Credit: Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC
Recently Jersey Shore Style headed west to the City of Brotherly Love for a day trip. Since we had two young kids in tow, we wanted to have a day filled with fun for the entire family. And in the spirit of Benjamin Franklin, we decided to dedicate our day to the sciences. Luckily for us, Philadelphia was more than willing to oblige.
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is the oldest natural history museum in the country. For the past year, the Academy has been celebrating its bicentennial, and it’s pulling out all the stops. The Academy at 200 exhibit showcases highlights from the Academy’s 18 million+ piece collection along with several interactive activities. Kids will have a blast learning about science as they assemble skeletons and wade through dirt.
Tomorrow (March 24) is the last day of the The Academy at 200, and the Academy is granting free admission on Sunday to close out the exhibit. So hurry on over, and let your inner scientist run wild.
Credit: Photo courtesy of The Franklin Institute Science Museum
After visiting the Academy of Natural Sciences, we decided to continue our day of discovery at the Franklin Institute Science Museum. Best part of the plan: the Franklin Institute is only a 5 minute walk away. The Franklin Institute’s exhibits cover both science and technology, making it easy to find something for everyone.
We checked out the giant interactive walk-through heart, the train factory, and KidScience The Island of the Elements, which was one of our favorites. KidScience uses a fun adventure tale to help young children understand basic science principles about air, earth, light, and water. It’s also worth mentioning that Mary GrandPrè, illustrator of the Harry Potter series, drew the story characters.
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is located at 900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Hours are 10:00am–4:30pm on weekdays and 10:00am–5:00pm on weekends and holidays. The Franklin Institute Science Museum is located at 222 North 20th Street. It is open daily from 9:30am–5:00pm.