Cranbrook Institute of Science

We didn't make any plans to go out of town for my kids Spring Break from school this year so as part of our family's stay-cation we spent some time exploring the Cranbrook Institute of Science. Located within the National Historic Landmark recognized campus of the Cranbrook Educational Community along Woodward Avenue in the suburban Detroit city of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan this science center and museum houses a collection of more than 150,000 historically and scientifically relevant items ranging from meteoroids to mastodon tusks.  It features a state-of-the-art planetarium, a space observatory, and over a dozen galleries that cover topics including archeology, anthropology, astronomy, biology, geology, and physics.

Three of the most popular displays at the Cranbook Institute of Science are a fossil cast of the "Black Beauty" T-Rex, its "Hezy" mastodon recreation & the "Steggy" statue that welcomes visitors near the entrance of the museum.

During prehistoric times following the extinction of the dinosaurs, Michigan was home to pachyderms known as Mastodons.  Compared to the more popularly known Woolly Mammoths, mastodons had shorter legs, longer bodies and were more muscular.  They had bodies similar to today's Asian elephants but with huge tusks. The remains of 300 mastodons have been found in Michigan, including 17 in Oakland County where the Cranbrook Institute of Science is located.  The facility has developed a reputation as a source of expertise on mastodons from its experience studying many of the locally discovered remnants and has several bones and tusks on display at the museum.  From examining these mastodon remains they have created a life size replica nicknamed Hezy; in tribute to Professor Jeheskel "Hezy" Shoshani, an evolutionary biologist and one of the world's leading elephant experts, who was killed by a terrorist incident while in Ethiopia in 2008. 

Walking up to this huge reproduction is impressive and makes you wonder if at some point in history may one of these beasts tromped through where your backyard is now. Hezy catches the attention of every visitor to the Cranbrook Institute of Science but it especially puts smiles on all the kids faces.  Check out the display cases surrounding Hezy which contain locally found mastodon bones and tusks which provide additional insight into these prehistoric creatures.

One of the most well preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossils ever found called Black Beauty is on display at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada near where it was excavated in 1980.  It was given this name because during fossilisation the minerals in the ground where it was found transformed the dinosaur's bones a shiny dark color.  Black Beauty is considered one of the most complete T Rex skeletons ever found.  From castings made of the original Black Beauty fossils, visitors to Cranbrook Institute of Science can get a close up view of an accurate replica of this amazing dinosaur skeleton rather than having to venture to Canada to get a peek at it.

Knowing that a multitude of local school districts were going to be off for Spring Break the same week as our visit, the museum brought in a variety of partners to provide interactive, informational activities for kids that were provided at no additional  charge to the Cranbrook Institute of Science's regular admission price.  Activities taking place during this "Spring Into Science" special event ranged from learning about bird watching to checking out a Chevy Volt.  My kids really enjoyed making some jewelry from recycled materials and learning how to paddle a kayak during our visit.

They also got a close up look at a live Sea Lamprey, called the vampire of the Great Lakes, which feeds by attaching a mouth full of teeth to a fish and draining it of its blood.  As part of this presentation by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, my kids learned how invasive plants and animals are damaging our local environment.

Additionally, Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services had a nice setup that let kids pretend to fish with a pole that had a magnet at the end of its line.  Kids could compare the laminated cardboard fish they caught to a chart listing species found in local lakes and rivers.  Plus they provided information on which fish were the safest to eat and how often it is appropriate for people to consume local fish based upon the pollution of our waterways.

Before leaving we also toured the museum's traveling exhibit gallery that is currently featuring, TUTANKHAMUN: "Wonderful Things" from the Pharaoh's Tomb, which will be on display through September 3, 2017.  It features more than 100 detailed replicas of items that archeologist Howard Carter found during his 1922 discovery and exploration of Egyptian Pharaoh King Tut's tomb.  The exhibition provided my kids with an eye opening look at how life was before way before the technological conveniences they enjoy today.  They were also spooked out a bit by some of the mummies and statues being exhibited so you may want to be conscious about the "scary factor" when considering taking children to this special exhibit.  The TUTANKHAMUN display will be replaced by one focused on CHOCOLATE in September. It promises to explore the plant, products, history, and culture of chocolate through the lenses of botany, ecology, anthropology, economics, conservation, and popular culture.

