It was $75 for us to attend (2 adults and 3 kids, and a baby-- at $15 each, but the baby was free) but I quickly got over the sticker shock once I saw the quality of the exhibits. We've been to a few discovery museums (mostly in California) but this one particularly impressed me. The staff was constantly sanitizing the toys and touch surfaces (literally, we would leave an activity and then the worker would spray down everything we had touched). I also liked that they had baskets for people to place toys that needed to be sanitized. Very impressive, and we felt very safe. You could spend HOURS in this place-- especially if your kids want to perform a few plays for you in the theater exhibit. All 3 of my kids loved this place and I wish we had arrived earlier because it was closing time before we knew it. I think this would make for an especially great visit on a bad weather day and/pr when your kids want a break from the beach or pool. If your hotel room isn't ready yet it would be a good way to let kiddos burn off some energy after a long flight too. If you have young kids I would say this is a MUST VISIT. For reference my children are 7, 5, and 2.5 years old (my 4th born is an infant and doesn't even sit or crawl yet so she was too young but I did see some older babies there who seemed to be enjoying themselves in the under 3 years old and under 5 years old zones). read more

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This children's discovery center is fun and educational for kids. I also like that they promote diversity and inclusion with their pretend-play wheelchair medical corner, cultural center, etc. Everyone is friendly. A lot of the things inside appear to have looked the same for maybe 25+ years, so I think the center is due for some upgrades. Additionally, it would be good if there's more effort for cleaning and sanitizing toys throughout the day. I sat on something there and realized it was somebody's bodily fluid. I tried looking for a hand sanitizing station, but it was out. I ended up going to the bathroom to wash it off with soap. Despite this incident, I still like taking my kid here. I just bring hand sanitizing wipes and wash our hands as often as we can. read more

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Took my nephews here for a fun day out, and they had an absolute blast! The Hawaii Children's Discovery Center is packed with hands-on, interactive exhibits where kids can role play and let their imaginations run wild. From shopping in a grocery store and working in a bank to exploring different careers and everyday life, there are so many opportunities for little minds to learn thru play. I couldn't help but laugh because I remember playing "grocery store" with my little brothers as a kid... except we used real food from the pantry, pulled out all my mom's plastic bags and check books lol, and would completely mess the house up! Here, kids get the same fun experience without Aunty having to clean up the mess :) One thing that really stood out to me was how beautifully they showcase Hawaii's diverse cultures. The exhibits do such a great job celebrating the many communities that make Hawaii unique. It's educational without feeling like a lesson, and I appreciated the thought that went into it. Everything was sooo cute!! There are also areas for younger children to explore, creative play spaces, climbing and movement activities, and plenty of exhibits that engage their curiosity. It felt like every corner had something new to discover. I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn't a time limit on our visit. We paid $12 per person, and that gave us unlimited access from open to close. I didn't check out the little cafe they had inside, but you can be sure to catch me there next time. Haha! Personally, I'd choose this over the zoo or aquarium any day. It's completely indoors, so you don't have to worry about rain or the Hawaii heat. Parking is nearby. And let's be honest... Aunty doesn't like to perspire..lol! If you're looking for a place where kids can burn energy, use their imaginations, and learn while having fun, I highly recommend this place! read more

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We had a blast at Children's Discovery Center! One of the coolest parts of the visit was that I used to come here as a child over 20 years ago, and it felt just as fun and memorable as I remembered. It was really special getting to share that experience with my own toddler. Laylah absolutely loved exploring all of the exhibits. There was so much to see and do that we spent about two hours there, and honestly, it felt like no time at all. Every area had something interesting to discover, and it was easy to keep her engaged. Parking was simple and convenient, and I also enjoyed the café and little gift shop. Those small touches made the visit even better. One thing that really stood out to me was the staff. Near closing time, we were in the toddler area while an employee was cleaning. She still took the time to interact with Laylah and was so kind and patient. She never seemed bothered or rushed, which I really appreciated. I also love that they offer both kamaʻāina and military discounts. It's a wonderful place for families, and we will definitely be returning many more times in the future! read more

