Historians may call the 15th through 17th centuries the Age of Discovery, but parents know better: That era occurs anytime kids are delighted and engaged by the world around them.
Parents who love to travel and want their children to be well-rounded benefit from a field trip to Charleston, West Virginia, during Family Fun Days at The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences. The Clay was built to enhance the quality of life for West Virginia and its residents by presenting a variety of cultured fare. But visiting out-of-towners are enriched, too, thanks to everything from awe-inspiring visual and performing art to jaw-dropping feats of science and engineering. The 240,000-square-foot space practically overflows with mind-boggling exhibits.
The Clay’s lineup of performing arts is as eclectic as it is inspiring: Everyone from Bill Cosby to the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra routinely lights up the stage. Its science galleries include more than 12,000 square feet of innovation, including the Gizmo Factory, where kids can construct their own roller coaster. But the big draw is its ElectricSky Theater, a 61-foot, domed-screen theater that presents everything from planetarium shows to exciting big-screen flicks.
With exhibits that encourage hands-on learning, every day at the Clay is great for children. But Family Fun Days are typically organized around a theme, such as engineering marvels or Earth Day.