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23 Jan
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Each year many classic car auctions and shows are organized worldwide, but museums would be the one place were they are visible at any time. Probably the most significant classic car museums may be the Canton Classic Car Museum from Ohio.
This particular museum was founded through the late Marshall Belden in 1978, a man that realized what an important part those cars play in our history. Nowadays the classic car museum is really a home in excess of forty-five rare or eccentric cars. But these impressive vehicles aren’t the only real stars from the museum. A large number of historical pieces are displayed as well. This category includes: steam engines, movie posters or historical photographs.
The museum can be obtained seven days per week, from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm and it charges only $7.50 for adults and $5.00 for children under the age of 6. It also offers discounts for groups and guided tours. So if you’re thinking about souvenirs the gift shop opened during museum hours will be the answer for your shopping crave.
The museum is proud of its American iconic cars like the 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible, probably the most famous cars ever built by Chevrolet or even the 1959 Cadillac Biarritz convertible, the car that reflects the futuristic vision of Harley Earl and Frank Hershey. The timeframe covered by this gorgeous cars ranges from 1901 to 1970. The oldest one is the 1901 curved-dash Oldsmobile, while the “new generation” brags around with a 1970 Plymouth Super Bird.
One-of-a-kind is a term that characterizes most of the cars displayed inside the museum. Each room includes a theme. For instance, the 1930′s theme is represented by some true automotive works of art. Brands such as Marmon, Pierce-Arrow, Cord, Packard or Cadillac take you back in time and present you the 1930s.
Another amazing car may be the Bantam pickup truck, an automobile that is actually a prototype built by Bantam for the U. S. Government. The vehicle was said to be a multi-purpose military vehicle, but in the finish it became in the marketplace. The Bantam pickup grew to become known as the Jeep. The initial contract that involved manufacturing a military vehicle was awarded to Willys/Overland and to the Ford Motor Company, since the Bantam company was too small for the task.
The Canton Classic Car Museum is also the proud who owns an original, not restored fire truck. We are talking about a 1937 Ahrens-Fox Quad powered with a massive Hercules engine. Another precious acquisition is really a 1937 Packard hearse that is equipped with a V12 engine. The most interesting feature of this car is presented by the hand-carved mahogany body panels.
Europeans are represented as well. A 1962 German-built Amphicar dominates one of the rooms. Surprisingly, this car was the type of car that may be used as a pleasure boat too. That’s the key reason why the Amphicar has dual propellers and the front wheels have been developed specifically to be used also as dual rudders. Another interesting car hosted through the museum is really a three-wheel Italian classic car, the 1957 BMW Isetta. Exactly this model was part of a TV program entitled “Family Matters”.
I hope which i convinced you to visit this car museum since it is well worth the trip. The astonishing rare cars, the events that the museum organizes every week, the town itself make a trip to the Canton Classic Car Museum a memorable experience.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Classic Car Auctions, Dash Oldsmobile, Multi Purpose |
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19 Jan
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When planning a trip to Alaska the top activities always involve the outdoors. This is entirely natural, as the outdoors very much define Alaska. However, there is a cultural heartbeat to the land as well, and many native Alaskans who were born here or moved here after falling in love with the place, try to communicate the appeal of that land through art. With a huge number of tourists travelling through every summer, many Alaskan artists are able to devote themselves to their work, and the long winters enable a real concentration of effort. The result is some fantastic artwork.
