As oxymoronic as this is going to sound, this place was educationally fun. But that's only if you…read morecan appreciate learning something that you didn't know before. As a head's up, I visited back in September and I was told that they were in the process of moving items to a new location. So my take on that is that a lot of what is here will be moved/moving very soon to a new location. Throughout my visit you would come across certain areas that were covered over in preparation for moving. Being a born and raised Pennsylvanian I had no idea how much of an impact York had on the nation in respect to advancements in industry and agriculture. To say that York played a part in a lot of things might be an understatement. When I say I learned something here, I mean it. I had no idea that York had it's own automotive manufacturing or that the huge ice machine was thought up and created in York. For this museum to focus on just the industry and agriculture, and to be able to fill three large spaces (enough to have to move) should be telling you something. York is not only known for some automotive manufacturing, but they also went back a bit further than that. Bicycles, horse carriages, to horse drawn sleds. You can throw in there some aquatic movement as well as trains and streetcars. When you enter the industry area, my best suggestion is to go up the ramp and then head down the ramp and take the stairs. You will go through eras of the area. Then you move into the agricultural side where you see many pieces of equipment that were used to farm the lands and produce the food. Also in this area you see that Rutter's (sorry, not my go to convenience store in PA) started out as a dairy farm. Who knew? Not me, but I am sure that people from York and surrounding areas knew. There is also a spot in here that you can kind of get the feel of what it would have been like to work in a barn/on a farm. As you make your way through the agricultural section you kind of go back into industry. Did you know that York made dental products. I mean like the false teeth that you might have to get one day in your mouth. Other things that I did not realize being made in York: barbells, pottery, and snowmobiles. Before heading out of this last section of this portion, be sure to stop and look at/interact with the siren. And take a good moment to play around at the telephone area. Rotary phones up to dial tones. You can call numbers that connect the phones and hear the rings of the phones. Then as you head upwards to the main level again, stop and take a gander at the 275 time capsule. The last portion of this place is gigantic in size. It has to be as they pieces in here aren't meant to be moved or displayed in low ceiling rooms. This is where you will see the ice machine, firetruck, and the huge electric sign. One last thing I want to touch on here was the staff. They were super nice and very informative of the museum itself. They were also very knowledgeable of everything else in York. I ended up chatting with the lady at the front desk for a bit. When I entered they were having a bit of trouble with their computer system and they were doing the honor system with me. I had to pay on my way out, don't worry, I checked back in and paid. It was nice of them to do that, or else I might not have had a chance to enjoy this museum.

They moved the museum into a new building a while back which greatly improved it. Clean all around,…read moretime consuming, interesting, and interactive. Would consider coming back.

WHAT A BLAST. We came here for my birthday kind of ironically because online we saw reels saying it…read morewas the "weirdest museum ever," and thought it would be kind of funny/maybe even creepy. Little did we know it was actually FASCINATING; it was so fun to admire every last piece in the museum. The tram guide was great, the pre-recorded audio is helpful and interesting, and the collection is so varied and extensive that you can't help but love it. The pipe organs - fabulous. The walkable "toy box" collection was great after the tram. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone - it was soooo fun.

What a fun thing to do! We didn't know what to expect and want to say we all really enjoyed the…read moreexperience! Admission was reasonable and enjoyed the self-guided part while waiting for the next tram departure time. There was everything you could imagine - except one thing! A TELEX MACHINE (which I used to operate). When I asked the staff if they had one none of them even knew what I was talking about (early 20's)! We took the tram tour and really enjoyed it. The tram moved at a nice pace so you could really take in everything. So much to see - everywhere. It was a really fun way to spend a few hours on a rainy day! But I urge you to visit rain or shine!

This is the perfect little science museum for little kids--I'd say 8 and under. My 3 & 6-year-olds…read morehad a blast playing with all the different areas. I'd say we stayed for about 1.5 hours. If you're in need of an indoor activity for your kids in the State College area, I would recommend this place!

We really enjoyed our visit to the Disconvery Space of Central PA. Our family visits kid-oriented…read morescience and hands-on museums frequently when we travel, so it's nice to see a museum with some new or novel exhibits for kids to explore. This museum works closely with students from PSU who design and implement the exhibits, so it is constantly changing. The kids liked the earthquake building designer, the flood plain, and the geology exhibit. Also, the pressurized tube and ball shooter was a hit. In all, we spent about an hour and 45 minutes exploring and playing. It is well designed, but it is on the small size. Also, it isn't the easiest place to find...look for the State College HS football field, and it is right next door. It does host birthday parties, which would be fun if we lived in the area. Overall, I'm a fan. We'll be back on future rainy visits to State College.

