By Judi Platt
The atmospheric conditions had to be just right for this trip to Norwich, Vermont. The clouds that had lingered in the Upper Valley for several days opened up as if on cue and prompted me to once again throw out the suggestion to my son, daughterin- law, grandson, and husband to visit the Montshire Museum. It was met with an enthusiasm that could only be described as “temperate”—which was a couple notches above the usual response to a suggestion for any activity that involves being indoors.
So, when three generations of Platts approach the sprawling building, the guys’ eyes immediately zero in on the trails encircling the 110-acre property, but my daughter-in-law and I propel them through the automatic doors, reminding them that the reason for this visit is a 5-year-old with boundless energy and curiosity. Sparkling displays in the entryway delay our entrance. Who knew that tubes of dripping oil and water could be so mesmerizing?
To say that we are unprepared for the level of activity inside the building would be an understatement. All five of our jaws drop and our eyes widen in amazement when we walk into the main hall and become engulfed in its brilliance and bustle.
Ryan explores chaotic orbits. / Judi Platt
What to do first? Which direction to go? Should we start on the ground floor, or go upstairs where museum staff are conducting educational sessions? Dozens of colorful sounds and sights beckon all at once. The museum has 140 exhibits, most of them hands-on activities, so the choices are overwhelming for us first time visitors.
We opt to begin with the ground floor exhibits. Pint-sized visitors scramble from one to the other while their larger companions try to keep up with them. Our young one is drawn to a round table with brightly colored balls. He beams as he experiences the wonders of centrifugal force.
Next, some natural history. We peer into tanks of turtles and fish that are native to the Upper Valley’s waters. Then on to the bubble maker, a very popular activity, it seems, as youngsters stand and wait turns to create bubbles the size of hula hoops. I look around and find my husband, the museum skeptic, at one of the tables, testing his prowess with an enthusiasm I’m sure he never had in college chemistry. Together, we challenge each other’s knowledge at other exhibits, neither of us as knowledgeable about Upper Valley flora and fauna as we had thought.
An hour and half into our explorations, we still have another floor and all the outdoor exhibits to enjoy. Even on a damp, cloudy day, the park-like surroundings beckon visitors of all ages with acoustical exhibits and water attractions. There are more exhibits, indoors and out, than we have energy for in a single afternoon. If the Montshire were a mall, we could say that we shopped ’til we dropped.
We never did make it to the hiking trails, so there is only one thing to do—plan a return visit sometime soon. And we may not wait for the grandkids to visit. The Montshire Museum of Science, which coincidentally was founded the same year as the first homes were being built in Eastman, offers programs for adults—no accompaniment by children under 18 required.
Montshire Museum of Science is in Norwich, VT, directly off exit 13 on I-91. For more information about the museum, go to www.montshire.org.
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