Feeding Time at The Children’s Museum in West Hartford

Please note: This post was originally published in 2018, and while it should still give you a good overview of the experience, it may also contain some outdated information. Please be sure to visit The Children’s Museum website for the most current information, especially about things like hours & pricing. Find more information about daily animal demonstrations and feeding here.

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2018 Post:

Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.

Thank you to The Children’s Museum for giving my family complimentary admission to the Museum for the purpose of writing this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Did you know that my very first post for this blog was about The Children’s Museum in West Hartford? Yup. I cringe to even link to it here because well, it was my very first post for this blog. Basically, I had no idea what I was doing 🙂

Now that was back in 2011, and since then The Children’s Museum has worked very hard to make lots of updates and improvements to keep this historic museum (established in 1927, it’s the fifth oldest children’s museum in the country!) current for today’s inquisitive kiddos. And it’s still staying true to it’s science-centered roots.

Last fall, when The Children’s Museum debuted their holiday exhibit, GingerBread Lane, it seemed like the perfect excuse to check out the changes made in the half decade plus since my last visit.

The logistics have remained largely unchanged. Still a big parking area behind the building.

Conny the Whale is still hanging out in the front yard 🙂

And there are some other prehistoric friends out front too.

The admission desk is still in the same spot.

And there is still a large area for coats (and strollers because although the building is fully handicapped accessible from outside entrances, it’s not stroller-friendly).

So much has changed about the Museum’s offerings over these past years. And there are some really neat exhibits and activities! But the thing that really blew us away on this visit (and I don’t think it’s even new!) is Feeding Time. Did you know about this?

Pretty much every day at 3:00pm, all the animals in the Museum get fed. It’s one part exhibition and one part hands-on experience, and my kids went crazy for it!

And today I am going to give you an inside look at this unique activity.

But first, let me give you a tour of some of the other areas of the Museum that we explored that day.

Of course, these photos are all from back in November when the GingerBread Lane exhibit was in full swing. I’m still waiting to hear back from the Museum about what is (or is going to be) in that space now. But in the room along with the seasonal display, there was also this permanent exhibit: a group of different challenge stations.

We didn’t have time for a Planetarium show that day, but that would make a fun add-on as well.

Next we stumbled upon an old favorite: Turtle Town.

This whole area was completely different than it was during my 2011 visit.

Off this large room there are two smaller rooms. Lizard Lair:

And Imagination Playground:

We still had some time until the 3:00 feeding, so even though at ages 4 & 7 my kids are on the way out for this, we checked out the new and improved toddler area: Critter Crossing.

By then it was time to head over to the Wildlife Sanctuary for Feeding Time. We got there a little early to have a look around first. I remember this room from our initial visit here too.

The Wildlife Sanctuary houses animals that were abandoned pets or, in some cases, confiscated by the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. It’s truly a sanctuary, where these animals get a second chance at a comfortable life.

Before we knew it, it was 3:00pm and a couple of the Museum staff rolled in a cart filled with some strange (and not so strange) looking meals.

We talked with the staff members about some of the different meals and which animals were likely to eat which items. We learned that many of the animals in this room like fruits and vegetables just like we do. Some of those bowls even looked pretty tasty!

Then it was chow time!

After we finished the rounds in the Wildlife Sanctuary, we took a quick jaunt outside to feed Seneca the coyote and Loki the raccoon.

Back inside the Museum, the boys were given a very important task: carrying food downstairs for the turtles in Turtle Town.

Next it was time to feed the turtles in the tanks. It was like fish food. The boys got to take little handfuls and drop it in.

This big guy got a hunk of fish. We just watched this one 🙂

Lastly, we headed to the Lizard Lair where each of these frisky little guys got a handful or two of live crickets. I did not offer to participate in that either 🙂

This was such a unique experience! The perfect way to end our afternoon of exploration and discovery. And it happens every day here at the Museum! (For more fun with the resident wildlife, you can also find a full schedule of all animal demonstrations here.)

This Museum has come so far since my first visit back in 2011. Now with a 4-year-old and a 7-year-old in tow, I can really see how the many hands-on exhibits cater to kids of multiple ages. But getting to meet all the animals and learn about their eating habits really made the experience memorable for us. So I hope that whether you are a new visitor or a regular patron, you’ll stick around for Feeding Time on your next visit.

 

 

 

 

The Children’s Museum

950 Trout Brook Drive, West Hartford, Connecticut

Phone: (860) 231-2824

Find them on Facebook!

Hours (2018):

Winter Hours for 2018 are as follows:

Tuesday – Saturday: 9:00am to 4:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am to 4:00pm

Please visit their website for the most up-to-date information on the Museum’s hours as schedules may change seasonally.

Pricing (2018):

Details:

Stroller Friendly: NO
Coffee Mug Friendly: NO
Restroom: YES
Baby Changing Station: YES, in both the men’s and women’s restrooms
Parking: YES
Food for Sale: There are vending machines in the Museum for a quick snack. If you’re looking for something more substantial, the Museum is located just a few steps from West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square. There are many places to eat within a few blocks. Step out for lunch and come back to the museum for more fun– your admission is good for all day!
Outside Food Allowed: YES, but only in designated areas.
Cash Required: Only for vending machines
Age Recommendations: I don’t know what the Museum’s official age recommendation is, but I would say toddlers and up (under 2 admission is probably free for a reason!). But be prepared that Critter Crossing (and a quick tour of the animals) will probably be your main destination if your kiddos are under 3. Most of the other hands-on activities are better suited to preschool and elementary school kids. And now that I think about it, most of them have written instructions so if your kiddo is a reader, even better! Non-readers will need plenty of adult assistance 🙂
Dress Code: N/A
Evening/Weekend Hours: YES, the Museum is open on weekends.
Discounts: The Children’s Museum participates in the ASTC and ACM reciprocal programs, which offers FREE or reduced admission to those with reciprocal memberships from other museum. Be sure to see the individual guidelines of each program for details and to see if you qualify for the discount. Get more information about membership here.
Birthday Party Venue: YES. Get more info here.

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