So much here for kids to discover. The cost is now $15 or $12 for kama'aina. & military (under 1 is free). The hours are very limited (closed Mondays, 9am - 1pm Tues - Fri, 10am -3 pm Sat/Sun. Closed on major holidays. It's always crowded but even my upper elementary kids stay entertained. There's a small Cafe when you enter that sells kid friendly affordable foods like pizza, grilled cheese, hot dogs. There's also a reuse section by entrance selling used clothes, toys, books, baby & kids items that's cheaper than thrift stores! There's Rainforest Adventures room that has a cool hands on water works area. And a large toddler area. Upon entering there's a music play room. Fantastic You has interactive areas about how the body works like heart and teeth health. There's another large play area for toddlers in that area with sailboats & science style games. There's community and job sections like a diner, grocery store, fire station, auto shop, post office, police station, pet clinic. A jungle bridge, theater rooms & puppet play. There's a large fairy tale like reading room. Upstairs has a makeshift Hawaiian Airlines plane where kids can be pilots, passengers, or flight attendants. My kids spent a long time playing the different roles and seemed to be popular with all the kids there. The huge cargo shipz let the kids be captains and cargo crew with hard hats and pulley system. They can direct a sea movie and watch themselves on screen. At the very top floor is Your Rainbow World which has cultural play exhibits that are very Asian inspired but so much to do,, learn and play. The Discovery Center is a very immersive & fun place for kids. Drawback is limited hours & crowded weekends (bc only toddlers are available during week hours). But they also put on events, allow parties & school field trips. If you go alot, its worth it to buy the membership bc prices and up being half off. Overall, a great place for kids to have fun, have cheap eats if hungry & rummage thru the resale items! read more

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The creators of this museum seem to really understand children well. From adaptive sand/projector play to dress up to pretend to be a pilot or drive a fire truck to the wind tunnel and rope bridge. It has all the small things that delight children and it is built just for them. I believe the facilities are due for a refresh/upgrade soon, which will make it feel much nicer and cleaner. The area is a bit rough, especially around the parking lot. There can be some questionable trash and people drinking or smoking. They have a kama'aina rate $12 per kid and adult. $15 for general admission. read more

Wow it's exactly as I remember it 20+ years ago! We came here for a birthday party and it was amazing. The facility was very well maintained, very clean. Free parking, and they have a carousel that is only available for parties! I love the toddler areas for kids under 3 or under 5 where even parents remove their shoes so babies can crawl around and explore! The rainforest/water area is new to me and was fun for the kids to see. My favorite parts are still around too like the grocery store, diner, parts of the human body that you can explore, and the countries on the 3rd floor. There's even a cafe and 2nd hand shop! Can't wait to buy my family annual passes! read more

If you have kids ages 5 and below, they would def love this place. The price is $15 per person so we paid $45 for the 3 of us. It is pretty pricey for what you get. The parking is spacious. The play areas were kept tidy and quite clean. We saw staff continuously put toys back and wipe down the area. Some of the exhibits looked very old and outdated. There are multiple floors so make sure you goto the 3rd floor also. There's a cool Asian exhibit displaying different cultures like Vietnamese, Korean, etc. read more

Our family really like the Children's Discovery Center. It feels like a mix of children's museum and soft play. The staff at the front and in the back are amazing. So why the 3 stars? Here are my reasons: 1) The admission price is quite high, even for kama'aina and military 2) The café is small and has a limited menu 3) The hours are not convenient for children who are in school 4) The NYE balloon drop was a nightmare It was really the balloon drop that did it for me. There was no organization on where children and parents should sit so parents were left to fend for themselves. Another mom yelled at me because she refused to move out of the way for my 3-year old daughter. Afterwards, while my husband took our 3-year old into the main playroom, I stayed with our 1.5-year old while she finished up her snack. She ran over to a toy at the front and a lady came over to tell me that my daughter should wash her hands first. The lady wasn't wearing a badge or a name tag so I couldn't tell if she was an employee or another parent. Regardless, I went over to my daughter to move her away from the toy. I guess the lady didn't think I was moving fast enough because she got right into my daughter's face and told her to move away. And then she made a snide remark about how food wasn't allowed anyway. I was so shocked by the interaction I quickly picked up my daughter and whisked her away. This was NOT the energy I wanted on New Year's Eve (or on any given day). read more

