American Museum of Natural History

A heavy downpour when waking up made us change our plans to go camping. Rain was everywhere! So we decided to head to the American Museum of Natural History.The first hour driving was tough but then we arrived in NYC and parked right at the Museum. 

Silvan loved running around the dinosaurs, asked about the bones. Death was yet again a big conversational piece. Why are they dead? What happened to them? Didn't they have enough antibodies? Why is your Oma dead? Did death come and visit Oma, too? Reading fairtales, such as The Nightingale, realizing that I have a grandma, too. He actually suggested making me a new one with his duplo blocks.

Then we went spent time in the African Mammal exhibit, asking questions about the rhinos, the mandrills, gorillas, how protects whom, and why which animal fights or what they eat, telling stories about the different exhibit pieces, seeing gigantic earthworms. I was fascinated by the plants on display, and read about the different flora.

Then we went to see some cultural exhibits - a snail men and a shell costume, a tool to weave. Too bad the labels were not saying much about these pieces.

Then we did a quick trip through the Solar system and learned about the meteors that hit the earth and destroyed the aforementioned dinosaurs.

All in all a good visit. Similar to Silvan's first birthday , but just a ton more questions. We stayed until closing and then ate really well at a nearby vegan/organic restaurant, which turned out very affordable and kid-friendly, and a great option for me not eating dairy. Afterwards we stopped at a playground in Central Park before heading home, (and getting gas in New York City, which was another adventure by itself - who would have thought to find gas stations in the first floor of buildings) and both kids slept on the drive home.