There are a surprising number of Alaska art galleries, considering the sparse population. Of course the explosion of visitors in the summer helps explain why. Most can be found in the major cities, though some are in the popular tourist spots, or smaller communities. Depending on your tastes, here are some of the best:
Representational Art:
Norman Lowell Studio and Gallery, Norman Lowell Dr. Off Sterling Hwy, Homer Ptarmigan Arts, 471 E. Pioneer Ave., Homer Art Shop Gallery, 202 Pioneer Ave., Homer Artique, 314 G St.,Anchorage New Horizons Gallery, 519 1st. St., Fairbanks Juneau Artists Gallery, 175 S. Franklin St., Juneau Decker Gallery, 233 S. Franklin St. Juneau Fisherman’s Eye Fine Art Gallery, 239 Lincoln St., Sitka Sitka Rose Gallery, 419 Lincoln St., Sitka Dockside Gallery, 5 Salmon Landing, Ketchikan Exploration Gallery, 633 Mission St., Ketchikan
Native Traditional Art:
4th Ave. Market Place, Anchorage The Rusty Harpoon, 411 W.4th Ave., Anchorage Alaska Native Arts Foundation Gallery, 6th Ave. Anchorage Arctic Travellers Gift Shop, 201 Cushman St., Fairbanks The Ravens Journey, 435 S. Franklin St., Juneau Sheldon Jackson Museum Gift Shop, 104 College Dr., Sitka Alaska Eagle Arts, 5 Creek St., Ketchikan Eagle Spirit Gallery of Ketchikan, 310 Mission St., Ketchikan
Contemporary Art:
Bunnell Street Gallery, 106 W. Bunnell Ave., Homer International Gallery of Contemporary Art, 427 D Street, Anchorage Rie Munoz Gallery, 2101 Jordan Ave. Juneau Main Stay Gallery, 716 Totem Way, Ketchikan Soho Coho, 5 Creek St., Ketchikan
Besides these galleries in the major centres, there are many others in smaller communities and tourist destinations. If you are planning a trip to Alaska, be sure to set some time aside to explore a few of these galleries, and see how native Alaskans interpret the land that surrounds them.
Alaska is a place that creates and attracts artists. Partly it may be due to the mystique of the north; a harsh land that overwhelms and reminds us of our mortality. It may also be due to the winters that are so long, and allow hours of reflection and a chance to hone one’s craft. For some, it may be due to the increased sense of isolation, living on one of the world’s last frontiers. Whatever it is, Alaska art galleries are a chance for outsiders to see the end result of that deep current of creativity that runs through this incredible land.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Lincoln St, Native Alaskans, New Horizons |
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18 Jan
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Plant Spartanburg is BMW’s only plant in the United States. The X3, X5, X6, and Active Hybrid X6 vehicle models are produced in the Spartanburg facility. Opened in 1974, the plant has become a major employer in the Upcountry of South Carolina, employing over 5,000 people. Many tourists to the area enjoy visiting BMW’s Performance Center and the Zentrum.
More than 50,000 visitors annually come to the Zentrum, the only BMW museum in North America. Located next to the plant, the Zentrum presents the past, present, and future of BMW. There are exhibits, films, and rare classic models to see. Even the Zentrum’s unique spiral architecture is a draw for visitors. The museum gift shop sells BMW apparel. A café offers refreshments. The facility’s auditorium and conference room may be rented for special events. The Zentrum is open Monday through Friday from 9:30am-5:30pm. Admission is free.
In addition to visiting the Zentrum, visitors may want to schedule a guided tour of the BMW plant. Tours are by reservation only and last approximately an hour. The cost of the tour is $7, and it is open to those ages 12 and older. Participants must wear closed toe shoes, and no high heels are allowed. Tours may be scheduled when the plant is open. The plant is closed on major holidays.
The BMW Performance Center offers a number of popular driving schools. Four driving courses are designed to develop specific skill sets. The Driver’s Program is geared for new performance drivers. Instructors challenge attendees with a mix of exercises ranging from low to high speed. The maneuvers help develop confident and safe drivers. One and two day car control schools may be scheduled. The M School course allows more experienced performance drivers to work on skills that professional drivers use. Two day and advanced courses may be scheduled. The Teen School places an emphasis on safety and caution. Teens in these one and two day courses receive close supervision. A wide range of driving conditions is presented including panic stops and wet pavement. There are also Motorcycle Rider Training Courses. Multi day on road and off road classes cover braking, cornering, and accident avoidance. Experienced riders may enjoy the Motorcycle 3 Day Tour. Participants will ride the back roads of the Carolinas and eastern Tennessee including parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Many participants have found their Performance Center experiences to be fun and challenging.
