Museum of Life and Science

Gabe's parents were here two weekends ago and they took a whirldwind tour of Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Pittsboro. We found another reason to love Durham: The Museum of Life and Science. I am sure this is where all the kids go on field trips around here. When I was young it was the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. 

But this place was cooler. I can imagine how awesome it'd be if I was young enough to be completely enthralled with astronauts, ants and dinosaurs. They had lots of experiential computer exhibits, like this one, in which Gabe's shadow catches projected, cascading bits of color.

Here is a collection from a famous origami artist. Did you know he was hired to help design cars' first airbags?

The day was beautiful, the best weather since October, so we went outside to see some farm animals. Here are some sheep chillin. Did you know sheep's pupils are horizontal slits? The museum didn't teach me that- Haruki Murakami and his weird novels did.

I wanted to get a picture of the cow, and everyone had wandered far ahead already (I really love farm animals) so I only got to snap one quick photo as it left its stable. Here's what it looked like unedited:

I like it so much I'm going to frame it and hang it up in the bathroom. Then we went to the Butterfly House where so many different butterflies fly around and can land on you. There are some beautiful trees and flowers as well.

Right after that is a big bug room. Like these swarmy things:

And these frogs, caught in the act!

While I had my camera pointed in the frogquarium I couldn't help but snap these pictures. If this is your child, I'm awful sorry.

After the bug room we saw the outdoor zoo (bears, wolves, lemurs) and then did the dinosaur walk with LIFE-SIZE dinosaurs. Pretend you're 8 for a split second, and you'll realize what a great idea that is.

  

There was also a big outdoor exhibit with the theme 'wind'. Here is Gabe and his parents controlling a mini sailboat. Gabe and his dad spent 45 minutes here, seriously.

We all needed a nap after this day. More pics of other excursions shortly!