It’s that time of year again and spring break is on the horizon. While most view spring break as a time to relax and laze around, those that have a passion for learning see the week-long break as an opportunity. An opportunity to build and expand on their existing knowledge; so listen up as here are a few places someone can go to take advantage of this opportunity.
There no better place to go to learn than a museum; to be specific, the Museum of the Southwest. Located in Midland Texas, the Museum of the Southwest is a perfect first stop for those seeking to expand their knowledge. The museum, produces exhibitions, programs and events that relate to science, art, astronomy, archaeology, history, and culture. The museums largest collection, the archaeology collection, boasts 45,000 artifacts; while the art collection is comprised of over 1500 objects that include paintings, prints, sculptures, drawings, photographs, textiles, ceramics, basketry, and other mixed media works. While visiting, don’t forget to stop by the museums planetarium which is home to a state-of-the-art Digistar 5 system with 3D capabilities. Additionally, over spring break, the museum will be holding a variety of different programs, a perfect opportunity to learn.
The next stop on this journey to build a formidable knowledge base over spring break is the Texas State Aquarium. The Texas State Aquarium, located in Corpus Christi Texas, provides a perfect environment for those looking to learn about marine life. The Aquarium is home to over 460 species that include: dolphins, otters, sea turtles, sharks, flamingos, and from the Gulf of Mexico. There is no better time to visit the aquarium than spring break as the aquarium has increased their open hours. Additionally, over the course of the week there will be several mini-camps help for children in kindergarten to 5th grade. Those that are interested in expanding their knowledge of marine life, there is no better place than the Texas State Aquarium.
If marine life is not your forte, then perhaps you should visit the DoSeum, or San Antonio’s Museum for kids. The DoSeum is the place to go if you are interested in STEM as this museum is a STEM focused children’s museum. The DoSeum provides several exhibits and programs with the goal of promoting play, inviting discovery, to spark interest, and to develop positive attitudes toward learning. The DoSeum offers six permanent exhibits and a special gallery that hosts travelling exhibits. The DoSeum provides plenty of camps throughout the year, a few of which take place during spring break. Not only does the DoSeum host camps, but during spring break they have special extended hours during spring break.
If you don’t live in Texas, don’t fret, there are still plenty of opportunities to build your knowledge available to you. For instance, in Arizona, there is the Arizona State Museum in Tucson. The ASM is the place to go for those wanting to enrich their knowledge of Native cultures and is the oldest and largest anthropological research museum in the Southwest. There is also the Pima Air and Space Museum which is one of the largest aviation museums in the country. The museum is home to a collection of 350 aircraft, some of which date back to WWII.
If you live in New Mexico, consider stopping by the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo. The Museum is dedicated to educating visitors on the history, science, and technology of space. The museum contains multiple outdoor exhibits that showcase large space-related artifacts. There are also exhibits that show smaller artifacts related to the exploration and knowledge of space, for instance fragments of satellites or real moon rock.
Link to The Museum of the Southwest’s website
Link to the Texas State Aquarium website
Link to The Pima Air and Space Museum’s website