Hawaii Children's Discovery Center - The pretend police station - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Loved this children's museum. We took a 5 and 7 year old and they placed for hours. The museum has 3 floors and you could spend all day here. If you need an activity to do with kids, you don't want to miss this. The third floor has installations for certain cultural homes (Vietnam, Japan, China, Korea and Philippeans). read more

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Staff is very nice, friendly, and helpful. Price is a bit steep. Theres multiple make-believe areas with dress up etc as well. The staff continuously picks up after the kids, so the play outfits are readily available and hung up next to each station. Some of the items look older and outdated (trains etc.) but the variety of things they have there makes up for it. There's a big parking lot right outside. The hours are very limited and not ideal. This place is perfect for ages 1.5-5yrs. I really appreciated the different cultures on the 3rd floor. This was our first time here and won't be our last. read more

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An incredible place for kids ages 0-5 to explore, and learn through imagination. They can truly be anything they want to be here. I got my daughter a one year membership for $150 which is soooo worth it because otherwise a single visit is $20 for both of us. We come at least once month and she loves it here. The staff is very friendly. While some of the play areas are dated, I actually appreciate that the discovery center is simple and not overwhelming for toddlers. My 2 year old loves the grocery store, diner, and doctors office in particular. The Discovery Center also offers toddler and me classes which my daughter has totally excelled in. We love Miss Sandy! I highly recommend bringing your kids here to learn and play! read more

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My kids are older now, but they still love the Children's Museum. It's mainly intended for little ones, but we have a blast exploring the 3 floors museum. Lots of interacting hands on hands activities while kids use their imagination in the real world. Many intriguing exhibits where kids can learn and educate themselves while having tons of fun. As an adult, I enjoyed it which made me feel like a kid again. The best way to also bond with your kids while involved in activities together. We didn't have much time to explore everything because we had arrived about 45 mins before they closed. I wish we had more time to spare while we were there, but maybe on our next visit to Oahu. They have a wonderful cafe on the first level with good eats at really reasonable prices. Everything was so clean and such an awesome museum to visit for families. Highly recommended if you have little ones and want an adventure for the day. read more

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This facility has done no updates on anything! It has the same things it had in 2021. So disappointing! The best thing was the used toy section. I found a Teanie Baby from 1999 for $1. read more

Good little gem for people with kids. Can easily do 2-3 hours or more here. Check hours as it's pretty limited, I think most days are around 10-3pm or so. There's free parking near the site which can be rare in Hawaii. Admission prices were very reasonable especially for the hours you'll be spending here. There's a discount if you are Hawaii resident. They have a small cafe as well and this is somewhere you may want to actually visit. The food and drink prices there weren't too bad, very close to grocery store prices but you're getting a little bit of service as they warm up fries or pizza for you. That appears to close earlier, I think it was 1230 so plan to be here at least by around lunch if you want to check it out (it's not like a theme cafe or anything special, but it's a good spot to rest and have a snack especially with little ones). There's many exhibits and things to do here, I'll let you find out for yourself. There's big play areas for all sorts of toys and activities to do. The place was closing up and it was difficult to try and remove my kids from here (had to forcibly carry them out). read more

Extremely thankful that this place existed during covid and it's still flourishing. I've seen new exhibits and getting a lot of usage, so I'm glad that this is still available and around highly recommended read more

Great place to take your child. My child never wants to leave when we go it's definitely .