The BMW Plant Spartanburg and Zentrum museum are located at 1400 Highway 101 South in Greer, South Carolina. The Performance Center is located just down the road at 1155 Highway 101 South. Both are very popular activities for visitors to the Spartanburg area.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Bmw Performance, Bmw Plant, Upcountry |
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17 Jan
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Will you be traveling to Amsterdam, Netherlands anytime soon? If so, it is likely that you plan on at least doing a few tourist activities while you are there. I know that often times vacations can get hectic and sometimes slightly boring after you’ve spent long days after days carting around your touring group to one attraction after another. But as is usually the case in most cities or towns anywhere, some of these attractions should not be missed. And in Amsterdam, those are the museums. From the museum on Cannabis culture to the Rembrandt museum, Amsterdam is known throughout the world for its extraordinary art and informational exhibitions of all sorts. From conservative, traditional to all out bizarre, Amsterdam has the best of them.
But where do you find out about museums in Amsterdam, Netherlands? How do you know which Amsterdam museums are worth it? Well, many of the classic, tourist-trap type, if you will, Amsterdam museums will be listed on a city map or in any major tour book. You might even find out about some from your local AAA office, or other travel agent. But as for the rather odd ones, the ones that are a bit harder to find and even more fun to talk about back home; here is a brief list and description. The following are six Amsterdam Museums that cross over the line of ordinary. Hopefully you will enjoy them.
The giant four story NEMO science center is one Amsterdam museum attraction that many tourists might easily miss. Despite its huge presence right on the water near the city’s Centraal Station, this Mecca of experiments and knowledge is sort of tucked away and requires a little walk off into the distance of seemingly nowhere to get to. It is not hard to miss though, for the science museum is marked by its architecture; the building design consists externally of a massive ship from an aerial view that appears as though it has landed halfway in the water. Once inside the structure, nobody would ever notice this look, and sadly it is raised so much above ground that depending on which way one enters the museum, it could be easy to miss completely. But the NEMO center, the largest science museum in the Netherlands has plenty of character inside as well. Families with children, couples, even grandparents of any age can enjoy this world of fun, hands on learning tools. From the life-size bubble maker to the music machine media-type area to an exhibit that allows you to climb on the ceiling, NEMO has something for every type and level of learner. The top floor also allows one to view the entire capital city of the Netherlands, Amsterdam.
This Amsterdam museum is pretty much what the name implies; it is a museum all about tropical locations. And I do mean all about. With permanent exhibits on the regions of Southeast Asia, Oceania, Western Asia, North Africa, Africa, Latin America and subjects such as Man and Environment and Music, Dance and Theater, the Tropenmuseum is the perfect place to find extensive information about non-western cultures of the world. With artwork and exhibition material consisting of anything from Photography to found objects to work by native to tropical area painters, this venue allows for acquiring new knowledge in a fun, lighthearted way. The museum is renowned worldwide for its unequivical ability to send its visitors right into the heart of their featured tropical locales by magnificent displays that look, sound, feel and even smell and taste as if they were experiencing the setting firsthand. Even better is the little dining area they have set up specifically to satisfy your thirst and hunger with all kinds of unique culinary creations from these tropical regions. Note that while the Tropecmuseum is enjoyable for all ages, including youngsters, the children’s exhibits are primarily set up for Dutch speaking kiddies.
Brilmuseum – Amsterdam Museum of Glasses
Yes, believe it or not this four story historic home (dating back to 1620) belongs to a most interesting, yet likely a tad bit peculiar family of a 3rd generation optician who set out to not only educate the world on the elaborate history of spectacle invention, development and evolution throughout the years, but also to house the worlds largest and most unique arrangement of all types of spectacles. It has been about a thirty-five year venture, but what has resulted is a quite extraordinary collection of you-name-it types of spectacles; from tacky to classy to chic to mod style, to nerd to librarian, to your stereotypcial four eyed geeky four eyes before they started to become fashionable, every kind imaginable is displayed in this museum. And while the tour itself is slightly long, the fact that such an oddball place like the Spectacles Museum exists is reason enough to check it out. And really, even if you arent exactly a spectacles connoiesseur, this unique array of glasses will blow your mind. And even if you decide the ticket price is too high for a long histroy on glasses, you should at least take a little detour to the quiet street of Gasthuismolensteeg (number 7), tucked away off of Singel toward Centraal Station and check out the spectacle museum gift shop. Featuring spectacles from historical figures and one of a kind designs from masters in the art of spectacles, you may just discover a hidden fetish for spectacle accessories. But check your bank account before entering. You might not be able to buy just one and they certainly are pricey. Brilmuseum is located in the .
