Maryland Science Center

On our way up to Philadelphia, we decided to stop off at the Maryland Science Museum to check it out.  It's so nice to homeschool and have the opportunity to visit museums when no one else is there.  We nearly had the whole place to ourselves.

We all got to lie on a bed of nails.  Surprisingly, it really doesn't feel any different than lying on a regular flat surface.

The kids really liked this display.  As you squeeze the balls down the length of netting, it simulated the sounds that the body makes starting with the chewing end sounds and ending with gas sounds, which of course, pleased the kids immensely!

Then the kids got to become hands-on scientists in the Wet Lab.  They did an experiment on which household cleaners killed bacteria best.  It was very cool for them to get to do all the work themselves, just like real scientists.

They had a neat section on dinosaur excavations.  Kids could scrape away a sand and wax mix that was covering a dinosaur skeleton like a real excavation.  They could also chisel rocks with a loud dummel-type tool.

There was also a large box area covered in black "sand" and they could use the dinosaur feet to make actual "dinosaur footprints" in the sand.

The kids really liked messing around with the tornado.

There was a great body exhibit in the museum but it was closed off for a private group to come through and so we'll have to check it out next time we are up there.  Looked good.  I also want to check out the Planetarium.

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