Museums of Health and Medicine, England

The Summer 2012 issue of Granta, a British magazine of new writing, centers around medicine. It's filled with new fiction, memoirs, photo essays, and more, all focused on what medicine means to humankind and how medicine or medical issues have affected us as individuals and in totality.

On the inside back cover is a listing of museums of health and medicine in England. Granted, most people who read this blog are not in England, but one never knows when the opportunity to visit will arise. Plus, having a chance to check out these unique museums may serve as a catalyst to actually heading across the pond.

Here are the names of the museums, along with the summaries quoted from Granta (with links added by me), and corresponding websites.

Good health!

The Anaesthesia Heritage Centre
http://www.medicalmuseums.org/Anaesthesia-Heritage-Centre/
The Heritage Centre contains the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland's archives, museum and rare book collection. It is a unique resource for research into the history of anaesthesia.

Bethlem Royal Hospital Archives & Museum
http://www.bethlemheritage.org.uk/
Explore a selection of work by 'outsider' artists (including Scottie Wilson and Madge Gill) drawn from Bethlem's outstanding collections, on display in the museum. Please see website for opening hours.

Chelsea Physic Garden
http://www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/
Something new at London's oldest botanic garden: the inspiring Garden of Edible and Useful Plants in now open, bringing you closer to the plants that are inextricably woven into our everyday lives.

For more field trip ideas,
check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

Foundling Museum
http://www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk/
Celebrating the way artists of all disciplines have helped improve children's lives for over 270 years. Dickens & the Foundling includes contributions from actress Gillian Anderson and writer Armando Iannucci.

Freud Museum
http://www.freud.org.uk/
The final home of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis. Discover his intriguing study and iconic couch. The museum hosts an exciting programme of events and contemporary exhibits.

Royal Society of Medicine
http://www.rsm.ac.uk/
Human Race: inside the science of sports medicine exploring the history, culture and science of sport and exercise and its impact on the human body.

Museum of Making Music

Interested in introducing your family to the music and musical instruments of the 20th century? Then the Museum of Making Music is a must-see for you!

Located in beautiful Carlsbad, California, right next to Legoland, the Museum of Making Music is a hidden gem. Tucked away in an office complex, it's easy to miss, but don't make that mistake!

Organized into five galleries, MOMM begins with American music at the turn of the 20th century. Each subsequent gallery covers two decades of American music and the history that inspired it. Period instruments, on loan from manufacturers and collectors, line the walls. Interactive displays allow visitors to hear what the instruments sound like, as well as music from the era. Marketing, distribution, and innovations of each era are covered, giving a complete sense of the development of the American music scene.

But, best of all, each gallery has at least one hands-on instrument for visitors to play. What a terrific way to engage children in the sounds and experience of music. In Gallery Five, the museum has at least a dozen hands-on instruments, as well as an interactive wall-sized computer screen for visitors to learn about World Music.

Entrance to MOMM is very reasonable, and they accommodate school, homeschool, and scout groups.

For more field trip ideas,
check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

In addition to the galleries, MOMM hosts regular music events, some of which are free. Check online for details.

If a visit to the museum isn't in your future, still take the time to check out the MOMM website. It is filled with information geared toward education.

MOMM is one of those museums that we didn't know we needed until it was built. Now, it is a reason, in-and-of-itself, to visit Carlsbad.

Homeschooling Gift Idea: Museum Memberships

Homeschoolers love museums.

With classes, hands-on exhibits, and well-informed docents, museums provide interaction with a subject that no book or lecture ever could.

Homeschoolers know this, and take full advantage of their local museums.

Unfortunately, some museums can be pricey, especially when entire families are paying for admission.

So, a perfect gift for the homeschooling family in your life is a museum membership.

But which museum should you choose?

First, ask the parents what the family is studying and where the children's interest lie.

Second, do a quick online search of museums in their area with those interests in mind. You could search "San Francisco museums" or "Houston children's museums" or "Charleston science museums," for example.

Next, look at your museum-of-choice's membership offerings. Some offer gift memberships. Some include guest passes with the family memberships (so you can join in the homeschooling museum experience). Others even offer reciprocal entry at a discount or for free to other museums in the area, the state, or even the nation.

To make the gift more special for the family to open, purchase a book or game related to the museum and pop the membership information in with it. For instance, a book about Monet would go well with an art museum membership, while a game of Senet would work with an Egyptian museum membership. 

Finally, get ready for heartfelt thanks for your thoughtful and useful gift!

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Hiller Aviation Museum

The Hiller Aviation Museum, in San Carlos, California, offers a terrific aviation experience for flight fans of all ages.

