family fun - april 2008

Picks of the Month

After a tough winter, the “boys of summer” again will take the field this month as the Milwaukee Brewers begin the baseball season with solid prospects for an extremely successful year. You can be sure of no rainouts, thanks to the retractable dome. Young fans this year will be treated to an expanded Kids Zone, with new attractions. See KeyMilwaukee.com sports for a list of April home games. Tours of Miller Park also are a treat on off days.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO

10001 W. Bluemound Road. Just 10 minutes from downtown Milwaukee at Highway 45 and Interstate 94. Open 365 days a year. Ph. (414) 256-5412 or www.milwaukeezoo.org.

It’s always a good time to visit the Milwaukee County Zoo, one of the premier zoological parks in the country.

Family free day April 5 means no admission charge.

Celebrate Earth Day April 19 with a “Party for the Planet” at the zoo. 256-5412.

BETTY BRINN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

929 E. Wisconsin Ave. Ph. 414-291-0888 Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Noon-5 p.m. Sunday. www.bbcmkids.org

Programs include:

• Tot Time, ages 1 to 3 with parent or caregiver, 10:30 a.m. Tuedays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays. Toddlers will enjoy sing-alongs, finger-play, stories, and art experiences. Adults learn how these experiences impact early childhood development.
  
  
  
• Pre-School Pop-in, ages 3-5, 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Pre-schoolers participate in music, movement and visual art activities that encourage early reading and introduce beginning math concepts. Adults learn about age-appropriate activities that stimulate a child's development.

Special events:

Neighborhood Night April 17 means free admission from 5-8 p.m.

Celebrate Earth Week April 22-26 with special activities.

Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! continues through June 1. Created by the Minnesota Children’s Museum in partnership with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group, the special exhibit introduces young children to the little monkey’s world and leads visitors on a fun, interactive math, science and engineering-based adventure.

THE MUSEUM CENTER
800 W. Wells St.

Includes Milwaukee Public Museum, one of the world's best natural history museums (Ph. 278-2700); and the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater 414-319-IMAX. www.mpm.edu

Continuing through June 1 is the spectacular exhibit Body Worlds1: The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies. Timed entry.

“Science Saturday for Kids” April 5 is a science-themed class for children held during the BODY WORLDS exhibit. Kids will learn about DNA and genetics this month. $25, $20 for members. Adults accompanying children are free. Registration: 278-2714.

More Than Meets the Eye: The Art of Deception, a project by the UW-Milwaukee/Museum Studies Class, continues through April 5. 278-2728.

Family Health and Wellness Day is set for April 4, with an open-house style health event featuring guest speakers. 2, 4 & 6 p.m.

The Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater in the Museum Center, the only IMAX theater in the state, doubles as a state-of-the-art digital planetarium.

Current IMAX shows playing include “The Human Body,” which draws on sophisticated graphics to provide a dramatic picture of the human body. “The Human Body“ runs through June 12 and complements the BODY WORLDS exhibit at the museum. “Grand Canyon Adventure,” an exhilarating river-rafting adventure down the Colorado River, continues through Sept. 4.

The Daniel M. Soref Planetarium in the IMAX currently is offering three shows: “Rock Hall of Fame,” a light show plus music through Sept. 4; Secrets of the Zodiac, a look at the celestial system and why it has been so instrumental to humans, through Sept. 4; and CSI: Cosmic, which looks for life in the extreme conditions here on Earth and journeys through the solar system to investigate neighboring planets for hospitable conditions, also through Sept. 4.

Call 414-319-4629 for IMAX planetarium show times and reservations.

DISCOVERY WORLD at PIER WISCONSIN

500 N. Harbor Dr. 765-9966. The newest addition to Milwaukee’s world-class lineup of museums and visitor attractions is the home of the 19th century re-creation of a Great Lakes sailing vessel, the Denis Sullivan. Until the ship is returns for the summer season, the Discovery World Museum offers saltwater and fresh water aquariums, interactive exhibits created by several of the city’s leading corporations and the HIVE, a virtual-reality chamber that puts visitors into 30 simulated environments.. Open to the public from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun. www.discoveryworld.org.

MISCELLANEOUS FUN

COMEDYSPORTZ at 420 S. 1st St. continues to provide improvisational comedy suitable for the whole family. Shows every week 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.  Also 10 p.m. Friday amateur (18+) stand up session. Call 272-8888 for show times and reservations or visit www.comedysportz.com. Be sure to use our KeyMilwaukee.com coupon for extra savings.

BODY WORLDS, through June 1; Milwaukee Public Museum, corner of 7th St. (James Lovell) and W. Wells St. Groundbreaking exhibit exploring the mystery of human anatomy and physiology. Timed entrance. Call 414-223-4676.

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD, April 4-18; Todd Wehr Theater of Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water Street. First Stage Children’s Theater presents Tony-nominated Broadway musical bringing to life the adventures of Arnold Lobel’s well-loved characters. Most appreciated by adults, teens and young people ages 3 and above.

U.S. MARINE BAND FREE CONCERTS, April 11-12: Known as “The President’s Own Band,” the Marine band will perform at 8:30 p.m. April 11 in the Milwaukee Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. A Chamber Ensemble Concerto Competition performance is set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets distributed and seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. Advanced tickets available at Milwaukee Theatre Box Office.

KIDSFEST, April 12-13; Metroparent magazine’s two-day event includes entertainment, learning and hands-on activities for families at the Wisconsin Expo Center, 5200 W. Greenfield Ave. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11-5 p.m. Sun. 647-4728.

MY LITTLE PONY LIVE – THE WORLD”S BIGGEST TEA PATY, April 18-20; The Milwaukee Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave., hosts ninety-minute, interactive musical productions with singing, dancing and audience participation. 908-6001 or 276-4545.

EARTH DAY AT SCHLITZ AUDUBON CENTER, April 19; Nature-oriented activities are scheduled from noon-4 p.m. as the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, 1111 E. Brown Deer Rd., celebrates Earh Day. Live animals, beachcombing along Lake Michigan, live folk music, nature storytelling and guided naturalist hikes are on the schedule. 352-2880 (ext. 149) or www.sanc.org.