Over the holidays we got the chance to visit the Canadian Museum of Nature in order to check out their new exhibit “Me & My Microbes.” We went on New Year’s Eve day, which was the perfect time - most people were leaving when we arrived and we had many sections of the museum to ourselves!

The human body contains trillions of microbes, and outnumber human cells by 10 to 1! Most of these little guys are good for us, helping with digestion, fighting off infection and disease and even affecting our moods. Microbes also live ON our bodies, and you can find them everywhere, often concentrated on different areas of the skin.

As always, the exhibits are created to entertain both adults and young children alike. There are interactive displays, simulation games and even a small area for toddlers and younger children where they can play with stuffie microbes such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Our favourite part was the presentation at “The Lab.” These run regularly throughout the day in both french and english. The information was fascinating, and definitely captured my kids (7 and 10 years old) attention. At the end of each section the facilitator would ask multiple choice questions, and we got to answer with number decks that were sitting on the benches.

My oldest also loved reading about microbes in our mouth and what affects our dental health. My youngest loved a simulation game where you consume different foods or antibiotics and see how they have an impact on our microbiome (all the microbes living in our guts!)

I really appreciated the science on dirt, and how being “dirty” (playing outside, getting our hands dirty in the garden and not stressing so much over disinfecting our houses) can lead to more diverse microbiomes; which science says may help to ward off disease. Now when my kids complain about going outside I’ll tell them they’re just making their microbiome happy!

The exhibit is on until 29th, and the cost is $6 per person (on top of admission), but free for members and kids 2 and under! It’s definitely not to be missed, especially if you’re a bit of a science geek like I am.

The museum is also hosting some upcoming special “gut talks” that explore the human microbiome. These include:

1) January 16th: Our lifestyles, our microbes: The hidden connection.
Dr. Kathy McCoy and Dr. Braedon McDonald, an intensivist and clinician-scientist, will discuss the effect of modern lifestyles on the human gut, and how an imbalance in our microbes may influence many diseases or disorders, such as allergies, autoimmunity and cancer. Dr. McCoy will also talk about how scientists hope to harness the power of the microbiome to promote health and treat disease.

2) February 6th: Diet and prebiotics: Happy gut, happy life.
Dr. Raylene Reimer, University of Calgary Professor and Registered Dietician, and Dr. Jon Meddings, gastroenterologist and dean of the Cumming School of Medicine, will explore how diet plays a major role in shaping the community of microbes that call our intestines home. An imbalance in these microbes has been linked to many common diseases. Dr. Reimer will discuss the influence of diet and prebiotics (“fertilizer” for healthy gut bacteria) in counteracting disruptions to gut microbiota including in conditions such as obesity, diabetes and autism. Tickets for this talk will be available as of January 16 at nature.ca.

3) March 12th: Let them eat dirt: Childhood and the microbiome.
Dr. Marie-Claire Arrieta, University of Calgary microbiologist, and Dr. Chris Waterhouse, a paediactric gastroenterologist, will discuss how the millions of microbes that live in our bodies influence childhood development. Dr. Arrieta will explain how an imbalance in those microbes—for example, through antibiotic overuse, hyper-cleanliness and poor diet—impacts children’s health, leading to an increase in obesity, asthma, and other chronic conditions. Dr. Arrieta is a co-author of Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Your Child from an Oversanitized World. The event includes a documentary screening and book-signing. Tickets for this talk will be available as of February 20.

All talks are FREE but they recommend you reserve tickets by visiting their website