If you want happy tired kids that will go to bed as soon as their heads hit the pillow then this is the place to take them! Throughout these three floors your child will exercise their mind, body, and creativity and the best part is you can play right along with them.
The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is the New Balance Climb. It is a three story climbing maze that creeps way up but the kids are secure because there is netting all around it. Parents enjoy it because there is only one entrance and exit so there is no way your child is going to wander off while they’re in there. My kids usually go in it as soon as we come in and then again before we leave. It’s a huge hit and my favorite part is watching parents panic that they’ll have to climb up it if their child won’t come down (I just jinxed myself…that’s totally going to be me next time!).
Many of the exhibits focus on learning how you and your family can be healthy. There are areas where you race by pedaling, dance on colorful tiles, and shoot basketballs. There are also areas to climb a rock wall, pull on ropes to launch balls, and use your arm muscles to pull yourself up in a chair. (This would explain why they were fast asleep on the ride home.)
Some of the science activities include a room full of different bubble apparatuses as well as a science playground that has live animals… a lizard, turtle, and snake. A fun room to explore is the Raceway Room that lets kids compete with golf balls down various tracks.
For the creative thinkers, there is an art studio that has workshops or drop-in art experiences. They supply all the material and you just have to bring your imagination. If you go there at the start of your day you can keep your craft there while you play. Another fun area is the 3rd floor that is filled with cultural places from around the world. There you can take a stroll through Japan, style hair at the African Queen Beauty Salon, cook food at the Cape Verdean Café, or build a city in the Construction Zone.
Another favorite area is for the builders. There are tons of wooden blocks and examples of wonderful structures. Here your children can create whatever they can imagine.
The entire museum is great for all ages, and parents will appreciate that some areas are designated for younger children and toddlers. The staff is very helpful and I was surprised that the museum is very clean (which is hard to maintain in areas like the bubble room). It is located on the waterfront and there are tables and benches outside to enjoy your lunch. My kids were not bored for one second while we were there and I had just as much fun as they did.
Tips:
- Open Daily from 10:00-5:00, and on Fridays they are open until 9:00.
- Adults as well as children ages 1-16 are $16. (Kind of a bummer that a 1 year old has to pay the same price as an older kid.)
- On Friday nights from 5:00-9:00 it is only $1, but I would be prepared for a large crowd.
- The museum gets pretty busy on rainy days and there always seems to be a field trip going on. However, the museum is very spacious so it’s never too crowded.
- There are 2-3 bathrooms on each floor.
- There is a coat room as well as an ATM and a gift shop. There is a parking garage nearby as well as metered parking spaces.
- If you are local, you may want to see if your local library offers a museum pass.