I never knew this was at Freedom Park as many times as I have been. My 3 littles loved this place. It was so much to see and learn about. We also got to watch a show about the stars. It's was very informative. My favorite part was the looking at the beekeepers . I was just amazed at how beekeeping is done. We were able to get a wonderful discount by showing either your WIC or EBT CARD. It was a great experience and I plan to go a few times a year. read more

See all

This museum is great if you're obsessed with nature. Otherwise, it is small. And story time definitely caters to older kids. I myself enjoy this museum, but I don't find it to be very toddler friendly read more

Decent for what it is. Lots of closed exhibits right now (2022) so you can probably blast through this pretty quick like we did. If we hadn't caught the planetarium show it would have felt especially underwhelming. The place did kinda smell musty. Still, cool to have something like this right on freedom park. read more

Discovery Place Nature - Taxidermy beaver - Museums Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I am a full-time Nanny in the Charlotte area. Every family that I've worked with has been members of Discovery Place Nature. If you're looking for a grand-scaled type of museum, then this one is not for you. It's literally for children to enjoy. They have multiple shows such as; puppet, planetarium, and animal shows happening throughout different intervals of the day. The children I've taken seemed to like story time best. As well as climbing on the rocks to watch the turtles swim in their habitats. Check it out! read more

See all

Great for an hour or two as an afternoon outing without spending a ton of money. $8/person or so or buy online tickets for 10% off with a code. read more

See all

This is actually a neat, slightly hidden gem right off of freedom park. $8 to get in (everyone over 2 pays the same price) or it part of the discovery place if you have a membership. It has a lot of local to Mecklenburg "wildlife", which is a lot of turtles and snakes, but there are also some flying squirrels, skunks, and a hedgehog. There's also a fun outdoor explore/play area. It's definitely geared to young children/elementary age, but a nice place to spend a few hours (then you can picnic in the park). read more

Discovery Place Nature - American Alligator. - Museums Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

This place is totally cute! Went here with nephew and brother today as a kid-friendly activity; the nature center is a mixture of taxidermy animals and live animals on display, hands-on activities, and a nature walk that leads to a park. Most of the displays are in good working order, but a couple could use some repair. Tips: 1) Kids over 2 years have to pay admission, which is currently $6. Not bad for what you get. 2) The live animals are really neat, but many of them get startled by loud noises and banging on the displays. Please make sure your kids are respectful of their space. 3) There is a space for kids' parties; why not plan a Birthday party for your animal-loving kids there? 4) if you don't want your kids to get dirty, don't take them on the nature trail/park. The park is great and has lots of fun activities, but is a mulch-and-dirt based area with wood chips and other forms of nature. :-) I personally thought the teepee and chimes play areas were cool, and my nephew loved the child-sized wheelbarrows. 5) If your kids love this place, get a membership. They last for a year and will pay off in three or four visits, depending on family size. read more

See all

It didn't look too big from the pictures, but it's REALLY nice inside! Super cute, and lots of cute things for the kids. The one girl, Olivia, who was working the bug exhibit and Planetarium was amazing. Very nice and great with the kids. If we ever visit the area again this will be on our list. read more

I think I was expecting more from this given the "Discovery Place" name. It was disappointing. Very small and pretty run down. Not a good selection as far as animals go. The kids still enjoyed it best part was the outside play area. The "Nature walk" is a very short boardwalk. I don't think it's worth the $8/per person. Save your self the money and walk the greenway behind it. read more

I love this precious little spot. Birds, and turtles, owls, snakes, frogs, butterflies... what is not to love? They will get the snakes out on request for you (or in my case, my children) to hold. They will also get the skunk out! Apparently, they are a lot like cats-- and I must admit, my curiosity got the best of me and I did find myself stroking the coarse hair of the injured animal. The butterfly garden is a wonder! We also found turtles hidden in there. My younger (5 y/o) loves the puppet shows. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable! The little play area gets crowded and lots of inattentive mothers can create quite a bit of mayhem... we usually skip this area. Bring sanitizer, as little hands seem to find their way into the turtle water. Eeek! Once we are finished here, we walk on the nature trail to Freedom Park for picnic fun and play time! We usually look for the grumpy old troll who lives uinder the bridge, as we cross into the park. This is a great way to spend the day! read more

