What a fantastic museum! First of all very informative, clean, and taken care of with pride. This is perfect to learn about Santa Barbara history, the maritime history, and cultural history too (ie: surfing!). It's really curated with immense care and has numerous interactive elements that are perfect for kids. All in all can't say more great things about this place and highly recommend going here and getting a bite to eat nearby after. As a complete side note you can buy art there as well with proceeds going to the museum. If I had a bit more cheddar I'd buy it all! Really fantastic art work in there. We walked here so I can't comment on parking but there are lots all around the marina! It's probably only a half mile from downtown so definitely walkable with a nice pathway to the harbor! (Just go to the water by heading west on State Street. Once you hit the pier take the walkway on the beach to your right) read more

Very underrated museum, in my opinion. We used a Groupon and paid $10 for two adult tickets, but even at full price ($12 for adults, $6 for kids ages 6-17, and free for 5 and under), it would still be worth it. The museum is really beautiful and interactive, with a few activities that are great for little kids, and it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to go through. I learned a lot about Santa Barbara's history, and my 5-year-old really enjoyed it. The virtual fishing experience was especially fun and actually feels like you're trying to catch a real fish. The harbor views from the 4th floor are amazing too, and that area is free to the public. Parking is free for 90 minutes, but depending on the time of day, you may need a little patience to find a spot since it can get crowded. Staff and volunteers were also very friendly and welcoming. read more

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So much history in this building, make it a point to visit. The docent was so knowledgeable and kind. This museum has interactive activities for kids and adults. The history of Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands and animals that live on it, different boats, ships, vessels, inventor's history of updated diving helmets for abalone and oil rigs; just so much information. It was wonderful and so educational. We really enjoyed walking around the museum for a few hours. There are short documentaries to watch as well about oil spills and ships disastrous voyages. Stop by, you won't be disappointed you did! read more

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This was such a cute museum right by the harbor with many boats in Santa Barbara! Small 2 story museum but very well designed and had enough interesting things to look and read about. It probably took us about an hour to get through the first and second floor. You can also use the elevator to get to the 4th floor to get a nice view of Santa Barbara. Easy parking in the lots. There were some crafts for the kids also to make a pirate hat which my son appreciated! Go on Groupon for discounted tickets! Kids 5 and under are free! read more

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum - Museums Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We had an hour to kill at the harbor and decided to check out the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. It seemed like a quick, easy thing to do with two little kids fresh off a boat ride on Lil' Toot. Tickets were $12 each for me and my husband, and our sons, five and two, got in free. We bought them at the door from a friendly staff member. Zero hassle, and not many visitors on a Sunday at noon. The museum was the size of a very large house, with just under 8,000 square feet spread out across two floors. There was plenty to see, but not so much that we weren't in and out in under an hour. We could've spent more time there if we'd read more of the text accompanying the exhibits. What I did read was interesting and educational, and I imagine we'll come back for a more in-depth visit when the boys are older. There was a lot of neat maritime gack, including a sci-fi-looking diving suit and a beautiful retired lens from an old lighthouse. Honestly, a lot of the museum felt like it was geared toward children and/or nerdy dads, but I found plenty to enjoy, too. There was a Chumash tomol canoe exhibit, which was especially cool as we'd just seen a tomol in the water when we were on Lil' Toot. And I really liked an exhibit of photographs by environmentalist and photographer Chuck Graham, detailing the successful restoration of the island fox population across the Channel Islands National Park. Cute tiny foxes and a feel-good story, A+. The kids enjoyed a periscope and a simulated boat ride where they got to sit and steer. They also played in the children's area, which had fun interactive exhibits, like a tattoo parlor where kids could sit and pretend to get sailor tattoos, and a hanging kelp forest where they could wander in and stick toy felt fish. There were arts and crafts too, as well as maritime-themed costumes. I guess the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum was funded by Charles Munger, who heard that some guys (probably dads) wanted to open a maritime museum and said, "Hey, I love museums, here's some money" (I'm paraphrasing). I'm glad he shelled out for this little museum on the harbor. It's a charming place, well worth a leisurely visit. read more