The Cranbrook Institute of Science is open Tuesday - Thursday (10 am - 5 pm) Friday/Saturday (10 am - 10 pm) and Sunday (Noon - 4 pm).  Admission until 5 pm is $13 adults/teens and children/seniors $9.50.  Friday/Saturday admission after 5 pm is $6.50 teens/adults and $5.50 seniors/children.  There is an additional charge to visit the traveling exhibit gallery (TUTANKAMUN / CHOCOLATE) and to take in a planetarium show.

My kids and I really enjoyed our visit to the Cranbrook Institute of Science. For more information about planning your own visit, please visit science.cranbrook.edu.

ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE

** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free **

We enjoyed a nice family movie night this weekend watching the newest animated movie in the ICE AGE franchise called COLLISION COURSE which became available on October 11, 2016 for Blu-ray and DVD viewing.  In this ICE AGE adventure, the unlucky, mischievous squirrel Scrat while trying to bury an acorn accidentally activates an abandoned alien vessel that launches him into outer space.  As he travels through the solar system he unwittingly sends several asteroids on a crash course with Earth.  Can Manny the woolly mammoth along with his friends and family that makeup The Herd do anything to avert their following the same path to extinction as the dinosaurs?  As they discover the danger of the pending asteroid collision, The Herd rediscovers an old ally from one of their past adventures who just may hold the key to saving the planet from a scrat-tastrophe!



Since we were watching an ICE AGE story, it was only fitting to stock up on acorns for our special movie watching treat.  We had a whole plate full of tasty snacks to share that would have truly made that acorn chasing squirrel Scrat envious.  They weren't real acorns of course because those wouldn't be very appetizing but rather a combination of Hershey's Kisses, mini Nilla wafers, and chocolate chips.

Our ICE AGE acorns are actually fairly easy to make and they really taste great as a family movie night treat.  Count out the number of acorns you'd like to create and place that number of mini Nilla wafers on a plate.  Measure out a 1/4 cup of chocolate chip cookies and place them in a microwave plate.  Heat up for a minute in the microwave and stir up to create a paste.  With a knife spread enough paste along the bottom of each Nilla wafer to secure a Hershey's Kiss to the bottom of the cookie. Then place a small dab of paste on the opposite side of the Nilla Wafer to glue a chocolate chip in its middle. Don't dwadle because you need to secure all the parts of the acorn together while the chocolate paste remains hot.  Let your acorns cool for a few minutes once you've attached all the pieces together and voila you have a snack that would drive Scrat wild!  Though unlike the real deal, these acorns are nut-free which is very important for this dad with kids who have peanut and tree nut allergies.  Always look at the labeling on packaging to make sure an item is contamination and ingredient free for the particular food allergies you may be concerned about.

To share our family's movie night fun with A Geek Daddy's blog readers and social media followers, in addition to sharing our diy recipe for a delicious snack, I also have a copy of the movie to giveaway.  To be eligible for this giveaway you must follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet embedded below before October 21, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST.

Follow @GeekDad248 & RT before 10/22/16 for chance to win #ICEAGE: COLLISION COURSE #ScratinSpace #FamilyMovieNight #Giveaway #ad pic.twitter.com/kryceFDkXc

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) October 15, 2016

Must be a US  resident over the age of 18 to participate. No P.O. Boxes allowed for delivery of the prize.  One entry per person and winner will be selected from all eligible entries. Fox Home Entertainment will be responsible for the delivery of the prize to the selected winner. Each household is only eligible to win once via blog giveaways.  If you have won this movie on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again and the prize will be forfeited.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. A Geek Daddy is providing this giveaway contest as a benefit to our readers and social media followers and has not been financially compensated for this promotion.

Our ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE family movie night was made possible courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment, Smithsonian and National Geographic.  Fox Home Entertainment provided A Geek Daddy a #ScratinSpace fun pack that included the movie, a very nice #ICEAGE blanket, some Smithsonian products that included a launchable rocket, telescope and a planetarium projector.  We also received a very nice book from National Geographic "Backyard Guide To The Night Sky."

