Noisemaking at the Witte

I went to San Antonio's Witte Museum just last year, but that was without kids. This year I took Lilly and Ann for a slightly different experience, and not only because the two exhibits I remember from last year (SA parks, wild west shows) had been replaced by other exhibits. With kids, you spend time at the H-E-B Science Treehouse, actually a multistory complex out behind the main building that towers over the San Antonio River. It also offers some good views of the river and Brackenridge Park beyond.

"The H-E-B Science Treehouse offers four levels of fun and experimentation with Energy, Air Power, Simple Machines, Eco-Science, Weather, and Sound Waves," gushes the Witte web site. "Try out the hands-on exhibits and see how science is used in the 'real world.' Small World Science offers a chance for young children (with adults) to explore science too!"

If you've ever been to a children's museum, you've seen places like this. Ann had a good time with it -- she's in the target demographic exactly -- but even Lilly, who's crossing out of childhood, enjoyed some of it. Who doesn't like making balls float on a current of air, after all?

Up on the roof of the complex is an opportunity to make a lot of noise by beating hanging metal objects with sticks. Steel, iron, aluminum: you could really get a fearful racket going. Lilly and Ann had their turns on it, of course, but pretty soon I decided that the opportunity wasn't just for kids.

I was right.