Burgh Perfect Staycation Step #5: Go Look at Dead Stuff
During the Staycation, our mission has been to do things we've never done before. On that list was to visit a few of the Carnegie Museums, and we decided to knock out the one with all the dead stuff: The Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Before we saw the dead stuff, we gazed upon many many many rocks.
You just know that somebody saw me taking this photograph and was screaming through the security camera for me to get my kid's grubby hands off the glass. So, so sorry. (Not really.)
Then we moved on to the dinosaurs. Well, the adults moved on to the dinosaurs. The Toddler discovered TVs that changed the screen when she touched them. So she touched them a lot. A LOT.
I'm pretty sure these two would totally be making out, if only they weren't, you know, dead.
Do big horns mean . . . never mind.
These are all insects that are common to Pennsylvania and I'm pretty sure our cat Coal has eaten each and every one of these things at some point or another.
Thank ye gods of gross insects that THESE aren't the local insects because I'm positive that the giant disgusting beetle is bigger than Coal Kitty.
Someone who works at the museum has a morbid fascination with all things gross. This photo is of a hunter getting chewed to bits after killing something or other.
And this one is of the Toddler staring at one of the violently dead things, thereby ensuring a lifetime of nightmares. Thanks, Museum Workers!
This was easily Alexis' favorite display because you can't really see the plexiglass until you are right up on it and Alexis really enjoyed running into it a time or ten.
LIE ALERT! Whoever typed up "Rock Dove" and hung it above this stuffed thing was a GIANT liar. That is a rat with wings, also commonly referred to as a pigeon. Calling it a dove is like calling a Bulldog a butterfly. A BIG FAT STUPID LIE.
This little house had an animatronic lady in it who sang and told stories. Alexis developed a weird sort of crush on her and kept trying to help her find her baby and feed them all corn.
Seriously. She's trying to find corn for the baby here.
The people at this museum have issues. Serious issues. We got yelled at for Alexis being on Mr. Husband's shoulders and we got yelled at because she tried to touch the polar bear. HELLO! Children can't touch that which they can't reach. Shoulders=Good. Things at Toddler reach level=Not good.
In the itty bitty teeny tiny kids area, all things reachable are touchable, so Alexis did get to touch a bear without getting my head chewed off. Of course, she thought the fake grass was more interesting.
My favorite part was the architecture room, except for the whole thing where there were 4,285 signs saying "Do Not Touch." Does anyone realize how hard it is for me the Toddler not to touch things that are that enormous and right at her hand level?
This was a VERY cool display--it's a wishing wall. Each of the hundreds of brightly-colored ribbons has a wish printed on it. The wishes come from visitors who request whatever, the museum prints it up, and then you can walk up and pull a wish out of the wall. Alexis picked one that said, "I wish I had the freedom to choose my own religion." For what it's worth, she should have picked a different one. Alexis absolutely has that freedom.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Reader Comments (26)
There are so many amazing pics there,but the last one is definitely my favorite. She looks so serious and as if she really gets how amazing her life and that wall are.
And yes, that's a lot of dead things.
I so want to go to that museum now... Is it in Pittsburgh? What a cool looking place and you all a very lucky to have such a great place to visit. You should be on their payroll, because you sold it to me. :)
As usual great pics... I love the rock room that goes on and on and on...
seriously? they yelled because she was up on Mr. H's shoulders? those are some crazy (or crabby) people.
looks like it was very cool...really like that wishing wall.
Wow - what great pics! I remember liking the second one, but then I got lost in the crazy museum worker story and the other GREAT pictures. Looks like a good time, regardless! (hooray for TVs that change when you touch them!!! they mesmerize me, too)
Great pictures as usual! Boo for mean museum workers who won't let little girls exercise their god given right to ride on daddys shoulders! Thanks for sharing!
Great pics!I love the one of her reflection in the glass.Good thing the dirty toddler hands on glass police didn't run out and yell at you.
I also really like the wishing wall pic.
When you read the signs to Alexis about not touching, did you say DON'T TOSH? Because I hope you did. That still makes me laugh.
FABULOUS pics, as always. Makes me want to be a Burgh Baby.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane...I haven't been to that museum since an elementary school field trip! Great pictures.
We really need to go there. Been too long. Thanks for the kick in the butt.
That was *almost* as good as a real visit. :) And who knew that Rock Doves had an alias?
I will definitely have to take the kids again soon. That. Place. Rocks.
What a great museum and the photos - wow. They should hire you for brochures and not scold you for bringing a toddler!!
I must say though, that I was keenly disappointed that they did not have a Roman display. We made a trip down specially to see that when we were homeschooling because we were studying Romans. I'm pretty sure they're a part of natural history, somwhere between the Egyptians and the Indians.
sweeeeettt...!! you always do such a great job documenting the day..!!
I totally love museums & would get yelled at, also, cause I love to touch stuff!
We took Dylan there recently, and I was...BORED! I hate that place. I think it has something to do with
1. My disinterest in history
2. The fact that when I worked at a preschool for 3 years, during summer camp, each and every day it rained, we ended up at this museum. 25 hyper kids who would rather be outside, signs saying Don't Touch, and dead stuff = a really shitty day.
Really nice shots! Really great story.
Beautiful pictures, 'cept for the bug ones lol I hate bugs! The wish wall is amazing!!!!
You are so brave - I don't know if I'll venture into a musuem until my toddler is old enough to buy the wine afterwards...
I so miss going to that museum. Boy Child would have the displays torn down in a blink of an eye, not to mention the noise level would rise instantly. Now Diva she was alot like Alexis - you could (can) take her anywhere.
Your staycation is turning out to be a great week of memories for you and your family - enjoy it!
My mom worked at the museum when I was little, and I loved it there. I knew it like my own house, and it was the first place I was allowed to walk around on my own, so I felt very Important and Grown-Up wandering around, although once I wandered into the art museum part and got kinda really lost. :(
And that creeptastic lion-eating-man-and-horse thing? For some reason was my fav. No idea why, because I was (am) not into horror movies, whatsoever. But it fascinated me, I guess.
The gross bug photo? Yeah ... I swear one of those was what Sumo was dissecting. Good times.
I LOVE looking at dead things. It's so fantastic because I don't think kids "get" that they're really dead animals. I mean ... they just think it's a piece of artwork or something.
Does it make me sick to maket hat observation? I can't help myself.
You totally cracked me up with that long horns comment. Love that last picture...
Why do I keep thinking Night at the Museum? Love Alexis with the pigtails!
That museum looks great! We recently went to our Museum of Natural History, and our little one loved the dinosaurs. But we didn't see much else. Maybe we'll all have more stamina next time. You have inspired me to try.
really? yelled at for her being on Mr. Husband's shoulders? how is that ANY of their business.
I love museums like that but we have yet to be brave enough to take our little man. he's still a bit young I think.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Pigeon