The Cincinnati Children's Museum is a must if you have kids! It's part of the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, which makes it extra special--you feel like you're walking into history before even reaching the exhibits. The museum itself is incredibly hands-on and interactive. My kids could have stayed all day. The water play area was a huge hit (bring a change of clothes or use the smocks they provide), and the construction zone with life-size building blocks kept them busy for ages. I loved that it's set up in a way where kids can explore independently but parents can still keep an eye on them easily. The staff was friendly and kept things clean, which I appreciated since little ones are touching everything. The whole museum is very family-friendly, with spaces for toddlers as well as older kids, so no one feels left out. Another bonus: since it's inside the larger Museum Center, you can easily combine your visit with the Natural History Museum or an IMAX show. Parking was simple, and there are food options inside, though we chose to pack snacks. Overall, it's the perfect place for kids to play, learn, and burn off energy--rainy day or not. Highly recommend for families in Cincinnati or anyone visiting the city! read more

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The best children's museum for rambunctious kids! The stations are interactive, well thought out and I love how Cincinnati companies sponsor each station. It feels like a mini town. There are areas and stations for all age groups. Plus a nice area for snacks if needed. It's fun to see the museum is still as fun and fresh as it was when I was a kid. Our go to for rainy days! read more

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Chaos. Way busier than I expected on a Monday morning. Just packed. People standing around blocking aisles, kids running around unsupervised. The staff were great, trying to keep things moving, helping kids and parents. Lots of places for tired adults to sit. Hard for K to play at exhibits; too many kids, and too many monopolizing activities and not sharing. Bad parenting isn't the museum's fault, of course, but it's pretty small, and things are crammed in there, with just not enough places to actually get involved. Could be better designed. And it seems to be aimed at younger kids (kindergarten and before.) We moved to The Woods, essentially an indoor playground. Horrible. Dark, cramped, convoluted. And the kids can just disappear. Lost Kid K for 10 minutes. Into a tunnel, a glimpse overhead on the bridge, then gone. Hard for adults to get up, or in, many areas. Zero visibility. I saw a bigger kid get stuck and yell for help till a random parent got them loose. Kids under 8 are supposed to be supervised but aren't; there should also be an upper age limit so preteens aren't mixing with toddlers. I'd recommend they add more lighting, more stairways, more portholes into the cave. I searched fruitlessly, with a random mom helping, and K found a staffer who got her to me. K said we're never going to the children's museum again. The other museums in the complex are plenty kid-friendly, and more open and involving. read more

Interactive and fun This was a great children's museum. All the exhibits were educational in a fun and interactive way. Highlights include the woods - playground set in a forest setting, water play area, teeth area to learn about keeping them clean and going to the dentist. Plus real life jobs you get to test out - construction worker, restaurant worker, market, etc. My kids loved this museum. We tried to spend about 15 minutes in each area so they could fully explore each section. You can easily spend a few hours. They also have a special play area for infants and toddlers. read more

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We are annual members to the museum center and the children's museum is our favorite! We love that there are exhibits that appeal to all age groups. We have a 4 and a 1 year old, and they both have a great time. Our 4 year olds favorite is The Woods, which is a fun woodsy playground with lots to climb, slide, and crawl through! The staff go to great lengths to keep everything clean, including changing out the toys for cleaning frequently. We tend to come on the weekend, and while it can be busy there is still plenty to do and it doesn't feel overcrowded. The passes are a great value as they include the entire museum complex. read more

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I've been coming to the children's museum for years as a nanny but it's fun now coming with my kids! I love the water area where kids can splash and I especially love that there is a closed off area for little kids to run around without worry of them getting lost. I also appreciate that there is a nursing room there for breastfeeding moms as well. So many cool interactive areas like the dental area, a mini Kroger, building homes, an excavator and more. There is also a huge jungle gym type playground for older kids. Definitely give the children's museum a try! And parking is included with membership which is really nice. read more

