City: New Haven, CT

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (203) 432-5050

Address: 170 Whitney Ave.

Description: You’ll see crowds of excited children flocking to the life-size torosaurus outside before you see the museum’s sign above what looks like a church, and in a way it is: a church of science. The halls dedicated to explaining evolution are punctuated with (among other marvels) a Homo erectus skeleton that is 1.6 million years old. But your kids will drag you through the hall of mammals, past the Irish elk, the mastodon, and the glyptodont shell to the hall of reptiles. Of course, the great apatosaurus and stegosaurus skeletons draw the most interest, but the giant Archelon turtle is just as spectacular. Upstairs is a great collection of gems and minerals, with sections focusing on Connecticut’s own geology, and the North American mammals and birds section does the same. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the land beneath our feet. All the way in the back of this floor you’ll find the mummy, hidden in the Egypt room. Don’t miss the small intermediate floor and the Discovery Room, where you can look down on the hall of reptiles and Rudolph Zallinger’s amazing mural. The glass is usually fogged with the breath of wide-eyed kids. The leaf-cutter ant colony and live poison dart frogs will grab their attention as well.