Chocolate Exhibit: NC Museum of Natural Sciences

I plan on going to the Chocolate Special Exhibit at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences on Sunday, July 12th for any else interested in joining me. I'm going to explore this exhibit and check out some other areas of the museum that seem interesting. I'm also thinking about going to a smoothie, ice cream, and coffee shop downtown called Crema that I discovered last week. The entrance fee is $7.00 for adults and free for members of the museum. Here's some info about the Exhibit: Chocolate: The Exhibition Saturday, May 9–Monday, September 7, 2009 From rainforest treasure to luscious treat, immerse yourself in the story of chocolate. Box of chocolates, aChocolate: The Exhibit gift for the gods. A symbol of wealth and luxury. An economic livelihood. Bonbons. Hot fudge. Candy bars. For thousands of years humans have been fascinated with the delicious phenomenon that we call chocolate. Journey through history to get the complete story behind the tasty treat that we crave in "Chocolate," an exciting new exhibition opening on May 9, 2009. You'll begin in the rainforest with the unique cacao tree whose seeds started it all. Visit the ancient Maya civilization of Central America and discover what chocolate meant nearly 1,500 years ago. Then travel forward in time and northward to the Aztec civilization of 16th-century Mexico, where cacao seeds were so valuable they were used as money. Discover chocolate's introduction into the upper classes of European society and its transformation into a mass-produced world commodity. Chocolate will engage your senses and reveal facets of this sumptuous sweet that you've never thought about before. You'll explore the plant, the products and the culture of chocolate through the lenses of science, history and popular culture. Special lectures, tastings and promotional events Exhibit Hours Monday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm (last ticket sold at 3 pm) Sunday noon - 4 pm (last ticket sold at 3 pm) First Fridays 10 am - 8 pm (last ticket sold at 7 pm) Admission to Chocolate: The Exhibition $7 for Adults $5 for Seniors (age 65+) $5 for Military (with ID) $5 for Students (with ID)