed by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration called Science on a Sphere.  Imagine a dimly lit room with a 6 foot sphere that appears to be spinning and hovering right in front of you, displaying information such as sea turtle migrations, hurricane images and ice shelf melting.  Yes, it is really cool! Although the accompanying narration was hard to hear during our visit, the Sphere is an amazing introduction to Globeology.  This is the start of a 1/4 mile trail that provides visitors with an immersive experience with the world’s wildlife and habitats. It is filled with animatronics, special visual effects and sound effects.  If you have hearing sensitive children, please note that all the Howler monkeys at the start of the rainforest trail give you a very loud welcome!  Not only are the exhibits interesting and extremely realistic (it actually snows in the tundra), there are several interactive touch screens with bio-facts and trivia games.  Whereas the adults and older children can learn and test themselves at the kiosks, our younger ones had a great time with the scavenger hunt animal identification cards we picked up at the start of the trail.  After the tundra snow and the underwater submersible, another highlight for our kids was the “fish tank” floor projection.  They stand on top of a projection of the sea floor, and depending on how still they are, tropical fish come out and swim around their feet.  As expected, the kids love to wait for the fish to get close and then chase them off the screen while shrieking with excitement.  Depending on how crowded it is, if you have young ones plan to spend a lot of time at this stop.  To complete the Globeology experience, we also picked up an Explorer Passport ($1.25) at the admission desk.  This is great for kids who are experienced readers and have an interest in becoming an eco-adventurer.  The passport is filled with 23 pages of educational activities and facts to explore during your trip and at home.

Discovery Den and Cubs Corner

Our next stop was at the Discovery Den, a great place for the kiddos to have some hands on play time.  Plus, if any adults (or grandparents!) need a break after the 1/4 mile Globeology trail, there is a nice lounge just outside of the Den with comfortable chairs and a mini library of science books for you to enjoy.  The Discovery Den is geared for kids ages 6 to 12 and has an arts and crafts station, a dress-up area with stage, discovery drawers and several kid-powered exhibits.  The kids loved working together to repeatedly load up the avalanche machine and then watch to see how many people or trees would be wiped out by the snow balls.  We also checked out the Cubs Corner, which is designed for the 5 and under crowd.  Our kids were immediately engaged in the bright and colorful play areas.

A special “feature” of this museum is the abundance of educational activities offered throughout the day.  Depending on the day you visit, you can choose from activities like children’s story time, coral reef fish feeding, science on a sphere presentations or animal bingo, to name a few.  We happened to catch the live snake demonstration at the Discovery Den.  Our boys were proud that they touched a live snake!

Exhibit Gallery

The Exhibit Gallery included some truly inventive ideas on how to help children explore a gallery filled with fine art.  Many of us would love to introduce our children to art museums and it sure is nice to have help along the way!  My favorite activity in the Colorado Gold 2009 invitational exhibit was the “You Be the Judge” clipboards, in which your child awards ribbons to the artwork of their choice.  There is a velcro tab on the back of each ribbon and a tab at each piece of artwork.  Some examples of the categories:  Best Use of Shape, Fastest Animal, Best Use of Camouflage.

Another activity was based around the “Some Like It Hot, Cold, Wet, Dry” theme of the The Wildlife Experience permanent collection.  Quiz kiosks were set up for the kids throughout the gallery, and each asked questions related to a particular habitat.  The format ranged from questions to picture matching.

Extreme Screen Theater

You can also enjoy a large-format film during you visit to The Wildlife Experience.  A concession stand is located at the entrance to the theater.   Coral Reef Adventure and Wild Safari were playing during our visit.  Both movies were kid-friendly.  If you have hearing sensitive children,  the volume of the movies was louder than expected.

Special Note

I did notice something special about The Wildlife Experience:  This is a museum that grows with your family.  In every room, from the play area to the largest exhibit, there were always educational displays, kiosks, or handouts with interesting facts, information or quizzes.  So as your children grow and show interest in various topics, the information is readily available for you to help them learn and explore, or for them to try it on their own.  They can learn something new each time they visit.

Other Notes About the Museum

Bring your walking shoes!  We spent five hours experiencing the exhibits, play areas and theater.

During our visit, the museum facilities were immaculate, colorful and engaging.  You can eat at outside tables or dine at the Toucan Cafe.  There is also a concession stand outside of the Extreme Screen Theater.

