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Thursday 29 May 2014

When Vee met a Mammoth

Evening all.

On Wednesday we were invited to the Natural History Museum in London to see the Mammoths Ice Age Giants, an exciting a new exhibition created by The Field Museum, Chicago that opened on the 23rd of May and is here until the 7th September. This is a rare chance to get an insight into these gargantuan beasts lives and the chance to see Lyuba, the most complete woolly mammoth ever found in the exhibition.





You get to go back in time to the Ice Age world of mammoths, looking at the science behind their incredible lives and come face to face with life-sized models and skeletons! You can discover prehistoric giants such as the mastodon, the fearsome sabre-tooth cat and the giant cave bear. The exhibition is special in how it's been created with a clear emphasis on how children love to touch, with around 70% of the exhibition being touch oriented and I don't mean touchscreen either! Actual exhibits for the kids to touch, feel and learn about these amazing creatures skin felt, their hair and the sheer size of them.

On top of being a touchy feely exhibit there was an emphasis on activity and fun for children while they learn at the same time. I do have a video of Vee and me using some of the more fun and game exhibits which I'll be uploading overnight and adding soon.

One of the special exhibits on display had to be Lyuba the 42,000 year old baby Mammoth, I'd read up on her discovery previously and seeing her up close and personal was special to me as silly as that sounds. We all live and die with minimal change to the world around us (with exception of those around us) but in Lyuba's passing she left crucial information with her, from her mothers milk inside her stomach to her complete preservation which gives the world the insight of how amazing these creatures were.

As a whole the Mammoths Ice Age Giants is a fantastic exhibition hosted at the museum. With a family ticket (2 adults and 3 children) priced at £28. For London that's pretty reasonable. especially if you're hitting lots of museums for a day out! And made more fun with all the other fantastic exhibitions too!

Vee loved the exhibits, especially the ones designed to be touched, played with and climbed upon, even if I bored her taking photos. But when she noticed the dinosaur skeleton in the main hall she was in awe. she wanted to stay to sit and talk to it and offer the skeleton a cup of magic tea!

There is so, so much I want to tell you about, but to do that would be a spoiler to those who are going soon and a hint to others to go, go NOW!

A couple of things to note though, While the museum is accessible for those with disabilities. The nearest underground station, South Kensington is not step free. It could be best to come in from Victoria station approximately a mile away which is step free from memory.

If there is anything you'd like to know without spoilers please drop a comment below and I'll respond as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading.
Paul and Vee!


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