This place is straight out of an episode of the X-Files. I'm from New York City so I've seen some…read moreweird sh*t - and this place creeped me out. Mummified animal remains, letters from serial killers, killer clowns, and a cardboard cutout of Danny DeVito... this museum does not disappoint! While not a full "house" of oddities, I would say it's more like a 1-bedroom apartment of oddities, but this "Whacky World of Weirdful Wonder" is completely FREE! They sell all sorts of strange toys, t-shirts, and trinkets. You can buy unique art pieces such as a "Death Loaf" (a loaf of bread impaled with spikes). Bonus tip: There's a bathroom in the back with a poster of Le Pétomane - a French performer with a unique...er...talent.

This place was amazing! There is a wide assortment of preserved animals, skulls, and artifacts. We…read moreall enjoyed our visit and will check it out again the next time we are in town.

A fun and educational place to bring the kids to. Almost everything is interactive which is great…read more The place isn't huge per say, but you can easily spend 2-4 hours here. The space is separated into different stations and has a nice flow to it. We came on the weekend and although there were a lot of people, it never felt overcrowded or that that there was too long a wait for any of the exhibits. Admission is $13 per person which I think is fair. Overall my kids had a lot of fun and we would love to come back again in the future.

Visited again and whole factory has changed the exhibits and layout from 4 yrs ago. $12 now for 3…read moreand over. Sky bridge: keep your shoes on and climb. They also have something similar at Long Island children museum and NJ Liberty Science center. Tons of hands on with brief explanation at each station. Outdoor stations are also available at the courtyard. Today the maker space is reserved for summer camp only. I wonder what activities do they have for the public usually. Like before, free parking across the road. Love the high ceiling and the feel of kids are free to explore. Will definitely return.

I visited Historic Rock Ford on Sunday and learned so much. The house was built around 1794 for…read moreGeneral Edward Hand, an adjutant general to George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. Rock Ford is a Georgian-style mansion, where General Hand lived with his wife and children until his death in 1802. His wife passed away in 1805 and only briefly remained in the Hand family before becoming a home for tenant farmers for the next 150-ish years. The house was saved from destruction by the Junior League in 1958 and then renovated and restored to what it looks like now. I learned all this and more from our guide Priscilla, who was wonderful. She told us about the man, the family, and the house, as well as the enslaved people and indentured servants who are a part of the home's history, too. The tour lasted a little over an hour, so I didn't have time to find the John J. Snyder, Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decorative Arts, which is also on the property. The house was beautiful, and the information I learned from Priscilla about General Hand and his house was very interesting. If you're interested in history and historic homes, the Historic Rock Ford is worth a visit!

One of many historic buildings in the area is Rock Ford, a brick mansion with a large garden. They…read morehost tours throughout the week, which is the only way to see the inside. There are a parking lot and a visitor center with a kind staff person behind the desk. They also have restrooms inside the center.

My last stop on my weekend trip to Lancaster County this past weekend was at the National Watch and…read moreClock Museum in Columbia. I love a quirky, specific museum, and this museum was no exception. The museum is operated by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and was founded in 1977. Its collection includes over 12,000 clocks and watches, with about 3,000 of them on display in the museum. The museum is large enough that they hand you a map when you walk in! To be honest, I don't know the first thing about the mechanics or history of watches and clocks - although I know much more after my visit to the museum - but I really enjoyed my stop at the museum! The museum might be a little dated (especially the "Learning Center," but there were signs saying they were working to upgrade that area soon), but they had some interesting and beautiful pieces, but whether you're a collector of watches and clocks or don't know the first them about them, the museum is worth a stop! I'd be happy to return for another visit with friends or family!

Rock Out with Your Clock Out…read more The National Watch and Clock Museum houses the largest collection of timepieces in the country, with over 12,000 individual pieces. The Good: * Large, plentiful, free parking lot * Fairly inexpensive to visit at $15/adult and $10/child, plus there are additional discounts for families, vets, and senior citizens. * Research library available. * If you're into clocks, watches, and other types of timepieces, then boy howdy, is this the place for you. Lots to see and do. * Live demonstration (check schedule) The Meh: * If you're really not into timepieces then this probably isn't the place for you, but it's still an interesting place to learn history. The Ugly: * I wouldn't recommend bringing younger kids, as it's not within their attention span to enjoy these kinds of things, but I suppose it depends on the kid. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Conclusion: Fun place to check out if you're visiting Lancaster County, and especially if the weather outside isn't great.

