Monte L. Bean Museum & Museum of Art...BYU

My sisters and I all went to BYU.  It's not that far away, but I don't get down to Provo very often.  So it was fun to go with my family and head to the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum.  It's amazing and free!  So worth the drive to visit.

Cousins!

Hannah howling at the moon...just like the wolf!

Help!  The hippo is attacking us!

 The coolest thing about the Bean museum was that the animals were not only well preserved, but they were positioned in life-like ways.  Predators were attacking prey, baby bears were climbing a tree, and so on.  Each animal contained placards with information about that animal, its habitat, its diet.  It's a small museum, but so well done.

My kids are goofballs.  They enjoyed imitating the animals.

Look how realistic/life like each of these animals are.  I mean, they are all real animals, but so well preserved.

 Another neat thing about the Bean Museum is that there's a whole room of birds.  So many types of birds and many of them are quite beautiful.  Also, there is an entire room devoted to President Boyd K. Packer's artwork and carvings. I hadn't realized how very talented he was artistically.  He was a wonderful painter and a very skilled carver.  He studied birds, especially, and carved them with tremendous skill and accuracy.  I especially loved the fireplace mantle that he carved to honor his family's pioneer heritage.  It was only a couple of hours after we had been to the Bean Museum and marveled at his work that we heard the news that he had passed away.  What a tremendous man of talent, faith and integrity President Packer was.  I am thankful for his service and example.

 After lunch, we went to the BYU Museum of Art.  And walked around in the art museum's garden as well.  BYU campus has changed a lot since I was a student there...which makes sense.  I graduated from college in 1998...17 years ago.  BYU is filled with many fun, happy memories for me and it is nice to take my kids there every once in awhile.

A fabulous day!  Enjoyed the museums and even more so, enjoyed the time with those I love most (except Alfredo who wasn't able to join us.)