Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum was a blast. I forgot how interesting and entertaining the museum is! I loved walking through the museum. Some of the highlights include seeing all the enormous dinosaur replicas, shimmering rock displays, and the awesome stuffed leopard and orangutan reproductions, to . Of course I was not alone in my excitement; it felt as if every second that I was there, the number of first graders surrounding me doubled.  Along with the exhibits, much of my enjoyment came from watching the hyped up little visitors as they traveled through the museum. I loved seeing them point at the different animals, and here the collective “WHOA” as they approached the giant dinosaur structure. In other words, I loved seeing these kids being entertained and interested in something other than Spongebob. In a society where so much time is spent “plugged in” and virtual baseball is more common than an actual backyard game, it was refreshing seeing the genuine enthusiasm on these students’ face when experiencing something off their computer and television screens. For me, this was my conclusion from the trip: museums like the Cleveland Natural History Museum allow for students to completely engage themselves in the environment around them as well as use all their senses to fully immerse themselves in what they are doing or learning. It takes students out of the mundane classroom routine and stimulates interest in topics beyond Facebook and Twitter trends. It allows for the opportunity to learn about something new and find enjoyment in something one typically wouldn’t explore. The museums mission statement is “To inspire, through science and education, a passion for nature, the protection of natural diversity, the fostering of health, and leadership to a sustainable future.” After my visit, I can attest to the fact that the museum is doing a great job living up to this mission.