Always a great experience with the kids. Kids love the dinosaur exhibits. Would be nice to see some rotation in maybe some new dinosaur stuff from time to time. Didn't get to see the Aushwitz exhibition because of the kids but hope to make it back before it's gone. read more

Very nice time. It's probably one of the best children's museums. I love how many interactive hands-on experiences they offer. From sensory, educational, to eye hand coordination. Every age limit is accommodated. The staff, including security, are top-notch. I have several just walk up to me and give history on what i was looking at. They even bring out the animals for you to touch and learn about. Parking was not an extremely long walk, but it's not free 6 dollars! I definitely would suggest going early so you can explore every exhibit comfortably. Be prepared to have a struggle getting your little one to leave, lol. read more

The action-packed place has so many areas to occupy the littles. My older kids loved climbing around the woods play structure. The younger one loved shopping in the kroger store and scanning her packages. All of the kids were fascinated with the ball area. There is also a water area, an animal area, and other areas in the little town. The younger kid play area (designed for 4 and under I think) is an enclosed area designed for younger children. Our younger kids loved it, were less likely to get trampled by older kids, and I wasn't worried anyone was going to wander off. Definitely a great place for the kids to burn off energy. read more

Such a fun and engaging place for kids! The exhibits are hands-on, educational, and perfect for all ages. My children had a blast exploring and learning. The staff was friendly and the space was very clean. Highly recommend for a family day out! read more

I jokingly tell anyone I bring, this place is awesome as long as you don't look up... like seriously, when are they going to fix the ugly looking ceiling that I fear will eventually start dropping debris on all our precious cargo's heads.... shew, seriously, don't look up. Instead head straight in to a world of wonderful play and exploring for littles. We've been members for about a year while Union Terminal has been under construction. I feel like my 3yo gets the most out of her time here. There's some many stations and learning to be had. The ball pit is a blast and is in tune with kiddos with a mechanical side. Groceries, a cafe, building with wood/play rocks, dentistry, crafts, water and a huge playground primarily for all the kiddos are all tucked away in the lower level Children's museum. We are especially fond of the designated area for kiddos under the age of 4 (or 5? I forget). It keeps the older kids from accidentally trampling the littles. Highly recommend anyone to visit the museum with their kiddos as long as you don't look up ;) read more

Duke Energy Children's Museum - 3 - Children's Museums Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

A must see and place to visit for parents with young children. The place seemed like heaven for curious mind and active body, there's so many stations that a child will always find something to do. The place was a little crowded when we were there, but overall it was a great visit. The crawl places or caves seemed big enough to fit an adult to accompany his/ her child. read more

Duke Energy Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We've lived in Dayton for almost 10 years and hadn't made it down to check this place out until just recently. What a fun and exciting place! My kids had a blast. They really loved the animal area and some of the fun stuff that the staff had set up. We saw a toad and my three year old son was just so into it. Everyone we were with enjoyed learning about the toad, seeing it pee, and watching it eat. My son loved that he was able to touch it. It was the highlight of his trip. The water area is super fun and exciting. It could do with more toys or someone talking about how the current works, but it's a fun little play area. The Woods or tree house was neat! I even liked getting in there and looking around. There were so many great nooks to explore. Being able to go behind the fish tank and crawl through was neat and again my son loved it. The ball zone was fun, but crazy busy. My kids had fun, but would have enjoyed it more with less kids. The area for little kids was cute, but definitely didn't keep my three year old entertained enough. It is perfect for young toddlers though. The Kids Space area was a cool area to take a break in. My kids loved that they had stuff you could glue and make a craft with. I do wish the women sitting in there would have led them in a little something instead of just sitting there. It would have been way more hands-on and a better learning experience. The play area with the grocery store, vet clinic, restaurant, construction site, and dentist area is really nice, but it was way too crowded with a few school groups who were not being watched at all. They got out of hand quick and would run over the smaller kids. I had to say something many times for them to stop and actually listen. This in particular is something I wish places would address more. Make specific times for large groups to come in so everyone can enjoy themselves. I will still come back, but I hope they think about limiting the amount of groups or having more staff to manage them. read more