Such a cute museum!!! This is a great museum to stop by if you're in the area needing to kill some time. The first two floors have a bunch of interactive activities, and lots of interesting models/information all over. If you go up to the fourth floor, you get to see the view of the beach + the city! FYI, they are a part of the Museums 4 All program, so they accept EBT entrance! read more

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Everything went well. The museum is a delight and the information was wonderfully presented. A docent, Sally, approached us and spent a great tour, engaging us in the interactive exhibits as well as sharing the history of Santa Barbara. We spent nearly 2 hours with Sally and definitely plan on returning. Major compliments to the museum. The museum is recommended for families with children who are about 10 years and up. read more

This is a pretty small but cool aquatic museum. I paid $15 for one adult and one student pricing but you can also get admission for 2 for like $7 on Groupon so definitely check that out to save a few bucks. They have pretty cool exhibits here including some that you can interact with. I finished the whole place in about 45 min so it's pretty small. They have a 4 floor that you can get to by taking the elevator in the front. It gets you the rooftop view of the ocean. read more

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Great place to take the family. Reasonable pricing and free admission for active duty military and veterans. Plenty of exhibits and historical facts given in chronological order. Multi-story museum with stairs and an elevator. Museum is located very close to restaurants and shops. Free parking (90 minutes or less) located nearby. Beautiful views from the Harbor. read more

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If you want to kill like 1-1.5 hours, then check this place out. I didn't know what to expect and this surpassed them. It was really cool to see all the displays like the lighthouse but there was an interactive deep sea fishing experience that my nephews had a ball with. They even had a scavenger hunt educational activity for the kids to do. Which was fun for them because it got them to stop at each exhibit and answer questions. Since we had kids of all ages, they had different levels of scavenger hunts so it wasn't too easy or too difficult. The interactive deep sea fishing was so much fun! You could chose which type of fish you wanted to catch and you had to reel them in. It was surprisingly more difficult than it looked. Definitely worth stopping by and learning a few things. read more

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Really cool museum to check out! We were visiting from Vegas and pulled this on our Groupon. Definitely a must check out (:

Founded by a group of fishermen, divers, and sailors: GREAT MARITIME MUSEUM. My wife was not excited but after a couple minutes inside she was as joyful and curious as our kids were. There is a great mix of sea-life, santa barbara history, scale models, and tactile/interactive displays. You can easily spend an hour here. You can see the lady-of-the-ship masthead and sci-fi looking diving suit beckoning you in from the outside steps. You can also go with a volunteer who will give you FREE access to the fourth floor and the nicest view of the harbor and SB in the area. I loved the Sailor Sam Tattoo-a-tron. It uses a projector to "tattoo" a traditional sailor tattoo onto you. I loved the narrators voice and learned a lot about naval tattoos and their meaning. The old diving helmets and suits were also very interesting, the lengths people went to experience ocean depths being the fountainhead for our current deepsea technology and understanding of what's deep beneath those waves. There's a fun submarine mockup with real periscope that lets you look out on the pier our kids spent a lot of time on. read more

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What an incredibly fun and informative place to learn about Santa Barbara and all that the ocean around us has to offer. So much history, and interesting facts about surfing, explorers, shipwrecks, Channel Islands, diving technology, whaling, the Chumash, history of the Waterfront, lighthouses, and even Santa Barbara Lighthouse Women Keepers. And yes, Mermaids too. And as we're always looking for fun places for kids, their Children's Gallery is educational as well. Also visit their fun Virtual Tours on their website. This fun museum space is located in the Santa Barbara Harbor amongst all the fascinating fishing boats, and several premier dining spots. Plenty of parking at the Harbor, and a fun way to travel to and fro from Stearns Wharf is on the water via the Lil' Toot Water Taxi. Also be sure to visit their Museum Store. Lots of cool Santa Barbara gifts, including clothing, books and DVDs, and more information about their different membership levels. They also have one of Santa Barbara's best Private and Corporate Event Venues. We recently attended a Leadership Training event in their upstairs meeting space, and it made the event all the more enjoyable. Thank you Heather for helping us coordinate our event, and also for the grand tour. read more