The Torture Museum, located also off of Singel is not really what you would expect. Though the self directed tour requires a walk through dark and musty narrow hallways filled with some serious middle aged torture equipment, it’s not exactly spooky and it doesn’t really succeed in putting you back in the time period confronted with an unwanted execution. Which, depending on how you look at it could be a good or bad thing. Perhaps to have done up the museum so much as to put the visitors in the torture seat more or less, might have been just a little too controversial or distrubing even for an Amsterdam museum. But the way the museum is now, feels simply like an average museum, where one strolls through, pauses to view exhibits, reads a bit about them on the wall and then moves on. And though, people might often be seeking to really get face to face with the evil and fear that comes along with torturous deeds, it seems almost that by keeping the atmosphere sort of neutral and objective, the designers did an ideal job of showing the carelessness and normalcy with which the torturers sadistically tantalized their victims. So even though it wasnt what most would expect with a name like Torture Museum, it was certainly a fascinating historical learning experience that additionally, would be very likely thrilling and even maybe erotic to those who enjoy this type of role playing in daily life.
The Amsterdam Sex Museum
The Sex Museum, known as the Venustempel is not only the very first and oldest sex museum in the world but also one of the most successful. This Amsterdam museum features historical up to modern artwork featuring all forms of sex, from the sensual and more love infused aspect, to traditional pornography, to exhibits, displays and paintings of hardcore sexual activity. If you are going to the sex museum in search of a giggle or perhaps for the shock value that the title of the place might imply, you may be slightly disappointed. While this museum is fun, it isn’t exactly raunchy or so offensive that you’d want to tell stories about it back home for years to come. It’s actually much more sophisticated than that. It seems that the museums goal is to celebrate the beauty and magnificence of the sexual art and if that is true, they do an amazing job. If you are interested in a more novelty, crazy, maybe even rebellious for some, type of sex display, you may want to head over to the Erotic Museum, as described below. Info for the Amsterdam Sex Museum is as
The Erotic Museum
While the Sex Museum is rather conservative, the Erotic Museum has seemingly no limits. With five floors of crazy, flashy, artistic sculptures, paintings, cartoons and even some interactive (yet clean!) exhibits, this Amsterdam museum takes you into the world of hardcore pornography and bizarre fetishes. The displays here are certainly still quality enough to be considered artistic and maybe sensual (ok-some) to a degree, but it is more like a novelty museum. While the Venustempel seems to celebrate the softness and beauty of sex in its various forms, the Erotic Museum seems to want to celebrate the fun, excitement and spontaneity of the act and hobby, or for many in this Red Light District Erotic Museum location, the occupation. There are displays of such overt sexual fetishes like manneiquins with fruit shoved into their orifices, one area that makes light of the red light prostitutes as it encourages visitors to stand in their makeshift red lit window. And for the big kicker, if you take the time to notice while ascending up to the top floor, is a lovely little busty mannequin squatting above you and urinating on something like the glass right above your head. Dont expect to be super turned on by this museum, but it is a great laugh and something worth going to just because you might never see anything like it again.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Amsterdam Museums, Centraal Station, Tourist Activities |
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3 Oct
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Customer service issues are a common thread among businesses, and museums are no exception. However, there are issues unique to museums that pose a challenge to ensuring levels of customer service are met while adhering to budgets and financial obligations.
The American Association of Museums published a 2006 Museum Financial Information survey which indicated that the average cost of serving a visitor is $23.35. With an average admission of $6.00 and additional spending of approximately $2.36 for gift shop and food items, the amount guests are spending contributes minimally to the amount it costs for them to visit. Museums must rely on government funding as well as private contributions, which are a large part of their annual budget.
Another challenge museums face is the need for volunteers versus employed staff. To keep costs down, museums rely on those who will volunteer their services in the gift shop, concession areas, and informational services.
