Museum of Natural Curiosity

 

We were excited to visit the new Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving Point during the member preview!  I really had no idea what to expect but we were definitely not disappointed.  We only managed to visit two sections out of five and Chiquita could easily have spent all day in the Rainforest if I hadn't urged her to visit Kidopolos.  We can't wait to go back and see the rest!

A few tips if you're going to visit (and you should):

1. Plan an all-day trip, there is SO much to do here.  Seriously consider a membership, so you can explore every part of it.  Chiquita literally could have spent hours in just one of the shops at Kidopolos.
2. Don't plan on seeing everything.  Whether it's the fruit market in the Rainforest or the Vet in Kidopolos, letting them spend the time in one place really gives them a chance to learn.
3. Pick a meeting spot if you get split up.  Each area connects to a main hub so it's harder for kids to slip out of a section without you seeing them, but there are MANY spaces within every area to lose your kid.  Particularly in the Rainforest you want to have a plan.  There was an awesome jungle gym that Chiquita LOVED playing in but that nearly gave me a heart attack.  There were dozens of ways to get in and out of the structure and it wove in and out of where I could see her. The best would be to go in with her (which adults can) but it wasn't feasible while I was carrying Chato.
4. Plan the timing of your visit carefully.  Like I said, it's easy to lose kids, so if you've got a pre-schooler (like me) or any kid that you really want to keep your eye on then you want to go when there's less of a crowd.  They won't be having any school groups until next fall, so during a week day should be the best time to go.  I'm sure that the week after the official opening (May 15th) will be especially packed.
5. Don't leave your teenagers at home. Older kids will have fun here!  I saw teenagers having a blast in the jungle gym in the Rainforest (not to mention the ropes course) and even Kidopolos had activities the really appealed to all ages.