Tag: museum

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Unique New York: Souvenirs

The I (heart) New York t-shirts are cute, but they’re so prolific you get a little sick of seeing them in all the tourist stores. So what kind of New York souvenirs do you bring when you visit friends and family elsewhere? Or where do you point your visitors to get something unique to take home? Here are some ideas:

How cute are these cookies from Eleni’s at Chelsea Market? Buy them individually, or get a boxed assortment – the ones below are 11 for $65. Continue reading “Unique New York: Souvenirs”

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Review: Harry Potter Exhibition in New York City Times Square

I have a confession. I’ve never seen a Harry Potter movie. But I have read all the books. My kids haven’t seen the movies either – I won’t let them until they read the books (my daughter is partway through the third, and my son is listening to the first on tape).

With that in mind, I took them to the Harry Potter exhibit in Times Square, hoping it would inspire my kids to plow through (note to readers – my son is now on the 5th book and we’ve seen the accompanying movies – he now wants to go back to the exhibition AGAIN). And even though I haven’t seen the movies, the scenes are so vivid in my mind (and the movie actors so ingrained in our culture) that I was interested in seeing the recreation.

Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images. Reproduced with permission

The exhibit officially opens on April 5th at the Discovery Times Square exhibition center (that’s where Pompeii is currently showing). Continue reading “Review: Harry Potter Exhibition in New York City Times Square”

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Quilts Quilts Quilts – at Park Avenue Armory

If you are able to get to the Park Avenue Armory by March 30, you must go. Here’s why:

I dragged the kids and husband – who did not understand my desire to see quilts hanging from the ceiling. I tried  to explain – it would be 650 quilts – all in red and white. They still didn’t get it. But once they walked into the fabulous armory (which itself is an architectural masterpiece), they were also awestruck.

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4 Ways to Explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Kids

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is so big, you won’t see it in one trip. So don’t try. Here are 4 ways to explore the Met with your kids.

THROW A DART

Henry the VIII's armor and Zack

On our first visit, we gave the kids the regular map and told them to pick two things they each wanted to see. And then we had them lead the way. The kids picked the Temple of Dendur and the Egyptian wing, the instrument room, the swords and armor, and I can’t even remember the fourth. We had a fabulous time exploring…until Zachary had a melt-down at the end, in the instrument room. He was tired. He was hungry. It was time to go. We were there almost two hours, and considered that visit highly successful.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

Art Trek program at the Met

The next trip was with Alison Lowenstein, author of City Kid New York: the Ultimate Guide for NYC Parents with Kids ages 4-12 (plus she’s the author of City Weekends: Greatest Escapes and Weekend Getaways in and Around New York). She’s a pro at visiting the Met with kids. For this visit, Alison led us to the lower level, where the (free with admission) tours and programs for kids are held. We did an Art Trek, where the Met guide took us to several works of art, and discussed them a kid’s level. At the end, they got to draw one of the pieces. The program lasts an hour, and is for kids ages 5-12 (they divide them into age-appropriate groups). The kids liked the program, though that guide didn’t leave enough drawing time for them at the end.

The Met offers hundreds of family programs each year, including drop-in drawing sessions, festivals, the “Discoveries” program for learning-disabled and developmentally disabled kids, holiday programs (including select Mondays), story times and more.

Continue reading “4 Ways to Explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Kids”

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Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Tips, and What to Do in NYC on Thanksgiving Day

This post has been updated for 2011.

It’s time for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. If you want to be one 3 million on-site viewers, you’ll want to do some research first. Jersey Kids has some places for you to start. And once the parade is over, we have ideas for what you can do in New York City.

Where to watch:

It’s most congested around Macy’s, at the end of the route. The parade starts at 9 a.m. but takes about 90 minutes to get to Macy’s. The performers apparently don’t stop along the way to perform, but do in front of the viewing stand. Most suggestions we got are to get to your viewing spot at 6:30 a.m. and wait in the cold like idiots. Look for us! We’ll be those idiots. Best viewing spots are in the 60s and 70s along Central Park West. You can watch the balloons get deflated right by Macy’s. So if you’re late, maybe head over there.

this is where you stand if you arrive at 7:30 a.m.

