Art Museum Fun!

Keeping the calendar full during our summer is goal #1.  Keeping the calendar full and not sweating my ba-donka-donk off, goal #2.  Keeping the calendar full and exposing the girls to all that our area has to offer, goal #3!  I’d say we hit a home-run with today’s visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art!

My grandfather, a member of the museum, informed me about the Art Splash exhibit going on until September 2nd.  Many of the activities are for children ages 3-5, perfect for my group!  And each week the theme changes, so you can make a weekly trip out of it and the scene never gets old!

We met my grandfather at the back of the museum and then waited for the complimentary trolly to take us to the Perelman Building around the corner.  The girls had a great time on the special commute!

When we arrived at the Perelman Building, we were once again greeted by extremely friendly and helpful employees of the museum.  We walked to the corridor that had all of the hands-on activities for children.  The brightly colored tables welcomed the girls to make their own stuffed animals!  There was an instructor and several other employees assisting us along the way.  Samantha drew her own lion head and we helped her cut it out and sew it, she glued on button eyes and stuffed it herself.  Olivia had me draw a spider for her stuffy.  Then they played with the giant foam animal blocks and climbed inside the cardboard castle.  We also did the seek-n-finds in the galleries along that hallway.

While waiting for the trolly ride back to the main building (arrives every 10-15 minutes), we hung out in the Book Nook room.  It was such a well decorated and welcoming area.  The girls enjoyed reading familiar books in this inviting setting.  Had we gone on a kid-friendly tour, this is also where the tour met.  (We elected not to since it was nearing lunch time.)

After our trolly ride back to the main building.  We walked to the cafeteria and had a delicious lunch!  Did you know that all of the food is run by the Stephen Starr’s catering group?  We could have brought our own food I believe, but it was nice to pack nothing more than crackers, a banana, and the baby’s milk!  After lunch we spotted a giant wall chalkboard!  A man came out of his office to thank the girls for decorating it and handed them shiny griffon stickers.  It was such a small gesture, and yet so appreciated!

Splish!  Splash!

Our final destination (after their great-grandpa spoiled them at the store with griffon stuffies of their own), the famous “Rocky Stairs”!  First, the girls giggled and enjoyed the mist coming off the fountain, and then we climbed down the stairs and they ran back up the 72 stone stairs, famous from the Rocky movies.  Finally, we headed back home after our perfectly relaxed, entertaining, and very memorable 3 hour visit.  I look forward to bringing them back in a few years and enjoying more of the gallery aspects!

MOMMY-VISITOR TIPS:
*  It is stroller friendly, but if you can get away without one, do so.  Many galleries don’t allow strollers so you just have to park it outside that entryway.
*  I have a backpack as my purse/diaper bag.  To enter the art exhibit galleries I would have had to leave it on the stroller or check it with the Coat Check.
*  I typically wear the baby in an ERGO carrier on my back when she isn’t in the stroller or toddling around.  At the museum, nothing is allowed on your back, for safety reasons.  I totally get that, as her hands and legs are always reaching out and about.
*  Water bottles are fine!  Bring one!
*  I think our schedule worked out well, starting at Perelman and ending at the main building.
*  Comfy shoes, indeed!
*  Finally, check out the policies ahead of time, then you won’t be a rule-breaker like I was.  Sorry staff of Philly Art Museum for needing so many “reminders of the policy“.

My “Rocky’s” with griffons in hand

Disclosure:  I was given a free ticket for my honest review.  Children under 12 were free, but their review was “what a special special day” (well, that was Olivia’s, my almost 3 year olds, review).