We came for a field trip, and the staff seemed completely annoyed by the kids the whole time. They…read morewere trying to act like their teachers, instead of making things fun. I'm just saying, those people that work there should NOT be working with children.

The Edgerton Explorit Center is a stop on the 2023 Passport program and that is what brought us to…read moreAurora. Easy parking, great outdoor landscaping and a warm welcome was a great way to start our visit. Gift shop items were displayed in the lobby area and had a STEAM (science/technology/engineering/arts/math) focus. We toured the Doc Edgerton displays and activities (one was not working) that had interactive pieces. The central area would appeal to children of all ages with learn thru play components making bubbles, building blocks, pattern connections, memory sequence competitions and more. One of the stations was missing pieces but worker bees were swarming and resetting stations on our visit. Admission was $10 and you could spend 3-4 hours and keep busy. We did not make it down to the lower level. Restrooms needed attention, but we stopped during a busy time so that may have contributed. If you are looking for a fun place to spend a day immersed in learning and exploring with your children, this would be a great stop.

My family and I stopped here as we were on an RV tour across the country. Our two boys six and four…read morewith thrilled to go inside. This place was done very very well. It was laid out well. It was a great experience. I brought you from when people started going out west to currently it was an amazing experience. I left that place more educated about the Westwood experience that I have ever learned in college or in high school. Our boy said that was the best part of their day going through that pioneer museum. Does it look like a lot from the outside but if you have kids or are you interested in history is definitely worth to stop.

We visited The Archway and came away with mixed feelings--mostly because this just isn't a great…read morefit for families with very young kids. Ours are aged 8 and 2. When you enter, you're given a handheld device to scan exhibit numbers and listen to narration. In theory, it's a cool idea. In reality, it was tough to manage while chasing kids who were already 10-15 steps ahead. The device didn't always work smoothly, and trying to troubleshoot it mid-visit was frustrating. I eventually gave up and just narrated what I could myself. I expected we'd move through quickly because of the kids' ages, but the bigger issue is that the museum really isn't designed for younger audiences. Lots of stuff to read, pictures, very few artifacts, and of course, the handheld narration. That said--the displays themselves are beautifully done. You start by riding a very tall escalator "up a mountain" into the exhibit, which is a memorable entrance. I also went in thinking it would focus mostly on pioneers, but it's actually a broader (and well-done) journey through transportation history--pioneers, the railroad, automobiles, road trips, and more. One of the coolest features is that the museum spans over Interstate 80, and there are windows where you can look out over the traffic below. Where it fell short for me was in representation and storytelling. There was very little inclusion of Black history--only a brief mention of a Black pioneer. When covering the rise of car travel, it felt like a missed opportunity not to include the history of the Green Book. The exhibits often present travel as carefree and joyful, but that wasn't the reality for everyone. There's also a mining activity area (the typical "buy a bag and wash rocks" setup), which felt overpriced. One unexpected highlight: seeing people fishing outside the building. You can actually buy poles and bait inside, which my son was very interested in (we skipped it this time, but maybe next visit).

What a great little museum and very interactive! They had QR codes for certain areas that gave a…read moredescription of what you were seeing. They also had a special area for military memorabilia. Very interesting and worth the visit. They also had outbuildings that we weren't able to see because of time constraints. They should be very proud of what they've accomplished.

Great museum along I80. Great stuff for the kids, definitely worth the time out of the car on a…read morelong road trip.

I'll admit that the only thing about this museum that I experience was the basement, which to most…read morepeople is the most interesting part. What I'm talking about is the history of Kool Aid! Kool Aid is a brand we don't hear very much about anymore, unless we're talking about cults. But the town of Hastings does take pride that the founder of Kool Aid is from there. There is a huge detailed display about the evolution of Kool Aid, and its very cool to learn about. Remember the Kool Aid toys and collectibles we all grew up with, regardless of generation? They're all there. And you can also watch a montage of classic Kool Aid commercials while there. There's a statue of the Kool Aid Man outside the museum as well. I feel really bad that I didn't check out other parts of the museum (I think there are 3 floors...) as it talks about the natural history as well as the agriculture and cultural part of the town. But maybe for another time....

OK, this museum is a lot of fun. There is a lot to do for families of all ages and groups of all…read moresizes. We got there and came in and we're looking at the animal exhibits when someone mentioned that a planetarium show was about to start about black holes, so we went inside and my cousin and I both adults and three young children under 10 took our seats and really enjoyed the approximately 20 minute presentation on black holes, looking up at the ceiling in the projection and it was a lot of fun. There are multiple types of exhibits in the museum, including a really cool area celebrating Kool-Aid. Because apparently Kool-Aid was invented in Hastings, Nebraska. Who knew?! There is a antique car exhibit in the basement area as well and a Lego section that is interactive, and the whole experience was really nice. The bathrooms near the Lego exhibit were clean. We used the elevator to go between floors because my cousin has lots of small children in a rolling stroller/cart, and there's a little gift shop with fun things to view and purchase and I would definitely recommend if you're in the Hastings area. You spend some time here..