The question as to how a museum can affordably evaluate customer service levels and ensure that volunteers are providing excellent customer service remains consistent. Employing a mystery shopping program, in which mystery shoppers pose as typical guests, is a solution to this challenge.
Mystery shoppers are trained through a mystery shopping provider, which serves as a third party source for providing feedback. The shoppers will visit the museum as a typical customer does and evaluate key areas, including the ticket purchase, exhibits, signage, cleanliness, and staff interactions. Afterwards, the mystery shopper will complete a written report in which details of the experience are documented. The reports generated provide a wealth of information and allows staff to view the museum from a customer’s perspective.
Mystery shopping can be affordable in that it gives you information you cannot gather using other methods- it can bring to light issues that you were not aware of, and this information will help you improve your facility. For example, you may learn that the gift shop is not easily located by signage or other information. If customers can’t easily find the gift shop, they will not visit and spend money there.
As an added benefit to the mystery shopping program, many museum facilities will incorporate some marketing questions into their program. This will allow you to gather helpful information about your customers. Questions such as “Are you aware of our upcoming events?” will give you valuable insight as well. For example, if you are finding that mystery shoppers are not aware of any upcoming events, you will need to find a way to promote these more effectively so your marketing efforts are paying off.
Britain’s tourism office provides a similar service to measure customer service levels and “ongoing customer care” through the Visitor Attraction Quality Assessment Scheme. Based on a mystery shopping program, this scheme allows companies to evaluate their customer service easily and efficiently. Mystery shoppers evaluate the initial telephone interaction they experience when calling to get directions and schedules, the greeting when they arrive, the exhibits and interpretation where applicable, cleanliness of the facility, and layout and aesthetics. Key standards are evaluated to ensure guests are satisfied and have had pleasant experiences.
A historical museum in the suburbs of Chicago uses mystery shopping for a different perspective of their facility. They host several special events each year that bring people to the museum for the first time. In an attempt to increase membership levels, it is important for the volunteers to actively discuss and suggest membership as customers arrive for such events. This facility relies on memberships as part of their annual budget, and it is vital to ensure that membership information is being offered during these events. With multiple shoppers attending the event, the results can be tabulated by museum staff afterward to determine if volunteers adhered to required policy. If incorrect information was provided to the mystery shopper, this can also be addressed.
In summary, mystery shopping is an excellent solution to the challenges museums face with staffing and budgetary issues. Both affordable and self-sufficient, mystery shopping can provide insight that will help museums increase service standards, membership levels, and overall customer satisfaction.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Excellent Customer Service, Financial Challenges, Ticket Purchase |
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2 Sep
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Picking out a great holiday gift is the first step, but how you wrap it or present it will really help to make your gift extra special. There are so many fun ways to conceal a gift to make it a great surprise to open, and many of them go beyond the standard box and bow. Get inspired with these creative ways to present holiday gifts.
A gift within a gift is always a memorable presentation. The recipient opens the outer gift, thinking that is pretty great, only to realize – wait, there is another treat within the first present! It is especially fun when the outer gift can give a subtle hint to the main present tucked within. For instance, if you are giving your wife a trip to Hawaii for Christmas, tuck the tickets inside a new monogrammed piece of luggage. Or give your husband a membership to a golf club tucked into a new golf bag or even a small related item like a new pair of gloves to wear on the driving range. Perhaps you found a great holiday gift in Raleigh for your sister who loves pearls – slip a pretty pair of earrings inside a personalized travel jewelry roll. The gift-within-a-gift never fails to delight!
Gifts which have to be found are also a lot of fun. As they say, good things come in small packages, and this goes double for tiny things like jewelry! While it is always exciting to find a tiny box with a big bow under the tree on Christmas morning, it is even more fun to hide the jewelry inside a pretty ornament and hang it on the tree. After all of the packages have been opened, utter the words every woman loves to hear…”I think there is one more gift here”. The surprise of finding her present within an ornament will make the gorgeous jewelry even more fantastic. It will definitely be a holiday gift she will always remember receiving.