Went here a few weeks ago with my toddler daughter. It's fine for about 30 minutes of entertainment but it is a small venue so the thrills are in short supply. We'd had high hopes for the butterfly atrium and were somewhat disappointed. There were a small handful of ordinary specimens. (I realize I am unfairly comparing this exhibit with Marine World Africa's version in CA. which is fantastic.) It is well maintained but feels old and in need of some love. The park that surrounds it is as much as a draw and could provide more fun on a temperate day. read more

I've thought and thought about how to write this review and rate this museum and I wish I could give them another 1/2 star. Housed in an old house (or perhaps an old small office building) this is notsomuch a museum as it is a learning center of sorts. We visited on a rainy Saturday for one of their monthly special events, this one featuring chickens at various stages (next month: groundhogs.) The location is secluded and beautiful and I suspect the outdoor activites are really what makes CNM special. However, if that's true, is that really enough to ride on??? There was not really anything hands-on for the kids to do, aside from crafts. The little indoor climbing area simulates groundhog tunnels but many of the little cause/effect displays didn't work. There is a small but cute water/rain table. There are many mounted & stuffed specimens to view, but no educational speakers or anything. Hubby took the kids into the reptile room and said it is one of the larger collections he's seen and our 4yo was very intrigued...but again, just looking, no learning. For the price, I can't say I won't return ($6pp) and give them another chance, especially when we can enjoy their outdoor offerings. Be warned though, it was insanely hot inside (at least 80 degrees) and there is only ONE bathroom w/a changing table....at a kid's museum. read more

A little pricey but very nice. Informative and lots to look at. My family had came in for Thanksgiving so we spent some time at the nature center and Freedom Park. Very much enjoyed! read more

Very small and simple museum. A little outdated, but the staff informed me that they will be going through renovation and begin updating their exhibits. It's definitely focused on outdoor life which we enjoyed. The museum offers a nice walking trail out back, probably 1/4 of a mile. Many things for the kids to jump on and play with. The entire museum could be seen in under an hour easily, but we spent a little extra time waiting for the shows/ feedings/ exploratorium etc. Would recommend for the outdoor family. read more

See all

This is a fun place. Its has all kind of animals. They have a butterfly conservatory, walking trails and a big play area outside. Admission is reasonable. We took a toddler but tons of other things for adults and kids. read more

lame! half the exhibits are closed and most of the inside insects are dead and behind glass. Pretty much a waste.

A nice museum although a bit pricey for the few exhibits. $6/person. Had a few exhibits of amphibians, reptiles, mammals, etc. Had a snake feeding time. Forget the nature walk....just a circular walk around some greenery with nothing beyond just nature itself. Outside of this museum, across the bridge is a large pond where you can chill. Museum located in a nice neighborhood. Reminds me of upper NW DC. read more

Lots to see, my kids had fun. The butterfly room is kind of magical. We liked the outdoor trail and nature play area. My daughter kept looking at a mouse in the first room displays, so one of the employees came and got it out for my girl to pet and look at. That was sweet. read more

We have 2 toddlers under three and this place keeps them busy and interested for hours-both indoors and out. They love the puppet shows, the opportunity to see and pet live animals, the outdoor trail, etc. etc. etc. take a snack and enjoy the day here. You can even leave and walk into Freedom Park from the greenway and go feed the ducks, enjoy the Play60 park....so much to do. read more

Discovery Place Nature - Playing indoors at Discovery Place Nature - Museums Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Great nature center in Charlotte. Part of the Charlotte museum system, discovery place nature is a neat little place to take the little ones. Nestled in a pretty upscale neighborhood in Charlotte it's a pretty small place that packs a lot in. Many live small animal exhibit adorn the inside throughout including snakes, turtles, small mammals, and even a viewable beehive. There are also a few play areas inside to keep little ones busy. They have shows and walking trails as well. Definitely a cool place to bring the little ones to learn more about animals and nature. I recommend stopping in if you're within a reasonable commuting distance. read more

