In Denver, learning is fun! The Mile High City is filled with educational attractions that will entertain your kids while teaching them about the natural world around them. Incredible wildlife, interactive museums and prehistoric beasts are just a few of the exciting things for you and your family to discover.

Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS)

2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver

www.dmns.org

This is an attraction that kids and parents alike can’t get enough of! The Denver Museum of Nature & Science offers a variety of interactive exhibitions, programs and activities that allow visitors to experience the natural wonders of Colorado, Earth, and the universe. Ancient fossils, Egyptian mummies, and dinosaur skeletons are just a handful of the amazing things you’ll see here. The DMNS is also home to an IMAX™ movie theatre and the world’s most advanced digital planetarium.

Family Tip: Spend a night in the museum! Family camp-ins are unique overnight programs hosted by the Museum for 1st–8th grade students and their adult chaperones. Participants are able to visit exhibitions, watch IMAX™ and Planetarium shows, and explore the museum. Check the Web site for upcoming camp-in dates.

Denver Zoo

2300 Steele St., Denver

www.denverzoo.org

Set aside several hours for exploration in the Denver Zoo, a wild experience for all ages. The fourth most popular zoo in the nation has 4,000 animals representing more than 750 species. Lions, tigers, bears – and plenty more!

Family Tip: Catch a ride on the Pioneer Train, (the first natural gas zoo train in America), which will take you on a relaxing trip around Pachyderm Park, where you’ll see elephants, rhinos and more. Also explore the Kids section of the Web site, where you’ll find a bunch of great online activities for your little ones.

Downtown Aquarium

700 Water St., Denver

www.downtownaquarium.com

Colorado may be landlocked, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have plenty of marine life for you and your family to gawk at. The Downtown Aquarium features fascinating sea creatures, sharks and more. All in all, there are more than 15,000 fish, mammals and plants, including an exhibit of Sumatran tigers who love to swim.

Family Tip: Stroll the grounds around the aquarium for kid-focused activities, like petting zoos and educational programs.

Butterfly Pavilion

6252 W. 104^th  Ave. (off U.S. Hwy. 36), Westminster

www.butterflies.org

One of the most unique educational spots can be found just a few miles from downtown Denver at the 30,000-square-foot Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster. This amazing attraction combines science education with hands-on fun to teach visitors about invertebrates, science and conservation.

Family Tip: Don’t miss The Crawl-A-See-‘Em, an exhibit that allows kids to get eye-to-eye with tarantulas, leaf insects, scorpions, beetles, giant millipedes, and many more. You can even hold Rosie, a friendly Chilean Rose Hair tarantula!

Dinosaur Ridge
16831 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison

www.dinoridge.org

It’s a fact: kids love dinosaurs. At Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison (near Red Rocks Amphitheatre) you can touch the bones of Allosaurus and Stegosaurus at the site where important dinosaur discoveries were made in the late 1800s. See how Iguanadons walked by viewing real dinosaur footprints forever preserved in the sandstone.

Family Tip: Dinosaur Discovery Days give you an opportunity to view the tracks, bones, and other spectacular examples of geology and paleontology along Dinosaur Ridge with volunteer guides. Check the Web site for dates and times.

Wildlife Experience

10035 Peoria St., Parker

720-488-3300

www.thewildlifeexperience.org

The Wildlife Experience is an interactive and ever-changing institution that connects visitors with wildlife and habitats in a fun and educational environment. It’s a perfect place for families, with immersive exhibits such as Discovery Den and Cubs Corner where kids can make their own wildlife masterpieces.

Family Tip: Kids will love learning about Colorado’s unique wildlife at Wild Colorado, an exhibit that covers four major habitats of our great state from the Great Plains to the peaks of the Rocky Mountains.

Denver Botanic Gardens

1005 York St., Denver

www.botanicgardens.org

Just south of the expansive City Park, you and your family will find the spectacular 23-acres that make up Denver Botanic Gardens. Trust us; you won’t just be stopping to smell the roses. As you follow the winding paths through the grounds, you’ll discover no less than 32,000 diverse and delightful plants from such faraway places as Australia, Africa and the Himalayas. There are dozens of gardens to enjoy, including the internationally recognized Japanese Garden.

Family Tip: Follow the whimsical Children’s Secret Path, where kids can interact with plants and the natural world.

Children’s Museum of Denver

2001 Children’s Museum Dr., Denver

www.cmdenver.org

One of the best ways for young kids to learn about the world around them is with hands-on activities. The Children’s Museum of Denver is filled to the brim with myriad exhibits, playscapes, and educational fun. Kids can shop in a makeshift grocery store and even play the part of the cashier, fiddle around with the computers, stocked with challenging games, brush up on their science quotient in the laboratories, or practice their wedges on the KidSlope, a mini ski mountain that’s open year-round.

Family Tip: Explore faraway lands, hear wacky tales and share some giggles at the Children’s Museum’s daily StoryTime, featuring stories and fun activities. StoryTime is held: Monday-Friday at 11:30 a.m., Saturdays & Sundays at noon.