The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, WA 98195

The state museum of natural and cultural history is an ideal place to come with kids. At the front desk, kids can get a timecard and stamp it at stations around the museum, an activity appreciated even by kids too young to understand the information contained in the stamps.

The fascinating Life and Times of Washington State exhibit showcases the natural history of the state, and the state's only dinosaur skeleton. You'll also see a saber-tooth cat and giant sloth skeleton, marine fossils, and other curiosities of the dinosaur age.

Pacific Voices, located in the museum's lower level, focuses on Pacific Rim cultures and their ceremonies, art, and stories. A video storytelling area features engaging stories from Maori and Northwest Native American traditions.

The Burke Museum also hosts 3-4 changing exhibits throughout the year. Recent temporary exhibits have examined nature, culture, and the environment using the Burke's own collections as well as traveling collections from other museums across the globe.

The museum offers group tours, by appointment, for all of their exhibits.

The cafe downstairs serves coffee, drinks, and snacks to visitors in an ornately panelled indoor cafe or on the outdoor patio. Patrons here tend to have a book in hand - the atmosphere is academic and rather hushed.

The museum store features a small collection of books and gifts (including children's books) related to the museum's collections.

Activity days: The Burke hosts family-oriented activity days on weekends - these typically have great crafts and activities for kids and tie into some aspect of the museum's collections. Annual favorites include Dinosaur Day, Bug Blast, Archaeology Day, and Meet the Mammals.

The museum also offers summer camp programs for children ages seven to 14. The week-long, all-day programs focus on culture and natural history. See their website for details.

The Burke Kids website is for ages six to 12 and introduces children to geology, anthropology, and biology with fun interactive web games.