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Duke Energy Children's Museum is a cool experience. What I found unique about the atmosphere and look of the museum, was that is resembles the New York Train Station. With school getting ready to start back, what better way to get the kiddos back into the swing of things than exploring history and science at the Children's Museum. This is a great way for kids and families to get out and explore together. My family and I visited the Children's Museum and had a blast. You will learn about dinosaurs, the evolution of technology, Cincinnati's history, and so much more. My children's favorite parts were the dinosaur exhibit as well as the hands-on activity exhibit. The museum offered different hands-on activities for the kids to learn different objectives. After we played and visited the exhibits, we watched a 45-minute movie in the Robert D. Linder Family OMNIMAX Theater. This was a fun, full screen experience. The theater is in the shape of a dome and the screen takes up the entire front side and moves up. Its pretty neat! If you are feeling inspired to learn more about the world through science and regional history in a fun, educational, and engaging way, the Duke Energy Children's Museum is the place for you. It will open your eyes to a world of meaningful experiences. read more

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I never seem to get around to reviewing the children's museum. I have been here for both private events, and as a regular guest. Every visit seems to be different. If one comes on a not too busy day, this museum is a real gem. All the different themed play areas delight young children. They get a kick out of pretending to be various carers. There is also a water play area, an area to learn about animals, an are that occasionally has arts and crafts. There is an area for every child. Even my older children enjoy the Energy Zone, and the black lit forest area. The black lit forest is like one of those Chick-fil-A or Mc Donald's play places. The difference is, this one is more than double the size, and black lit. The forset can be difficult to navigate for smaller children. The Energy Zone seems to be a favorite of all ages. All of my children enjoy collecting the balls and loading them onto and into the various apparatuses. With so many options to choose from, it is us dragging our children away rather than them being bored and wanting to go home. My youngest asks often to come back here. If one comes on a busy day, the children's museum can be less enjoyable. Some days it is downright chaotic. Small children are at risk on being run over. Even by children their own age. On these busy days, there always seems to be children throwing items they shouldn't be. They are so caught up in the chaos. The busier it is the less people watch their children. Employees are constantly hunched over trying to move items back to their intended themed areas. (It hurt my back just watching them.) The children's museum may actually be rented out for parties. This is usually after the museum closes. Don't know that many people? That's okay, neither do I. The museum will also assist in planning birthday parties during regular operating hours, for smaller groups. read more

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A group of us came here for a special Adults only 90's night at the kids museum. This was my first time here as I do not have kids and did not grow up here. There are so many neat features available that I cant speak for kids, but were super fun for me! First we came across a ball area with all kinds of contraptions to load and launch them, a really creative science take on the traditional ball pit. There is a real feel village with a Kroger grocery store, house, post office, gas station, vet hospital, ice cream cart, and much more that offers the opportunity to "play adult". There is also a really cool craft area with rotating instruction for specific projects offered. One of my favorite things was the giant light brite. A giant mouth teaches about proper hygiene. We really enjoyed a medium sized lego building area, and across from that is a bulldozer with "fake rocks" for moving. The best part of the museum is the jungle like play area with all kinds of climbing, tunnels, slides, stuffed animals (taxidermy), and a live aquarium with turtles. Make sure to stop by the water play area too! At this event they offered drinks, bites, and some nostalgic 90's music. So much fun! read more

Duke Energy Children's Museum - Giant light brite! - Children's Museums Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Today august 19 we went to children museum. While the museum has a mask REQUIREMENT it is not enforced. So all of you Parents who don't believe in masks, this the place for you!! read more

Duke Energy Children's Museum - Of the many unmasked children here are two - Children's Museums Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Decided to do something fun before we headed home to Indy. The Children's Museum was fun and had lots of things to do for the kids, everything from a "construction zone" to a "woods" area that kids could climb and play on. Even has water tables. I was a little underwhelmed to be honest. The Children's Museum in Indianapolis has 4 floors and has just about every exhibit you could think of. This museum is literally one floor. We spent about 2 hours there and our boys had a lot of fun. Its perfect for kids 6 and under. We seen a lot of older kids sitting around bored. read more

