The New Children's Museum

Since our last visit to San Diego, a new children's museum (literally called The New Children's Museum) opened up downtown. Kel and I decided to give it a try today. Although Kel had a wonderful time and it was a day full of fun and enjoyment, I can't give this museum a good review and I doubt that we'll be back again. For lack of a better word, it was a "snooty" children's museum. Which doesn't work for me. The whole concept of art installations and children being able to explore and create within these artist's visions sounds amazing from an adult's point of view, exactly the thing we'd like our kids to be interested in. Only, they're kids. And they're interested in playing house or painting on a glass window or building big cities from blocks and all of the other interactive things that one usually finds at a children's museum. Building a tent city to simulate the way that people in the Third World live? Meditating inside of a rain house? Entering an all white geodesic dome with white plastic things which they are to stack in an aesthetically pleasing manner (and not knock down I'll have you know!)? The list goes on. There were a couple of really fun activities -- the "Segway" type scooters, the climbing wall, and the awesome pillow room. But, it wasn't someplace that we'd go more than once. The local children's museums near Springfield are much more fun and interesting. Sorry, San Diego. On this one, you actually lose out to the Midwest! This place was way above the heads of its targeted audience.




These "Segways" were pretty fun. Definitely something I'd love to have at home. Beats a bike any day for adventure in travel.






There was a park outside which we enjoyed after eating a picnic lunch in the sunshine. It was a cool day down by the waterfront. Kel loved this park because it was right on the trolley tracks. We saw about 20 trolleys come and go in the time that we were out there.









This was the "Porta Party". You go in, shut and lock the door (it says "occupied" when you're inside), and there is loud music, a disco ball, a dance floor, and it becomes a portable party. Kel thought it was great. I thought it was loud. I am getting so old.





Trying to make shadow puppets on the wall.




You could be a leaf or a snowflake in this improv theatre thingy. He chose a leaf. Not very convincing if you ask me.




Best room in the museum. The pillow room. Kel was in here for well over an hour and absolutely exhausted himself. This was our last stop of the day. By the end, he simply collapsed in a heap, ready to go home. Once I'd extricated him from the mattresses in here!