A visit the Minnesota Science Museum

When I was a little kid, I used to dread visiting museums. After all, a trip to the museum meant a day of learning, and I already got plenty of learning at school, thank you very much. Now that I'm older, I've realized that museums can be pretty fascinating places. I've taken to visiting a different Minnesota museum each year with a few close friends. It makes for a laid back (and inexpensive) Sunday outing.

This year, my best friend and I headed out to the Science Museum of Minnesota. I hadn't been there in years, so I was really excited to see all of the updates. To me, this is still the 'new' Science Museum, completely different than the 'old' Science Museum that I visited in the early 90s. In 2000, the museum moved from Wabasha Street to a bluff over the Mississippi River. The new location is really pretty, but it also makes the place seem like a separate entity from the 'old' Science Museum.

I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining the Science Museum's exhibits were. I've never been big on math or science, so I tend to hesitate before visiting any attraction based entirely around one or both of those subjects. When my friend and I arrived, we headed straight to the Dinosaur Gallery. The dinosaur may be the one science topic that has consistently fascinated me since the age of six, so I figured that a dinosaur exhibit would be a good place to continue my post-schooling science education.

I stepped into the gallery with high expectations and I didn't come away disappointed. My favorite piece was the Triceratops. Apparently, it is one of only four complete Triceratops specimens in the whole world. I could almost imagine the dinosaur wandering around and eating plants. That may have just been me replaying a scene from Jurassic Park inside my head, but the fossil was inspiring nonetheless.

It took some doing, but my friend and I were eventually able to drag ourselves away from the dinosaurs. We then decided to stop by the Science Museum's famed Human Body Gallery. At this exhibit, I had the pleasure of looking at one of my own cheek cells under a microscope and dissecting a fruit fly. These aren't exactly activities I would usually classify as fun, but the volunteers on hand managed to make it an interesting experience.

My day out at the Science Museum ended with some tasty pizza at the Elements Cafe. This food court overlooks the beautiful Mississippi River, making it the perfect place for a snack. As I left the Science Museum of Minnesota, I couldn't help thinking how strange it felt to actually be interested in science. I probably won't visit again until I've been to a few of Minnesota's other museums, but I'm sure a return trip will still remain high on the priority list in years to come.