Children brave museum nasties

Natalia Lindsay, from Northcote Primary, eyes the American cockroaches from a safe distance. Photo / Greg Bowker

Creepy crawlies scuttling through mouldy bits of food attracted crowds of youngsters on holiday to the Auckland Museum this week.

The Dangerous Museum for Boys and Daring Girls exhibition - running during the school holidays - offers youngsters a unique look at all things weird and scary including fish tanks full of weta, cockroaches and crickets.

Natalia Lindsay, 6, was at the museum this week with mum Roisin Byers. "It was really gross, but she loved it. She guessed the number of cockroaches in the tank - 100. There were actually 98," Ms Byers said.

"There was one white cockroach in there and she asked: 'Mum, what's that one?' I had no idea - but she loved how they were eating through the mouldy biscuits."

Youngsters are encouraged to take a dangerous trail around the museum.

The exhibition runs until July 19.