Fort Worth Museum

So, we have been members at the Fort Worth Museum for YEARS...ever since Bug was a toddler. There have been a few lapses in membership here and there, but we always come back to it because it is just SO worth it.

When kiddos were small and daily naptimes were still needed we had the most basic membership (Discover) but once Sweetpea hit 3.5 years old and could skip the occasional nap we upgraded to the next level up (Wonder) because it gives us reciprocal benefits at both the Perot in Dallas and the Heard in McKinney...which the increase in the price is paid for in one visit to each so it is totally worth it.

For our size family of four we had to get the 5 member family membership which at Wonder level is $195 for the year. Broken down that is just $16.25 per month...less than a fast food family dinner out or a delivery pizza!! So I feel it is well worth it. Back when Sweetpea was under 3 and therefore wasn't counted in the membership number and we only needed admission for the Fort Worth Museum, it was even less expensive because we did the 2 member Discover membership at $75/year...which works out to $6.25/month!! It worked during the week for me to take both kiddos or on Saturdays for my husband to take our son while I stayed home with the then baby and rested.

Some of the benefits besides exhibit access includes free parking in a specific lot, free admission to the planetarium and cowgirl museum, free stock show admission (though you have to pay for parking for the few weeks of the stock show), discounts on special exhibits and the cafeteria and the gift shop, and reciprocal benefits at so many other museums around the country.

Hours--
Monday-Friday 10am-4pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday 12pm-5pm
Open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

For mamas of littles--
There are family restrooms with fold down changing tables in the following places: Just off the cafeteria, at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Omni theater, and in the permanent children's exhibit area. There is also a nursing room in the permanent children's exhibit area. There are also changing stations built into the sink area of the larger women's restrooms as well...though they may be a tight fit for taller babies. They do feel more secure for wiggly little ones though.

Allergen info and food--
We sometimes find ourselves at the museum around lunch time and in need of sustenance. There IS a McDonald's just a couple blocks away (though not really a great place to walk to). Sometimes we grab McDonald's on our way to the museum though and can eat it at one of the outside tables. They have been pretty great though about letting my kiddos have a packed lunch in the cafeteria if I mention the food allergy and I generally try to buy myself something if we ARE going to eat inside (as well as try and sit around the corner where it is quiet and not so obvious that we brought outside food in). They DO have peanut products for sale in the cafeteria though...so obviously it is key to wipe down surfaces to help avoid cross-contamination with allergens.

Current traveling exhibitions--
Race to the End of the Earth...about Antarctica (more interesting for older children).
Curious George...this was a FAVE of my son's the last time it came through several years ago. We have yet to make it this time around (will probably go next week) but I KNOW my daughter will be stoked, as she is now a big Curious George fan.

Let's Start at the Very Beginning...a Very Good Place to Start!!

Have you ever been out and about with your favorite little person and needed to find somewhere with a changing table, a clean restroom, or a water fountain? Have you ever been out and about on a hot day and all you really want is to find a kid-friendly place with comfy chairs, air-conditioning, and maybe even something for you to drink without resorting to snagging a warm juice box from the diaper bag? Have you ever thought about how great it would be to find all kinds of fun things to do with your kiddos, preferably free or on the cheap? Well, here is a source for finding all those places and more!! I know there are bigger websites and I love referring to them...but I want to share what I find in a more personal way with ya'll.

Just a bit about me...my name is Julie and I am a stay-at-home homeschooling mama to two sweet kiddos...known online as Bug and Sweetpea. My son is eight and my daughter is four and they definitely keep me busy-busy!! But even before I was a mom, I had plenty of experience with kiddos...as the oldest in a family of seven kids, as a regular babysitter, as a camp counselor, as a missionary working with orphan children in Romania, and as a nanny for several years. So I know just how great it is to find a changing table that actually has liners and a working buckle, how terrific it is to find a little known place where the kiddos can have a blast without hurting your pocketbook, and how awesome it can be to find a family restroom so you can feel secure in letting an independent little guy go to the bathroom by himself without wondering about creepy people, dirty restrooms, or if the little guy is pulling ALL the paper towels out of the holder!!

Since I am just starting out, my first reviews will be to places I go with my munchkins...zoos, museums, aquariums, indoor kiddie play places, various parks and bookstores, kid-friendly fast food places, and more. As the blog grows and gains followers who tell me of other places I will be able to expand it to even more fun places. With my son having a peanut allergy I will also be posting what places we avoid, what places are safe, and what safety measures we take to keep him healthy and out of the ER!!

I am aware that there are a few books on the subject out there. Unfortunately most of the more concise books deal more with the Dallas side of the Metroplex, and the only one I've found that was more Fort-Worth oriented is rather dated and again the websites don't seem as personal. So there ya go!! Here's hoping this grows into something great!!