The Rattlesnake Museum (Albuquerque)

Destination #4: New Mexico and Colorado

The Rattlesnake Museum is a kooky museum that is a must see just for the sheer weirdness of it. Inside, there were lots of different snakes and various other reptile that the kids and I found fascinating.  There were snakes of every color in lots of glass cases along with skinks,horny toads and a plethora other reptilian critters.  The kids and I were fascinated looking at some real rattlers and were mesmerized checking out a snake who'd shed it's skin which was a dried and flaky and laying on the side. Some of the snakes had mice in their cases so I guess it was feeding time.  It was tough to explain to the kids that the snakes were going to eat the mice, but I explained that is how our ecosystem works.   All creatures large and small are part of the food chain and that is just the natural order of things. Another beautiful teachable moment seized.  Besides the actual reptiles, there was snake art, license plates with snake monikers and all kinds of snake paraphernalia.   As we marveled at the different patterns and colors, I am ashamed to say the fashionista in me kept thinking about snakeskin shoes and bags.  The whole experience was a little pricey for what it was, but everyone enjoyed it and walked away with a new appreciation of this slithery desert creature.