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!

When my hubby and I got together, we decided early on in our relationship that it shouldn't be up…read moreto just one of us to plan celebrations, bdays, holidays, etc... all the time. So, I get odd years, he gets even, it works. So this year, I chose this museum as a day trip for our anniversary. He was in Civil Air Patrol growing up, then the Navy, and basically, this is history. So I knew he would love it. This museum is volunteer based, and the items in this museum are by donation, from pictures to models to the uniforms. History and fascinating facts on the items displayed. I took a lot of pictures because it was so interesting, I think this is a great place to bring kids. They can see a fighter jet up close, see model aircrafts, and read up on aviation history. It was about a 50 min drive on back roads from my town, which I prefer to the HWY. Anyway, enjoy the pictures, and I hope you drive out to see it . There is also a wonderful cafe right across the parking lot called Runway Cafe, where you can watch local planes take off and land while you enjoy breakfast or lunch.

Lots of history here and you can take your time and stay as long as you want. I took a ton of…read morephotos but I will share my favorites. Never heard of this place but I happened to be in the area and it came up when I did a quick museum search on my phone. I also had lunch there at the Runway Cafe and it was very good. Make sure you see the helicopter outside behind the building. Also, if you go in Winter -- it was a bit cold inside. About 50°

Wow. What a unique, random gem and historic property. What is Fonthill and why is there a castle in…read moreDoylestown, Pennsylvania? Fonthill Castle was the home of archeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer. (Also in Doylestown are two more Mercer buildings you can tour - the Mercer Museum and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works building, the business Mercer ran and where most of the tiles in the castle were produced.) Henry Mercer seems like he was an interesting guy, and you can see that in his home - 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, 200 windows, who knows how many staircases...! And designed and decorated in a way I've never seen anywhere else. The castle is an early example of poured-in-place concrete building and is a mix of Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine architectural styles. And there are, of course, Moravia tiles (and some historic and international tiles that he collected during his life) throughout the house - almost more than you could imagine. We visited last Saturday to experience their "Fonthill Castle Holiday Lights Meander Experience," which allows you to visit the castle through a self-guided experience (there were staff in various rooms who were happy to answer questions) and enjoy a series of Christmas trees on display throughout the home. I definitely enjoyed the experience but am definitely planning a return visit to see the castle in better light (not at night in the dark - which was perfect for the Christmas tree experience) - they offer 60-minute guided tours though the house for most of the year! The castle is pretty wild, and I look forward to visiting it again and experiencing it in a new way. If you are interested in architecture, art, crafts, the Arts and Crafts design movement, or just quirky, unusual places, definitely add Fonthill to your list and check it out!

Amazing property, it is a hidden gem. Went with my family for the tour and everyone enjoyed it!read more

I take my 2 y. o. granddaughter nearly every week. There are so many wonderful things to explore…read moreand learn from. They have a walking path through the woods with a natural playground and sandbox, a bird house building to watch and interactive displays, a mini zoo inside a house with small animals and activities including a treehouse. They also have weekly activities and seasonal events for elementary school kids. My granddaughter calls Briar Bush "The Animal House" and loves to put a donation in the collection box before we leave.

They were so friendly and it was a great little center to see the local wildlife and learn. We…read moredidn't get to do the whole path with a stroller but it was nice and shaded on the trail so even on a hot day it felt cooler.

They have a great collection anything and everything marine related. It was cool to see those. And…read moretheir staff is super nice and easy to talk to! It's very organized for a small museum.

I really didn't know what to expect. We were staying nearby and walked her. Loved every minute! The…read morekids especially were treated so nicely and the owners gave them a sharks tooth necklace and a painted sea shell complementary. We were there for hours. It may seem small but there is lots to see, watch and read. What was even cooler was there were a group of older peeps playing cards. So nice to see and so random. There is no cost to go inside but there are suggested donations...this was created and still run by a husband and wife team so be generous! ENJOY!

It's honestly hard for me to rate any museum under 5 stars, let's be real. I came for one of their…read moremonthly Dinos After Dark events and loved it. Even though it's a "pay what you want" event, there were still a lot of kids around. I kind of thought it might be more of an adults-only vibe, but it makes sense -- the whole place is built with kids in mind. There's a giant T. rex fossil in the main atrium that's super impressive, but the museum floor plan is a bit confusing. There are tons of kids' play areas and fewer traditional exhibits. A lot of the taxidermy looks almost too realistic, which is a little unnerving but also kind of cool. Still a really fun time overall. The top floor has an interactive animal area and another kids' play section. The second floor has a rubber dig pit for kids, and I accidentally wandered into it and immediately realized how hard it is to navigate when you're not actually there with a child. Oops. Staff was great. Super informative and enthusiastic, even showing off different types of roaches and explaining them in detail. You can tell they really love what they do. I learned a lot and had a genuinely good time. I'll definitely be back.