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum - Fun exhibition about tattoos, both in person and available on a virtual tour. - Museums Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Our tour was cut short due to a power outage and we plan on visiting again, because we were having such a wonderful time. Our guide was so incredibly informative and the museum has such an amazing collection of items. The lighthouse "bulb", prisms are fantastic! We already had learned so much on the tour... definitely, will be back to complete it. They had us a pass for the next day, but we had to return to Big Sur. A delightful, fun, and informative tour! read more

Santa Barbara is the birthplace of deep sea commercial diving!! I only knew that because of going to the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum! You get a 2fer when you go here because the building used to be a Government Reserve Building too! I love the fact that everyone that works here are volunteering so treat them with respect! I also love history and what they showcase here! There's exhibits, lectures, events, educational programs and museum tours for your organization or school. Navigators Circle Members can rent the Museum for Meetings, Corporate and Social Events as well! There's also a fun kid-friendly interactive exhibit for guests with kids for enrichment but I went with my adult sister and we did it for fun and the fake tattooing was the highlight! The only thing that struck me the most was the rainbow shingles looking display called the First Order Fresnel Lens that was originally at the Point Conception Lighthouse. Amazinggg engineering 'Invented by French Physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel and built in Paris in 1854, the lens used glass prisms, cutting edge technology for its day, to project a beam 25 miles into the most perilous waters of the California Coast from 1856 until 1999.' And that is just one out of two floors of other installations you can see! Support history and let's make sure this nonprofit organization never closes so the next generations can see. Whether you donate or volunteer. https://sbmm.org/maritime-museum-volunteer/ https://sbmm.org/support-santa-barbara-maritime-museum/ read more

The last weekend beckoned me to drive into the dismal clouds. Lucky for me the skies opened up bright and blue. They led me to what I thought was Heaven. Close enough, Santa Barbara. The Maritime Museum was my first stop. Inexpensive, clean, and great for kids and adults were my first thoughts. There were interactive games for the children such as reeling in a big fish, sailing, surfing, and learning about whales to start. Fantastic guided tours and interpretive tour are offered. A lot of fun and a fantastic "field trip" for the whole family. Enjoy. read more

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Cute museum with so many things to learn about the area. Had a great time visiting with my 13 year old son. Learned about the history of Santa Barbara, the lighthouse keepers, military, etc. Worth the visit. read more

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Really cool place. Lots of information and interactive activities. Ann is the best there and very informative. 10/10 would recommend

Jason and Bill made our docent led experience AMAZING. The knowledge and attention shared with our small group of young 7th graders was much more than expected. We cannot thank this museum enough for such a great experience. Highly highly highly recommend! read more

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum - Bill our amazing docent - Museums Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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5 stars necessary for the gorgeous free view of Santa Barbara in on 4th floor. The museum is interesting as well. There's a restaurant located on the third floor with reasonably priced bar food, a chill place to hangout and refill your stomach after a long day of sightseeing and walking. read more

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If you stop by, make sure to go on the 4th floor for stunning view of the yacht club and the beach. Parking available in the lot. It's free for the first 90 minutes. read more

My family went here for the first time last weekend. It is a great value (and we had a Groupon, which made it even better). It is small but they still manage to pack a lot in, including many interactive exhibits (sportfishing game, looking in a periscope, boat driving simulation) that kept even the kids engaged. Would definitely go back! read more

