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In my current life, when I arrive at a museum and see a school bus lurking outside, I groan inwardly. And outwardly. The rowdy kids zooming through the exhibits, the teachers' futile attempts to control the herds. But if I try, I can still remember the unique thrill of being on a field trip myself. The magic of a day away from school, the dislocating experience of seeing your teachers out in the world as if they were normal people, the buzz of traveling in a huge group of peers. And maybe it is slightly possible that I was sort of a nerd (just kidding, impossible!), but I recall loving museums – the creepy, old–school taxidermy dioramas at the Field Museum in Chicago were my favorite – and the idea that the world was just brimming with exciting things to learn about. Dinosaurs! Space ships! Plus, a mini-McDonald’s in the museum basement!

So if you too are suffering from a bit of field trip nostalgia, you’ll want to fill out your permission slip, grab a buddy, and take Scholastic’s virtual field trip of New York City’s Museum of Natural History. The videos are hosted by Brian Selznick, the author of Wonderstruck and The Invention of Hugo Cabret (the inspiration for the new Martin Scorsese film Hugo). The very engaging Selznick narrates this series of short videos, offering behind-the-scenes looks at a few of the museum’s most interesting exhibits. It's a little brain-break in the middle of a mind-numbing day.

Okay, so it’s meant to be for kids, but it works just as well for curious adults. And you don’t even have to ride a bus that kind of smells like feet to get there. Watch the videos on the Scholastic site. 

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A Child's Sense of Wonder
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