Continue reading “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Tips, and What to Do in NYC on Thanksgiving Day”

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Miller-Cory House Museum – and kid-friendly downtown Westfield

If you’re looking for some New Jersey history, and a chance to see what things were like in the 1700-1800s, head over to the Miller-Cory House in Westfield, NJ. (And read on to see what to do in downtown Westfield when you’re done).

The house was built in 1740 – on 100 acres of land. You wouldn’t believe it now, since it’s in the middle of a residential neighborhood where most lots probably don’t exceed .3 acres on average. Inside you’ll find the house with typical period furniture, and kids can see what a kitchen with no electric dishwasher looks like! Pots and pans hang from the walls, the floor is uneven and the walls wood-paneled.

The house is open on Sundays in fall through spring, or for prearranged group programs on weekdays. It’s staffed by volunteers – including a lot of elementary school teachers. They dress up and lead kids in crafts, read stories and talk with kids about the theme of the week. There’s also open-hearth cooking demonstrations in the building next door. Continue reading “Miller-Cory House Museum – and kid-friendly downtown Westfield”

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King Tut in NYC – Review with Kids

Tutankhamun Coffin © Andreas F. Voegelin, Antikenmuseum Basel and Sammlung Ludwig

**KING TUT OPENS IN ST. PAUL, MN ON FEBRUARY 18, RUNNING THROUGH SEPTEMBER 5, 2011. FOR DISCOUNT CODES AND TICKETS TO ST. PAUL KING TUT EXHIBIT, CLICK HERE.

When I saw the King Tut exhibit in San Francisco last year, I left the kids behind, not sure if they’d make it through without getting bored.  While I enjoyed going alone, I did feel the kids were missing out on a huge piece of history  – an experience not usually readily available in museums.

When the exhibit arrived in New York City’s Times Square Discovery Exhibition space, I knew I had to take them. Now they had 3-D movie as well!

The big deal about King Tut is not that he was Egypt’s greatest king. He wasn’t, though he did have some interesting challenges. By the time Tut’s tomb was discovered, it was the only tomb that was almost completely intact on discovery. It gave researchers an understanding of the burial process.

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King Tut NYC Review and Discount Codes

The King Tut exhibit opened in Manhattan last month, with 11 galleries and 130+ artifacts. The exhibit features items from King Tut’s tomb, as well as items from his ancestors. I saw the King Tut exhibit in its last location, San Francisco and again in NYC. You can read my review of NYC’s Tut with Kids here on Jersey Kids.

If you’re thinking of taking kids with you, it’s a great learning opportunity, and there are several items of interest to kids there, including weapons and lots of gold! Of course they’ll be interested to know that the king was all of 9 years old when he ascended the throne. They’ll love the gross knowledge that King Tut’s brain was removed with a hook through his nose before embalming! Plan to spend around 90 minutes there.

The NYC King Tut exhibit is in the Times Square area. One benefit – you don’t have all the additional museum traffic. The downside – there’s no museum to visit after!

KING TUT DISCOUNT CODES FOR ST. PAUL

Tickets are $30 for the King Tut exhibit on weekends and $25 on weekdays (for adults), and this includes the science museum admission/exhibits. Kids 4-12 pay $16 on weekdays, and $18 on weekends. Audio tour and film are extra.

Science Museum of Minnesota members save up to 60% on King Tut ticket prices. Plus, members save an additional $5 a ticket in March.

Go with a group. Group discounts are available for 15 or more ticketholders. Here are ticket prices for groups.

While there were no discounts at Goldstar at posting, check back frequently, because Goldstar often offers discounts, as much as half off, for select time slots of various events.

Check back here – I’ll be adding discounts are they become available. Pickings are slim as the show opens!

Tickets and discounts for NYC

Tickets run $27.50 for adults, $25.50 for seniors, $17.50 for kids 4-12, and free for kids under 4. They offer a 3-D movie, Secrets of the Pharaohs, for an additional $5. In the film, you’ll travel into the royal tombs, learning about ancient Egyptian society and rituals as told by the mummies themselves. Kids 4 and under still have to pay for the movie, even though they get in free to the exhibit. Reviews of the movie are positive. Audio commentary is $7, and worth it to learn more.

Now through Friday, December 24th, buy a voucher for 2 adult and 2 child admissions ($98 value) for $59 at Mamapedia. You must redeem the voucher all at once. You can buy two vouchers, but only redeem one per visit.

Continue reading “King Tut NYC Review and Discount Codes”

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