San Diego Museums

We used our reciprocal membership to visit the San Diego Science Center and Museum of Natural History. I'd consider the Science Center as more of a children's museum. They do offer hourly science shows, the electricity one was really fun. The demonstrator used an electrostatic generator which we've seen before, but in new ways. She put paper bowls on top, like a hat, and we watched them one by one pop off of the machine when their similar charge made them repel each other. Then she had a girl come up and put one hand on the machine and hold rice krispies in the other and they flew out of her hand. Funny.

The history museum had lots and lots of skulls, the tiniest I've ever seen! The snakes and lizards were the smallest and very interesting.

Asher impressed me by correctly identifying each of the skulls below. Then I was explaining how the different colored paint correlates to the same type of bone on each skull and noticing the differences in size and placement. I mentioned that the nasal bone is extremely small on the human and asked Asher what makes up the bridge of the nose. "Carti-widge" he replied. Then I asked him what animal is made up mostly of cartilage. "Gila Monster!", he roared. We learned that as Saguaro National Park awhile back. I had honestly forgotten which animal, but he didn't!

These women were sorting and identifying bones found locally at a building site. She explained that they create a grid over the area and bag up the dirt for each 2sqft section to examine. They had found quite a few bone fragments and teeth so far.

Part of the process to prepare a skull for display is allowing bugs to eat away the flesh. Yah, I'll spare you the close up photo of this! It was interesting though.

These ammonites were as big as Asher! 

The tan square displays an actual cross section, which was very interesting to see all the chambers inside.

Of course the kids loved that there was an Airstream RV inside the museum that contained specimens of bugs and crawly creatures.

Back at the science center, the circus exhibit was our favorite. Who knew I could fold up like this?

Soooo strong!

They loved building with these blocks. Shhh, they'll be getting these for Christmas
(if we can get them here from Grandpa's house where we left them). 

He built this all by himself. I think his favorite part was knocking Daddy's down though.