I visited the Academy natural science on free museum day during welcome America. The museum was not…read moreoverly crowded. The staff were super friendly. This museum has a lot of interesting animal exhibits and special exhibits. It's smaller so it's chewable for young children. There's also a children's area on the third floor with a lot of hands on things to do. He saw some of the dioramas of the animals, but spent most of our time in the special exhibit the ecology of fashion. The exhibit was very well done. Its focus was how fashion affects the environment, waste. And animals. It also showed new materials that are being used to cut back on waste. It highlighted the fast fashion trend, and how it affects sustainability. It was really interesting exhibit.

The food was amazing. I had the pasta special, which was a creamy pesto pasta with chicken, and it…read moredefinitely did not disappoint.

The Old Barracks was built in 1758 to house British soldiers during the French and Indian…read moreWar--picture redcoats grumbling about colonial weather and terrible coffee. Later it became one of Washington's military hospitals during the Revolution, and parts of it are still original. They're doing some renovations now, but any history buff will find this place fascinating. Inside you've got galleries, a gift shop, meeting spaces, and staff who are genuinely passionate about keeping history alive. Go, learn something, enjoy the energy of the fun tour guides. It's under construction right now, but I've been coming here for years when I visit family in Jersey, and it's always worth the stop. Trenton may be scrappy, but the Old Barracks is one of its gems.

These days it can be rare to find staff that are truly engaged and/or happy to serve others,…read moreregardless of where you choose to spend your money and time (restaurant, museum, etc.). This place was an exception. Every staff member we encountered, from the ticketing/check-in clerks, to the dig site guides, to those positioned throughout the exhibits, were genuinely friendly and proactive in engaging us. Our group consisted of two moms and two kids under 7, and we spent time at the dig site (on a particularly hot day) along with the museum. At the dig site several guides came up to us and offered personal insight and aid, checking to see if we had any questions and taking care to ensure we each found something interesting. One of the guides, Jeff, took time to passionately inform us about the details of different specimens, encouraged us in our digging, and helped us find a beautiful shark tooth. Another, Chris, kindly redirected us to another good spot to dig, then stuck around and produced several cool finds which he gave us to take home. Every interaction felt like it was an overflow of genuine excitement from the staff; it's clear they enjoy what they do, know their subject matter, and are eager to share with others in the spirit of learning. They also were patient and friendly enough to engage the kids. The grounds themselves were also beautifully curated; a thoughtful integration of natural landscape and native plant installations (like blueberry bushes) that felt tasteful and balanced. We loved the rustic material choices of the museum's facade, and the playground was the coolest design we'd ever seen. Inside, the lobby was bright, cheerful, clean, and full of yet more friendly staff that were eager to greet and guide us to next steps. The exhibits were engaging, with different interactive elements for kids, and a game they could play to rack up points as they visited various stations. The info plaques felt just right, not overwhelming. Downstairs you could peer into a real, active lab with ongoing restorations going on, and enjoy many kid friendly exhibits like a room full of interesting critters complete with a touch tank. The layout flowed well and felt like just the right size for a fun wander after an hour roasting in the sun without leaving you with the info fatigue that's so common in bigger museums like The Met or Museum of Natural History. The cafe had a nice selection of drinks and gluten free snacks which was appreciated. We didn't end up eating or visiting the gift shop based on where the kids were at by the end of the trip, but they both looked enticing. All in all, we can't wait to come back with more family. It was really a joy to explore every aspect of this place, and totally worth the 1.5+ hour drive.

Went here for the first time today and had a pretty good time. They take a different approach to a…read moremuseum as far as having a tracking card for you to view content as you walk through the museum. The grounds are interesting (you're able to dig for fossils, which we didn't do, and their playground had a neat play structure). The only two things I wished they did was having a couple shaded areas, like in the playground or on the walkways, and I wish they had a card recycle option for when your visit was over. Would recommend people to come and check it out if you haven't been.

Awesome place with a lot of military history. The staff were very friendly and provided a lot of…read morehistorical information. The exhibits were fantastic. Highly recommend a visit.

The Army Reserve Mobilization Museum was established in 2007. Its mission is to collect, preserve,…read moreinterpret, and exhibit the history of U.S. Army Reserve mobilization from 1776 to the present. (609)562-2334 Museum Hours: Monday-Friday, closed Federal holidays, 9 a.m.-11 a.m, 12:30-4 p.m. The museum is located on the Fort Dix side of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB MDL). It is open to all current military members and their dependents, military retirees and other federal civilian ID card holders. The museum is also open to members of the general public. For members of the general public to gain access to JB MDL and the museum please call the phone number above at least three days in advance of your planned visit.