What a great place to spend some time at with your children! I took my 2 year old granddaughter and she loved it. There are so many areas to see on multiple levels. For the little ones, there is an area for them on the ground floor but this place is built to be interactive so 3+ I think is the right age. We got to play with water, play in a mock up airplane - which had real seats. Dress up, hands on activities etc. They also have a very small cafe where you can get like juice, sandwiches etc. read more

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The staff is quite rude, especially the older ones. And the galleries were not clean at all. My son had a pretty severe allergy attack and the staff just watched as my child cried and wheezed. Also the galleries are very small, not worth it in my opinion. read more

This is the best place to take your toddler to for some safe and fun play! It's also a nice reprieve from the heat or rain, so don't be surprised if it's packed with kids on a rainy day. If it's not packed I always start with the rainforest room where there are vests provided for water play. My kids can stay here the entire time if I let them, but we always move thru the exhibits where they can pretend to be mechanics, pilots, farmers, or fire fighters and learn about the different Asian cultures without ever flying there. Sometimes I bring lunch and step out to eat a quick snack or meal before heading back inside. Highly recommend families to check it out! read more

Hawaii Children's Discovery Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I have no complaints about the facility it's self. My kids had a great time and there was alot for them to do. However, the price is definitely way too high! was not expecting for kama'aina rate to still be that much. I would love to take my kids more often, but the pricing is not budget friendly to do that. read more

We spent about 2 hours here, and it definitely was not enough time for my kids. They didn't want to leave! I found each exhibit small, but there were tons of different ones. There was a car fixing station, fire and police stations, post office, grocery store, kitchen, ship, airplane, and so many more. Many of them were educational as well because you could learn about the heart, teeth, and farming at some exhibits! There was an under 3 area and also an under 5 area, although the under 3 area was nicer. The carpet in the area was also a bit sticky, so I hope that was just from that day and was cleaned after because it felt gross to step on. My kids loved the little water play area, and they even had these little water resistant vests for your kids to wear! I also liked that the story area had a tree, princess castle, as well as a giant comfy couch! The place was pretty big. We definitely had to run through it towards the end, when they were about to close. Kids definitely can spend the entire day here and have fun the whole time! read more

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Went as a chaperone for my daughter's first field trip. It was really fun and she enjoyed it! There are so many things to do and so much to see that it's hard to just stay for a few hours. Parents be warned: you will be overwhelmed to da max cause the kids when in every direction once we entered those doors, though. read more

Hawaii Children's Discovery Center - Indoor bridge - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

From the eyes and excitement of my son, this place is fabulous!!! We have been bringing him here since he was 1 and he is now 3 going on 4. He stills runs in this place just as excited as if it was a new experience. They have 3 levels of fun and the place is huge. There is a water fishing area, all sorts of interactive learning play areas from cooking to shopping to post office to etc etc. This place is definitely not a kid city type play area and more so imagination and make pretend play areas. So be prepared to PLAY (haha) with your child. They can have endless fun and every time you come can be different. The play sets and areas are a tad older, but again it's all in the fun and imagination play that makes it great. read more

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Wow! Hard to believe this is still around!! Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they're still here and just shocked that it's still the same! I mean, nothing has changed! I remember coming here with my niece and nephew years ago (they are now 19 and 16). Now that I'm a grandmother it's obligatory to take the grands here. Nothing has changed. Same design and toys, exhibits and what not. I get that to a child it's just the most amazing thing ever to run to and fro touching and playing with everything. And for the adult, you don't have to pick up the entire floor every single time (because another kid will come along and snatch those toys and your kid is off to the next vignette). It's a safe place for children to play and also a time for respite for their adult. I still love it. It's nostalgic. I wish it was more STEM like and perhaps getting with the current times to update/replace their play vignettes. But this is what we have here and it's just ok for me. The upper floor houses the cultural vignettes which has always been my favorite part of the Children's Discovery Center. With Hawaii being so culturally diverse, it's nice to see the different cultures represented. My niece and nephew loved it then and now my grandsons can also enjoy it now. read more

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Friendly staff. Clean. Exhibits were varied and safe. I have been there twice with my grandchildren. Lots of hands on exhibits!