I enjoy taking my daughter to any Children's Museum. New discoveries are just around every corner, and I love when a museum includes hands on activities that are educational and fun. The Duke Energy Children's Museum has two major competitors within a few hours drive- the Indianapolis Children's Museum as well as COSI in Columbus. If I were an out of towner looking to take a daytrip to a kids museum- if I were choosing solely on the children's museum itself, I would choose either of those before the Duke Energy Children's Museum. Luckily, the entire museum center experience is incredible and all museums located at Union Terminal have gone out of their way to provide interactive kids exhibits. From massive train displays to giant sandboxes- the Museum Center is a worthy destination for any family looking for an education/entertainment option- especially on a cold winter day, or a blazing hot summer day. Okay, now back to my review of this museum- In my opinion the Children's Museum itself is due for a major renovation/refresh. As much as I love the Cincinnati Museum Center- the children's museum feels as though it has been relegated to the basement. Overall, it is dark (basement lighting) without daylight, and it feels unclean, or at best worn. It's basically had the same exploration/discovery 'areas' since my seven year old was born- maybe longer. This particular visit (February 2014) more than half the space was blocked off (The Tree House area- which is the coolest part of the museum) because of an aquarium upgrade. That's a good thing for the longterm, but If I had only bought a ticket to the Children's Museum, I would have been disappointed since most of it was blocked off. TIPS - Take your lunch and eat at one of the many seating areas in the main atrium - There are many hand sanitizing stations located throughout the museum- use them or risk sickness! :) - Buy an Annual Pass! I can't stress this enough- If you live in the Cincinnati area- this is a great investment in the community, PLUS it provides you with endless options (it includes all the museums at the museum center) for COLD and HOT days throughout the year. You receive discounts on food/gift shop items and IMAX and special exhibit ticket pricing. - Always check the day's schedule online before your visit. There are always a number of added value events (especially on weekends). Make sure you take a look so you can plan your arrival time. - Parking! As you enter the Union Terminal there are TWO parking lots. Do not park in the first lot you pass on the right side as you enter. Go past it, proceed past the front of Union Terminal, keep going and park in the next parking lot on the right. This lot is always less crowded and you can park closer to the building. - If you can, avoid three day weekends (Martin Luther King, Jr., President's Day, etc.) because that seems to spike attendance. read more

A place where kids can play with Lego's, bang a gong, bulldoze 'rocks', climb a treehouse, play in a huge ball pit with interactive ball mazes or splash in the water area. There's also an enclosed area for children 4 and under. Even if the museum is packed, this area is quiet and safe, but still a lot of fun for little ones. DUKE ENERGY CHILDREN'S MUSEUM IS A GREAT PLACE! read more

[This is part of a set of reviews covering establishments my family and I encountered while taking a road trip to Cincinnati.] Before I get on with my Yelp, I have to apologize to Cincinnati-ans. I visited the Childrens' Museum and the Natural History and Science Musuem during my visit to Cincy and have so much to say about them, I am going to split this Yelp into three Yelps. I figure I can deal with the heat of creating new businesses for the the museums rather than have you read a Harry Potter sized Yelp. For those of you that are used to the museum because you live in the area, I hope you enjoy an out-of-towner's point of view. ----- The Cincinnati Children's Museum is like a big playland. I'm ashamed to say I haven't even been in the Minneapolis Children's Museum, so I didn't know what to expect. I was a little disappointed to find a place where kids just played. But after thinking about it, I realized that a Children's Museum couldn't be anything else. It seemed small when I first walked in, like we would see everything in no time. But we ended up spending a good two hours there and that's plenty. There are some pretty cool areas: The Woods (basically a McDonald's playland made to look like a forest), a water area to learn about how water flows and how it can generate power (complete with kid size rain coats), a self contained area with tons of balls that have different machines and tubes to move them around, an area just for toddlers, and a big area that looks like a city with different activities. When we were there, they set up a gigantic harmonograph in the small theater. The effect was like a large spirograph. It was basically a large platform swing with huge pieces of paper on the platform. A marker was held in place while the platform swayed creating a spirograph like picture. I had fun working with some older kids to build an arch in the city area. They had 21 cushion blocks each numbered (2 sets of 1-10 plus an 11) and angled just right to create an arch when put together. We manged to get it all together, but it couldn't stand on its own. But it was a hec of a lot fun trying. I recommend a tall adult to help hold blocks as the kids put them up. I'm only 5' 6" and I could barely hold up the top of the arch. Places like this are fun for kids, but they don't get a lot out of it without parent participation helping them to learn the concepts the different activities are trying to teach. I'm as guilty as any of the other parents there allowing the museum to be a bit of a babysitter. But if nothing else, I saw a lot of kids having fun and many of then having fun with their parents. At the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with that. read more

