Memorial Day has passed and everyone is now officially looking ahead to summer. In my house this means we are looking for new adventures to have with the kids. We rarely take extended vacations because staying away from the comforts of home for too long can be stressful. Plus, we enjoy getting the chance to see so many more places than one vacation usually affords.
If you are a regular to my posts you know I try to enrich our summer vacations with art experiences. This year is no different. I thought I'd share with all of you a round up of our favorite places to travel for art, and a few new places we plan to check out.
Eric Carle Museum of Story Book Art- Ameherst, MA. This is such a fun place to take your little one. It is super family friendly with extra strollers and amenities at the front desk, and a locker to stow the extra kids stuff. Kids can get creative in the art lab, or see a show in the auditorium. The children's library is as fun as it is comfortable. There are plenty of places to eat a packed picnic lunch and plenty of room for curious busy bodies to roam. Read more info about our visit here.
Springfield Museums - Springfield, MA. You pay one ticket price to experience five different museum. You and your family will experience space, science, art history and cultural history. There are kids art zones in every museum building that encourages kids to create. New this summer is the addition of the Dr. Seuss museum! Get the details on this amazing place here.
The New York State Museum- Albany, NY. Admission to this quality museum is free, but a suggested donation of $10 per family is requested. The art exhibits change so check ahead on the website for current exhibits. Now through September you can catch a glimpse of sculptures and paintings created by Jackson Pollock and Alexander Calder (two of my personal favorites) and several other modern artists. The kids will love taking a pic a the Sesame Street exhibit, boarding an old subway car and exploring Discovery Place. After getting their fill of hands on learning they can take a ride on the carousel (free). We have been here a few times and some how I have never blogged about it! I am sensing a future post. You can check their website here for details.
Storm King Art Center - New Windsor, NY. Your kids will love running free on the 500 acres of property. The only thing stopping them will be the giant sculptures to look at. The exhibits are incredible. Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe on site. There are plenty of bathrooms and paved trails for strollers. During the summer there are community days offering free admission. Be sure to bring plenty of tick spray as you are outside the entire time. You can read about our art adventure here.
The Samuel Dorsky Museum - New Patlz, NY. This is one of my wish list visits! I can't wait to check out this museum with my kids. The suggested donation is $5. There are family friendly programs scheduled now and then so check back for specifics on their website here.
Thomas Cole National Historic Site - Catskill, NY. Tour the home and art studio of the man who create the Hudson River School of Art. You can view his landscape paintings created in locations through out the Hudson Valley. Kids will enjoy seeing the paint brushes and tools Mr. Cole used to create his paintings. I can't wait to check out the hiking tours to see the places Thomas Cole painted. Adults are $10 and kids under 12 are free. If you follow along on the sites Facebook page you will get notification of their art days offered through the summer. Often the events are free or low cost for families to enjoy. Find their website here.
OMI International Arts Center - Ghent, NY. This has been on my bucket list for a very long time! This is the summer we are going to put a check mark next to it! Just check out the details here for yourself! There is a Field Sculpture Park to visit with the kids. Also offered are numerous kids art workshops (you can drop the kids off and pick up later), teen workshops for writing, art, dance and music. Check the schedule for their community free days and for special music events.
I am so excited to check out some of these new to us places to share with you! Having this list of new places to discover gives me something to look forward to this summer!
What is your favorite museum to take the kids to?
The Whatever Mom is a full-time wife and twin mama living on coffee and wine. She enjoys the pure rush of cleaning the BIG potty between loads of laundry. It is her dream that moms everywhere accept and embrace the Whatever Mom philosophy which can be found here. You can also find her musings and popular shares on Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date with her creative ideas and outings on Pinterest.
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