To finish up our study of the Oregon Trail, we went to the official end of the trail in Oregon City. Unfortunately, the museum was closed. So, we moved on to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI).
We were disappointed about the Trail Museum since we had spent time on the trail and wanted to finish with a flourish but, at least we had officially been to the start and end of the trail. Interestingly, in the 5 months it took the pioneers to travel (walk) the 1800 miles of the trail, we covered 11,000 miles and didn’t have to walk any of it. Times sure have changed.
left: The Big Dude tests how many calories he can burn.
right: The Lil’ Dude tests his balance.
The OMSI complex is huge and contains a planetarium, an omnimax theatre, a submarine and the exhibit halls. The new traveling exhibit was not open yet so they gave us a pass to come back a second day which turned out great because it would take a week just to see and do everything just in the exhibit halls.
left: The Lil’ Dude learns how to separate scrap metal.
right: The Big Dude works the “channels” in the “ball room”.
Everything is hands on, which for kids, is the only way to go. And, the exhibits are just as much fun for the adults as they are for the kids. The first day was like a trip to the candy store with so much to choose from that it brought out the ADHD in all of us. The second day we were able to focus a little more and weave a “school day” into the experience.
left: The Big Dude works a “brain teaser”.
right: The Dudes build a ball ejecting contraption in the “ball room”.
It was also fortunate that we were able to go during the week when it was not crowded. I think a weekend visit of wall to wall families with museum induced ADHD would have put me over the edge.
left: The Lil’Dude builds a circuit in the Physics Lab.
right: The Lil Dude tests the aerodynamics of our paper airplane in a wind tunnel.
Left: Chemistry is hard to fit into homeschooling. So, we fit in a lesson in their lab.
right: More physics with Daddy.
left: One of the exhibit halls.
right: The Lil’ Dude wins “connect four” using robots.
left: The Lil’ Dude collaborates on a “wolf simulator” in the Computer Lab.
right: We finished the day with a family arch building project.
left: Success!
We have been able to visit a lot of really nice museums on our trip but, OMSI just shot straight to the top of our list of favorites.
above: Back to the drawing board!
“The best museums and museum exhibits about science or technology give you the feeling that, hey, this is interesting, but maybe I could do something here, too.” Paul Allen