I recently took Kellan to the main museum in downtown Portland because there's a special auto exhibit that I knew he'd appreciate. Even though I was a bit apprehensive about taking a preschooler to a museum, I thought it was worth the risk. We ended up having a really fun afternoon. 

Kellan loved getting close to some of the amazing cars on display. I did have to remind him not to touch, but he didn't make a fuss and he didn't run around like we were in a gym. We talked about the features we liked best on each car and picked which ones we would like to drive.  

He did so well with the car exhibit that we explored other parts of the museum. In the contemporary art section, I thought for sure Kellan would ask lots of questions. There was a huge sculpture that incorporated a headless mannequin, but he was over it after a few seconds. What did catch his attention were the Renaissance paintings. Maybe it's the way some of the faces in the portraits seem to be following you!

We spent about an hour at the museum, which is just long enough for a preschooler. We ate lunch nearby and sat at a window to watch people get on and off the streetcar. Then we got ice cream and sat in a sunny spot at a park. We both had a blast and I was definitely proud that Kellan behaved perfectly.

Many museums have art appreciation programs for younger kids. Have you taken your preschooler to your local art museum yet?