DaVinci Museum

Ashley and I ended the first week of summer vacation with a drive to Allentown, NJ. Learning from earlier mistakes, we packed a lunch and checked directions before leaving home.

Our first stop was the DaVinci Science Museum.

When we left New Jersey it looked like it was going to be a stormy day -- a perfect day to go to a museum. The DaVinci museum has been high on my list ever since I read about it on a home school message board.

We must have timed the experience just right. There were other people in the museum, but not so many that we became impatient waiting for our turn to try the hands on experiences. If I were to do it differently, though, I would bring along a friend for Ashley so the girls could do the activities together.

The museum just opened an exhibit about how things are made. Today Ashley pointed to an object and told me it was made by pouring it into a mold.

Ashley's favorite exhibit involved riding a bicycle to power different types of lightbulbs. She gained a new appreciation for being able to turn on a light without having to pedal first.

My favorite exhibit involved levers and weights. Amazing how this simple technique makes it possible to do what was once thought of as impossible. A good lesson for us to figure out how to make something easier to do before we get hurt doing it the hard way.

It was hard tearing Ashley away from the place. Perhaps we should visit more science museums, but next time go with a friend.


http://www.davinci-center.org/