B f L Day 5: Playing CSI
If you know us personally, you might know that Bug, our daughter, is graduating this year and planning to study Chemistry with a forensic science certification. University of North Texas, here she comes!
Today, at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, the location of the Kennedy assassination, UNT hosted a CSI day for families, and we went to solve the crime. The minimum age of participants was supposed to be eight years old, but I'm pretty sure they weren't checking IDs. Anyway, other than having a slew of girl scouts to work around, it was pretty fun.
We viewed a crime scene, where a bomb had gone off in a casino. We read witness and suspect statements, viewed results of the explosive testings, and compared fingerprints. We got to take our own fingerprints and compare them to the "types" of fingerprint patterns - I'm a "loop" on at least a couple of fingers. Then we checked evidence to see if it was blood (it was).
We saw how they analyze paper and pen/pencil patterns. And yes, we identified the correct suspect! Yay us.
After the crime solving, we took the guided tour of the book depository and the walkthrough of the events of November 22, 1963. Of course I've heard the stories my entire life, but I've never been to the museum, or really even to Dealey Plaza - I've driven by, but that's it.
Fifty years later, it's amazing how real this feels - like it could have happened last week. Listening to the details from people who were there, seeing the autopsy sketches, looking at the bullets...and wondering what kind of findings there might have been with today's technology and knowledge.
If you're in Dallas, don't miss this. Even if you aren't a history buff, this is totally worth a visit.
It was a great family day...now let's get on with Spring Break!
Today, at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, the location of the Kennedy assassination, UNT hosted a CSI day for families, and we went to solve the crime. The minimum age of participants was supposed to be eight years old, but I'm pretty sure they weren't checking IDs. Anyway, other than having a slew of girl scouts to work around, it was pretty fun.
We viewed a crime scene, where a bomb had gone off in a casino. We read witness and suspect statements, viewed results of the explosive testings, and compared fingerprints. We got to take our own fingerprints and compare them to the "types" of fingerprint patterns - I'm a "loop" on at least a couple of fingers. Then we checked evidence to see if it was blood (it was).
We saw how they analyze paper and pen/pencil patterns. And yes, we identified the correct suspect! Yay us.
After the crime solving, we took the guided tour of the book depository and the walkthrough of the events of November 22, 1963. Of course I've heard the stories my entire life, but I've never been to the museum, or really even to Dealey Plaza - I've driven by, but that's it.
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This is the view of the Dealey Plaza memorial, taken from the grassy knoll area.
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If you're in Dallas, don't miss this. Even if you aren't a history buff, this is totally worth a visit.
It was a great family day...now let's get on with Spring Break!
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