Science or Natural History?

[bee74]

Have a day off with the children (3 and 6) next week and want to take them to one of the museums, which one do your kids prefer? Thank you

[DuncanW]

They are both brilliant, so either.

But NHM probably nudges it.

Get there early if you can as they both get v busy

[Monkey]

Mine(5)prefers the Science Museum but we've had good times at the Natural History Museum, drawing dinosaurs' footprints and looking at Mary Anning's ichy. Would say your visit to the Natural History Museum probably needs more careful planning.

[bee74]

oh Mary Anning is the current hero! I will explore that. thank you

[Monkey]

Do you have the book Bone Girl, Stone Girl?

Also, last time we went, there was an actress playing Mary Anning but it might be just for schools, not sure. In any event, you can still catch a glimpse of her. My daughter loved that.

[bee74]

the thing is that we moved from ED to the Devon/Dorset border last year. My son goes to school to Charmouth (next beach along from Lyme Regis) which is where people come to fossil hunt from all over the UK, so that's what we do almost every day after school - sit on the beach looking for fossils! And obviously they have done MA at school, and there is her museum in Lyme, so it is very much part of our life at the moment. It will be good to see something about her in a different place. Thank you.

[Monkey]

That's wonderful. I think I know the school! Lucky you!

[simonethebeaver]

Get there at opening to have the best chance of not queuing for the animatronic dinosaurs. And use the side entrance rather than the main.

[bee74]

I will be going Tue or Wed. I remember it being packed at week ends, but surely not mid week?!

[simonethebeaver]

School trips and tourists. We went midweek last month, and by 11am there were long lines for the dinosaurs. The Science Museum is generally less crowded.

[bee74]

Monkey, it is a lovely school. And schools are one of the reasons we moved! Ok, will get there at the crack of dawn...

[edanna]

The crystals bit in the NHM is great (upstairs from side entrance) and a lot quieter than the dinosaurs.

[skylorikeet]

There's a whole corridor with Mary Anning's finds. On the right hand side of the great hall, roughly opposite the dinosaur galleries. They have the original portrait of Mary too (in the green dress holding a fossil hammer) but that's not on show sadly.

[Otta]

My kids prefer Science, but get to NH beofre they get rid of the big dinosaur skeleton in the main hall.

[njc97]

Both? Get there early, do dinos and hihglights of NHM, then lunch in basement of science museum, followed by an hour in the launchpad bit to let off steam, then up to space room etc.

[Otta]

Yep, if you can get an early start then do that. NH probably has a lot of stuff that would bore a 3 and 6 year old, it's all about the dinos really.

[njc97]

I love the crystals bit, especially the meteorites and massive safe. But the kids didnt, damn them.