Cool museums, and not just for kids

Children's museums are great places for hands-on learning geared to kids. But don't be surprised to find many things at these museums that interest parents and grandparents, too. Most children's museums offer a wide range of fun for people of all ages.

Here's a list of children's museums that are considered some of the best in the country. But even if you don't live near one, you can explore their websites to find games and activities you can play on your computer at home or school.

The San Francisco Exploratorium.
Find out about the science behind skateboarding, baseball, and other sports at www.exploratorium.org/ explore/online.html

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.
Enter the mysterious world of dinosaurs at www.childrensmuseum.org/ kids/games.htm

The Brooklyn Children's Museum, New York.
Explore different shapes and patterns at www.brooklynkids.org/pattern wizardry/index.html

The Strong Museum, Rochester, N.Y.
Play dress up with clothes from different eras at www.strongmuseum. org/kids/fun.html

The Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul.
Experiment with bubbles, and learn about snakes and other creepy-crawly creatures. www.mcm.org/ parents.shtml#homeplay

The Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose, Calif.
Hop aboard the spaceship Zoomer at www.cdm.org/p/view Page.asp?mlid=21

The Chicago Children's Museum.
Play a song, color a picture, or send a postcard at www.chichildrensmuseum.org/ sniffer.cfm