The SB Maritime Museum was very much a Tardis experience for me - once inside it was WAY bigger than it appeared from the front entrance. I came here with the wife on a whim after we had rented kayaks, paddled on the ocean and then grabbed some lunch upstairs. She was really excited to check it out; I wasn't very eager but went along anyways. (It's called being a "spouse"). Once we paid the $8 apiece and entered, it turned out to be better than I expected (and larger, as mentioned). We first reviewed some history of local area, including Native Americans, Spanish and then early American settlers. We moved on to history of the various piers and wharves built over time. There were exhibits on various ships based here, with plenty of cool models scattered throughout the space. Other exhibits included lighthouse technology, maritime disasters, even surfing history. There was a small theater upstairs that was playing a documentary about the local Channel Islands. The most interesting to me was the deep sea diving equipment and technology. I had no idea the Santa Barbara had been such a hot spot for this, back in the day. There was plenty for the little ones to do as well, though ours were not with us (...and are not so little any more). But kids who come here can put on pretend diving helmets, sit inside a ship bridge, look through a periscope to the outside, or play in a fake kelp forest, among other things. My absolute favorite was the "Sailor Art" exhibit where you could pick from a choice of old-timey tattoos, place your body part of choice on a little table, and then watch your tattoo being drawn on, complete with sound effects (but pain free of course). Fun even for us big kids. read more

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum - Museums Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This is not the San Francisco Maritime Museum. That's what I thought I'd be seeing when I went there. There are no old ships. There are compelling displays shipping off the California coast with emphasis on wrecks around the Santa Barbara Channel, the lighthouse on the cape and diving. If you like diving bells, you will love this place! Never saw so much diving gear! There was a display explaining the California off shore whalers and those who went after the seals for oil back in the 1800's. With that were several memoirs on display of early Californians who described ship life. Funny, as if on cue, Dale says, "There's a good book called Two Years Before the Mast..." and there is the book in the next display! Convenient. Didn't have to Google it. Just take a photo and put it on my reading list. There are also displays on the Indians who lived in the area before "we" came along. An interesting replica of a seaworthy boat fashioned as these natives was on display. They used these to get out to the channel islands. There are also displays that explain history of the channel islands. These were used to raise sheep for meat and wool. Some cattle were there. No cowboy hats in the channel islands! They wore baseball caps because of the high winds. Do not forget to go up to the 4th floor to see the view! It's free to go to the 4th floor and there is some comfortable outdoor furniture to sit in the sun, talk and enjoy the view. Two hours will be sufficient time to allocate to this museum unless you sit and watch all the movies. They have a number of movies that play at differing times; and comfortable chairs to sit in. No benches here. read more

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This museum had a lot of great artifacts and the best view in Santa Barbara! You don't need to buy a ticket to the museum to ride the elevator up to the observation deck. Make sure you make that trip up, but the museum really was very educational and well taken care of. You could easily spend quite a bit of time looking at it all. It is bright and well spaced also. I learned a lot about this seaside town's history! read more

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum - Museums Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

A very well done museum with lots of interesting info and exhibits. The deep sea fishing and sailor tattoo interactive exhibits were fun. Great to learn about Santa Barbara region maritime history. I had no idea Point Conception was so dangerous in the past! It was great to see the lighthouses that had female keepers. Great find near harbor restaurants and doable in 1-2 hrs. Free 4th floor has a view of the harbor, city and mountains. read more

Great museum. Sad that some of the stuff we couldn't do, but it happens. Definitely recommend. Very educational and interesting. Loved learning more about the native culture in the Santa Barbara area. Wish there was more for that. The virtual fishing simulator was fun! Gift shop is cute as well! read more