Something else that caught my eye during our visit was the extensive list of community events held year-round at the museum.  Trick or Treat OFF the Street was the upcoming event featured during our visit.  They were also preparing for their winter extravaganza – Winter WonderLights.  I was also impressed with their list of special movie events, such as Movie and a Milkshake for kids or Movie and a Martini (February – October) for adults.  It looked as though the special events are very popular and some were already sold out – so plan ahead of time!

Wild Value

Channel 7 KMGH and The Wildlife Experience bring you Lucky Sevens – on the 7th day of every month you can receive discounted admission.  Family memberships are also offered at a discounted rate on those days.  Now that’s budget friendly!

Bonus Giveaway

Have a Wildlife Experience of your own at Winter Wonderlights!  The Wildlife Experience and Five Hens are giving away four tickets to one lucky reader for Winter Wonderlights, a fun and magical journey to the North Pole.  Click here to find out how to enter for a chance to win.

Our Photo Album From Our Trip to the Museum

Check out the lightbox slideshow below of photos from our recent visit to the museum. Simply click on a thumbnail to start the slideshow. Details and information for each screenshot are located at the bottom of the image in the slideshow.

Yesterday, Barb Spagnuolo gave us lots of good advice on how to get out and enjoy wildlife with your kids.  But for some, natural wildlife areas may not provide the accessibility they need to have a wildlife experience. And, lets be honest, not everyone is into getting out on the trail to experience wildlife either.  However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have meaningful wildlife encounters with your children.  There are many great zoos across the globe that offer rich educational experiences as well as the chance to see live animals that you might not ever have the chance to see anywhere else.

Top 10 Zoos in the United States

These ten zoos have been consistently ranked as the top zoos in the United States in many publications and websites.  If you know of a great zoo that you’ve been to, please add it to our list and tell us why you like it.

1. San Diego Zoo (San Diego, CA)

This is hands down the best zoo I have ever been to.  The San Diego Zoo is considered to be the most progressive zoo in the United States.  They are consistently at the forefront of innovation in zoo keeping.  I love their approach open air and cageless exhibits.  The zoo is home to over 800 species and it’s one of the only places in the world where you can see giant pandas!

If you are visiting the San Diego area, I’d also highly recommend heading north on I-15 to visit the San Diego Wild Animal Park as well.  It’s operated by the San Diego Zoo and features huge open enclosures with herds of African and Asian animals.  it brings you unbelievably close to wild endangered animals in the most natural setting you’ll ever see them in.

Kids FREE days: Throughout the month of October, children ages 3-11 will receive free admission to the zoo and the wild animal park!

Link to San Diego Zoo Website

2. Bronx Zoo (New York, NY)

Sure I’m originally from New York and love my hometown zoo, but the Bronx Zoo is one of the top zoos in the United States.  It is owned and operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society so the focus of this zoo is about saving wildlife and wild places.  I actually volunteered at another WCS operated facility, the New York Aquarium, and can personally say that every person who works for this organization is dedicated to the mission of connecting people with wildlife through education and wildlife encounters.  The mission aside, the zoo itself is an incredible oasis of wildlife in an urban setting.  Make sure you don’t miss taking a ride on the Skyfari, a two-mile long cable car that zips above the zoo below.  The other really cool attraction at the zoo is the Butterfly Garden, a one-acre greenhouse with over 1,000 free flying butterflies.  The kids will ove it when a real butterfly lands on their shoulder!

Although it will be ending on October 27, take advantage on Toddler Time Tuesday’s at the zoo.  With the purchase of an adult limited admission ticket, each parent and up to two children receive free entry to the Children’s Zoo.

Link to Bronx Zoo Website

3. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (Omaha, NE)

You might not expect to find a world class zoo tucked away in the middle of Nebraska, but Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo is characterized by a plethora of superlatives that make it one of the best zoos in the U.S.  It features the largest cat complex in North America, the world’s largest nocturnal exhibit and indoor swamp, the world’s largest indoor rainforest, the world’s largest indoor desert, as well as the largest glazed geodesic dome in the world.  This zoo is all about B-I-G and that means be ready to do some walking.  A must is the Skyfari. Walk to the back of the zoo on the right side and then take the Skyfari back.  For just $2 it will make the end of your day easier and really fun too.  If you’re ever in Nebraska don’t miss this zoo, it is possibly the best zoo in the country that you’ve never heard of.

