Austin Parks and Recreation: Austin Nature & Science Center
August 10 (Monday)
It's been a couple of weeks since Mama Camp returned from our three week road trip. The first week back the little campers just liked being AT home and rediscovered their toys. The second week, we did several art projects inside the house trying to acclimate ourselves to the 100F heat.
Today being Monday, we braved the heat and headed to the Austin Nature & Science Center around 10.30am. Located off of Stratford Drive within Zilker Park, it's easy to find -- if you've read the detailed directions online. If you don't know that it's there, and don't have eagle-like eyesight, you'll miss the tiny sign on the side of Barton Springs Road. [By the way: the best tourist attraction signage that I've seen is in Midland, Michigan, where signs (with large type, easily readable by anyone traveling down the road) so clearly mark the direction of local attractions that you almost don't need a map.] Lucky for us, Mama Camp had read the directions and knew where to turn.
At the Austin Nature & Science Center the little campers were mesmerized by the Naturalist Workshop & Trade Center. For over an hour they examined bones, shells, insects, seed pods, feathers and more. Then they were off to the Dino Pit to dig for dinosaur fossils. There was a little bit of shade at the Dino Pit (even around noon) and with the occasional breeze it was almost a pleasant temperature.
It was difficult to get the little campers to leave the Austin Nature & Science Center. They side-tracked to the Animal Exhibits and dove into the "Small Wonders" house full of little reptiles. Finally, the Camp Director convinced them that Mama Camp would come back and thoroughly examine the animal exhibits, walk along the trail, and maybe bring a specimen from our backyard to identify at the Trade Center.
Testimonials
Big Camper: "I liked the entire thing!"
Little Camper: "Look mama...a turtle...look mama...a snake...look mama...a shark tooth...this bark is soft...look at the dinosaur! (honey...that's a horse skull)"
Camp Director: "What a gem...why haven't we been here before?"
Activity Fee: $0
Actual Activity Fee: $1.60 (gift shop dinosaur eggs)
Location Link: Austin Nature & Science Center
Photos: All photos taken with iPhone 3G camera
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