The month of December is here and another holiday season awaits us, a time traditionally spent with family and friends.  With children out of school and the potential for out of town visitors it’s good to be armed with a wide assortment of entertainment options, particularly those that are nearby, easy to get to, offer plenty of parking, and are reasonably priced.  The Bay Area of course has an exceptionally long list of fun, family oriented things to do but did you know that here in Marin we have some very interesting museums that are sure to entertain people of all ages?  I have to admit that I wasn’t fully aware of many of these museums before researching and was pleasantly surprised by what I learned.  Here are four Marin County museums to consider visiting this holiday season.  Happy Holidays to you and yours!

#1) The Bay Area Discovery Museum, http://bayareadiscoverymuseum.org/ is a one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor children’s museum at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, serving over 300,000 visitors per year on its 7.5 acre Sausalito campus. The Museum is recognized as the leading children’s museum dedicated to developing childhood creativity, nurturing future generations of creative thinkers and innovators. With this emphasis on creativity through play, the museum encourages children ages 6 months to 10 years to develop into curious, creative, adventurous lifelong learners and explorers. The Museum’s unique programs feature hands-on art, science and environmental exhibitions, performances, special events, cultural festivals and ongoing educational curricula… all with a focus on fun! From navigating wind tunnels to develop physical and mental risk-taking skills to feeling the rush of cold-water tide pools that surprise and awaken curiosity to tapping their imaginations to transform into a spider, a ship captain, or a bridge builder, children expand their creativity at every turn.

#2) Hamilton Field History Museum, http://www.novatohistory.org/hamilton-air-field/ features permanent and rotating exhibits exploring the history and stories of Hamilton Army Airfield and Air Force Base and the life of the field after decommissioning.  Featured exhibits include the development of Hamilton Air Field 1932 – 1975, Model Airplanes and Link Trainer, Maps of Hamilton Field, photos of planes and crews, oral histories about the base, and videos of base and interviews.  There is also a docent available to help you with research.

#3 Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, https://www.marinmoca.org/default.aspx connects art, community, and artistic expression. It is a unique non-collecting museum that is for artists, about artists, and by artists. MarinMOCA seeks to present art in an environment that provides a supportive venue for artists and exhibitions that inspire the community. It is located at the beautiful Novato Arts Center at historic Hamilton Field in Novato, California. The museum has a main gallery as well as the Ron Collins lobby gallery, a museum store, a classroom, and artist studios. Over 40 artists have working studios in 3 buildings that provide an atmosphere of creative energy in which contemporary art flourishes.

#4) The Museum of the American Indian, http://www.marinindian.com/ seeks to provide the people of Northern California with programs and exhibits that deepen understanding and appreciation of Native American cultures. The Museum promotes accuracy, sensitivity and respect for the heritage and history of our continent’s earliest inhabitants. The Museum engages diverse audiences in the exploration and preservation of the history, languages, art and traditions of Native Americans through the growth of its permanent collections, its exhibitions and the vitality and diversity of its educational programs.  The Museum’s exhibitions provide an educational resource for children’s cultural enrichment programs, a repository for artifacts, photographs, drawings and books, a forum for the objective examination of Native American cultures, and an archive of information and data, available for inquiry and consultation.