Recently we visited Cook Museum of Natural Science in Decatur, Alabama. Just a short 86 mile drive up 65 North, it is the perfect place for a day trip with kids and definitely an activity you should add to your Summer Bucket List. Here are 5 Things You Don’t Want to Miss when Visiting Cook Museum of Natural Science:
1. Baby Alligators (and several other animals)
There are many animals and living things (and some not living!) at Cook Museum of Natural Science. The reptiles were of particular interest to our kids. The baby alligators (2 girls) were 3 years old and actively swimming around. We also saw snakes, turtles, lizards, fish, spiders, roaches, and more. There were also exhibits with a once-living stuffed animals including brown bear, deer, birds, fox, bald eagle, turkey, mountain lion, and many more!
2. Building Volcanoes with Kinetic Sand
This was a big highlight for our family… the kids spent a lot of time here! There is a large table with kinetic sand and special lighting. When you make a mountain of sand with a divot in the middle, the lights change and create a molten lava! It’s quite impressive! A museum worker is there to help guide and answer questions. Did you know there are around 160+ volcanoes in the United States? And which state has the most volcanoes? Alaska!
3. Climbing the Tree
There is a large tree that kids (and adults!) can climb. It’s fun and active and when you get to the 2nd level there’s a drawbridge and area to look around. We were amazed at all of the things in the museum below that we didn’t see until we were looking down on it from above. The top of the tree gave us a literal bird’s eye view of our surroundings.
4. The Cave
There is an area that is modeled after a real cave with small spaces, dark corners, stalactites, and sounds of a cave. It feels like a real cave! The lady who designed it is an Alabamian who studies caves in real life.
5. Nature’s Table Restaurant
After a museum visit, don’t forget to visit the restaurant, Nature’s Table. The food is healthy and delicious and includes items like healthy wraps, sandwiches, salads, protein bowls, smoothies, coffee, and more, all made to order with the freshest ingredients. Our family enjoyed soups and sandwiches. They are known for their delicious smoothies as well! Located inside of the Cook Museum, Nature’s Table is open to the general public without an admission ticket.
A Few Other Things to Take Note of
During the summer, Cook’s Museum is open seven days a week. The museum’s summer programming will go through June and July.
There are lots of bigger one-off events throughout the summer such as:
- Member Appreciation Day :: June 10 from 10 am – 2 pm
- Sensory Friendly Days :: June 11 & July 30 from Noon – 5 pm
- All About Him :: June 17 from 10 am – 2 pm
- All About Birds Fun Day :: July 8 from 10 am – 2 pm
- Day of Play :: July 14 from 10 am – 2 pm
More information on these events and the full event calendar can be found at cookmuseum.org/calendar.
Have you been to the Cook Museum of Natural Science? Let us know your favorite parts in the comments below!
Need more ideas for summer fun? Check out our Summer Bucket List with 100 enjoyable activities for the whole family!!
Birmingham Summer Bucket List 2023 | 100 Things to Do with Kids (+ Free Printable)
