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Posts Tagged ‘Museums’

  1. Go Back To Old Milwaukee

    April 1, 2013 by admin

    We had been planning to head over to MPM one weekend, when we saw on their website that the museum was hosting a number of archeology exhibits and historic re-enactors during the time we planned to visit.  Although we were concerned that this might make the museum too crowded for our taste, we decided to go for it as we had never attended this particular event.

    We arrived early, to beat as many crowds as possible.  But we still found the museum more populated than we usually enjoy.  We checked out several of the archaeology booths.  And we could have spent all day talking to the Underwater Archaeologist from the Discovery World.  Then we moved on to explore some of our favorites spots at MPM, like the hidden candy store in Old Milwaukee.

    Although we have been to MPM frequently, we know we’ll be back again soon.  We always enjoy our visit and we usually discover something we managed to miss last time.  Don’t treat your whole life like a bucket list—many things are worth experiencing more than once!

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    Category Jaunts | Tags: ,,, | 1 Comment

  2. To Infinity and Beyond!

    March 2, 2013 by admin

    IMG_1587

    We recently traveled to Sparta, WI to explore the Deke Slayton Memorial Museum and the Local History Room Museum.  Both of these museums are located in the same building.  Since neither museum is very large, we don’t recommend that you plan to make a day out of these particular visits.  Instead, consider wrapping a trip to the IMG_1586museums into a grander plan of bike riding and exploring the surroundings.

    The Deke Museum is on the 2nd floor of a historic building.  There is a small admission fee to enter for children over 5 years of age, and adults.  A lovely little gift shop is immediately off of the entrance area.  But its location was irksome as it drew in our children immediately, and we had to work a bit to refocus them on the actual museum.

    The entire Deke Museum’s exhibit space can’t be much more than 1,000 square feet.  But it is chock full of interesting facts, memorabilia, and antiques.   The rear of the floor is a children’s exploration area.  You will find Legos, puzzles, a Space Capsule to crawl inside, and space and flight suits for the kids to try on.  There is a wall of trivia for older kids.  And there are some freebies for you to take home, which include paper airplanes and bookmarks.

    Tip:  Remember to look up!  The exhibits utilize ceiling space, too!

    We can’t caution you enough about choosing to enter the LHR museum.  This museum, located on the first floor, offers IMG_1588free admission.  But you’ll end up “paying” through your interaction with the greeter.  He had to be one of the most overbearing individuals we have met in quite some time!  Yes, he was knowledgeable.  But he destroyed our time within the LHR museum by hounding us with facts, following our progression through the exhibits, and refusing to pick up on our social cues that we preferred to experience the museum on our own.  They offer a scavenger hunt for kids but our children were so off-put by the greeter, that they wanted nothing to do with the game.  You may luck out on your visit and not run into this particular individual; but you’ve been warned.

    We chose not to eat lunch in Sparta, though there are quite a few options (locally owned and chains) available if you want to stay in town.

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  3. Follow Your Bliss!

    January 7, 2013 by admin

    We at ThriftyRambler challenge you to expand your horizons when considering even the simplest of family outings.  We greatly enjoy “off the beaten path” destinations and attractions.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to go main-stream.  But if that becomes all that you do, you are missing a huge amount of interesting interactions and experiences.

    There are times when we just want to get out of the house without revisiting the same old places.  But we don’t want to go far and we don’t want it to be a costly adventure.  Here are some of our favorite local destinations to challenge that “I’m bored” mentality.

    • Delaney’s Surplus – Located next door to Dr. Evermor’s sculptures on the road to Baraboo, this dusty and expansive store has a gazillion items to examine.  Need a $6 pair of jeans?  They might just have a pair in your size.  Need a large glass paperweight, a giant jar of pickles, or a large spool of wire?  There is no telling what will be in stock when you visit.  And if you pay cash, you get a discount!IMG_0155
    • American Science and Surplus – Tucked away on a Milwaukee street, this store is so much fun!  The inventory is always changing, but you will be sure to find items ranging from arts and crafts supplies to an assortment of loose wheels in all shapes and sizes.
    • Dr. Evermor’s – We’ve never had much luck visiting when the entire property was open.  But just being able to explore the sculptures located outside of the main area are worth the stop. And if you’re lucky, you might get to see the Forevertron!!!
    • Middleton Playground  – Trust us on this one.  It’s a great park that’s easy to find.  Our kids love it.  But don’t tell everyone – we enjoy the lack of swarms of children.
    • Vilas Zoo – A very walkable zoo with a great variety of animals.  You can take your time or you can just visit your favorite Red Panda – as entry is no cost.  Parking is a major pain at the height of the season.