Pretty packaging is a great way to dress up a gift box. Think beyond the basic wrapping paper and bow formula for something a little more creative. Wrap up the pretty holiday gift you found for your mom in Raleigh in a beautiful scarf instead of paper. Wine bags work very well to make odd-shaped presents look neat and pretty, like a great little sculpture picked up in an art museum gift shop in New York. You can also attach special baubles or decorations to packages to make them extra exciting. Tie a holiday ornament to a box to make it extra festive or raid the silk floral department at your local craft store for sprigs of faux holly, silk poinsettias, or sparkly berry sprays. The great part is that these little extra details can cost very little, but really make a great impression.
It can also be fun to give your gift in a place that will make it even more special. If you surprise someone with their holiday present while you are also having a wonderful time in a favorite place, it adds to the whole experience. So take your girlfriend to dinner in her favorite little bistro and whip out her present while sipping wine, instead of just doing it at her house sitting in front of the t.v. Or give your guy season tickets to his favorite college basketball team while attending a game. A great presentation will definitely show thoughtfulness on the part of the donor, which makes any gift more special to receive.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Gloves, Holiday Gifts, Tiny Box |
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7 Aug
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Whatever is your area of interest the city of Boise will be offering you some thing to make you feel pleasure in your journey around the city. The city has many charms in itself with a lot of historical, natural, cultural, and man-made attractions to lure visitors getting into city taking cheap flights to Boise. Some of the most popular Boise attractions are;
The Basque Museum and Culture Center: It was previously featured at New York City but has now been shifted to Boise. This is the place where immigrants arrive, and the site gives them an insight to the Basque heritage by exhibits, collections, and tours. The collection at museum that you may explore after taking your Boise flights include; manuscript materials, Oral history achieve, a library, class room, gift shop, a records / tapes collection, numerous artifacts and photographs. A tour to the museum will help you get an acquaintance with the language, customs, traditions and values of the Basque people.
Discovery Center Idaho: This is the perfect place to explore the unexpected. There are 130 science exhibitions that offer you an interactive science museum tour. It is open to visitors throughout the year. If you take your flights to Boise you will be delighted to know that you will be offered a number of facilities at this museum including; gift shop, parking, rest room, and handicap access. It can be visited Tuesday through Sunday. An entry fee is charged to visitors however the entry of children under the age of 3 years and members is free.
Idaho State Capitol: This classical style building is a majestic structure that was built in 1912. The sight is giving an insight to the history of the state. It has been undergone many destructions with the passage of time but the good thing is that it has been restored. This ancient building has won statehood in 1890, and has now become one of the most visited buildings in Boise by cheap Boise flights takers.
Idaho Botanical Gardens: It is one of the main natural attractions of the Boise city. The garden is located in an area of 5o km. It is home to many species of indigenous plants. In addition to a variety of plants you may also attend any of the special events arranged here for families and children. By taking your flights to Boise from UK you can join any of the Garden parties, concerts, and special tours here.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Botanical Gardens, Cheap Flights, Statehood |
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21 Jul
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We set our sights for Arcola, IL about 150 miles South of Chicago, IL. Arcola is the beginning of Amish Country in Illinois. We found little difficulty finding the Amish community. There are more buggies on the roads than autos. The Amish settlement begins approximately at Tuscola on the Northeast to Sullivan on the Southwest, about 400 square miles. This was a larger settlement than in Michigan or in Indiana. Travelling the back roads is truly an adventure. We found a store called Family Health Foods, which carried a greater variety of food supplements and homeopathic remedies than most of the large health food stores in major metropolitan areas. There is an Amish Interpretive Center in downtown Arcola, at which you can learn about their religion and lifestyle. We had visited Menon-hof in Shipshewana, IN, so we passed on this one.
While you are in Downtown Arcola stop at the Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum and gift shop. These lovable dolls were developed by native son Johnny Gruelle in 1918 after the loss of his thirteen year old daughter. He wanted to make something lovable and cuddly for children to embrace. Also downtown is the train depot along the Illinois Central tracks. Built in 1886, it now houses the Visitor’s Welcome Center filled with memorabilia from the station, along with an extensive broom collection and homage to Raggedy Ann. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable about many of the attractions in the area, especially if you are interested in learning about the Amish.