Focused on the many historic achievements in flight from Northern California, the museum is filled with exhibits dating back to the dawn of flight in the 1800s, including the Avitor (an "aeroplane" that flew on the San Francisco Peninsula), a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer, and the Buhl Autogiro (a precursor to helicopters). The present includes a Pan Am Clipper, Boeing SST, and an exhibit about Women in Aviation. The future looks to the Oblique Wing, Blended Wing, and NASA Swing Wing. Engines are displayed, as are jet packs.

But the museum is not just about looking, it is also about experiencing. Visitors can try their virtual hand at flying and landing a flying platform and a helicopter, and check out the Flight Sim Zone.

Just outside the museum building sits the front end of an actual Boeing 747, where visitors can climb into the cockpit and see the incredible amount of switches, levers, and controls pilots use to keep a commercial jet going.

A children's area is provided downstairs with riding airplanes, coloring, and other hands-on activities for little ones.

For those interested in learning how old aircraft are brought back to life, the museum has a restoration workshop where visitors can watch through huge windows the dedicated craftsmen preparing new exhibits and lovingly restoring aviation's past.

For more field trip ideas,
check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips pageal Field Trips page.

The museum also provides many education and scout programs, as well as a monthly reading time and the Captain Michael King Smith Research Library. The museum store offers an extensive selection of aviation books, posters, crafts, gifts, and toys.

For airplane and helicopter watchers, the museum sits right next to the San Carlos Airport, and even has a raised observation area.

Finally, just down the road is a flight-themed Burger King, complete with an actual helicopter for children to play in and have their imaginations take flight.

Location, directions, admission hours, tickets prices, and membership information can all be found at the Hiller Aviation Museum's website.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Things We'd Like to See: The Magna Carta

Freedom. Citizens' rights. Constitutional government.

We in the United States of America all too often take these for granted. For generation upon generation we have lived with peaceful government transitions, the ability to challenge and test our rule of law, limited government power, and the right of the people to be heard.

Despite what many Americans might believe, this didn't begin with the the Declaration of Independence. Instead, the path to individual rights was forged centuries before with the Magna Carta in 1215.

The Magna Carta, literally the "Great Charter," granted political and civil liberties, greatly preducing the power of the English monarchy and allowing for the formation of a powerful Parliament. King John of England (1166 - 1216) was forced to sign it by Archbishop Stephen Langton and the most powerful barrons of England. This document forced the king to govern by pre-Norman laws and demonstrated that the reach of the monarchy could be limited by written edict.

The power of this document cannot be understated. Its influence can be seen in current British law, the Declaration of Rights in the Maryland Constitution of 1776, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights. Five and a half centuries before the Revolutionary War, the Magna Carta laid the groundwork for separation of Church and State, levying of taxes, right to trial by jury, and uniformity of weights and measures. While not a perfect document, (women's rights are virtually non-existent), it was an enormous leap forward in thinking and action.

We in the greater San Francisco Bay Area can now view this truly revolutionary document at the Legion of Honor. On loan from the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, the manuscript will be on view from May 7 through June 5. This once-in-a-lifetime event is an extraordinary opportunity to see the power of the written word.

When considering visiting this exhibit, please don't limit it to older children and youths. If you're able to go with other adults who can help with little kids (take them outside when the wiggles strike), please do. This document is intrinsic to all our lives. It's up to us, as homeschooling parents, to make it relevant to our entire family. Older students can certainly learn about and appreciate the Magna Carta's historical significance; younger students can focus on the interesting writing and colors, talk about the picture on the wax seal, or watch the people coming to visit. The Legion of Honor has many other on-going exhibits, as well. If you keep in mind these Tips for Successful Museum Visits, everyone should gain something positive from their visit.

For more field trip ideas,

check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

Admission is reasonably priced at $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for youths 13-17 and students with valid ID, and free for children 12 and under.

For more information on the Magna Carta, check out the following links:
Magna Carta to make rare appearance, San Jose Mercury News, 4/06/11
Legion of Honor, Magna Carta
Translated text of the Magna Carta
Magna Carta 1215
Wikipedia: Magna Carta
Books about the Magna Carta

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

"Exploring the Back Roads": Stretch Your Field-Trip Muscles

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. As an affiliate, I receive a small commission on items sold through my store or my affiliate link.


Homeschoolers love field trips. What better way to experience the world, than to actually get out and explore it?

Sometimes, however, we find ourselves stuck in a rut. We start going to the same museums, the same parks, the same historical sites. The kids get bored. We get bored. And the family ends up staying home.