We love the Discovery Center! The entrance price is really reasonable compared to some of the new Keiki play centers. This center is a combination science museum, pretend play areas and cultural playground. Kids can explore the science area downstairs, with the addition of a small play theater, TV production studio, mail station, vet clinic, restaurant, the list goes on. Then upstairs houses a Hawaii theme play area. The kids can learn some history while having a hands on experience. Activities are geared towards kids 4-8, but there's so much to do that kids would probably enjoy it up to age 10. There are also some toddler-only areas. Everything is so well thought out, and most things are fully functional. There aren't a lot of screens and things to break, so that helps. On the Saturday we went, the center was busy, but not overly rounded, and there were ample staff on all floors. We also like the Cafe on the ground floor. It's nothing special foodwise , but it's super cheap, so you don't have to worry about spending a lot on the full day. read more

Growing up I loved visiting the discovery center, but as a mom now it's clear that all the props have not been changed since I was a kid:.. yikes! It's still such an amazing place for kids to be free & play while learning/experiencing so many things. I would definitely take my son again, but maybe it's time for a renovation read more

This is a fun and inexpensive place to spend a few hours with kids-in my case, one grandson (2yrs) and his cousins, older by 3 years. There are lots of true "discovery" experiences for children, along with many that are just fun and use-your-imagination type activities; also some that encourage physical activity and working together. Age range probably up to 9/10. Very worthwhile children's center. read more

There is so much to see and do at this center. This is definitely a place to take the kiddos to enjoy as the parking is free and the price is reasonable. There is not one best area for this place. As you enter there is an area kids can play with waterways, currents and pseudo trees. Kids seem to enjoy using the magnetic fishing poles to catch toy sea animals. As you enter into the museum the kids can learn about the human body, jump on little slides representing parts of the body. Then walking on there is play a chef or server to make foods. And when kids tire of that they can work behind the scenes at the theater or be forefront on the stage. There is also a small tree and to climb up and a bridge to go over. Children love to play in their little store or go up stairs to visit the emergency vehicles section. Or pretend they are boarding The Bus! As you go on upstairs you see an airliner with seats and children can pretend to be a steward or pilot! One of the most interesting is the Asian ethnic diverse area showcasing China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Philippines. It's good exposure for the kids! Hope in the future they can include other nations as well! Worth annual membership for the family! read more

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This is a magical two-story building with tons of imaginary play opportunities. Sadly, they're open only until 1pm. My child could easily spend a few hours here. I have been to over a dozen Children's Museums and this is one of the best in terms of breadth of features including a life-size partial Hawaiian Airlines plane with seats, cockpit, uniforms, and galley cart. While the play things are looking abut worn, employees keep this museum tidy and clean. I absolutely LOVE the focus on East Asian and Pacific Island culture. There's a full room that features Philippines, China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan for your kid to visit and explore the clothing and cuisine. Military is only $10 per person. read more

3 floors, tons of fun! Sooo many hands on things for the kiddos! My 2 year old loved it! I really enjoyed all the props and costumes for the kids as well. Attention to detail here is great! Awesome staff! read more

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The prices are still great compared to other kids activities especially for Kamaaina; kids never get tired of this place!!! update photos from the years read more

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They have activities for the kids Hands on learning experience Imagination for all ages Cultures activities read more

It's a great place to take the kids! We have a membership and it's the spot to go to when it's too hot outside for the beach or parents just need a break because the kids can get their hands full while you just supervise from a distance, unless they keep asking you to play with them like my son sometimes lol. This place is huge too. There are 3 levels. Initially I thought there's only one floor! There are lots of different themes and scenarios for kids to explore and get into pretend play. The staff are also very friendly and helpful. The only thing that can be improved is the cleanliness of the place. Parts might be just old. If they can do some updates and have more frequent cleaning that'd be great. Or have more areas where shoes not allowed, or even the whole place where shoes are not allowed because it's so hard to keep a place clean when everyone's walking around with shoes on. But not sure if that's a practical advice for a place this big! read more