The Rawlings Conservatory and Botanical Garden is a hidden gem in Baltimore! The fact that visitors…read morecan enjoy these incredible displays of plants for free from around the globe is such a treat. They accept donations though! If able, I suggest donating to help them continue their amazing programming. In addition to free entrance, there is free street parking directly outside. If you're a nature lover, artist, educator, and/or parent, I think you'll really enjoy your visit. It is directly up the road from the Baltimore Zoo if you want to hit up two great Baltimore attractions!

A couple of weekends ago the weather wasn't that great so we were looking for something inside to…read moredo and came here. Admission is free but they do take donations (cash or by Venmo). We wandered around for a little over an hour reading about different plants and taking pictures of them. If you're looking for something inexpensive and different to do - I'd give this place a shot.

Timeline Arcade is a retro arcade in downtown York. Parking depends on the time of day with options…read moreon both the street and local garages, but don't be surprised if you have to walk a few blocks. Timeline is like most current retro arcades, you pay X amount per hour for unlimited plays, and you pay when entering. The entry fee for an hour is very reasonable. The arcade is reasonably large and is spread across two rooms. Selection includes retro arcade machines, pinball machines, consoles, and other gaming items. Timeline does get newer Stern pinball machines like JAWS and Star Wars: Fall of the Empire, on top of a handful of older machines like Spy Hunter and White Water. The selection of general arcade machines is good, with machines like Spy Hunter, Coors Light Bowling, Rampage World Tour, and Revolution X catching my interest. Several TV's and couches are available for console gaming. Timeline has some problems however. They need to more clearly define the BYOB policy in its public facing information. From experience, BYOB here means "mancan/tallboy" sized drinks IE larger cans. The bigger issue is the machine maintenance problems which have gotten worse over time. I've run into several issues with machines not working, and during my last visit a bunch in the back room were out of order. Some of the machines at Timeline are clearly B or C grade machines, and simply do not play as better examples would. Is Timeline still worth a visit? Yes. It remains one of the better retro arcades in Pennsylvania, but there are better out there including in surrounding states like New Jersey.

Went here to celebrate a friend's birthday. I knew what to expect. Arcade games are not accessible…read moreto me. There's a great set of old sofas and chairs in the back, with retro consoles hooked up to those huge televisions like your grandparents had... I could have played those if they had any games that had appealed, but my first console was a n64 and they didn't have one of those. No nostalgia for me. Jeremy found the place overly loud so we left before our time ran out. There was a saint Patrick's Day parade going on right out front, since the arcade is on Yorks main Street. I suppose our other friends enjoyed themselves, but I didn't see them play any game for longer than 5 minutes. I think we're officially too old.

If you're sans kids and looking for something different on the 3rd Friday of the month, Whitaker…read moreCenter's Night Shift is it. For $10 (cash preferred) you get admission, a drink voucher, and two hours to play with science exhibits... with a beer or wine in hand. Think Night at the Museum meets a cash bar. 100% yes. Adventure Buddy's highlight was the RaceIT exhibit, where he built and raced cars -- only to lose to my championship Houpe-De-Ville (sorry, not sorry). My favorite? The Hurricane Chamber that blasted winds up to 91mph. Cool? More like cold. I almost lost my contact lenses. Totally worth it. Even though the exhibits are geared toward kids, there's something magical about rediscovering them as an adult. Nostalgia hits, curiosity kicks in, and the 21+ crowd makes the vibe peaceful, playful, and fun. Between touching a tornado, watching turtles migrate across Earth, and laughing at ourselves while sipping drinks, it was an inexpensive, unique date night during 3rd in the Burg. Highly recommend pawning off the crotchgoblins with grandma and checking it out.

Great place to bring kids for an indoor activity. Our kids 5 and 3 really enjoyed it. The dinosaur…read moreexhibit was really nicely done with moving dinosaurs. Lots of interactive things for the kids and adults to do. On the upper floor there was a cute play area for kids under 6 that included a shopping area, doctor zone, construction and building area. Everyone was really nice and space was clean. It was not busy which made it nice. We parked in the structure nearby and they did not validate and you have to pay using a QR code. We will definitely be back with the kids next time we need a nice indoor activity.