EARNED RUNS VACATION 2019: SATURDAY

National Museum Of Natural History Lobby. Smithsonian Institution Washington DC. Taken by PKSenagore June 29, 2019. All rights reserved

TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL START OF EARNED RUNS 2019 VACATION WEEK. The blog is taking a break from fitness-related topics.  We're not going to be worried about meeting challenges or staying on training schedules. The point is to NOT have a routine, but to enjoy activities that we ordinarily don't make a priority, but that help us relax and appreciate life.

Of course not everyone has vacation this very week. But these posts can be a source of vacation week activity ideas if your's is still to come.

SCIENCE SATURDAY: MUSEUMS, AQUARIUMS, PLANETARIUMS. This post was originally written in 2017 for Friday and updated in 2018 for Saturday  Looking back then, Saturday seemed to be the better day for this activity; it usually marks either the beginning or the end of a typical vacation period.   

Beginning of vacation Saturday: For 'stay-cationers' Saturday might be that day that kicks-off a week in which you remain at home nights but seek fun day-time adventures.  For those traveling away, check-in time at hotels is usually late in the afternoon, and although luggage can be checked with the hotel’s bell desk or left in the car, the range of potential activities might be restricted until a room is secured.  

End of vacation Saturday: by this time the return home might have already been accomplished to avoid weekend traffic. There’s the need to unpack and recover a bit, as well as prepare for the upcoming non-vacation week. 

Regardless of whether you’re at the beginning or end of a week’s break, at home or still away at vacation’s end, perhaps the previous days were spent mostly outdoors.  A break from full-on physical activity might be a welcome change.  Admittedly, Saturday might be busier than weekdays at museums, aquariums, and planetariums, but being surrounded by other happy visitors can add to the excitement and fun of an institution’s offerings. Strolling through nearly empty halls on less hectic days could be dull and kind of lonely.
 
Let’s start with museums. They’re not only about science. They can be about art, history, and sports too. Have you lived in or near a city with a museum, maybe even a famous museum, but never visited?  Or toured with your elementary or middle-school classmates more than a decade ago?  
 
Aquariums and planetariums fall into the same category of these often-neglected entertainment venues. Yes, entertainment! Today’s institutions are likely to have hands-on exhibits and moving parts that educate and provide a fun experience for adults as well as children. Taking a break or eating on site can also be a treat, as sometimes specialty foods are offered that relate to the institutions theme. 
 
If you've traveled far for vacation, there is sure to be a museum nearby, even if small. Local museums may focus on an important regional industry, like petroleum and oil (Texas), autos (Michigan), flight (Washington), motorcycles (Iowa), iron (Michigan), shipbuilding (Maine, Mississippi, Massachusetts, California), to name a few.  The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is likely the most well-known, but there’s one in Baltimore too.
 
Washington DC likely has the greatest concentration of places to visit, especially related to government activities. Nearby Baltimore area has a fantastic National Cryptologic Museum adjacent to the grounds of the National Security Agency headquarters at Fort George G. Meade, one of the most interesting I've ever visited.
 
The end of summer vacation is perfect for slowing down and enjoying what doesn’t make it into hectic everyday schedules. Consider spending a few hours in buildings that are designed to awe and inspire! 

 RUN & MOVE & VACATION HAPPY!
 
Image: Early morning past the Smithsonian Institution Building, Washington DC. Taken by PKSenagore October 18, 2016. All rights reserved.
 
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-museums-in-america-ranked-2016-8/#25-diabeacon-1
 
https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Museums-cTop-g191
 
http://petroleummuseum.org/contact/about-the-museum/
 
http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/about-us/
 
http://www.museumofflight.org
 
http://www.michigan.org/property/michigan-iron-industry-museum
 
http://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/ships-shipbuilding/ships-shipbuilding-introduction
 
http://www.thebmi.org
 
https://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic-heritage/museum/
 
http://www.msichicago.org
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