Come and support this museum! The sweet lady at the front/cashier did an excellent job of sharing…read morethe history of the museum. It has seen its shares of up and downs and currently runs on donations. The amazing people that donate their beautiful vehicles for public viewing help to fund the museum. Our family loved viewing history through the automobiles. The exhibits update constantly. You never know which vehicles you may catch that have been in films or driven by famous people. There is a huge selection of cars from the early model Fords all the way to late model Chevys and Dodge.

Very impressed with this museum. The vehicles are spectacular and the people were very…read moreknowledgeable and passionate about cars! A must-see museum.

On Sat May 16th your 55 grain 223 ammo destroyed on of my rifles at Volusia Top Gun in Daytona…read moreBeach FL. They're one of your largest customers in Central FL. They shipped my rifle to you. It was evaluated by a gentleman named Matt Ritchie. He confirmed it was your ammo that was in my gun but then refused to do the right thing and replace my gun because he fired more ammo through the gun without issue. Read that again, your employee admitted it was your ammo but refused to replace my rifle. The range manager at Volusia Top Gun was the person shooting the gun when your round fluttered down the range and blue smoke came out of every opening in my gun. The owner of Volusia Top Gun can confirm that I go through many thousands of rounds of Hornady ammo every year. I'm currently sitting on a large stockpile of your ammo. I would appreciate somebody from Hornady reaching out to me and offering to do the right thing.

Hornady Mfg/ammo co. sent me a letter that literally promotes price-jacking by their vendors as a…read moreway to curtail frenzied ammo buying/hoarding. So basically, Hornady's answer to the ammo shortage, is to make their ammo so expensive that, average American patriots can't afford to buy it, leaving it all to the wealthiest people who don't blink an eye at their obscene and exploitive pricing!...Corporate America: Continuing its traitorous march.

We went to the children's section and it is four times as large as when I was a kid in the 90s. My…read morefive- and three-year-old alternated between playing with the toys and reading books. We read a book about mom's deploying for military service, about a bear that becomes a goose mom, and lots more. The librarians were cranky. Maybe it was my fault, but I was surprised that the children's section librarians were not radiating joy and patience. I love visiting this library and it's kid programming when we are back in town.

What a fantastic library!!…read more First of all, its HUGE!! FREE Unlimited WiFi in the library with your library card. OUTER FOYER Large area just inside with lots of tables n chairs. Here people can talk, eat n drink, relax before entering the "library proper." INNER FOYER Has a bks for sale wall, the information/ help desk, ck out area, and just past that- new books. CHILDREN's ROOM A separate room The childrens section is like a huge museum/ playspace with so much! Rows of board books, up to young readers materials. A space for exploration including a mini puppet stage; a kitchen w small baskets n plastic pots, cups, food; Large blocks w manipulatives for fine motor development. SENIOR SECTION Area w large print books, comfy rocking chairs w footstools, and a couple tables w chairs. COMPUTER AREA YOUNG READERS AREA HELP DESK n CHECK OUT Great! Love that there is a counter to stand at, a lower counter to sit at (perhaps for if your need will take more time, or for elderly or pregnant patrons) Self Check Out Stations ***Problems w the library to be remedied: 1) The senior section needs to the first area inside the front doors. Its too far to walk for many elderly. 2) The breastfeeding room is a clausterphobic's nightmare! Small, windowless, and the chair in there is hard n uncomfortable. I'd rather just breastfeed on the floor in the play area, or in the senior section where the chairs r comfy.

Just to be clear, there are two different places in the area that are easy to confuse--Fort Kearny…read moreState Recreation Area is not the same as the Fort Kearny State Historical Park, even though they are close together and technically the same park. You can not access the hike/bike bridge in the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area from the Fort Kearny State Historical Park. We visited during the Spring Sandhill Crane migration, but since my son was also studying the Civil War, I wanted to squeeze in some history while we were in the area too. First, the Fort Kearny State Historical Park was really enjoyable for me. It was larger than I expected and has clearly marked areas showing where original buildings once stood. There's also a blacksmith shop with a covered wagon and several other historic features to explore along the way. The fort itself still stands, and you can walk inside and even climb up the lookout points on each corner. Inside, there's a lot of Nebraska history and artifacts from that time period. It didn't hold my son's attention quite as long as I had hoped, but I'm still very glad we visited. A Nebraska State Park Permit is required to park here, which can be purchased online ahead of time (what I did) or at the Fort Kearny Visitors Center or kiosk. The permit is good for 1.5 days. The interpretive center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. This site has a lot of history--built by the Army in 1848, Fort Kearny served as a safe haven for Overland Trail travelers, Pony Express riders, and gold prospectors. Soldiers helped travelers, repaired wagons, and provided protection as people moved west. It also later served as a station for the Pony Express and supported workers building the transcontinental railroad. One unexpected highlight was seeing Sandhill cranes in the surrounding fields. It added a really interesting layer to the experience--thinking about how settlers may have experienced this same migration compared to us today. The cranes have been making this journey for thousands of years, which is incredible to reflect on. Just down the highway is the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area. There's a hike/bike trail with a paved, accessible 1.5-1.8 mile path that leads to a former railroad bridge over the Platte River. This is a well-known viewing area for the Sandhill crane fly-in and fly-out. We visited later in March and didn't see the massive peak migration numbers, but we still saw hundreds of cranes flying into the area at dusk, which was an incredible sight. It does get very crowded near sunset, especially on the bridge itself, so expect a lot of people and limited space. The experience felt a little rushed with kids, but I'm really glad we stayed through sunset to witness it. Watching the cranes come in over the river is something I won't forget.

