We probably made a mistake by going to the Smithsonian Museum of African American History first. It’s next door. I think it was the soul food meal that put my husband and me into a food coma. Still, we wandered through the museum in search of dinosaurs, and it did not disappoint. They also have prehistoric animals, which I also find fascinating.
I wanted to see the butterflies next, but it wasn’t in operation. They have an enclosure filled with live butterflies, but perhaps funding was cut? We wandered through the stuffed bird exhibit next. Now that we have a birdfeeder, I find the stuffed birds a lot more interesting. I especially liked seeing the various woodpeckers, some of whom visit me in Boston.
They have an extensive gemstone and jewelry collection that we checked out next. Since I am not much of a jewelry girl, I didn’t fully appreciate the size of the gems. Still, it’s always fun to see the rocks and minerals, and their examples were quite large.
The food coma persisted, and we decided to leave early to take a nap. I think this museum is worth a full day of exploration, so we will have to come back!
p.s. Related posts:
50 Great Dinosaur Books for Kids + videos
16 Children’s Books About the Stone Age
The Natural History Museum in London
21 Great STEM Bird Books for Bird-Watching Kids
A Flock of Children’s Books about Birds
30 AMAZING Nonfiction Animal Picture Books
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
- ⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
- ⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
- Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
The Traveling Taco:
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- 2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
- Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
- Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