Link to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

4. Phoenix Zoo (Phoenix, AZ)

The Phoenix Zoo is the largest, private, non-profit zoo in the U.S.  There are all the typical zoo animals here, plus the biggest desert tortoises you’ve ever seen.  They’re native to the area and thrive at the zoo.  It’s a great zoo for kids and has plenty for them to do.  First, don’t miss the Enchanted Forest, a play area a with a tree house, a tiny stream, logs,etc for kids to play on.  And be sure to stop by the Harmony Farm for close up encounters with farm animals (plus fun tractors and swings to play on).  I’d also recommend taking the train-ride (especially on those hot summer days); you’ll learn a lot on the ride and it will give your kiddos a nice break from walking 2.5 miles of trails throughout the zoo.  Also, make sure to bring along swimsuits for your kids because there is a small water play area for them to cool off in too.

Link to Phoenix Zoo Website

5. Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)

OK, maybe it’s technically a theme park, but Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers a wildlife experience like no other.  What else would you expect from Disney?  At over 500 acres, it’s actually the largest of all of the Disney theme parks and it is dedicated entirely to animal conservation.  But don’t be fooled, it’s not all fun and games here.  Disney’s Animal Kingdom is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, meaning they have met and exceeded the standards in Education, Conservation and Research.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is divided into 7 areas: Oasis, Discovery Island, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Asia, and Dinoland, U.S.A. (that’s right, you get to see animals that have been extinct for millions of years…well, alright, not live ones, but it’s cool anyway).  Don’t miss attractions here are the Tree of Life, a 14-story, 50-foot-wide tree surrounded by fun trails; the Kilimanjaro Safari, a ride through the African savannah in an open-sided safari vehicle featuring live giraffes, lions, antelope, rhinos, warthogs, and zebras roaming around in a huge open space enclosure; and the Conservation Station where you can meet and talk to animal handlers, see animals up close and learn about veterinary care, research and food preparation.  If your kids are into dinosaurs, don’t miss the Cretaceous Trail and definitely take them to the Boneyard where they can become paleontologists and excavate fossils.

Link to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Website

6. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, OH)

The Cincinnati Zoo is the second oldest zoo in the U.S., having opened back in 1875 (the Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest, opened in 1874).  The zoo is probably most famous for it’s incredible endangered species breeding programs.  The Cincinnati Zoo is one of the few places outside of Florida where you can see manatees.  The zoo just sent it’s two manatees back to Florida to be released into the wild and expects to have new manatees for their Manatee Springs exhibit this coming spring.   In addition to the animals at the zoo, the botanical garden is absolutely beautiful.  The zoo and the garden are woven together seamlessly making for a very pleasant day.

Link to Cincinnati Zoo Website

7. Brookfield Zoo (Chicago, IL)

The Brookfield Zoo is known for being among the first zoos to use open enclosures to provide more natural habitats for the animals and bring them closer to zoo visitors.  They are also the first zoo to build a fully enclosed dolphin exhibit and rain forest.  Note: The Seven Seas dolphin exhibit is currently closed for renovations. The dolphins will return and Seven Seas will reopen for the summer of 2010, after renovations are complete.  Make sure to hit the Hamil Family Play Zoo if you have kids. There are places to paint their face like an animal; act like an animal, zoo keeper, or veterinarian; and make crafts. Plus there are two playgrounds, a splash garden, and a carousel.

Link to Brookfield Zoo Website

8. St. Louis Zoo (St. Louis, MO)

If you love birds, you’ll really love the St. Louis Zoo.  Lions and tigers and bears are fun, but the birdhouse here is spectacular.  And, they have what most agree is the best penguin and puffin exhibit anywhere.  And on hot summer days, the exhibit is always a great place to cool down…it’s kept at a nice frosty temperature for the penguins.

If the animals and birds don’t get you excited, the price will.  Admission to this zoo is always FREE.  But, it does come with some caveats.  First, parking for the zoo is $11 per vehicle, so take public transportation or ride a bike to avoid the parking fee.  It’s also good to know that not every attraction in the zoo is free.  There is a  per person charge for the following attractions: Children’s Zoo ($4), Conservation Carousel ($3), Zooline Railroad ($5), Motion Simulator ($3), and 3D Movie ($3).  Food is also pretty expensive, so bring your own lunch to keep costs down.

