Art museums are not boring! (trust me)

Every so often I get the itch to go to the Columbus Museum of Art. I love beautiful and unusual things and where better to find both than at a museum of art? Some of you may already enjoy art museums and it is not to you I speak. (I am addressing the skeptics out there.) I propose that art museums are a wonderful place to visit and to take (well behaved) children or other dear friends. More to the point, I assert that the trip will be enjoyable for all.
First check out the website of your nearest museum. Some have a free day. The Columbus Museum of Art is free on Sundays. (Some special exhibits may cost extra if you wish to see them.) I suggest you go on the "free" day then, regardless of what happens you won't have spent a dime. (Make sure you consider where you will park, some places may cost several dollars.) For more information on the Columbus Museum of Art go to: http://www.columbusmuseum.org/about/general.php.
Before you go, propagandize your kids (or reluctant friends). Tell them that you are going to see very interesting things and while they are on the trip you are going to play a game. Help them understand that the museum is a quiet place so the game is played with whispers. In our family, we call this game, "Love it, Hate it". With younger children who might be tempted to tell others what you are doing, you might want to change the name to something more politically correct.
When you get to the museum, make sure to get a map if one is offered and check to see if there are any special kids exhibits. Our museum has an awesome one! Check it out at: http://www.columbusmuseum.org/learn/eye_spy/.
After seeing all the kid friendly exhibits don't leave, the fun is just beginning. Take your kids into a gallery and challenge them to find their favorite piece and the one they like the least. Make sure to ask why your kids (or other friends) feel the way they do, their answers may surprise you. Don't skip the modern art section as it is truly a delight. It is fun to muse just exactly why artists have chosen to model an old man's back or build a butterfly from discarded license plates. One time we even saw a video of someone screaming!
I have taken several different groups of children and adults to the museum and on each occasion it was a hit! My advice is to limit the time spent at the museum if you have bitty children and to buy a postcard on the way out. It is a wonderful and inexpensive way to remember where you've gone. If you want, buy an extra and send it to someone who'd enjoy getting mail.