The was a small quaint place but still an excellent experience for the price. It is humane and a decent size. The outside trail is well maintained and worth the sights. It has a great location right next to the huge park! The place was clean and my daughter loved it. read more

We stopped in with our four visiting under five year olds on a Saturday late morning. There were many activities to keep the kids busy and happy. What I liked the most was the size, the museum is just big enough for the under 10 age group, and the circular design made it easy for the adults to keep track of the kids. The butterfly pavilion was a hit, as well as the nature walk. Lots of animals to talk about and a little indoor climbing area with a slide too...the $8.00 admission felt a little pricey for a group of 12 and there is no children's discount, but I still think it was money well spent and everyone left happy! read more

Discovery Place Nature - A visitor enjoys the friendly butterflies! - Museums Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This wasted a couple hours, but I was not at all impressed. We just moved here and had heard many great things from friends about this museum. I was not a fan at all, but my kids seemed to enjoy the few exhibits they had open. The indoor play area was filthy. I wanted to douse the kids in anti-bacterial soap after each run through the play area. And half of the things didn't work properly. Also, the price was way too expensive for what was there. The outdoor area was okay. It was incredibly hot, so we didn't spend a lot of time outside. They seemed to be at least making an effort to spruce things up outdoors. read more

I really wanted to love this place and was excited to go there after buying a membership at Discovery Place Kids. My 2 year old did enjoy it, and we got an hour or two of entertainment out of it, but I don't think we will be making much use out of the membership. Many of the interactive exhibits were broken, and the outside area could have been cool, but it doesn't compare to the nature playground area at Reedy Creek park (which is free.) There were some sticks to build with outside and some wheelbarrows but not much to climb on or interact with. There are some neat insects/reptiles etc. inside to look at, but nothing we haven't seen at other places. There's a nice little reading nook with nature books and a few toys. My toddler liked this area, but it was nothing very special - we could do the same at the library or a bookstore or toy store. Also, there didn't seem to be big trails - there's a greenbelt that passes the outside area that looked like more of a nature adventure (for free) than the museum offers. I guess I am really picky about museums as we have been to some great ones that offer a lot of hands on learning for kids, but this one doesn't measure up. read more

Very underwhelmed with what this museum has to offer. The butterfly garden might have had 4 butterflies and with a 5 year old it only took 16 minutes to go through the entire place and she was ready to go. I do not recommend this museum. read more

We love going here. They have an atrium with butterflies, a pretty little nature walk, a few live animals in rather small cages (don't love that part) and a lot of creepy taxidermy. Still, there's lots to entertain young children and it has an old school feel to it. read more

We loved our short trip to the Nature Museum but didn't realize it was so geared toward kids. We don't have kids so we had to leave a drivers license at the door. We also got some weird looks from the other people with kids so it was a weird atmosphere and we didn't stick around for long. There are a few areas that are obviously for the kids but the rest should appeal to all ages. We loved being able to see two owls up close, check out baby quails and then see the adult quails and see different types of snakes, turtles and miscellaneous animals. The butterfly atrium was pretty average. There weren't a lot of them flying around but it looked like they had a lot that were ready to hatch. The nature trail in the back was probably more for kids. They had some play structures set up and if you're looking for a decent length walk, it might be worth going to the park/lake on the other side of the gates. Admission wasn't terribly expensive and we thought it was worth it just to see the barred owl and the comically tiny screech owl. read more

I would like to give this more stars as my children did enjoy being there but my husband and I were thoroughly disappointed as we walked through with not much to do and most of the exhibits broken or left a mess. We have a membership and I would really like to see it taken care of! read more