Located right on the waterfront ("I coulda been somebody!") lies one of the newest and cutest of all the world's maritime museums. From tracing Santa Barbara's historic past with its Chumash Tomol wood canoe to the hi-tech gear of deep sea diving, this place is an eye-opener of man's (and woman's) marriage with the sea. Catch seafaring films in the Munger Theater (shaped like a ship's hull), a 84" plasma display ("largest on the west coast") showing the museum overview or cast for a swordfish off the transom of a fishing boat (Jon's favorite). Make like a submarine captain and look through your periscope at the surrounding waterfront...just don't launch any torpedoes here. This waterfront is beautiful when compared to Long Beach/San Pedro ("Fire away!" "Aye Aye, Sir! With pleasure!") My favorite exhibit was the upstairs display of the world of surfing and the impact of one local man, Mr Reynolds (Rennie) Yater and how he has become an icon in the industry shaping boards for thousands of young and old surfers alike. Working with avant garde artist, Kevin Ancell, they have created the most magnificent surfboards with abalone trim and one, dedicated to one of the most beautiful, picturesque surf spots on the coast (Rincon) takes a place of honor right here. Trying to put a value on this board might be akin to pricing the Hope Diamond and my photos don't do it justice. Lastly, another display highlights the impact of humans in trashing this fragile ocean environment, an environment that we can't live without. The air we breath, the water we drink, the food we eat, all is a result of our ocean's greatness. We are a water planet dependent on it and this display is a must-see for anyone interested in how they can help, in an individual way, to keep the seas clean. We all take some responsibility in this. P.S., I surfed a Yater for a couple years till it broke in half and I made it into a 3-finned coat rack (see pix). But I really treasure the penciled "R Yater" signature on the stringer more than the utilitarian use of a broken board. read more

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Great little museum!! Took the family there, everyone had fun. Groupon made it very worth it! The kids did the scavenger hunt and got a prize so they were super happy. Staff were great and exhibits were well maintained and informative. Kids area was interactive and fun. read more

I visited the Maritime Museum with my two daughters, 3 and 1. We spent a fair amount of time exploring the exhibits, as my 3 year old was very excited to fill out her treasure hunt game we were given at the entrance. The majority of our time was spent in the children's area. My oldest daughter and another girl about her age played dress up, in the 'kelp forest' and in the sailboat. Now, my daughter has a bit of an obsession with princess's and wears a princess dress daily on our outings. This day she was wearing her Elsa dress. After a few hours the museum was about to close so we cleaned up and walked to the exit. The hostess stopped us and told us we couldn't take the museum's dress. Common mistake. But when I let her know my daughter had come wearing this dress from home, the hostess continued to say that it was the museum's dress and that other people told her to watch for us leaving with it. After a while she gave up, sighed, and rolled her eyes, obviously still believing we were thieves (Why would a maritime museum have a Frozen dress? All the other dress up clothes were related to ocean things). Next, my daughter handed this hostess her paper that she had filled out to be able to choose a toy from a treasure box. The lady took the paper and folded it in half and said "goodbye." I asked her if my daughter could choose a toy like she had been looking forward to doing, and the hostess sighed again and told me that she had already put the treasure box away for the day and she'd have to walk all the way in the back to get a key. Great, we will wait. The hostess walked about 7 steps TOPS (treasure chest was under the JIM suit at the entrance) and opened it. We had a lot of fun inside the museum, but hostess, you are the last thing that customers experience as they leave the museum. How you treated me and my daughter was rude and very off putting. I have no intention of ever returning to this museum based on our interaction and your assumption that I was stealing from you. read more

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum - Daughter wearing her Elsa dress on her 3rd birthday. Hostess, we did not steal this dress from the museum. - Museums Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

1) Treasure hunt made our visit more fun and engaging for young kids. It's a clever way to keep them focused and entertained. 2) It took us an hour to view all displays at a relaxed pace since it's not crowded. 3) 4th floor view is awesome 4) Admission fee is way lower compared to other Santa Barbara museums. read more

Took my cousin here when he was in town Sure he wanted me to take him because I was in the Navy. Desk clerk. Old Navy. Sure this isn't a trendy place, but it has lots of ship info in a museumy atmosphere. Sure lots of facts more than hands on stuff. But you learn a lot about the area and every one is in a good mood that works here. read more

