This is what happens...

...when you spend the day at the museum, then totally cave in the gift shop and let your kids take home a couple of souvenirs.

 

 I didn't ask them to make these diaramas--in fact, I didn't even know they were doing it until they showed me their finished projects!

 

 So maybe it's not such a bad thing to be a pushover sometimes?

 :-)  

Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays, KS

 Remember when Kansas was a big shallow sea?

 

 

Yeah, me neither!   

We weren't around to see it then, but lots of fascinating (and some terrifying!) creatures called it home.   

This handsome fellow is a Mosasaur.  His toothy grin probably swallowed fish and other aquatic animals, unlucky birds, and other Mosasaurs.  Try this site for lots of cool details about his teeth and bones.

 

And this lovely lady is called I-Will-So-Totally-Bite-Your-Leg-Off-Without-Even-Trying.  OK, not really.  I forgot to take a picture of her sign so I don't remember her name but she's clearly not one to be trifled with.  

(Update: Dad informed me that this is the same fish as the one below, Xiphactinus.  As far as I'm concerned, the above is still completely valid.)

 The Sternberg museum is one of our all-time favorite places.  Here is (a replica of) Mr. Sternberg himself, making a very important discovery...

 

And here is the same discovery, all cleaned up and displayed on the wall.  This particular Xiphanctinus was busy digesting his lunch when he died and began the slow process of fossilizing.  How unfortunate for him, but fortunate for us!

The museum also has an extensive collection of dinosaur bones and recreations.  This Carcharodontosaurus (shark-toothed lizard) was doubtless an impressive hunter, and is only surpassed in size by the Giganotosaurus (hella big lizard.)

Not everyone sported big, flashy fangs though.  Who needs fangs, when you've got a cool pair of wings?

Of course, no dinosaur museum would be complete without something that frightens small children.  My kids love waking up the motion-activated T-Rex, but they always check for stray toddlers first.

 

We had lots of fun at the Sternberg Museum.  Hope you're having a fun summer, too!

Caldwell Zoo, Tyler, TX

 

 

The Depot Museum, Henderson, TX

We enjoyed our visit to The Depot Museum and Children's Discovery Center in Henderson, TX!  The main building has lots of interesting exhibits about the history of Rusk county, from native peoples until WWII.

  

Until the oil business superseded it, cotton was king in East Texas.

  

Dude checked out the wagon's suspension and predicted a bumpy ride!

   Super said the hat pins were cool...and scary.

Not as scary as this hair curling contraption!

 

 

  No perm is worth electrocution, in my opinion! 

 We had just talked about ration coupons a few days before, so it was great to see some examples.

This teacher's desk is a lot neater than mine!

 There were several old radios and this gramophone (no, kids, I'm not that old!)

I was trying to take a picture of the inside of an old radio...but I got myself instead!

Next door to the museum is the historic Beall-Ross home, built in about 1884.

Maybe I should stop complaining about my tiny laundry room...

...or I could just whip up some new clothes for my whole family.

 The original Mount Enterprise gin is part of the museum as well.

(That's cotton, not tonic!)

 Super said the pressed cotton reminded her of insulation.

 

The museum complex also has a restored sawmill...

 ...a log cabin...

...a blacksmith's shop (with fire extinguisher handy)...

...and a doctor's office. I wonder how many people took one look at that examination table and suddenly felt much better!

The print shop was really interesting.  It was also air-conditioned so we lingered a while.

 There was an old general store...

 ...and a restored caboose from the old Missouri-Pacific line.

All these exhibits were interesting, but the last building we toured was by far the most, um, unusual.  The Depot Museum is home to the "most publicized historical marker in the state."

That's right, this little building.

Are you ready to see it?

  

This "Victorian three-holer" has a glass window and three different-sized holes for different family members.  Quite luxurious for the time!

 

The sign above it says it's non-functioning.  (That's OK, we weren't tempted.)

 

We had a lot of fun at this museum, and we learned about the history of East Texas, too!