My daughter was uncharacteristically quiet. What's up? I asked.

"I have so many questions in my brain," she said. "And I don't know where to start."

That's why you should take your elementary-aged child to meet Lucy, at the Pacific Science Center's exhibit "Lucy's Legacy." It gets little minds shifting into higher gears. I couldn't keep up with the questions, post-visit.

But those questions are also why adults should go alone, at first. Walk through the winding exhibit hall, covering Ethiopia's rich history, culture and diverse religions; read about the dawn of humanity and evolution's unfolding process. Listen to the guided tour on audiophone, and get fully grounded in what you're experiencing.  

No time? Take a shortcut: Watch "Cradle of Mankind: Lucy & Ethiopia" this Saturday, Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. on KIRO 7.

Then take the kids. If they have questions -- and if they're over 6 or 7, they will probably have highly specific questions -- you'll have a head start on the answers. You'll be able to point out kid-pleasing highlights: the shield, made out of animal hide stretched over tortoise shell, the real silver coins and Ethiopian music playing overhead.

Children will enjoy Xploration Station, the hands-on area. There, kids can compare the brains of chimps and humans, feel a fossilized bone and dino poop, sift for artifacts and assemble bones.

Lucy's bones are in a darkened, atmospheric room, next to a mural showing the evolution of humanity, and a life-size Lucy model, hair and all. The intensity is enhanced by rain and thunder sound effects.

I would not recommend the exhibit for children under 6. There probably isn't enough to hold their attention for long, and you'll want to read the fascinating facts. Instead, take them spelunking with Mr. Potatohead at the Seattle Children's Museum.

After you've gone through Lucy, the exhibit's adjoining gift shop sells great kids' books on evolution, early humanity and prehistoric days, also aimed at the elementary-through-teen crowd.

On Thursday nights until 9 p.m., admission is free for PSC members, and I'd recommend weekday afternoons (after 2 p.m.) for a quieter experience with less waiting in line. But the last admission is at 3:30 p.m., so time it right.

And if you don't get all those questions answered right away, no worries. The exhibit will be here through March 8, 2009.  

Contact Lora at littlekidsbigcity@nwsource.com. See previous stories at http://littlekidsbigcity.com.

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