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Stepping off a simmering Broadway into the air-conditioned Witte Museum feels as refreshing as sipping lemonade on a hot summer day.
Children are running around as if the museum were an amusement park and parents chase after them hoping that something educational will stick in their minds.
The price of admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for children under 11 years old. Admission is free for children under 3.
For an extra $3 per ticket, parents can take their children into a new interactive exhibit the museum is hosting, for its final three days, called "The Genius of Leonardo: Machines in Motion."
The exhibit features machines designed from Leonardo da Vinci's sketches, made from materials that would have been available during the Renaissance.
In addition to the 40 machines made of wood, leather, canvas and rope, several flat-screen televisions line the walls between the machines playing looped videos on the life of da Vinci.
The children, paying little to no attention to the videos, run from one machine to the next - pulling on ropes and cranking handles - trying to figure out how each one works.
In the back of the exhibit is a room called Leonardo's Workshop, where all ages can play with puzzles originally designed by Leonardo.
However, the exhibit isn't just for kids.
Steve Dupnick, 56, came to the museum because of his interest in Leonardo's work.
"This stuff is amazing," Dupnick said. "It's the simple concepts that are put into use."
This exhibit will be hosted by the Witte Museum through Sunday; however, there are many other permanent exhibits available for all ages.
"Texas Wild: Ecology Illustrated" provides a look at native flora, fauna and habitats of Texas.
"Ancient Texans: Rock Art and Lifeways Along the Lower Pecos" examines the culture of a society that lived along the Pecos River thousands of years ago.
Likewise, "Mummies: Unwrapping the Past" does the same for ancient Egypt.
The H-E-B Science Treehouse is another favorite for kids. The treehouse is a four-story building designed to teach children the uses of science in their lives through the fun of experimentation.
The Witte Museum has something to offer for everyone regardless of age, education or interest.
A basic membership to the museum costs $35 and provides unlimited general admission for a year to one person as well as other goodies and discounts. Family and senior memberships also are available.
Admission from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays is free.
For more information, call 357-1900.
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