     

    All of the above destinations are free unless you choose to purchase something.  But what about places for our readers that aren’t local?  Here are some interesting destinations for them, as well as our local readers, to consider:

    • Thrift Stores – It is our experience that every town, no matter how small, typically has a thrift store.  They are great fun, whether you are ‘just looking’ or have a particular shopping goal in mind.
    • Libraries – If you have kids, this can be a great outing.  Most libraries offer a cozy children’s section with fun things to explore- ranging from iPads to building blocks.  Just pick a town and see what their library has to offer.  If nothing else, you can sit and read a few stories together.  If you’re in an unfamilar town, ask the librarian where to go for ice cream!
    • College Museums – We suggest that you’d be surprised at the museums hidden away on most college campuses.  These museums tend to be free but always call ahead to verify cost, hours, and general admission policies.  Whether you like art, dinosaurs or maps, there’s a campus museum for you out there.

     

    When you throw caution to the wind and allow yourself to venture beyond your familiar boundaries, wonderful things can happen!

    Category Jaunts | Tags: ,, | 1 Comment

  4. The Museum Gift Shop

    November 15, 2012 by admin

    Our trips to a museum inevitably involve a discussion about whether or not there will be a gift shop.   While a default of, “we won’t go to the gift shop,” might work for some families, we find that we enjoy offering a small treat to the kids.  An inexpensive item purchased at the gift shop usually makes a lasting impression.   A gift helps to boost enthusiasm for the trip and it assists with building memories.  Bluey and Plum both have toys or knick-knacks that trigger the happy recollection of our various experiences.

    He was all Yellow…

    Tip:  Having something new to play with or look at also helps to speed along the journey home.

    Since we are in favor of a museum shop stop, we have established a set of rules that helps keep the gifting under control:

    > Limit of money:  We typically offer $5 for gift shop purchasing per kid.  The kiddoes can augment this stipend with their own cash, if they so choose.

    > Limit of time:  Our kids can get lost in the great variety of options available within the shop.  So rather than wait until we TR parents are exasperated, we approach it knowing that everyone has an established ten minutes to make a purchase decision.  Then we can focus on helping each child find something they like that fits their budget.

    > Never go to the gift shop first: We always go through the entire museum prior to visiting a gift shop.  This way we aren’t distracted by our purchases when we should be focusing on the exhibits.

    These rules allow us to balance the desire to visit the gift shop with the experience of the museum.  Do you have a system that works for you?

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  5. Dinosaurs and Butterflies

    September 29, 2012 by admin

    We are proud 2nd year members of the Milwaukee Public Museum.  Our membership garnishes us $5 parking for the entire day in MPM’s covered lot, a 10% discount in the gift shop and at the café, as well as free stroller rental for the day, and exclusive member viewings and discounts on special exhibitions.  MPM participates in the ASTC so our membership also opens the doors to countless museums throughout the USA.  It is one of our shining budgetary moments.

    Regardless of the positive monetary impact our membership provides, we thoroughly enjoy our visits to MPM.  There are 3 floors of exhibits to explore and a large state of the art planetarium and IMAX theater.  Any age will enjoy their experiences at MPM.  We go several times a year, and usually walk out discussing a display we hadn’t really noticed or enjoyed on previous trips.

    Highlights of the wonderful exhibits include a year round live butterfly wing, a surprise candy store in the Streets of Old Milwaukee, and secret buttons that activate certain characters within specific exhibits (1 hint- in the American Southwest look for the rattle snake and then search the rocks).  Not only will you learn a lot during your visit to MPM, but you’ll have a ton of fun!

    The museum café’s food isn’t spectacular but you can eat relatively inexpensively if you’re careful.  The museum allows you to bring food from home to enjoy at one of their numerous tables inside or out.  The gift shop is large and well stocked.  You could easily spend around 4 hours exploring all there is within MPM.

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  6. They’ll Need A Crane

    September 23, 2012 by admin

    We love the International Crane Foundation (ICF) in Baraboo.  We believe that it is the only place in the world where you can see, up close, members of every species of crane!

    The ICF is located in a quiet prairie area outside Baraboo, Wisconsin.  The wide paved paths make it easy to walk around while viewing all the different crane species, even if you’re pushing a stroller or wagon.  The birds are very interactive with visitors, coming up to the walkway fence and checking everyone out.