After watching ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE, we enjoyed a planetarium show on the ceiling.  The Smithsonian Planetarium Projector provides a rotating star pattern of the Northern Sky which can be combined with 24 high definition space images.  Choose from planets, nebulae, moons, asteroids, a space shuttle and an astronaut to display among the stars.

After flipping through National Geographic's "Backyard Guide To The Night Sky," my kids also spent some time gazing through the Smithsonian telescope we were provided to check out the moon, see if they could glimpse of the International Space Station, and look for any other celestial objects that may be within their view.

Rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America, ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE is now available on Blu-Ray, Digital HD, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD. For more information about the movie, please visit iceagemovies.com

A visit to the Michigan Science Center

Though I was only seven years old, I still have a vivid recollection of the day my parents took me on an afternoon trip to explore the science center in Detroit. It's been years since I'd paid a visit and my seven year old twins had never been there before. So being they're the same age as my first adventure to the place it seemed a fitting time for a road trip to the Michigan Science Center. Located next door to the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood, the Michigan Science Center features more than 250 hands-on exhibits that can be educational and interesting for people of all ages.

Learn how telescopes work and by viewing a representation of the moon through a variety of lenses in the center's space exploration section which also displays a NASA rocket capsule that was one of the highlight's of my childhood visits to the science center.

 

 

This astronomy area is also home to the Dassault Systèmes Planetarium which houses a Digistar® II projection system with 13,000-watt Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound that projects upon a 50-foot-wide, three-story-high-dome. Check out a variety of live shows like OUR PLACE IN SPACE.

OUR PLACE IN SPACE begins with a tour of the current night sky and the state of Michigan, then gradually zooms out to reveal the size of asteroids and dwarf planets. Your journey then  continues providing a view of the planets of our Solar System, the Sun, other stars, and finally provides a glimpse of the entire galaxy.

Other areas of the exhibit let visitors explore the fundamental properties of matter, motion, energy, and time.

In addition to the exhibits, the Michigan Science Center also provides a variety of shows and demonstrations.  The  SPARKS ELECTRICITY SHOW provides entertaining examples of various facets of electricity including magnetism, static electricity and plasma.  Demonstrations are also provided on the CHRYSLER SCIENCE STAGE involving topics such as chemistry, physics, and life science.

A highlight of any visit is also watching an IMAX presentation on the largest movie screen in Michigan.  This 67.5 foot wide, five story high dome theater envelopes audience in a thrilling sensory experience.  We saw National Parks Adventure which honors the centennial anniversary of the United State Park Service by taking its viewers on climbing, hiking and sailing experiences through the caves, rivers, forests, mountains and other stunning landscapes within the country's famous, as well as lesser known, parks.



After enjoying the movie it was up the rainbow escalator to head home.  I was always excited by this neon light show as a kid and my own children though it was a great way to wrap up our visit.  We had a great family road trip and if you are in the Detroit area encourage you to find some time to swing by and explore the Michigan Science Center for yourself. There is always something new to discover at the science center!

For more information about the Michigan Science Center, visit mi-sci.org

Saturday March 12 is FREE Admission Day at the Michigan Science Center

I remember the excitement of being a kid and my parents taking me on an afternoon adventure to the "big city" to explore the science center.  Hate to say it but I haven't taken that same trip to Detroit with my own kids even though it was such a memorable moment of my own childhood.  Most adults who grew up in southeastern Michigan paid a visit to the science center in Detroit either as a family outing or on a school field trip at some point as a child.  If you are a parent like me who has been negligent in sharing that same experience with your own kids this upcoming weekend is a chance to rectify that.  Saturday, March 12, 2016 is FREE ADMISSION Day at the Michigan Science Center courtesy of the Ford Motor Company Fund.

From 10 am - 6pm general admission to the Michigan Science Center located at 5020 John R. Street in Detroit is at no charge to the public.  Experience 250+ hands-on exhibits that explore heath, physical science, space, and engineering plus view live stage shows, lab activities and more.  Additionally there is a Planetarium experience, IMAX Dome Theatre movie presentations, and a special exhibit called Toytopia that are available to enjoy for an additional cost.  Visit mi-sci.org for more information about the science center's programs and theater times.