Chicago: Museum of Science and Industry

A trip to Chicago wouldn't be complete without a visit to one of their world class museums. Our choice was the awesome and massive Museum of Science and Industry. Part science class, part playground, this place has something for everyone. Together with the De La Cruz family, we spent the afternoon exploring this amazing place.

You got some nerves, kid.

The 'Human Body' area of the museum houses the most visually interesting exhibits in the entire place. Through the use of 'plasticizing', they have been able to display the human body inside and out in many striking ways. Cross sections of human body parts. Entire body systems in tact. Organs. Muscles. Blood vessels. It was all super cool. The big kids were interested, and full of questions. Nadia, on the other hand, couldn't get past the plasticized male genitals. “Yes, Nadia, that's a penis.... Yes, Nadia, it is.... I know, Nadia.... OK.... We get it.... It's a penis.”

Plasticized awesomeness

Dropping Stuff

Another favorite of the group was the chicken hatchery. Here, you can sit and stare at chicken eggs in an incubator for hours as you wait for them to hatch. You 'can' sit for hours, because that's how long it takes for an egg to hatch. It's a slow process. Needless to say, we never saw one hatch. There were eggs that wiggled and moved. Slimy wet chicks that had just hatched. Fluffy cute ones that were about a day old. Good enough.

"I think I want a baby chick, Poppa"

Science Class

The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center proved to be the most pleasant surprise for us in our time in southeastern Missouri. Like most things run by the Missouri Department of Conservation, it is a first-class set up. A beautiful setting. An outstanding visitors center. Both fun and educational programs free of charge. We visited often.


One Saturday, the whole gang attended Monarch Magic, and helped celebrate this amazing insect. First, we participated in Monarch tagging. They marked these beautiful creatures, then released them so they could begin their migration to Mexico. There, the local people are paid to collect their bodies, so that scientists can study more about this sensational migration. The girls also played butterfly games, and made some Monarch crafts. They even learned to tell the difference between a girl and a boy Monarch.

Those dots, straight across from her nose, make that a male Monarch

Look how interested they all look!