For the past eight years I have lived with a wildlife enthused chap who loves nothing more than spending time with animals or reading about them. One day he hopes to venture out into the world to help spread the word about conservation but until then we make do with the Zoo and the Internet. We have spent many hours at the Zoo with the animals, just watching them and talking about who they are and their place in our world but we do not always have the time to pop up to the Zoo as often as he would like.
Thankfully just a five minute drive away from the International Schools we found a wonderful museum that beautifully reinforces the curiosity that emerges after a visit to see the live animals at the Zoo. It is called the Zoological Museum, Natural History Museum of Denmark. This week we had a friend to play but due to the logistics of collecting other offspring, not really enough time for a sufficient play at home so we headed to the museum for just over an hour after school.
Part of the University of Copenhagen, the Zoo Museum (as we know it) houses an extensive collection of over 10 million specimens, a taster of which you can see on the walk up to the reception. We bought our tickets, my favourite of all tickets in the city as they are printed with a botanical image and look like little art works. This you do in a gift shop overflowing with exciting purchases, it is quite the temptation! Next to the bathroom is lots of storage space for stowing bags and coats enabling us to walk freely around upstairs unhindered by the weight of a long day at school.
The boys were overawed by the 10 foot shark that awaits as you exit the lift to the exhibitions. Encased in a long glass tank, we were able to make a decent attempt at counting all 100 of the teeth in the sharks mouth, quite frightening to see so close up I have to say. What followed was a walk through all the various exhibitions, we saw a woolly mammoth and literally got to feel what it would have been like in the ice age thanks to the wall of ice in the room. We saw the Darwin exhibition upstairs where we got to sit in Darwin's office on board ship and take a look at some of the fascinating species that he discovered on his travels.
There are animals everywhere in extremely well thought out modern exhibitions, so many enormous skeletons of now extinct breeds that we hadn't seen anywhere else which was really interesting. Towards the rear of the building is a hands on room full of skulls to touch and draw, alongside some animals that are available for feeling and looking at in lots of details. We even got to hug a polar bear, not something one does every day after school! On hand are university staff who are more than happy to share their extensive knowledge with visitors. Unfortunately we were too late for the cafe, but it is good for coffee and a slice of cake on days is open. Although this trip was short we have been before a few times and will return again soon. It's worth noting that the museum can host birthday parties too, we were fortunate enough to attend one recently which was great fun and many schools visit as part of their educational programs.
Time quickly passed and we made our thoughtful way back to the car discussing animals and the environment, reinforcing for the children and myself the real need for conservation efforts around the world. A worthwhile end to a busy week.
www.zoologi.snm.ku.dk
Thankfully just a five minute drive away from the International Schools we found a wonderful museum that beautifully reinforces the curiosity that emerges after a visit to see the live animals at the Zoo. It is called the Zoological Museum, Natural History Museum of Denmark. This week we had a friend to play but due to the logistics of collecting other offspring, not really enough time for a sufficient play at home so we headed to the museum for just over an hour after school.
Part of the University of Copenhagen, the Zoo Museum (as we know it) houses an extensive collection of over 10 million specimens, a taster of which you can see on the walk up to the reception. We bought our tickets, my favourite of all tickets in the city as they are printed with a botanical image and look like little art works. This you do in a gift shop overflowing with exciting purchases, it is quite the temptation! Next to the bathroom is lots of storage space for stowing bags and coats enabling us to walk freely around upstairs unhindered by the weight of a long day at school.
The boys were overawed by the 10 foot shark that awaits as you exit the lift to the exhibitions. Encased in a long glass tank, we were able to make a decent attempt at counting all 100 of the teeth in the sharks mouth, quite frightening to see so close up I have to say. What followed was a walk through all the various exhibitions, we saw a woolly mammoth and literally got to feel what it would have been like in the ice age thanks to the wall of ice in the room. We saw the Darwin exhibition upstairs where we got to sit in Darwin's office on board ship and take a look at some of the fascinating species that he discovered on his travels.
There are animals everywhere in extremely well thought out modern exhibitions, so many enormous skeletons of now extinct breeds that we hadn't seen anywhere else which was really interesting. Towards the rear of the building is a hands on room full of skulls to touch and draw, alongside some animals that are available for feeling and looking at in lots of details. We even got to hug a polar bear, not something one does every day after school! On hand are university staff who are more than happy to share their extensive knowledge with visitors. Unfortunately we were too late for the cafe, but it is good for coffee and a slice of cake on days is open. Although this trip was short we have been before a few times and will return again soon. It's worth noting that the museum can host birthday parties too, we were fortunate enough to attend one recently which was great fun and many schools visit as part of their educational programs.
Time quickly passed and we made our thoughtful way back to the car discussing animals and the environment, reinforcing for the children and myself the real need for conservation efforts around the world. A worthwhile end to a busy week.
www.zoologi.snm.ku.dk
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