Get out and go: tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Oh, my!

February 23, 4:44 PMDenver Motherhood ExaminerSarah Porter

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Sometimes there are advantages to being a blogger in Denver. Before President Obama arrived to sign his document and before the opening of their latest exhibit, my family was invited to have a sneak peek at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and their latest creation, Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters.

Along with other local bloggers, we toured with Dr. David Grinspoon, curator for astrobiology, as he explained the geegaws and doodads for manipulating your very own volcanic eruption, earthquake, or hurricane. Phil and Amos had loads of fun creating various types of volcanoes on the big screens, and I may have flailed a bit too much as I stomped on the floor to have my own quakes register on the Richter scale. (I did not cause that crack in the wall, I swear.)

I discussed recent fears about Yellowstone volcanic activity with Dr. Grinspoon. Will Denver be affected if it blows? “It won’t be good for us, but that’s the circle of life,” Dr. Grinspoon replied. How optimistic!

Amos was a bit overwhelmed to stand in the amazing tornado room, which shows you what it is like to be inside a tornado through the eyes of a circle of cameras. This was a favorite spot for us, as we watched the tornado approach, engulf us, and leave us in a puddle of mud and mayhem. Amos was much happier to stomp on the groovy, swirling tornado lights on the floor. For toddlers, there are fun things to explore, but I felt that the exhibit would be best enjoyed by school-age kids.

The first rooms of the exhibit have fascinating things to touch and watch. As I moved through the disasters, one thing stood out very clearly: Katrina. Huge panoramic pictures of New Orleans overwhelm the senses as you begin to feel like you are in a helicopter overlooking the flood. I was deeply moved by the collection of items from flooded homes and letters from evacuated children.

So, if you are ready to be sucked into a tornado and spit into Oz, or perhaps the wildlife exhibit downstairs, the DMNS is very pleased to offer the coupon below for $2 off of admission, valid through March 9. Just print it and go!

It’s a little windy today. Should I head for the basement? Hmm…