It’s easy for our children to get glued to their technology in this world where gadgets are only advancing and stealing our time to be present.
The importance of time spent together without distractions has never been more important than it is today. This brings museums into the mix. Why? Museums are educational for kids, and just downright fun!
Collect the crew and head out on an exploration of information.
The Best Educational Activities For Your Kids
Sneaking in a little bit of education while on vacation can be beneficial AND fun for your kid. Check out some of our favorite educational activities and museums in Destin!
Top Six Museums To Check Out In Destin, FL
Destin Science Museum: Emerald Coast Science Center
Back in the day, Bill Nye was the guy to get us excited about science.
Today, we have the internet of course but also museums.
This museum has plenty of educational and engaging exhibits to choose from.
We live in a world where we’re so used to the gadgets and gizmos around us that it’s easy to be desensitized to how these things work, let alone be curious about them.
This museum has activities that engage your inner curiosity and feed you with knowledge.
Emerald Coast Science Center museum has a lot to choose from.
The marine exhibit brings you into the adventure of the boat and just how the mechanics work to keep you afloat! This is of course not all the museum is serving up.
Being that it’s a science museum, you can learn a lot about dinosaurs, robots, turtles, colors, lights, and sounds – and I don’t know what museum would be complete without space, but they have that too.
Educate yourself and the kids with earth’s real-life magic in science.
Military History In Destin: Air Force Armament Museum
Ever wanted to be a bird flying high? Or maybe just a pilot.
This museum is the only one in America dedicated to Air Force memorabilia and artifacts.
The Air Force Museum has 29 aircraft to view, these planes are from WW2 to the present, so you can see how things changed over the years with machinery and speed.
Although the establishment may be mostly about planes, it also showcases the Air Force’s use of guns, bombs, and missiles ; several hundred of these can be found around the museum.
There are hands-on things to do for the children as well, perfect for every age, and free. Head over to the place where you and the kids can learn about the Air Force and all its facets.
Beach Town History: Destin History and Fishing Museum
Destin is of course known for its emerald green waters and white sandy beaches but it’s also known as the luckiest fishing town.
With that being said, it makes sense the city would have its own museum dedicated to the history of fishing in the area.
The museum has a few other varieties of exhibits to choose from in case you get fished out.
If you’ve ever wondered about the deep sea and the people who dive in it, wonder no more as this museum has an entire exhibit for that.
If you’re coming with children who are into Finding Nemo, there’s an area dedicated to 100 fish mounts!
That’s a whole heck of a lot for you and the kids to keep your attention!
Spend a few hours in a Fisherman’s paradise!
Go Far Back In Time: Indian Temple Mound Museum
Before America was colonized, the land was occupied by Clovis people and waves of other migrants.
These two cultures became the majority of Native Americans that we know to live on the land today.
This museum is dedicated to giving you an in-depth idea of what tribes have existed in the Destin area and how they lived with 12000 years of occupation.
Aside from the literature that shares a carefully researched history, the museum has over 1000 artifacts to look through.
The artifacts you can expect to see are stone, bone, clay, and shell along with prehistoric ceramics.
If this list isn’t intriguing enough, the museum also has exhibits of European explorers, early settlers, and pirates!
Needless to say, this museum is both educational and intriguing.
Check out the museum where past and present collide.
History Of Education: Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum
Before the educational system that we have now, the world of schools was vastly different.
If you’ve ever wondered what schools of the past looked like, or how they were run, this museum is perfect for you.
What better way to take your children on an educational museum tour than to show them how education has evolved?
The Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum consists of a two-room structure that replicates a schoolhouse from the early 20th century.
The original schoolhouse was made in 1911 of native pine by the hands of the locals. That school opened in 1912 and consisted of just 15 students and one teacher.
Today most schools separate elementary from middle school, whereas this school taught 8 grades in one room. Talk about cramming in some knowledge!
In 1927, another building was built for grades 9-12 and this completed the educational levels.
The two original schools were closed when a brick Fort Walton Beach school was built.
The Junior Service League was able to preserve the original schoolhouses until they moved in 1976 and then again in 2006 to where it is today, near the Indian Mound Museum.
If nothing less, this museum might give a new appreciation for how the educational system has grown to what it is today.
Historical Exhibits In Destin: Civil War Exhibits
The Civil War was a giant part of American history and with this museum, you get to really dive into the war that lasted from 1961- 1865 and changed the trajectory of America.
The war came at the hands of around 625,000 lives and ended the institution of slavery.
The museum has replicated flags, clothes, and tents along with literature on what led to the civil war and what happened during that time.
This museum is a great way to educate the kiddos on the direction of what America could have become had the bravery of many not taken place.
After you’ve had your outdoor adventures of getting sun-drunk while parasailing and pontoon boating along the water, spend your day learning about the world and Destin at one of the many museums listed!
As Sir Frances Bacon once said, “knowledge is power”.