Ah, The museum center. When it comes to cold winter days, this is the perfect spot to help the kids learn some things as well as run off some energy. We have been members of the museums for the last year, and it has really saved us on days when it is raining or, like I said, too cold to really play outside. Parents of young children know the days that it seems everyone is climbing the walls, and just a little too fidgety to stay inside. With the recent passing of issue eight, we shall see the museum center live on with more funding and attention from the city. Upon visiting the building, you'll notice the beautiful architecture. They don't make buildings like this anymore. While there still are trains that come in and out, there are not many passengers walking through the terminal any longer. There is a neat deck that you can go and observe from above if you head up to "station C" - I believe it's free, and does not require admission to the museum. Go and check out this exhibit, it's a "hidden treasure "- and you can see pictures and accounts of the history of Union terminal. As for the museums themselves, we have enjoyed visiting all of them now, and while the natural history Museum could use some updating, all of the museums have their own unique features. Our favorite on the days in which we cannot Play outside with the kids is the children's museum downstairs. There are lots of things to do, and there are activities for kids of all ages and temperaments. One feature of the museum that I have only taken advantage of a few times is the Omnimax theater. The ticket deals for a 12 month pass seem pretty sweet, and I may look into purchasing the adult pass for $25, and a child's pass for $20. You can see as many movies as you would like for 12 months with these passes. So, there you go. Take some time to visit one of our monuments in Cincinnati, and grab a membership pass, especially if you have children. read more

Being museum members for years, it's easy to take the Children's Museum for granted. Sometimes it takes visiting other children's museum to fully realize just how great our local children's museum is. Though it can feel a bit outdated at times, the size and number of activities for my kids under 6 is great. There are a variety of options that engage them and allow an opportunity to be hands on and use their imaginations. Something that is really important at this age. read more

Sunday my daughter invited me to join my grandson and her husband Thatcher at the Duke Energy Children's Museum. I was not aware that it had reopened and was excited to go! As they had a family pass my daughter met me at the museum entrance. Once inside we all followed my grandson Jude around as he wondered from one activity to another. There are so many fun, educational and hands on activities here that it can make your head spin! My grandson liked the dentist chair with the buttons to push for the dental instruments. There is also a giant toothbrush to use on the large teeth displayed there. He also liked the town stoplight with the red, yellow and green buttons to push to make it light up. This is in a big section of the museum called Kid's Town. Here you also find a grocery store, diner, a veterinarian's office, a rock quarry, a TANK bus and much more. My grandson enjoyed being a bus driver and the diner with all the plates & cups, food and soda fountain & loading and moving rocks with heavy equipment. Another favorite was the ball play zone with all the moving components. I liked how you can make a ball float & then move it around above an air tube. My grandson did not want to go home! Without a museum pass a toddler under the age of 3 is only $5.50. Adults are $10.50. I highly recommend this museum for all families with children under the age of 12. Until next time be kind to each other. #dukeenergychildrensmuseum #yelpcincy read more