If you live in, or plan to visit, the Bay Area of California, you now have no excuse! Peter Browning's book, Exploring the Back Roads: 28 Day Trips in the Greater Bay Area, is filled with new and interesting suggestions for places to go.

Dedicated to "the guy who invented second gear and the illegal U-turn," Browning's book opens up a world of field trips to even the least adventurous among us.

Exploring the Back Roads divides the greater Bay Area into four areas: Marin to the Sonoma Coast; Wine Country to the Geysers; Carquinez, the Delta, and Contra Costa; Santa Cruz Mountains, the Coast, and Old San Juan. Naturally, distances to these areas varies greatly depending on where in the Bay Area you live, but most can be easily done in one day. If some seem a bit far, include them in a two- or three-day trip, or tack them on to a road trip headed to a far-flung destination.

Browning provides plenty of information about each trip, such as pictures, maps, history, nearby parks and restaurants of interest, and so on. The ultimate destinations aren't an end unto themselves, but part of a greater journey on picturesque roads, past beautiful scenery, and through parts of our area most people miss.

Our family has done a few of the field trips (Lick Observatory, San Juan Bautista-Fremont Park, Santa Cruz to Castroville), adapting the suggested sites and drives to suit our family's interests and needs. We have noted even more of Browning's suggestions in our "Places We Like To See" binder (look for more information in a future article).

For more field trip ideas,
check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

A few suggestions for those using Exploring the Back Roads, or any other travel guide:
1) Check, either online or by phone, for current hours at your destination. Browning last updated his book in 2006, and some locations have made changes since then.

2) Map out your excursion using online or printed maps. You will get a better idea of actual drive times and distances from your location.

3) Either plan ahead for bathroom breaks, or be on the lookout while driving. I never cease to be amazed at how fast a child's bladder works once in the car.

So, pack a picnic, belt those kids in the car, and hit the road. Book-learning is good, but real-life learning is amazing!

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Places We'd Like to Visit: The Museum of American Finance

Money fascinates my eldest son. The variety of currencies. Their monetary relationship to each other. The power money wields. How money creates more money. So, when we read about the Museum of American Finance in the Wall Street Journal (Making Money a Must-See, April 16-17, 2011), we were itching to pack our bags and head to New York.

The Museum of American Finance (MOAF) is "the nation's only independent public museum dedicated to celebrating the spirit of entrepreneurship and the democratic free market tradition which has made New York City the financial capital of the world." Nowadays, many people may believe the free market system is broken, but regardless, understanding the foundation and history of our nation's financial markets can only lead to a better informed consumer and citizen.

MOAF boasts an interactive monetary exhibit, a gold Monoploy set, a historical display of piggy banks, interviews with 16 modern-day entrepreneurs, the Alexander Hamilton Room dedicated to our first Secretary of the Treasury, information on the current credit crisis, and information on past financial scandals.

The museum also offers classes at the Center for Financial Education. Classes range from "Real Fake" with Inspector Collector, aimed at grades K-6, to The Secret Life of Money: Currency Exploration for Adults, designed for college students and adults.

Hours, admission rates, and directions are available at http://www.moaf.org/contact/index.

For more field trip ideas,

check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

Unfortunately, at a time when our need for financial education is stronger than ever, the MOAF, which offers just the information we need, isn't doing well. Perhaps, people are intimidated by the name "American Finance." Or, maybe, people believe money is boring. Or, perhaps, folks believe they know all they need to about how money works. Regardless of the reason, one of the more important aspects of our modern lives is completely neglected in traditional teaching, so people must make the effort to seek out the information to teaching both themselves and their children. Only with knowledge will we avoid the mistakes of the past.

So, whether you're an argentum-phile (money lover) or argentum-phobe (money fearer), MOAF sounds like wonderful place to learn more about and experience the fascinating world of finance.

With a little luck, and money, maybe we'll see you there!

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo

Need a place to spend a few hours with your young children? Want a fun place that will engage their minds, bodies, and imaginations?

Check out the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo.

Geared toward children seven-years-old and younger, JMZ was voted 2007’s “Best Place to Take Kids on a Playdate,” the JMZ has a wonderful museum filled with hands-on science experiments, a crawling area, and information about energy creation and conservation. Through play, children learn about physics, math, geometry, and earth science. An added benefit for homeschoolers is socializing with other children!

The zoo houses many rescued animals, including bobcats, snakes, bats, fish, and a peacock. Native plants and lizards surround a beautiful solar-powered fountain.

One of the favorite indoor is the tennis ball ramp, which is comprised of gears, a large screw, overhead tubes, and wheels. Other popular exhibits include the hand-cranked fans (demonstrating wind power) and the animal den filled with stuffed animals and logs.

