Portland Museum of Art: A Morning at the Museum on My Kid-Free Day in Maine

While my girls are in camp, I like to spend some quiet time exploring different cities.  After a hectic day in Boston, I decided to slow it down and head to Portland, Maine for the day to enjoy some relaxing ‘Me Time’.  My first stop was the gorgeous Portland Museum of Art.  I’d been here years ago on a quick trip so I was anxious to be able to spend as much time as I wanted. 

It’s hard to walk by the museum without giving it a second glance.  The courtyard outside has some beautiful sculptures so I had to stop and take a look.  The first thing I noticed was the sculpture that looked very familiar since I just saw one very similar at the CMCA in Rockland, Maine. 

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Boston Museum of Fine Art: Mummies, Monet, and More

When you think of a fine arts museum you may imagine boring halls filled with old portraits, security shushing people, and bored children trailing behind their parents.  This is not the case at the Boston Fine Arts Museum. Not only do they have hundreds of famous paintings, they also have mummies, statues, jewelry, and weapons that will capture anyone’s attention.  The Boston Museum of Fine Art, with more than 450,000 works of art, is difficult to see in one day, but with a little planning, you can see it all.  The museum is separated into different wings such as Art of Ancient World, Art of Asia, Oceania and Africa, And Contemporary Art. Let me take you around to see our favorite areas of the museum:

Your experience of the MFA begins before you even walk inside.  The museum has some really unique pieces of art right outside.  These doll heads are my daughters’ favorites! 

I personally love Indian Hunter (Paul Manship, 2002) as the hunter and Pronghorn Antelope (and Paul Manship, 2002) as his prey.

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Boston Museum of Science: A Top Pick for Family Activities in Boston

If you’re looking for something the whole family can do while you’re in Boston, look no further than the Museum of Science.  Like many big museums, it’s always best to plan your day out before going, so don’t miss anything.  There are so many fun things to do there that I suggest you check out the website and, as a family, decide what you want to do together.  While my girls were at camp, I got to go alone and I had just as much fun as I do when they come with me, so it is also a great activity when you’re traveling to Boston solo.

Here are 10 things my family likes to do when visiting the Boston Museum of Science:

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Castle in the Clouds

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New Hampshire has many special places to view the colorful change of foliage.  At Castle in the Clouds, in Moultonborough, you will be transported back to the early 1900’s to the home of Thomas Plant.  However, do not rush straight up to the castle, take your time and make a few stops along the way. 

What is the first stop? Well…

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Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine

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If you are in Portland, Maine and looking for something aimed especially for your kids…this is the place to go.  The Children’s Museum & Theater of Maine has four levels of fun that the entire family will enjoy.  Their mission statement says it all: “The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine exists to inspire discovery and imagination through exploration and play.”

We spent our morning at the museum and the girls had such a great time using their imagination.  Let me take you on a tour of our day.

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Heritage Museums and Gardens, Cape Cod

Heritage Museums and Gardens mytravelingkids.com

When I go to Cape Cod, it is all about relaxing and recharging.  I love all the beautiful beaches and taking long walks while shopping in downtown areas.  When I travel I like to take in the culture of my destination and Heritage Museum and Gardens, located in Sandwich, is the perfect place to experience classic Cape Cod.  There is something for everyone here and a lovely way to spend half a day.  Let me tell you about my day at this unique spot.

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McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

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In Concord, NH there is a great place that is a tribute to 2 New Hampshire space pioneers: Alan Shepard, America’s first astronaut to travel into space, and NASA’s teacher-in-space, Christa McAuliffe.  This small discovery center is filled with many hands-on activities that teach families about space.  It is a fun place to spend a few hours.  A few of our favorite experiences included:

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Currier Museum

Currier Museum of Art

Southern New Hampshire residents have a gem of a museum right in our backyard. The Currier Museum, located in Manchester, is the perfect way to spend an afternoon filled with culture.  The museum has a large collection of American and European art.  They even have a Picasso as well as a Monet.  The paintings are well labeled and at times there are even detailed place cards displayed that you can use to better understand what you are looking at. 

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SEE Science Center

SEE Science Center Mytravelingkids.com

The SEE Science Center is located in one of the beautiful old mill buildings in Manchester, NH.  It consists of 2 floors of hands-on exhibits that cater to toddlers as well as older kids.  I loved that each activity explains the science behind it, as well as encourages kids to make a hypothesis or align the activity to a part of their lives. 

 Kids will have so much fun exploring topics such as force, light, sound, electricity, simple machines, and much more.  My girls were entertained for 2 hours and could have kept going. It is a fun place to use your creativity (pretending the submarine is under attack) while also getting out some energy (pulling yourself up with a pulley).  It is a great place that will hold the attention of both kids and parents and is filled with activities you can enjoy together.

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Boston Museum of Science

Boston Museum of Science mytravelingkids.com

If you are in Boston and looking for something that all ages will enjoy, the Boston Museum of Science is a safe bet.  It is one of our favorite places and there is so much to do that we never do the entire thing in one day. Our typical visit includes exploring the different wings of the museum, seeing a few shows, and having lunch in the cafeteria.  There are so many different things to do that no two visits are ever the same.  Here are a few of our favorite things to do:

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