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Totally worth the drive down, every time! This place is a blast and if you have kids under 10, I highly recommend getting pass. It pays for itself in just a few visits (maybe not literally, but you and your kids will have so much fun you won't regret getting the pass). It doesn't matter if the place is empty or packed to the gills with people, your kids will have a ball. There is SO much to see and do and experience here. Now, you may freak out when there's like 200 elementary school kids running in every direction and strollers everywhere and toys on the floor and water splashing around and...and...and. However, just take a deep breath and let your kid go wild. You'll be glad you did. We'll be back again and again and again. read more

We love going here! Our daughter plays in the little sprouts area and she always has a blast. The only issue I have with the play area itself is that sometimes kids who are too old to be in there are found playing in it, and kids ride carts down what is clearly a wheelchair ramp, almost running over other kids. There is no supervision so I'm not sure what would happen if there was an accident. read more

We've been a member of Duke's for about a year now, and as the rehab has been going on, it's just been getting more and more ridiculous. Every time we go something else in the children's museum is closed off. I understand they're doing improvement work, but this last time we went (just today), they should have been closed. Everything was dirty, like, really dirty. The toys looked like they hadn't been wiped down in forever. The "sections", like the grocery store and 4 and under area was completely devoid of toys. The only area that was half way decent was the ball room, but there's not a lot my 1 1/2 year old can reach. They need to invest in replenishing their toys, and some touch up work sure wouldn't hurt. read more

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I do not have kids. Wanted to put in my disclaimer before I reviewed. Having said that this place was very awesome to check out as a way to educate and exhaust young minds and bodies. read more

We came durning construction so I'm sure that it is going to get better from here. My son had the time of his life!! So much to do. The cafe food was not very good thought. The food was overpriced and very bland, I had to use 4 packs of mayo just to help with how dry the sandwiches were. But other then that it was a great play house for the kids! read more

Hands down, the coolest children's museum I have ever been to. The bottom floor of the Cincinatti Museum center at Union Terminal. (The Cincinati history museum, Museum of Natural History and Science, and the Omnimax are also located at Union Terminal on different floors.) The children's museum has an awesome forest playground/exploration area. Huge. They have a water section, where kids can put pipes together and run water through it, change topography to see how it changes how their boats float down river... They have a ball bit section, where kids have multiple ways to get the balls up to the top large bucket... and then an alarm will go off and all the kids race to stand underneath it as it dumps it load onto the ground and they start all over. A "Let's play house" mecca. Different "rooms" for the vet, the grocery store, the diner, the daycare... and you can pretend to be anything and check out food with the scanner and make give puppies X-rays... A construction zone. Where you can build a house and use a rope and fully system to collect and move foam rocks. There is also a special exhibits section, that obviously changes, but right now is housing "The Art of the Brick" which is LEGOS. It is super duper high end art, made out of legos. Like, literally, Monet paintings recreated in lego. Those are the highlights, but there is more. Seriously, my kids could spend an entire day just playing make-believe in the pretend town there. read more

OMG. Seriously. This place is incredible. We went for a free Friday during the summer (2012), and loved it so much, despite the crazy number of people there, that we bought a family membership. Three months later, the membership has more than paid for itself. It includes the price of admission for two adults, plus any kids we may have with us, plus parking. I forced my sister to go when she visited from out of town. I couldn't tell who was having more fun, us (the adults) or my 15 mo son. I will definitely be taking my in-laws here when they visit. I took my friend and her young daughter and the next thing I heard was she had purchased a family membership for her family too! The nice thing about the membership is that you don't feel pressure to do much, so you can just enjoy your playtime even if all you get to is the ball pit area (what is that...physics? energy?), because you know you can always come back. There's just so much to do, and the neat thing is, that as my son gets older, there's going to be more and more for him to appreciate. I mean, even at 15 months, he loves this place, so I can't wait for him to get old enough to appreciate things like the water/splash area (all educational, of course) and the awesome looking tree house/climbing area. The last time I was there, they had a little class (free with admission) set up where the kids could make their own collages using magazine clippings and other art supplies. My son attempted more to play pick up sticks with the crayons (correction, my son attempted more to make ME play pick up sticks with the crayons), but he was still having a good time. They also have classes you pay for ($5-10), but I haven't tried those yet. It's something you can come back to over and over again. I mean, I've been now 4 times and my son still hasn't played in every area yet! I also love all the little kid-friendly touches, like the stools in the bathrooms so they can wash their hands, the plethera of kid changing stations, and the hand sanitizer stuff that is posted everywhere. The food court could offer more healthy options (ummm, no, we don't eat pizza, thanks), but I don't think that's the Museums fault. It appears to be just part of the Museum Center complex. For those of us who don't like people much, apparently you should avoid the weekends. Some days are busier than others during the week what with school field trips. Also, I love that Findlay Market is right in the area, so I like to hop over and get some gelato or whatever afterwards as a special treat. read more

