“Can I buy a whip, mommy, please can I? … I’ll do anything…”
“It’s wicked awesome!”
These were two of the kids’ comments we overheard at the Montreal Science Centre’s Indiana Jones Exhibition. The 10,000-square-foot interactive display, not only celebrates the epic movie, but also delves into the mystery of real-world archaeology.
For almost every 10-year-old boy and all fans of the whip-cracking daring adventurer, it’s all about the movie. And they’re not disappointed. Movie props include the Ark of the Covenant, Mutt’s motorcycle, a life-size sarcophagus from the Well of Souls, and the costumes of the leading ladies and Indiana Jones himself, hat and whip included. Movie clips let visitors re-live their favourite moments and reveal behind-the-scenes secrets showing, for instance, just how Indy escaped the giant rolling boulder.
The handheld multi-media guide personalizes the experience and lets you interact with the exhibits. What really captures the kids’ attention (besides the movie clips) is the Quest for Treasure game. They scour the displays for clues in this high-tech scavenger hunt that has them looking for ancient designs and solving puzzle. The young treasure hunters are rewarded with their names shining brightly on the museum’s wall at the end of a successful mission.
But it’s not just entertainment.
“An object without a story is just an object.”
“A treasure may take many forms. To archaeologists, knowledge is as valuable as gold.”
These displayed quotes embody the themes that underlie the archaeological history and artifacts exhibits, which looks at the process of discovery rather than focusing just on the objects. Four zones – The Quest, The Discovery, The Investigation and The Interpretation – take visitors to discoveries around the world from the gold vessels and jewellery from Ancient Mesopotamia to the discovery of Macchu Picchu in modern day Peru. The rare artifacts are on loan from the Penn Museum and National Geographic Society, and include the world’s oldest map.
See it before September 18, as the exhibition won’t be back in North America for at least six years. www.indianajonestheexhibition.com
Kid detectives will also enjoy The Shed 16 Labyrinth next to the Science Centre. At this large indoor maze their mission is to help Professor Smart unravel the riddle of the miniaturization laser gun that expands objects instead of shrinking them.
Visitors rush through the dark maze of blue plastic flaps filled with obstacles and find stations, where they solve problems to receive a clue that gets them closer to solving the mystery. It’s not for the claustrophobic or easily frustrated but our 7and 9 year-old both loved it and immediately wanted to do it again. Allow 90 minutes to complete the maze.
When you’re done solving mysteries, take some time to enjoy Old Montreal’s cobblestone streets, cafes, horse and buggy rides and the 17th and 18th-century architecture.
Vieux- Montreal is located about a half a mile south of downtown. Its approximate boundaries are Rue Berri, Rue McGill, Rue Saint Antoine and the St. Lawrence River.
A good restaurant to try is the Le Jardin Nelson, located in Place Jacques-Cartier. This pedestrian square is teeming with colourful performances throughout the summer. Enjoy a meal and a glass of wine while fire-eaters, bicycle stuntmen and caricature artists mesmerize your kids.
We stayed at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth. Their breakfast buffet was a hit for the kids and kept us fortified for our active days of sightseeing. Its downtown location made it easy to navigate the city by foot or transit. www.fairmont.com/queenelizabeth
For more information on Montreal visit www.tourisme-montreal.org
Get kids excited about your family’s travels at www.justkidstravel.com -A travel planning website for kids.