A few miles West of town is a small gem of an attraction, Rockome Gardens. This is built for family fun. Admission is free, but be prepared to part with your quarters to feed the goats, chickens, deer, ponies and other animals. The adults also can find ways to leave their money behind at the numerous craft and gift shops throughout the park. Some of the cool things there include houses made out of soda bottles (usually 7-Up or Fresca). They are held together by mortar. There are also many decorative stone fences, some with mythological motifs. For the railroad enthusiast, the outdoor model railroad, at least 4000 square feet is quite a sight. There are even boardwalks so you can walk onto the interior of the plat. Rockome Gardens appeals to the child in all of us.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Health Foods, Raggedy Ann And Andy, Soda Bottles |
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17 Jul
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If there’s a common thread in my big blended family of seven, one thing that everyone can agree on, it’s this – dinosaurs are cool. Dinosaurs tend to bring out the best in the kids. My wife and I are blessed with kids that do appreciate a trip to the museum as a mini-adventure. That might have more to do with Ben Stiller than the allure of history, but we’ll take what we can get. Still, nothing gets their curiosity juices flowing more than a natural history museum with good dinosaur exhibits. Nearly every city has some sort of natural history museum. It’s a great opportunity to inspire the inner scientist in your family.
The highlight of our visits to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) was of course the hall of dinosaurs where the vicious Allosaurus is quite popular along with the Triceratops. Something about those meticulously assembled bones holds a sway and sense of wonder for me and my kids that doesn’t fade with time. The Jurassic Park movies are still a yearly viewing requirement for all of us.
Our visits to the museum gift shop yielded useful items. First there were stickers. It’s a scientific fact that all children love stickers, but when these stickers are dinosaur stickers the reward has a new dimension. Would it be a carnivorous species (best) or to quote Jurassic park a vegiesaurus? Would it be a large species, or one of the thousands of small dinosaurs you don’t hear so much about? Dinosaur stickers took us through many early learning experiences (from potty training on) always providing an interesting topic along the way, but there was much more to come.
As they got older, we graduated from dinosaur stickers to dinosaur models. Comparisons were inevitable. Why did Tyrannosaurus have those silly short arms? What are arms for? What would it be like if we had short arms? What if is a great game to play with children and became our favorite whenever we made a trip in the car. What if you had dinosaur skin? What color was it? What if dinosaurs had skin like ours? What is skin anyway? What if people where 30 feet tall? Strangely the fascination with dinosaurs never died and we found that many of our hands on science activities were centred around dinosaur kits and models. I didn’t realise at first, but the strangest thing about dinosaurs is that apart from their great size they’re not so different from us. As school began this was more and more useful.
Human biology? Boring. Dinosaurs biology? That’s something else. Dinosaur skulls are structured like ours, but look at the position of the eye sockets. Could they really only see you if you moved? And was that one type of dinosaur or all of them? We bought dinosaur kits and explored the skeleton. Human biology seemed to get covered as we went along. Some dinosaurs are thought to have had nearly 360 degree vision, to understand what that means you have to know about eyes, but also about degrees.
The study of dinosaur kits or models, plus comparison with our own bodies, can cover so many subjects which children normally view as boring or lame or which are not normally introduced until much later in the school curriculum. You can never be too young to be enthusiastic about science. The study of geology doesn’t impinge much on the life of most children, but how do we know about dinosaurs? Fossils. You need to know how they are made, and if that means learning the difference between metamorphic and sedimentary, then that’s fine. How did the dinosaurs die? Was it a meteor? What would that do exactly?
There’s never been a better reason to talk about space, comets, asteroids and meteors, and if it wasn’t a meteor, was it perhaps volcanic activity? To understand that you have to read about the great volcanic eruptions and why they occurred, and if that leads to a discussion about places, well that’s good too. Dinosaurs skeletons have been found in some amazing places, from Antarctica to the Gobi Desert. Making a map which shows all these locations will tell you a lot about dinosaurs, but even more about geography. Could there really be a Jurassic Park and what is DNA anyway? Genetics is another branch of science the dinosaur enthusiast just has to explore. Age is not a barrier to these subjects, especially when there is an enthusiastic child around who wants to know more.
