A day trip with science on the brain Science Museum of Minnesota exhibits focus on engineering this year

BY KATHLEEN MURPHY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA

The Twin Ports is an incredible place to raise a family, full of stoic people leading outdoorsy lives. But come March or so, when thermometers often still hover below freezing, even the hardiest of outdoors lovers can feel a bit of cabin fever.

So what to do when you’d like to get out of town?

“Make a day of it and burn off some energy at the Science Museum in St. Paul,” suggests Kim Ramsden, director of communications at the Science Museum of Minnesota. “We’re easy to find and right off I-35. It’s a straight shot from Duluth.”

The Northland may boast some great museums and kid-friendly attractions, but the Science Museum of Minnesota is a unique location that knows how to take the fun up a notch by catering to all age groups, not just young children. With three floors of hands-on exhibits, educational programming, several cafés, and an Omnitheater, plan on taking at least a day to explore.

“A family could easily spend a full day at our museum,” Ramsden said. “We have areas for younger children to run and be physical, areas for elementary-aged children to participate in hands-on learning, and areas where quiet reading and learning might feel more attractive to teens and adults.”

This spring would be a good time to visit. The museum has declared 2018 “The Year of the Engineer,” a series of programs featuring multiple STEMrelated activities. By encouraging children to explore the fun and creative side of engineering, the museum hopes to foster a sense of excitement that will encourage kids to think about pursuing it for a career.

“We want people to think of engineering as a way to solve problems,” Ramsden said. “People tend to think engineers either drive trains or build bridges, and that’s it. But it’s really a career that encourages tackling big projects to improve lives, and we want children to experience that.”

Opening March 16 and going through summer is the LEGO-inspired exhibit “Towers of Tomorrow.” This exhibit will encourage guests to explore creative problem-solving with a wide assortment of LEGO bricks, and will feature more than 20 LEGO replicas of skyscrapers from around the world. For a purely Minnesota surprise, look for the LEGO replica of the U.S. Bank Stadium. If you go on a weekend, check out the museum’s Saturday programming, where a family can find enjoyable one-day programs such as “Star Wars Day,” “Nano Day,” and the new program, “Play. Tinker. Make. Engineer.”

Perhaps the older children aren’t yet convinced? Maybe they’re feeling too old for the Science Museum?

“We’ve kept them in mind,” Ramsden said. “We also have exhibits that — while everyone can enjoy them — are appealing to teens and young adults, such as our newest permanent exhibit, Sportsology, which features prominent local athletes.”

Participants can record themselves in a motion lab, then play it back and analyze their movements. Race against a Tyrannosaurus rex, measure your high jump, or throw a football and compare your form against professional athletes. Another exhibit older kids might want to check out is “RACE: Are We so Different?,” a place to explore the science and history behind the idea of race, and how it affects everyday culture.

Some families find by midafternoon, they need a break from the high excitement of the museum. This is the perfect time to take in a movie, recharging energy levels while feeling immersed by a screen that surrounds from every angle. With multiple movies and showtimes every day, the IMAX Omnitheater is the only convertible IMAX dome in the U.S. The film “Dream

Big: Engineering Our World” opened March 2, the perfect complement to your day exploring engineering.

Multiple food venues are available within the museum, including the aptly named Elements Café. If a family wants to spend more than one day in St. Paul, multiple hotels are within walking distance of the museum. Also nearby are several family-friendly restaurants such as Cossetta Alimentari, an Italian restaurant, pizzeria and marketplace that has been located in St. Paul for over 100 years — almost as long as the science museum’s 111 years. After a family thoroughly explores the science museum, they can visit the Minnesota Children’s Museum or the Minnesota History Museum, both a half-mile walk from the science museum.

A trip to the science museum doesn’t even have to be a standalone trip. Carolyn Phillips, Superior parent of eight, has kept a science museum household membership for years. “Whenever we have a big swim meet or other event to go to in the cities, we always work in a stop at the science museum. The kids love the Omnitheater, and the dinosaur exhibit is always a big hit with my younger ones,” she said.— MDT

Kathleen Murphy is a Duluth freelance writer.

If You Go

The Science Museum of Minnesota

120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul

Phone: (651) 221-9444

Website: smm.org

Tickets: Adults $18.95 children and seniors $12.95 children 3 and younger free

Omnitheater costs extra

Memberships and group rates available

Summer Camps: see web site tab ‘CAMPS & CLASSES’

Of note: Closed Mondays

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