Some of the permanent features include Nursery Rhyme Land for toddlers and Kidsville, a very cool kid-size town. People 6-years-old and older will enjoy the Discovery Room, where the wonders of science are brought to life as well as the outdoor Garden, where youngsters can explore nature. And a huge train model of the Connecticut shoreline will intrigue would-be engineers of any age.

The Children's Museum also hosts a number of changing exhibits throughout the year. Featured exhibits as of this writing include:

Discovery Garden: Children can enjoy fun and educational activities such as a climbing wall, bubble table, Dino Dig, simple machines, fresh water pond, smell garden, butterfly garden, vegetable and flower gardens, and a performance stage.

Benthic Explorer Submarine Exhibit: a real 2 person research submarine that children can climb into and experience "underwater" life and treasures. This exhibit includes a periscope, Archimedes' Buoyancy exhibit and Long Island sea life indentification. The Benthic Explorer Exhibit is open only during good weather and may have certain restrictions. Call for a calendar of special events and exhibits and to make sure the exhibits described here are still being held.

The very full calendar will also tell families about all the great programs. From field trips to seminars to courses and even musical performances, parents and their kids will find something great to do here several times each week. There is even a wonderful summer camp program that focuses on the environment, science, and the arts.

School and other groups can enjoy discounted admission, as well as a variety of group programs. Demystifying Science uses activities, discussions and demonstrations to explore inventors and inventions, simple machines, light is color, astronomy, and other scientific topics (group chooses topic). Structures helps students understand balance and support, two and three dimensional shapes, architectural design, and other related concepts. Topics include:

• Design a Town
• Simple Machines
• Building Bridges
• Mobiles
• and Cathedral.

Other programs cover art and history, and programs can be custom-made to suit any group's needs. Teacher Development Workshops are also available.

Traveling Exhibits include Starlab, a portable planetarium and Jeremy's Story, a modular exhibit about bias and what we can do to handle it.

In all, the Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut presents great educational opportunities that are also lots of fun for people of all ages. Give them a call to see what's happening now or to book a trip for your family or group.