We are in this museum so often that my children think of it as ‘our dinosaur museum!’ This place has amazing permanent exhibits, including a giant dinosaur room, several floors of wildlife dioramas, and a butterfly conservatory 
with a live (very sleepy) sloth. In addition, there’s a Discovery Room, full of costumes, microscopes, manipulatives, and touchables of all sorts, including live specimens! You can check out the schedule for daily movies, 3-d short films, and other paid activities, and there is always something new in the temporary exhibit hall that usually costs a small fee.
But wait… there’s more… you can cross an indoor or outdoor pedestrian bridge over to the attached “Research Center,” where you can particiate in science activities led by local scientists in their labs! Several are open for activities each day, and others are open for viewing. So cool, right? And there’s also a 3 story movie room and a smaller underwater submarine simulator. I hope your family gets to spend a few days there and enjoys it as much as we do!
With love, Turtle Dove
Know before you go: NCMS admission is free, special exhibits and movies are not. Check their site for current costs.
School groups visit frequently weekdays before lunch.
The butterfly conservatory and Discovery room are closed on Mondays
The Daily Planet Cafe located on the Research center side has gluten free and dairy free options (and great coffee!)
With Love, Turtle Dove 