We took our almost 6 month old here and she had a blast! She was playing with everything! If she could pick it up she was trying to put it in her mouth! What I really liked was they had an area where it was like a small town where the kids could play pretend. It was super cute! It was very interactive and we will be brining her back when she gets a little bit bigger. For even infants there are tons of things to do there! She had fun and so did we! read more

This is so wonderful for kids of all ages, I cannot say enough. The museum is so interactive and features areas that depict other cultures, inviting children to play and interact with clothing props and play huts/homes from different lands. There are different drums, as well as interactive areas for kids to play dress up and such. Such a great place and I cannot say enough good things about this. read more

Literally something for every age to enjoy! Plenty options to keep your little one interested and entertained and they sleep great on the way home. ;) Plus, the building is just straight up amazing. Gorgeous. read more

I paid $28 for admission for 3 children and one adult...not a bad price...however...for pb&j on goldfish bread, a turkey sandwich on goldfish bread, a soggy turkey sandwich, a turkey wrap, 2 bags of chips and two yogurts and 3 waters...it was $57!!!! I will never go back!!! read more

Wish the Duke Energy Childrens Museum existed when my son was young. What a great environment to relax and recreate with your super active children. Lots of soft fun things to do and activities to enjoy. read more

Took a 2, 3, and 9 year old on Sunday. There were several areas with different themes. There was a small grocery store shopping area for kids. However, there weren't enough items to 'buy' given the amount of kids. The water play area was a big hit with my kiddos as was the treehouse play area. It was slightly difficult to get the 2 year old out of the treehouse because I couldn't climb in and get him. He kept running above me and giggling. There were some dinosaur toys,a sandbox, Legos, trains, and much more. We also watched an IMAX movie and all the kids loved it. Tickets were cheap too! read more

Although my child really enjoyed this, I felt disappointed with what this museum was offering. Maybe that is b/c when something is presented as a museum, I expect it provide a glimpse at history. I didn't feel like there was much of this. There was one small exhibit where they displayed modern items and their antique counterparts. I thought the toaster was pretty intriguing. But beyond that, it didn't feel like anything special at all. I did go on a weekday so that could have huge influence on my experience. While this meant not having to deal with a large crowd, there were enough children there for my daughter to be able to interact with others, which is necessary to get the best experience out of a lot of the exhibits b/c they are best done by employing teamwork. The trade off was that there weren't any presentations going on. There looked to be a few zones where an expert would direct or inform the children. These were not in use so I assume they were for weekend sessions. I would go back. It can be hard finding things to do that aren't so costly. And though I have a personal issue with charging parents a higher admission to enter a museum when they are basically just supervising their children is a little disingenuous. I'd feel differently if there was an experience for the parents that was unique to this venue. My child really enjoyed herself and with the total ticket and parking price for our family of three, it was still one of the best values in entertainment we've been able to find. read more

We have been here two times and absolutely love it! It was a perfect place to take a 2 1/2 year old boy :)

We had a great time here with my daughter. Im not sure I would call the childrens area a museum myself as its basically a play area, I guess I was hoping for something more like COSI. But My daughter had fun and was able to be a kid. What much more can you ask for? The place was busy for a Thursday afternoon but she was still able to do anything she wanted and really enjoyed it. read more