family fun - april 2009

Picks of the Month

Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home, a green-built exhibit at Betty Brinn Children’s Museum encourages families to spend time together outdoors and inspires children to discover and care for the natural resources that sustain our planet. Built by the museum in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, the exhibit will be here only until May 31 and is a must-see for families with young children. See our cover feature for all the details.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO

10001 W. Bluemound Road. Just 10 minutes from downtown Milwaukee at Highway 45 and Interstate 94. Open 365 days a year. Ph. (414) 256-5412 or www.milwaukeezoo.org.

It’s always a good time to visit the Milwaukee County Zoo, one of the premier zoological parks in the country.

Egg Day on April 11 begins at 9 a.m. and includes the Hop-to-It Bunny Scavenger Hunt from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. At 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m., visit the U.S. Bank Gathering Place for the bubble Wonders Show and an Easter Parade steps off from the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm at 2 p.m.

Family free day is April 4 with free admission from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Behind-the-scenes weekend is set for March 14-15

Plan ahead for the Wings from Down Under, a special exhibit on display May 23-Sept. 7. More than 1,000 beautiful birds from Australia will fly freely in naturalistic habitats.

BETTY BRINN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

929 E. Wisconsin Ave. Ph. 414-291-0888 Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. www.bbcmkids.org

Programs include:

• Tot Time, ages 1 to 3 with parent or caregiver, 10:30 a.m. Tuedays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays. Toddlers will enjoy sing-alongs, finger-play, stories, and art experiences. Adults learn how these experiences impact early childhood development.
  
  
  
• Pre-School Pop-in, ages 3-5, 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Pre-schoolers participate in music, movement and visual art activities that encourage early reading and introduce beginning math concepts. Adults learn about age-appropriate activities that stimulate a child's development.

Special events:

Neighborhood Night April 16 means free admission from 5-8 p.m.

The new special exhibit – Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home, opened in March and continues through May 31. Check it out in this month’s cover feature.

THE MUSEUM CENTER
800 W. Wells St.

Includes Milwaukee Public Museum, one of the world's best natural history museums (Ph. 278-2700); and the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater 414-319-IMAX. www.mpm.edu

TITANIC: THE ARTIFACT EXHIBITION continues through May 25, 2009. Authentic artifacts and room-recreations tell the story of the 2,228 passengers aboard the Titanic during her ill-fated maiden voyage. Learn haunting tales of lives abruptly ended or forever altered when the Titanic collided with an iceberg on April 14, 1912.

THE HEBIOR Mammoth, a specimen with great significance to the state of Wisconsin, is now on display. Found less than 30 miles from Milwaukee in Kenosha County, the mammoth is among a group of important findes that help date the early presence of humans in North America.

Special events:

An Overnight at the Museum is scheduled for April 17-18. Kids can spend the night with the dinosaurs, mummies and rainforest creatures of the museum. Specially planned, staff-led activities and special Planetarium or IMAX show. 414-278-2714. Registration required.

Latino Celebrations of Culture April 3-4 gives kids a chance to learn about the traditions of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central American and South America. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. both days.

The Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater in the Museum Center, the only IMAX theater in the state, doubles as a state-of-the-art digital planetarium.

Current IMAX shows:

• "Ghosts of the Abyss" in which Academy Award winning director and storyteller James Cameron journeys back to the legendary wreck of the Titanic (through June 11, 2009)
• "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure” brings extraordinary marine reptiles of the dinosaur age to life in a remarkable journey into the relatively unexplored world of “other” dinosaurs, those reptiles that lived beneath the water (through Oct. 1).

The Daniel M. Soref Planetarium in the IMAX currently is offering three shows:

• "Night of the Titanic," a tale of how human error and natural disaster sank the "unsinkable" ship (through May 24).
• Rock Star 2,” a cosmic light show featuring rock selections from the late ‘60s through the early ‘90s (through June 11).
• Astronaut” answers the question of what it takes to become an astronaut and gives a first-hand look at the lives of the men and women who travel through space through Oct. 1).

Call 414-319-4629 for IMAX planetarium show times and reservations.

DISCOVERY WORLD at PIER WISCONSIN

500 N. Harbor Dr. 765-9966. The newest addition to Milwaukee’s world-class lineup of museums and visitor attractions is the home of the 19th century re-creation of a Great Lakes sailing vessel, the Denis Sullivan. Until the ship is returns for the summer season, the Discovery World Museum offers saltwater and fresh water aquariums, interactive exhibits created by several of the city’s leading corporations and the HIVE, a virtual-reality chamber that puts visitors into 30 simulated environments.. Open to the public from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun. www.discoveryworld.org.

Milwaukee’s popular Segway tours have moved to Discovery World. See KeyMilwaukee.com tours for all the details.

Special exhibits at Discovery World:

• “City of Freshwater” focuses on Milwaukee’s leadership role in use of its water resources.

• "Les Paul's House of Sound," a tribute to the famed Wisconsin guitarist Les Paul.

• Briggs & Stratton's "Milwaukee Muscle" exhibit, which allows visitors to design a vehicle of the future

•"Energy & Ingenuity: Harnessing the Power of You" developed by the Wisconsin Energy Foundation

MISCELLANEOUS FUN

PLAY BALL! The Milwaukee Brewers open the season this month at Miller Park. See KeyMilwaukee.com sports for the schedule and take the whole family to a game.

COMEDYSPORTZ at 420 S. 1st St. continues to provide improvisational comedy suitable for the whole family. Shows every week 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.  Also 10 p.m. Friday amateur (18+) stand up session. Call 272-8888 for show times and reservations or visit www.comedysportz.com. Be sure to use our KeyMilwaukee.com coupon for extra savings.

THE NEVERENDING STORY, through April 5; First Stage Children's Theater presents story of young boy who steals the book Neverending Story and becomes drawn into the book and the dying land of Fantastica. Todd Wehr Theater of Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St. Best appreciated by children 6 and up, teens and adults. 273-7206.

STORY TIMES IN THE Milwaukee Art Museum galleries are scheduled for April 4, 11, 18 & 25. Noon.

MSO KINDERKONERT, April 5; The Milwaukee Symphony presents a concert for kids at 2 p.m. in the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St.

HOW I BECAME A PIRATE, April 17-May 17; First Stage Children’s Theater presents a story of adventure and finding one’s own heart – a path that can’t be found on a treasure map. Staged on the Todd Wehr Theater of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. 273-7206.

45TH ANNUAL COIN SHOW, April 2-4; South Shore Coin Club’s annual show hosts dealers offering coins, paper money and stamps at the Wyndham Airport Hotel, 700 4747 S. Howell Ave. 1-6 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. 384-7966.