There is no end to the subjects you can explore when dinosaurs are your starting point, and there is no end to the capability of children when they get to study something they feel enthusiastic about.
Every major city has a museum and most museums have a dinosaur. If that’s not an option, rent Jurassic Park and order a dinosaur model kit online or find one at your local hobby store. With a little patience and imagination you have found the key to an understanding and enthusiasm for science. This is something your child will treasure for the rest of his or her life.
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Ben Stiller, Dinosaur Models, Sense Of Wonder |
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27 May
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For my parents 50th anniversary, we made a family trip to Savanna, Georgia and Tybee Island. While there, we toured the Tybee Island Lighthouse Museum.
The drive along Hwy 80 provides and interesting view of the narrow channels and grassy marshes that make up the area. At times, the road was very busy and always windy. We enjoyed looking at the boats of all sizes and the long wooden walkways to the private docks on the canals.
The Tybee Lighthouse has 178 steps that we climbed to take in the view from the top. This is still a functional lighthouse, although the electric light bulb means that constant maintenance is no longer needed. The light house keeper’s homes are now on display.
The entrance is through the gift shop where you may be greeted by one of the two Tybee Island Light House cats. There is a white one named Michael and a yellow one named Miss Kitty. Michael just lay there and yawned at us. Miss Kitty wanted to be petted. The signs there warn that the cats do not always want to be petted however and that visitors should use caution when approaching the cats.
The 178 lighthouse steps are steep and the circular nature makes it hard to pass people who are climbing in the opposite direction. It seemed best to wait on one of the landings to pass. The view from each landing provides a different perspective as you climb so they are good places to stop anyway.
The view from the top was well worth the effort to get there. There is a narrow platform that goes around the top of the lighthouse where you can get a view of the surrounding area. You can see the beach and the shipping channel that the light house marks. You can also look out across the island and see the homes and condominiums that make up the north end of the island.
After climbing the light house, we toured the former keeper’s home. Before 1933, the light house had an oil lamp that had to be refueled often. This meant the keepers had to be onsite to constantly climb the stairs and keep the oil light burning. The renovated homes on the site are where these people used to live.
One of the homes is now a movie theater and the other has been restored to see what life might have been like for the keeper and his family. The home is furnished in period fixtures and decorated with old toys and curios that might have been found there.
The distinctive black and white stripes of the Tybee Island Light house were first put there in 1916. The black at the top helps the light house be visible in the day time from the sea. In 1965 they changed the paint scheme but it was restored in 1999 to the 1916 pattern that has become the Tybee Island Lighthouse we are familiar with.
The light house is closed on Tuesdays but open other days of the week. It cost $7 to tour. There are various discounts available. Parking is ample and free in the Museum parking lot. You can also park across the street in the beach parking area but you have to pay the parking meters there.
The ticket price also includes the Battery Museum across the street. I seemed to be the only one in my family that expected to see batteries in the Battery Museum. It is actually an old fort designed to protect the island and the river from enemy attack. I don’t think it was ever used for that as most attackers simply went somewhere else to enter Georgia.
Inside the battery however are several interesting old photos of Tybee Island or Savanna Shores as it was know previously. In the 1920′s and earlier Tybee was a playground for people looking to escape. Before Hwy 80, there was a train track to the island playground. There were huge resorts, dance clubs and carnival type places on the island. Not much remains of the former glory days on the island now.
After our tour of the museum, we hit the beach right behind the Battery museum. For lunch, we noticed the local Shriner’s Lodge was selling hot dogs. So, we ate hot dogs and chips on the back bumper of our Suburban while every one changed into their swim clothes.
The beach is accessed by a wooden walkway across the marsh grass. The sand is nice and wide with plenty of space even on the busy Forth of July Weekend when we visited.
For more information about the Tybee Island Lighthouse Museum see: http://www.tybeelighthouse.org/
| Category: museum gift shop | Tag: Circular Nature, Hwy 80, Savanna Georgia |
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