"You have died of dysentery."…read more OK, if you're a Yelper of a Certain Age, you might remember that delightful game Oregon Trail, all monochrome green or orange in your tiny Apple IIc computer. Fort Kerney brings it to life. Visiting here, you can imagine the old 49ers heading west, stopping here for supplies and a little rest before heading west into the frontier. There's a lot of history here-- the Pony Express, connections to the Transcontinental Railroad, and the Westward expansion. The visitor center is well done, and the grounds have been variably preserved and restored to a condition that whisks you back in time to a very different era of American history. It wasn't all pretty, it wasn't all easy... but it's inexorably linked to who we are, who we aren't, and who we're all striving to be. Worth the stop for a stretch of the legs and the imagination.

Where do I start, way overpriced for what it is. 8 dollars for kids and 7 dollars for adults…read more What do you have for adults to even do? Half of the exhibits weren't even working, no paper or crafting supplies in areas designed for that. Not organized at all, especially in the store. Made the mistake of spending money here for 30 minutes. Go to the park instead way more to do.

I've only been here once, but was amazed what a cool place this was for children. Our little one…read morehad plenty of activities and/or toys to play with and we haven't even done everything yet. We'll be definitely visiting again with our little one to see if we can do the rest of the areas or re-visit our favorites.

We made the mistake of attending the archway museum before coming to Hastings museum, expecting to…read morehave the same experience. It ended up being not nearly as exciting, however, there is soooo much to look at, it would definitely take at least 4 hours to look at every single item. The museum itself definitely needs a major update. I felt like I was back in public elementary school in the early 90s all over again. The musty smell, the chipped floors, the open storage areas for the public to see...ahhh nostalgia! It was not a busy day so it was a little ominous. There was a handful of teenagers creepily/obnoxiously running through the hallways screaming very loud while playing hide and seek. The parents ignored their screams while staring at the gun collections. Coincidence? I think not. The kool-aid exhibit was pretty cool. Definitely educational, and like the other review said, it would have been nice to try some, especially considering it's so cheap and easy to make. One thing that was super upsetting is that we asked for military tickets. I showed my ID and I didn't check the receipt until after we left and the lady only gave us 1 military ticket even though there was 2 of us that are both military. I guess she assumed that my partner didn't look military, or maybe I should have specifically said both of us are, but I usually never have to do that at other places so that added to the lack of excitement for this place. This museum was recommended from a lot of fellow travelers, and I would not recommend going out of the way unless you really need something to do on a rainy day. If you have children that you don't like to keep an eye on and let them roam unsupervised and crazy, this is a fantastic place for your family!! I also saw they have movie showings and a planetarium which may be some extra fun if you have time.

Driving from Portland, OR to Ann Arbor, MI -alone- is a helluva chore. I started losing it in…read moreNebraska. Nebraska is a LONG state and it takes all day to get through it on I-80. Fortunately, just about the time I was starting to hallucinate, I saw a roadside sign that announced "Kool-Aid Museum, Next Exit". I'm so there. Actually, this is the Hastings Museum "of Natural and Cultural History", but i'm sure the museum's marketing guy understood that nobody is gonna pull off the highway to spend the day learning about the great cultural history of Hastings, Nebraska, so it's better known as the Kool-Aid museum. The Kool-Aid exhibits (yeah, plural) take up good portion of the lower level in the museum, and have GREAT catchy names like, "Kool-Aid Days", the "History of Kool-Aid" and of course, who could forget, "Kool-Aid, Discover the Dream!" (i'm not just makin this stuff up!) Kool-Aid was invented in Hastings by some guy named Ed Perkins. For $6 it's worth your time and money, especially if you need a break from behind the wheel to regain your sanity. Did I mention that Nebraska is a LONG state? Not much to see out the window, either. That same $6 gets you into the rest of the museum as well, but be forewarned, the other exhibits have names like, "Festival of Trees" and "Groundwater Discovery Adventure" and "People of the Plains States" No really, you can't make this stuff up. Take a pass on the "Coin Room" too. If i were to go again (and I won't), I'd go the first weekend of August to coincide with the annual Kool-Aid festival and parade (http://www.kool-aiddays.com) where it's free all-you-can-drink Kool-Aid. Smuggle in a pint of Seagram's gin and it could make a lovely summer afternoon. I gave this place 2-stars because it was sorta fun and it was the perfect break I needed from the road. I woulda given it 3-stars if they would have actually SERVED ME SOME DAMN KOOL-AID while I was there. When I asked where I could get some Kool-Aid, I was told, "oh it makes a mess and stains the floor". Pffft. No wonder Ed Perkins moved the Kool-Aid HQ to Chicago.