    Tip:  Some of the cranes are sensitive to the color red, so keep this in mind when choosing your wardrobe for the day.  The cranes’ squawk is quite startling and could easily intimidate younger visitors.

    There are nature trails that extend away from the cranes and out into the prairie, if you’re interested in a bit of a hike around the property.  These specific areas are not paved and they are much harder to navigate with a stroller, especially if there has been recent rain.

    The education center provides a more museum-like experience with many facts and stories about cranes around the world.  It also showcases the ICF’s efforts to reintroduce and support the birds in America, which were driven to the brink of extinction in the mid 20th century.  And this center has clean restrooms, benches to sit for a bit, and  a water fountain.

    The ICF participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  If you are a member of AZA, admission is free.  Otherwise, please note that the cost of admission is rather steep.  Parking is free and plentiful.  There are only snack machines for food options and a small, rather pricey gift shop.  The main trails are not shady so be sure to remember the sunscreen!

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  7. Take The A Train: The Toy Train Barn, Argyle, WI

    September 19, 2012 by admin

    We recently had the joy of discovering the Toy Train Barn in Argyle, Wisconsin.  It was a great experience and one of our favorite new finds.

    The Toy Train Barn is a family run model railroading museum set up in the lower level of a large barn.  There are five or six complete layouts in several different scales spread throughout the space.  The level of detail in each layout is impressive and includes people flying kites, firetrucks rushing out of a firehouse, and a man diving off a cliff into a river.  It is simply mesmerizing to inspect each layout and to look for all the little treasures hidden throughout.

    To make the treasure hunting even more fun and interactive, visitors are given scavenger hunt sheets to see what they can locate in individual sections.  Each layout also has several push buttons along the edges that allow visitors to activate various special action parts- make a ferris wheel turn, or a person pop out of a house.  These buttons make the experience very interactive and raise the level of fun.  We loved that we weren’t simply viewers of the displays, but actually involved in operating aspects of each one.

    The owners were busily making additions to a new section while we were visiting.  It was interesting to see their  dedication to making each element as perfect as possible, and to see the process involved in creating these large layouts.  The owners were happy to chat with us about their ongoing projects and how long different aspects took to complete.

    The friendliness of the owners made it all that much easier for us to pay the small fee($5 for adults, $3 for children over 10)  for entry.  We felt that our admission was going directly to the further upkeep and expansion of the museum.

    We look forward to our next visit.  In addition to seeing the development of the barn displays, we also hope that the outdoor rideable train will be operating.  We were sad to hear that it had cracked a wheel and was currently in the shed for repairs.  But we were able, thanks to our young guide, to get into the shed and check out the train up close.  It was a perfect way to end our visit to this delightful spot!  

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  8. Five Great Museums In Wisconsin

    September 15, 2012 by admin

    TR’s Top Five Museums in Wisconsin (in no particular order):

    Having fun at the EAA Museum

    >National Railroad Museum

    >Milwaukee Public Museum

    >Milwaukee Discovery World at Pier WI

    >Kenosha 3 – Civil War, Dinosaur, Public

    >EAA AirVenture Museum

    As you know, we love a good museum.  We have previously offered our reviews on both the National Railroad Museum and Milwaukee Public Museum.  And we have visited the remaining museums on this list repeatedly.  We offer some highlights below.

    1) The Milwaukee Discovery World at Pier WI is a very large, hands-on science museum split into 2 separate wings- a technology/manufacturing area and a marine sciences/aquarium area.  Admission is steep but they do participate in the ASTC if you happen to be a member  (Alert- if your membership base is within 90 miles of Discovery World, you will have to pay full admission!!!).  Once again, we suggest that you get a membership to the ASTC.  The aquarium is great fun and has plenty of hands-on experiences, like a chance to pet a Ray (they are very cute!)  Climbing around on the big boat was also a joy for our young Bluey.  Most exhibits in the technology area are elevated and require an ability to manipulate gears, so we recommend this area for children five and up.  Our three year old enjoyed his visit, especially the aquarium.  But the technology section required full on parental involvement and Bluey was overwhelmed by day’s end.  Bring your own food to enjoy inside or out as there is only one very small, expensive café within the museum.  Parking in the garage is plentiful and costs extra.

