North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences: Discovery Room

What it is: So, everyone has already heard about our excursions to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.  We rode on the train to get there, we checked out the new wing, we even watched a 3D dinosaur movie, but that wasn't all.  I saved our best find from that excursion until last.

We had been wandering around the museum and having adventures all day, and we were all wearing out.  However, we still had about an hour before we could head back to catch the train ride home. What were we to do?  Well, we wandered to the back of the museum on the second floor and found the Discovery Room.  It absolutely saved us!  The director of the room leaned over a half-door and explained the rules of the room-the boys could touch anything they wanted as long as they shared and put everything back where the found it!  Fabulous!  We all headed in, and the kids had a place in the museum where they could run around, touch everything, and really explore on their own.

My oldest son loved the fabulous animal costumes.  He wandered around as a T-Rex for a long time before rolling around on the floor in an intricate yellow and black striped caterpillar costume.  He also enjoyed perching on the window ledge and looking out the window with the binoculars.  My younger son loved the puzzles and the large stairway steps where he could play with little stuffed animals that made noises.  There was so much to explore that we definitely didn't get to explore it all.  The room definitely gave us a little time where the adults could get off their feet and the kids could explore without having us over their shoulders at every minute.  Great!

What we liked:  We loved this little hidden gem in the back of the museum because the kids could explore on their own.  Plus, the kids were exploring things that were all very educational and related to what they had been exploring in the museum all day long.

What we would change: It's a shame that this room isn't more obvious.  Although, maybe it's good that everyone doesn't know about it, so it's not overly crowded.  In addition, it isn't open everyday. They are closed on Mondays.

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://naturalsciences.org/exhibits/areas-for-guided-learning#discovery

Address: Located in the back of the second floor of the Museum of Natural Sciences

Hours: Hours very according to season so check the website listed above, but they are always closed on Mondays.

Photos: 

(A view of the room)