For more field trip ideas,

check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

The JMZ offers science programs for the groups, as well as classes, summer camps, and birthday parties for families.

The museum sits next to Rinconada Park, which has two play areas—one fenced-in on the parking lot side only and the other completely fenced, as well as picnic tables, benches, and loads of grass for running and playing.

Entrance to the JMZ is free, although a small donation of $3 per person is requested, and is well worth it.

Pack a picnic and a camera, and spend the afternoon at the Junior Museum & Zoo!

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Tips for Successful Museum Visits

Homeschoolers spend lots of time in museums, experiencing the artefacts, artwork, and hands-on exhibits that enrich learning. But, not all museums are appropriate for all children. The San Jose Museum Examiner, Sharon Cathcart, has some wonderful ideas on preparing families for a visit to a museum.

Sharon recommends that you consider the following:

1) Your child's activity level: The more active your child naturally is, the more interactive the museum should be. Running, jumping, and loud noise can harm delicate artefacts. Try museums similar to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, the Children's Discovery Museum, San Jose's Tech Museum of Innovation, the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, Austin Children's Museum, and The Children's Museum of Denver.

2) Physical limitations: Older museums may not have the most up-to-date accessibility. This may be an issue if your child is still in a stroller or a group member has mobility issues. Check online or call the museum you are considering visiting ahead of time to be sure.

3) Your child's natural rhythms: While this may seem obvious, it still needs stating: if your child naps everyday at 11:00 a.m., do not plan on going to a museum at 11:00 a.m. Also consider meal and snack times. Many museums do not allow food or beverages (including water) inside. Many do allow you to leave and return the same day, so you can exit the building to eat or rest. A hungry, tired child will not enjoy being dragged around a museum any more than a hungry, tired adult would. Be considerate of your child and other patrons.

4) The attention-span of the youngest family member: This can be difficult when you have older children ready to experience more "adult" museums where your younger ones may be bored to tears. Several options exist: get a sitter for the younger ones, trade off with another family (you take one age group somewhere, while the other family takes the other age group to a more appropriate venue), visit the museum for a short time after preparing the older children for this.

5) Your child's ability to remember and follow rules: Regardless of the museum, rules will need to be followed. Even the most interactive museums require a child to be polite, to share, and to be considerate of others. Discuss this beforehand with your child, and be sure to model the behavior (everyday, if possible). If your child simply cannot handle the chaos and noise of the age-appropriate museums, leave, if only for a little while. You are not doing your child any favors by forcing them to stay in an environment which is upsetting to them. And it does not reflect badly on you if your child gets overstimulated and you need to take a break. Remember, you want your child to enjoy museums, not fear or dread them.

6) Learn about what you're going to see: Take a little time beforehand to find out just what is showing at your museum of choice. Read up on the exhibits. Check the website for a map, and plan your day, but be prepared to throw your plan out the window once you arrive). Talk about the exciting, cool, and interesting things you will see and do.

For more field trip ideas,

check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

7) Get to know the staff: Upon arriving at the museum, point out the staff to your child. Tell your child that if they get separated from you, to find someone wearing (describe and point out the uniform or name tags) and this person will help them. Say to your child, "If we get separated, we'll all meet at the front desk (or wherever the museum staff take lost children). I will come get you there." Make sure your child understands, then go have fun exploring together!

Remember, museums needn't be tedious or overwhelming. With thoughtful planning and a flexible mindset, museums of all ilks can add depth to your learning lifestyle.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Studying the California Flag

When studying California history in school, one usually begins with the various Native American tribes, moves on to the Spaniards and missions, then the Gold Rush, and boom, we’re a state. While the chronological approach has value, perhaps finding a jumping-off point for delving into our great state’s history would be more interesting to you and your children.

One recommended approach is starting with the California state flag: the Bear Flag. With just a little research, reading, and perhaps a field trip, a variety of learning angles quickly arise: history, politics, regional conflicts, ecology, non-native invasive "species" (Europeans and Americans, in this case), symbolism, and flag etiquette, for starters.

Start by either getting a picture of or acquiring an actual state flag. Why do we have a bear on it? What kind of bear is that? Why does the flag have “California Republic” on it? Why is there a single red star? All of these questions are lead-ins to a fascinating study. (You will not find answers here—this is a homeschooling column, not a school column—but you will find links to resources.)

Books you may want to read are:Rosie and the Bear Flag, by Harry Knill: The story of the Bear Flag from the end of the Spanish rule through the joining with the United States, as seen through the eyes of young Rosalie Leese, who was there.

