Xtreme Bugs at Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science

One of our favorite Bay Area destinations for hand-on science fun Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science. Located in the hills high above the UC Berkeley campus, this science center has entertained and educated generations of kids, and continues to offer fun science exhibits and activities. We visited this week to check out their awesome new exhibit Xtreme Bugs and had a great time.

Xtreme Bugs, on view at the Lawrence Hall of Science through September 1, 2014, allows visitors to get an up-close view of the fascinating world of bugs through giant insect and arthropod models that move and buzz. You'll find over 100 of these enormous animatronic bugs situated throughout the museum and even outside, and you'll encounter such critters as an orchid mantis, a monarch butterfly, a tarantula, honeybees, and a 15-foot-long Japanese hornet.

Not only can you examine these big bugs up close, but you can listen to the sounds they make, watch them move and learn how they play a critical role in our environment. My kids loved the extreme size and realistic look of these amazing bugs. It's truly fascinating and engaging for kids and grownups of all ages. Some of the bugs were accompanied by an interactive iPad component, too. This part of the exhibit is located in one of the rooms in the back of the building on the first floor. You can visit some of the giant robotic bugs' real-life counterparts in the Backyard Zoo, which features a tarantula, a scorpion, a giant Madagascar hissing cockroach, and an Argentine ant colony.

We also took in the accompanying movie, Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure, in the 3D Theater. This amazing 3D experience follows the lives of a caterpillar (which transforms into a butterfly, naturally) and a praying mantis. Taking place in the Amazon rainforest, it makes you feel as if you're right there among the insects themselves. We highly recommend it! The cost for the movie is an additional $4 per person.

After checking out the bugs, we took a lunch break at the View Cafe, which offers a variety of salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and snacks, as well as a kids menu where choices include grilled cheese, hot dogs, burgers, and even vegan taquitos. A kids' meal with choice of entree plus fruit, a cookie, and a drink is $5. You can also bring your own food for a picnic indoors or out. The café and outdoor play area offers specular views overlooking the San Francisco Bay.

It's easy to spend the whole day here. You can also visit the planetarium, which is open weekends, holidays, and winter weeks. Shows include "A Sky Full of Stars" for ages 4–8 (accompanied by an adult), and "Back to the Moon for Good" for ages 8 and up.

We also created structures with the Hall's Kapla blocks and learned about the Earth from Science on a Sphere. There's so much to do at the Lawrence Hall of Science that it definitely deserves more than one visit. Xtreme Bugs is definitely worth the visit for science fans of all ages.

With its location high up in the Berkeley Hills, the Lawrence Hall of Science is almost worth the trip just for the amazing panoramic views of the entire Bay Area. The outdoor area has plenty to do, too, with a waterfall, stream, and stepping stones, lawn, and even another animatronic dinosaur. In front of the building there's a life-size whale sculpture and giant DNA model for kids to play on.

If You Go

Named after UC Berkeley scientist and Nobel Prize winner Ernest O. Lawrence, the Lawrence Hall of Science has been education and entertaining Bay Area families for over 40 years. The Hall is located near the UC Berkeley campus at One Centennial Drive. It's open daily from 10 am to 5 pm; closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving. The Bay View Cafe is open 9–4 pm Monday–Friday and 10 am–4 pm on weekends. There's also the Discovery Corner Toy and Book Store, which offers educational science toys, games, craft-making kits, and books for all ages.

Admission, which includes the special exhibition fee for Xtreme Bugs, is $17 for adults 19–61; $14 for students 7–18, seniors 62+, and disabled; and $11 for children 3–6. Children under 3 are free. There's an additional $4 fee for movie Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure in the 3D theater and for planetarium shows.

To get there from Marin, cross the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge and take 580 east to Interstate 80. Take the University Avenue exit into Berkeley, follow University to campus, then turn left onto Oxford Street. Turn right on Hearst Avenue, then right on Gayley Road. Turn left onto Stadium Rim Way just after the Greek Theater, then turn left onto Centennial Drive and follow it up to the Lawrence Hall of Science.

For more information about Lawrence Hall of Science and their programs, activities, camps, classes, and events, visit www.lawrencehallofscience.org or call (510) 642-5132.