Link to St. Louis Zoo Website

9. Audubon Zoo (New Orleans, LA)

Although damaged during Hurricane Katrina, the Audubon Zoo is back and better than ever.  It is an absolutely beautiful zoo that has been called a work of art by some.  While the zoo has all of your typical animals, the Louisiana Swamp and Jaguar Jungle exhibits offer you encounters you most likely won’t see anywhere else in the U.S.  The best way to get to the zoo is to take the St Charles Street Trolley Car through the Garden District to Audubon Park. Once you get to the park, catch the shuttle bus to take you the last mile or so through the park to the zoo. It will save you some time and some walking, and is fun for the kids too.

While not part of the zoo proper (but owned and operated by Audubon Nature Institute), make sure to visit the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium as well.  They’re both top rated attraction.  In fact, The Painted Hen and I worked at the aquarium for a stint and we can assure you that it is an amazing place to visit.

Link to Audubon Zoo Website

10. Columbus Zoo (Powell, OH)

The Columbus Zoo was made famous by Jack Hanna and his numerous appearances with great animals on late night talk shows.  But it’s not just about Jack!  The Columbus Zoo is a world class zoo featuring one of the largest reptile collections in the U.S. and the largest manatee exhibit outside of Florida.  It also features an exhibit called Asia Quest that showcases Himilayan species including sun bears, red pandas, and Siberian tigers.  Although it’s closed for the season now, you can also visit the zoo’s water park, Zoombezi Bay.  And, you can also get in 18 holes of golf at the Safari Golf Club, which is also owned by the zoo.  While there may be a touristy feel to the Columbus Zoo, it is still a first class zoo and well worth the visit to encounter some amazing wildlife close-up.

Link to Columbus Zoo Website

As you can tell, I dig National Geographic, so you can imagine how excited I was when they gave the Five Hens an opportunity to review a great new book geared towards family travel and education – National Geographic The 10 Best of Everything Families: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers. As its title suggests, it is full of great “10 Best” lists for family travel throughout the United States, and even some international locations. In keeping with that spirit, here are my 10 favorites about the book, in no particular order:

1. Organization. The book is really well organized. You can efficiently plan vacations based on geographic regions, types of activities or all sorts of educational endeavors.

2. Affordability. Traveling can be expensive, so any opportunity to have a lot of fun at a reasonable price is great. Most of the suggestions from National Geographic are for great activities that are either low cost or free – you can’t beat that!

3. Variety. National Geographic did a great job of capturing so many different types of places, activities and options throughout the U.S. There really is something for every family.

4. Seasonal Celebrations. My favorite section covers seasonal celebrations, which provide a great opportunity to experience the cultures in different geographic areas that really reflect the people’s lifestyle, values and history.

5. It is not all about “tourist traps.” National Geographic did not just pick the most popular places in the biggest cities – many of the recommendations are in smaller towns or more obscure places that are every bit as fun (if not more) than some of the “tourist traps” that can be more expensive and crowded.

6. Truly about “families“. Not every book or publication that purports to be focused on the family really is. This book highlights places and activities that are family friendly. And as all parents know, happy stimulated kids equal happy parents and true family fun!

7. Succinct and Helpful Information. The information provided for each activity or location is short, but useful. There is just enough information to capture your interest, and then it provides the web address so you can explore it more as you plan your trip. I suggest looking at it with your little chicks – that way planning can be a fun, family activity too.

8. Focused. The book is not a complete travel guide that tells you where to stay, where to eat, how to get there, that sort of thing. While those are sometimes helpful, for me they always feel more like advertisements than impartial guides. So I like a book that is focused on a limited list of fantastic options for the little chicks, and this one delivers.

9. Inclusive. The international section of the book has similarly valuable information, so it provides good ideas and some highlights of places beyond U.S. Borders that may provide a great family experience. For more specific information once you choose an exotic destination, I have found Lonely Planet to be useful.

10. It’s National Geographic! How can you go wrong? I know I sound like a crazed National Geographic groupie (no, I don’t camp on the lawn of their D.C. headquarters), but seriously, this brand has delivered throughout my life, so I know I can trust the product and its recommendations. I have been to many of the Northwest and Rocky Mountain places, and all of the recommendations check out. Based on the brand and my own experiences, I am confident that most of the other National Geographic recommendations will too. So give it a shot – it’s a great book and can help you do what matters most – enjoy some family time while nourishing your chicks with fun and education!