Bear Flag Republic: Prose Poems and Poetics from California, by Christopher Buckley and Gary Young: Featuring over 90 poets from California, about California

California - A Place, a People, a Dream : A Journey Through California History, by Claudia K. Jurmain, James J. Rawls, Oakland Museum: A “panoramic view of the California dream from miwok baskets to silicon chips.”

To add music to your studies, listen to some of the many songs written about California. Did you know that California has an official state song? It’s not “California Here I Come.” Ever hear of “I Love You, California”?

For more field trip ideas,

check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

As a side note, learning about our state flag fulfills requirement 2d (“Learn about the flag of your state or territory and how to display it/”) for the Wolf Badge in Cub Scouts. Going to a local history museum and walking around the area with your family fulfills requirement 10c (“Plan a walk. Go to a park or a wooded area, or visit a zoo or museum with your family.”). If you can add a city hall, justice building, or other historic location to your tour, you will complete requirement 4f (“Visit an important place in your community, such as a historic or government location. Explain why it is important.”).

Learn about the good, the bad, and the ugly of California: all by looking at our flag.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Learning with Chocolate

Chocolate. What wonderful visions and sensations that one word produces. And what a wonderful learning opportunity it provides.

Derived from the cacao bean of South America, and brought to Europe by the Spaniards, chocolate has ingrained itself into Western sweet-toothed culture.

Yet, how much do we really know about this ubiquitous treat?

The study of chocolate (Chocolatology? Cacahuatlology? Cacaology?) easily covers geography, botany, ecology, language arts, history, mathematics, chemistry, as well as providing an excuse for some tasty field trips.

Start your mini-unit study with books such as The Knowledge: Triffic Chocolate, by Alan MacDonald, and The Magic School Bus: In the Rain Forest, by Joanna Cole.

Alan MacDonald’s book explains the origins of chocolate, its introduction to Europe, and consequent development into the huge confection industry we know today. Written in a similar irreverent style to the Horrible Histories series, Triffic Chocolate is funny, interesting, and enlightening.

As with the entire Magic School Bus series, Joanna Cole breathes life and simplicity into the most complex subjects. The characters’ constant questioning and search for answers mirrors the reader’s learning process, as well as models the scientific method. The characters do not always immediately come to the correct answer, but they eventually do through trial and error.

For fiction books where chocolate figures prominently, try The Chocolate Touch, by Patrick Skene Catling, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl, Chocolate Fever, by Robert Kimmel Smith, Lilly's Chocolate Heart, by Kevin Henkes, as well as many others.

Take a break from all that reading to watch The Magic School Bus: In the Rain Forest on video, which explains why cocoa beans need mud to reproduce. The video and book offer a natural segue into learning about rain forests, life cycles, and South America.

Or, go a different direction and watch Alton Brown's Good Eats DVDs. Look for episodes Fudge Factor, Three Chips for Sister Martha, The Art of Darkness, The Art of Darkness II, and The Art of Darkness III. Alton Brown specializes in breaking down and explaining the chemistry behind cooking. Why do ingredients react the way they do? How does tweaking a recipe change the result? What do those complicated directions really mean? A bit of chemistry, combined with the culinary arts, yields a tasty show.

Of course, what homeschool lesson would be complete without a field trip? The Field Museum, based in Chicago, Illinois, takes its Chocolate exhibition on the road, with stops scheduled throughout the U.S.

For a virtual tour, check out The Homework Spot for links to Hershey’s and a video tour of the Scharffen Bergen chocolate factory.

Closer to home is Ghiradelli Square in San Francisco, which holds the Annual Ghiradelli Square Chocolate Festival each September.

After reading, watching, and learning all there is to know about chocolate, it is now time to cook with some. Here is a quick and deliciously decadent dessert, which is great for young children to help with.

Five-minute Chocolate Mug Cake

(Originally published in the June 10, 2009 edition of the San Jose Mercury News. Submitted by Eileen Fukunaga.)

Serves 1

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips, optional

Small splash vanilla

Put flour, sugar, and cocoa in a large, microwave-safe mug and mix well. Add egg, and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil, and mix well. Add chocolate chips and vanilla, and mix again.

Place mug in microwave and cook for three minutes at 1,000 watts (“high on a 1,000-watt oven, lower setting for ovens with greater maximum wattage). Cake will rise over top of mug. Allow to cool a bit. Tip out onto plate, if desired, or eat straight from the mug. Pour a bit of cream over the top for an even more sinful creation.

A one-mug serving can easily be divided between two people.

Enjoy learning with chocolate!

 Article by Sarah J. Wilson