Hawaii Children's Discovery Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Always a fun time at the children's discovery museum. The kids had a blast. Opens on Saturdays at 10. We got here about 10:30 and stayed until 1:30 definitely got our monies worth! $10 per person with kamaaina discount. Of course we had to start with the famous huge red chair! Last time were made a visit was 2 years ago, so it was nice to get in updated picture of my now 4 year old plus our 2 year old. We made our way to the water play area and had a blast. There are water aprons for the kiddos to help with not getting soaked. After about 30 mins we were finally able to move on lol. Now in the ground level the kids were pumped being about to walk around freely. Over all great day for our lil family. Don't forget to check the 3 and 4th floors out! The Hawaiian airline plane was awesome. read more

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This place is actually a 4.5 star. There are 2 floors worth of interactive play. It's a great place to learn and encourage your child's imagination to take flight. There are a few 3 and under areas for younger kiddos, though I found those areas to be too childish for my 3 year old and even my 1 yr old. The bottom floor has a keiki cafe with snacks and drinks. They have a cool water station and areas to learn about body parts. They also have stations for various occupations. Upstairs they have exhibits for different ethnicities. As a child who grew up loving to play dress up and pretend, this place brought back preschool memories and I was so happy my girls got to enjoy playing make believe. At $10 per person, it's well worth the price. There are so many things to do and we tried to visit all the exhibits. We rushed and it took about 2 hrs. Next time we will plan better. The reason we docked 1/2 a star is because my husband killed a decent sized centipede and because some of the play toys are quite dated and dingy. They could use an upgrade. read more

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the children's discovery center in hawaii is soooo FUN!! our kids loved it!! the times were 9-1 pm on weekdays and 10-3 pm on weekends they are closed on mondays. the prices are $12 for general admission and 12months and under are free! seriously the kids love it and there is so much activities to do!! the people that work there was soo nice and friendly and welcomed us with good vibes!! theres all this pretend play and alot of stuff to do and use ur imagination!! theres this cool big mouth exhibit to practice brushing their teeth! haha thought that was so helpful!!! theres this grocery market and that was a big hit!! the kids definitely loved the water area too!! soo many educational things to do and see and learn!! definitely a place to go to visit if u have small kids or toddlers!! 100% recommend!! will definitely be coming back here for sure!! annd if u have babies that crawl theres a few areas for them to play in too!! plus parking is freeee!! read more

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The Hawaii Children's Discovery Center is located in Kaka'ako/Ward Village and it is such a wonderful place for the keiki. Admission is not hefty and everyone can enjoy all the stations that they have. Parking is in a lot across from the center (near the park) and can walk over. The Discovery Center has mostly indoor things to do, but sometimes they open up the outside for outdoor activities- basketball with hoop, sand play, giant connect four, and benches to sit on. They also have events all year including founder's day and noon year's balloon drop, which is fun for all the keiki. I highly recommend this place! This place is 2 stories and has soo many stations/exhibits to explore. For me, I love that they have a mini Hawaiian Airlines exhibit where the keiki can wear Hawaiian Airlines uniforms and sit in the airplane seats/pilot area. Many of the kids love the downstairs area as it has more things to do than the upstairs. Upstairs has the Hawaiian Airlines plane as well as the world- Korea, Japan, China, etc. where they can play dress up and explore the cultures. The downstairs includes stations such as a diner, grocery store, firefighter/fire station, library, music room, learning about the human body, and more. read more

Such a cute place for kids to use their imagination and just play! I would say it's a perfect place if you bring 2+ kids here so they can play pretend or like me, I only have 1 child, and she had no problem making friends with other kids. This is like a dream for the kids (something I would love if I was a kid lol) Even though price is okay, but they should really charge per kids instead of charging adults too because most of the adults don't play. read more

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