    2) The 3 Kenosha museums are tons of fun.  Two are located right next door to each other (the Civil War Museum and the Kenosha Public Museum) while the Dinosaur museum is a quick drive from the other 2.  The Dinosaur museum is very small with a little gift shop within the main entrance area.  There is a nice effort at creating a hands-on exploration station in the basement, but it will only captivate the attention of ages 5 and under.  The museum is free and you’ll be in and out within 20 minutes.  But you will see more carnosaurs than at museums ten times its size.  The Kenosha Public museum is also free.  It is a great space for exploring all sorts of historical and fine art exhibits.  There are quite a few hands-on areas.  It will take you about 1 hour to go through this museum and it is a great stop for pre-school ages on up.  The Civil War museum charges $7 admission per person for anyone over 15 years of age.  It is a wonderful place to learn about the Civil War.  There is nothing specifically hands-on but many of the exhibits are interactive.  It will take just over an 1 to explore this museum.

    Tip:  Kenosha has a wonderful trolley that takes about a 15 minute loop through the town.  Well worth it and cheap ($1 for adults)!  Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the lakeside views!

    3) EAA AirVenture Museum also participates in the ASTC.  If you aren’t a member, admission is expensive for all visitors over 5.  This museum has a wonderful collection of planes and related memorabilia.  Most exhibits are not interactive.  But there is a special wing for kids that allows for full on exploration.  It takes about 1 hour to go through the entire museum.  Remember that this museum has a working airport so you can usually spot some planes coming in and out.  Parking is plentiful and free.  There are only vending machines and water fountains for refreshments.

    All of these museums within our top five are an hour or more drive from Madison, WI.  They make wonderful day trips and are popular destinations for our entire family.  We’ve been to each museum more than once and look forward to going back again.

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  9. Art Attack! John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI

    September 7, 2012 by admin

    Kids should be exposed to fine art as often as possible.  There are many ways to immerse your child in the arts: fairs, sculpture gardens,museums, and more.

    We love smaller art museums because they are usually free (or donation only).  This helps us, as parents, keep our heads level if the kiddoes decide to tear through a place, rather than stopping to really appreciate their surroundings.  It is also our experience that smaller, gallery style art museums are usually not very crowded.  This fits in well with our way of exploring.  Occasionally, smaller galleries don’t look kindly upon kids, but that is not the case at this museum!

    The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (Jmkac) is a big space, though not overloaded with art.  The vast high-ceilinged areas allow you to move around and see things from alternate angles.  Our kids really enjoyed being able to walk all the way around certain large, suspended sculpture to see it in different ways.  Look for the hidden horse as you wander about the different rooms.  The Jmkac also has a community art room, called the Artery, encouraging visitors to get hands on with an art project.

    Tip:  If you participate with the current project in the art room- please note they don’t allow you to take your creation home.  Our kids would have been devastated to have to leave something behind that they worked hard on creating.  So we didn’t encourage a long visit in this room.

    Be sure to explore the outdoor, small and funky sculpture garden which features an odd assortment of tiny stone and cement castles.  A great way to stretch the legs before climbing back in the car.  One of the most unexpected discoveries is the Jmkac’s elaborate restrooms!  Seriously.  The restrooms are like nothing we have ever seen and worth the visit alone.  Make sure you check them out.

    And the Jmkac has a small café tucked away in a corner, but we recommend you check out the Paradigm Café instead.  It’s just a few blocks away.  Parking at the Jmkac is plentiful and free.  Admission is also free.

    We had a great time and look forward to going back.

    What’s your favorite way to get your art on?

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  10. Ride Your Bike: City of Madison Bike Paths

    July 26, 2012 by admin

    There is an extensive network of bike paths all through the city of Madison.  They require no trail pass and they get you easily and safely where you need to be.  Skip the parking hassles and take advantage of a bike path on your next trip around town.

    A small selection of cool places you can easily access via bike path:

    Olbrich Park: Take a leisurely tour of the gardens.

    Law Park: Watch the Mad-City Ski Team practice or put on a show.

    Tenney Park: See locks in action!

    UW Geology Museum: Dinosaurs! RAHR!!

    Monona Terrace: Take the bike elevator to the Capitol Square.

    Picnic Point: Woodsy Fun on the UW Campus

    Vilas Park and Zoo: Lions and Tigers and Bears!

    Olin Park: The path along John Nolen Drive is a great outing.

    Keep your eye out for all the treasures along the way:  community gardens, café’s that welcome bikers with the lure of free water, urban sculptures,wild animals and more!  And remember that walkers and families utilize the pathways as well so stay alert! (And stay to the right!)

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