This a very SMALL museum and at $8 A head which includes anyone over 2 years old, My wife and did not think it was very good value for the money spent. With my wife daughter and granddaughter plus tax it was almost $35 for the four of us and it took maybe 30 minutes to go through. At the end I said "Is that all????" expecting more but it ended quickly even going out doors and walking the nature trail down to "Fort Wild" an outdoor play area. Now I wasn't expecting The Museum Of Natural History in Raleigh, and we did enjoy some of the exhibits, but at $8 a head plus tax we were expecting way more than what we got. After our granddaughter finished playing outside, we went back through again to feel like we at least gotten a little more for our money. If your trying to find an activity with the kids to beat the heat this summer, this place won't give you a very big bang for your buck. Also with it as small as it is, we had several summer camps coming through with small children and it was getting way to loud in there, so thank goodness we were leaving. As most reviewers have said, save your money and go next door to Freedom Park, Its free! Two visits in one for us, first and last! read more

I remember loving the Charlotte Nature Museum when I was in the pre-school crowd (I'm 30 now, with my own children), and my children enjoyed their trip there as well; however, while reasonably well maintained, it was on the small side and we were there for maybe an hour/hour and fifteen minutes (it took longer to drive there than we actually spent there). The children enjoyed seeing the butterflies, playing in the play area, and seeing the animals (albeit in small cages-- though, they looked perky and happy). We didn't go to the part with the dead things, we live in Washington DC (we were in Matthews visiting family) and regularly use the National Natural History museum- so the kiddos have seen dead things up close. The nature trails looked nice, and I'm sure the park is lovely on a warm, non-rainy day. It wasn't very crowded while we were there, maybe 5 other families, and the bathroom was in an appalling state and had no toilet paper. The reviewer that said it is more of a learning center than a museum definitely hit the nail on the head-- I think it's a wonderful addition to the park, but should not be considered a destination in itself. It could definitely use some things that talk to you and a few more things to engage the youngsters and adults who bring them. If you're close to the museum, have a preschooler, have an extra hour and $6 to burn, by all means it is worth it, but I wouldn't say it is worth a trek there. The Ethiopian restaurant we went to afterwards though-- now that was worth it. Oh, I too wish there were an option to give an extra 1/2 star... 2 1/2 seems about right. read more

We dropped in here on a sunny and hot afternoon, looking for a way to entertain our two kids (ages 3 and 5) and beat the heat. Our kids love animals and interactive exhibits and thus place is loaded with both. It isn't a zoo but has plenty on interesting live animal exhibits. There are some great activities and an awesome outside play area. The entry price of $8 per person is a little steep for a family of four. read more

My kid loves this place. Always new and exciting exhibits and attractions. Lots to learn. Taking your time you can go through this in about two hours. There's always a great outdoor place area if weather permits. Definitely check out the butterfly garden read more

Discovery Place Nature - Kids will love the playground - Museums Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This is another small county museum. Parking is free and ample. Entry price is a little steep for what they have to offer. They had one area where there were some small animals to observe. Nothing too exciting but it entertained our kids ages 1 1/2 to 7. They had a nice butterfly exhibit with lots of live butterflies that our kids really enjoyed. They had a small water table play area. Play area got easily congested and if older kids are present it may make you nervous if you have small ones. They have a puppet show at 11:00 am. It's about 15 minutes long and kept the kids entertained. We were very disappointed in the outdoor play area as it was filled with mosquitos. We could only spend a few minutes outside because it was so bad. The entire museum can be seen in under two hours. If you are looking for an all day trip, this is not the place. read more

My family and I found this little museum to be simple, quaint and lovely. They have numerous live animal exhibits, a butterfly pavilion, and a fun, shaded outdoor area for the kids to play in. The staff were very friendly and knowledgable. read more

Great place for kids! We stopped here as we were passing through charlotte and were pleasantly surprised. Our kids loved it!! Great exhibits inside and outside. Fun kids show. Lots to see and do. It is also right beside Freedom park which has a duck pond, playground and train. Very fun! read more

At $8 a person for anyone 2 or older I expect MUCH more for my money! There is really nothing to do here and what was there was dirty and much of it "out of order". My toddler and I kept walking in circles because I was looking for more and was shocked to find we had seen everything inside in under 10 minutes. The butterfly display had exactly 5 butterflies and one random white bird? The outside area was ok...but save your money and go to Freedom Park (free!). read more