Expedition Health was everything I would want in a museum experience for families. There are 20 interactive exhibits that are fun for all ages. Our boys, ages 3 and 6, were old enough to try most of the exhibits, plus they were inspired to ask some great questions too. We also had grandparents accompany us, and they had a great time participating in the fun.  So what’s so great about Expedition Health? The expedition is a climb to the top of Mount Evans, one of Colorado’s famous 14ers. At the start of the expedition, everyone is issued a “Peak Pass” card to track your progress through the exhibit. First, you use a simple touch screen display to enter some basic profile information about yourself and pick a virtual “buddy” who follows you through the exhibit and helps you learn about how your body functions. At each station in the exhibit you insert your “Peak Pass” and do fun activities that record information such as your heart rate, height, arm span, or stride length. At the end, you receive a cool printout with your profile information and the “performance data” collected from the activities you completed. The printout also includes a code which you use to login to a website when you get home to see all of your results and more. Comparing the results between our family members made it personal and easy for our kids to understand.

Because this exhibit is so popular, you must sign up for an entrance time (every 15 minutes), but there can still be a wait for some of the activities. So here’s a list of our favorites (don’t worry about the order you do them in – just find a short line and go for it):

BodyTrek Theater – Don’t miss this 12 minute show in the 35-seat theatre. It’s a fantastic experience that takes you and your body on a journey to the top of Mount Evans, a 14,264-foot mountain. Throughout the journey, in-seat sensors measure changes in your heart rate and oxygen saturation and infrared cameras measure your body temperature as you “climb” the mountain. The show is completely interactive and our kids loved that there was REAL SNOW and wind blowing through the theater as they approached the mountain’s summit. I liked that before the show they told our little one there would be a flash of lightning and a loud thunderclap at the summit of the mountain (other than the lights dimming to the sound of a heartbeat at the start of the show, this was the only “scary part“).

Biology Base Camp – If your kids like to do experiments, this is worth the wait. Biology Base Camp is a hands-on biology lab for conducting cool science experiments. And, you and your kids get to dress the part too! The exhibit includes lab coats, safety glasses,and surgical gloves for everyone. The kids loved dressing up as scientists. Each lab station is completely equipped with everything you need to do an experiment, including step-by-step video instructions that you advance at your own pace. We did two experiments at the Biology Base Camp: we looked at our own cells from the inside of our mouths and we compared the sugar contents between two different cereals. The instructions are easy to follow and the stations are fun to use. There were even parts of the experiment simple enough for our 3 year old to help with. You are usually limited to one experiment due to the popularity of this activity.

Vein Viewer - Scan your hand or arm to see your veins working and moving your own blood. Amazing! We played with this one for quite a while.

Full Body Viewer – Using a series of motion detectors and cameras, your kids can dance or move around while a large screen in front of them displays a skeleton that mirrors their movements. You can add muscles, veins, nerves and other features to the display and see how they work when you move.

Size Up Your Stride – More cool technology here. Using motion cameras, this exhibit records a video of how you walk. It takes a silhouette image of your stride and calculates your speed and energy score. After you take your measurements, you use the information gathered to see how long it would take you to complete a hike around a lake. Videos of the last 9 participants are displayed on a large video wall, much to the kids amusement.

Arm Span to Height Ratio – Cameras measure your arm span-to-height ratio and also take a still picture of you to put on your profile printout.

Tykes Peak – Interactive fun for preschoolers. Some of the fun activities include: pack their own backpack, scramble up a mini mountain, feel their heartbeat, use a giant pin screen to see their body outline, explore a touch box and more. Great fun at this one.

Other Permanent Exhibits that are our Family Favorites:

Prehistoric Journey As always, dinosaur fossils are a hit with the kids. There’s also a live, working Earth Sciences Lab in the exhibit where scientists clean and study their latest finds. We look forward to seeing what specimens are being worked on in the lab, and the volunteers and scientists are always engaging with the little ones.

Space Odyssey This was the museum’s first full hands-on, interactive exhibit and it has been a steady hit with our kids visit after visit. Here’s a quick list of some of the interactive exhibits that keep our boys entertained: fly mini Space Shuttles, make real craters in sand with meteor balls, build you own Mars landscape with sand and water. Plus there is the Astrotot Training area, a great kids play area where they can dress up like astronauts, collect moon rocks, and “fly” the space shuttle.

The Gates Planetarium Planetarium shows are located in the back of the Space Odyssey exhibit. The shows rotate and are always great. Previews are available online for “The Little Star that Could ” and “Cosmic Journey “.

Egyptian Mummies Two real Egyptian mummies are on display along with information and a video on how scientists used X rays and CT scans to learn about the bodies within the wrappings (our 6 year old liked this). There are other small artifacts on display as well as a scale model of an Egyptian Temple Complex.

The Phipps IMAX Theater Our entire family loved the Sea Monsters show (granted we do have a geologist and oceanographer in our family). As paleontologists excavate fossils around the world, you are taken on a trip back in time to explore life in the ancient seas. If you have little ones, check out the movie trailer below. It shows one of the “scary” parts, a large crocodile-looking beast jumping out of the water. The other part that made us jump was when a construction crew set off a dynamite blast. Other than that, this is a very family friendly IMAX movie. Here’s the trailer for the Sea Monster IMAX film:

Upcoming Exhibits and Future Plans

The museum’s next big interactive exhibit will be about Genghis Khan which will run from October 16, 2009 to February 10, 2010. Tickets go on sale to the general public October 1. It looks like it’s going to very interesting. The museum also has plans to revamp all of their permanent core areas to include more interactive exhibits that encourage visitor participation and interaction. You can find out more about the museum’s future plans right here.

Other Notes About the Museum

As a mom, I was very impressed with the healthy menu choices available at the T-Rex Cafe. It’s nice to see a menu that includes all natural meats, whole wheat pasta, low-fat cheese, veggies and brown rice. Plus, the healthy selections in the Cafe really help reinforce the healthy food lessons the kids learned in the Expedition Health Exhibit earlier in the day. The kids meal includes a choice of entree, two sides, cookie, juice/milk, and a toy for $3.95. At this price, a kids meal can be an affordable option for many. Our family also loves to eat in the beautiful atrium, where you can enjoy your own meal from home or purchase sandwiches, pizza, bagels and a variety of snacks from the Grab and Go Snack Bar.

The museum is open 7 days a week from 9 am – 5 pm and has a lot to see. If you want to get the most out of your day, I would recommend getting there when the doors open and saving your IMAX until the 5:00 showing (if your kids can handle a full day). If you need a break during the day, the atrium if a beautiful place to relax, plus there is seating within each of the major exhibits. They also have strollers ($1) and canes and wheelchairs (free) available for rent.

BONUS Giveaway: Enter to Win FREE admission tickets to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science

In honor of Museum Day, today Five Hens is giving away four FREE tickets to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Click here to find out how to enter for a chance to win.

Our Photo Album from Our Trip to the Museum

Check out the lightbox slideshow below of photos from our recent visit to the museum. Simply click on a thumbnail to start the slideshow. Details and information for each screenshot are located at the bottom of the image in the slideshow.

Do you live near Denver or plan on being in Denver in the next year?  Then check out our special, one day only Museum Friday Bonus Giveaway.  Today only, we’re giving away a package of four tickets for FREE admission to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  If you want to learn more about this amazing, interactive museum, take a look at our other post today Family Field Trip: Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

And the winner is…

• Aaron from Aurora, CO. Have a great time at the museum!

Entry Requirements

To enter for a chance to win, please do ONE of these two things (or both if you’d like to earn more chances to win).

Note: Entries that do not follow at least ONE of these requirements will not be considered.

1. The easiest way is to just leave us a comment right here on this post and tell us which exhibit mentioned in our Family Field Trip: Denver Museum of Nature and Science post that you’d like to see most.

2. Follow Five Hens on Twitter and post the following Tweet:

@fivehens is giving away 4 FREE tickets to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science: http://bit.ly/4qQ1No #museums #fivehens

The Fine Print

No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Denver Museum of Nature and Science and Five Hens employees/volunteers and their families are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Friday, September 25 at midnight PST will not be considered. Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected.  Vouchers will be issued for museum admission for four (4) people.  Vouchers must be exchanged on-site at the Museum Admission counter. Not valid for surcharged exhibits. Not valid for phone or online advanced reservations. Not valid for school or group visit. Vouchers have no cash value. Vouchers expire August 31, 2010.  Not valid with any other offer or promotion. Vouchers do not include IMAX or Planetarium admission. Open to participants in the US and Canada 18 years and older.

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