This was fun for only $8 per admission, HOWEVER if you go straight up to the 4th floor to the Visitor's Center, they will offer you BOGO free coupon! We didn't know until after we have visited the museum, but that's okay because the admission fees go towards upkeep and preserving the museum, and that's important for our future generations to have museums around. The Maritime Museum has the history of Stearns Wharf and the becoming of Santa Barbara which is totally worth learning about especially if you live there. They have other cool exhibits such as the giant lighthouse bulb, nautical tattoos, ship models and historic water gear. Kids will have fun here because there are several interactive exhibits such as the little kids corner, getting a tattoo, fishing, surfing, and driving a boat. This is totally worth $8 and the hour that you'll spend here. If you do go and see a picture of Spicolli eating a pizza saying "Righteous bro.." that'll be me! read more

We spent an enjoyable and informative 40 minutes perusing the museum's collection. There were several interesting historical exhibits. But it was the interactive exhibits that won us over. Steering a boat, looking through a periscope... very cool. We used a Groupon to enjoy discounted tickets, but it appears that taking a free trip with a view to the 4th floor might have also netted us a coupon for admission. Our son was not with us, but we definitely think he would have enjoyed the children's area (as well as other exhibits). read more

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We'd never been to a maritime museum before. And although it didn't take us long to discover it's not really our cup of tea...don't let that deter you from giving it a try. If you're into maritime history I'm sure you'd love this place. Lots of information in here and the staff was friendly and helpful. read more

To get here from State Street, I walked past several boats docked at the pier and a beach. It wasn't that close but at the same time, it wasn't too far away. Being a land lubber, I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I came in but believe me, it's well worth your time. Outside there are a few oddities including an old fashioned underwater suit. Inside, there are displays about maritime history and Santa Barbara. The displays are well organized and informative and it's definitely a great place to visit if you have kids. There are two floors of exhibits for visitors to browse through and you can easily find yourself spending around an hour inside. So why doesn't this museum get a full five star rating from me? Honestly, I just feel that something was missing from here. What was missing exactly, I have no clue but I had a nagging feeling that something could have been done better. There's nothing wrong with the location, it's right on the waterfront, which is fitting, considering that this is a maritime museum. Still, this is definitely worth a look if you're around and wondering what you should do in Santa Barbara or you have kids who are looking for something to do. read more

We had our wedding at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and I'm so, so glad we did. My husband and I toured and considered many venues and we loved the museum. It felt unique inside as well as being on a great location on the water. We had our ceremony inside in front of the lighthouse lens and it was absolutely perfect. It was also a great space for the amount of people we had (under 50 guests) - it didn't feel too big for the amount of people we had which I was grateful for. Our guests all loved the location and we were so happy with how kind everyone we dealt with at the museum was. They made our day extra special on top of providing a great location! read more

I like this place for a once and a while visit. My children enjoy this place. They like to dress up and pretend to fish. My children can stay for hours. It's small so it can be enjoyed in an hour. It's next to the water and a walk to the beach. Great location. read more

The Crow's Nest, a room on the 4th floor of this museum, was rented for a small pre-wedding reception of 21 (with less actually coming). It was held at 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in early Sept. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. The room seemed to be blocked from high winds and was both indoor and outdoor. The event coordinator, Chrissy, was wonderful to work with as we were from out of town. She responded quickly to emails and calls. If one books a room, you need to be a museum member which was part of our booking, and we took advantage of the new member free kayaking deal and whale watching discount! A word on this...you must get your own insurance from a place like www.wedsafe.com to cover such an event as ours. Our Amica insurance did not cover. Anyone can preview this room during regular hours as it is a free view area to the public. You overlook the harbor, the mountains, and the ocean. We saw the sun set, and the colors were so crisp and blue and beautiful. The mountains were clear and colored during the sunset. We used the Omni catering that was referred to us by the museum, and they did a wonderful job. I clicked that this was "good" for kids (as the museum is good for kids. However, this Crow's nest room is not good for kids who easily get away from their parents and crawl up on things OR parents who tend to get distracted and forget about the kids for various moments. The railing is not that high with seating that would give them a place to crawl up onto the ledge. I highly recommend this room for a small reception! read more

What a pleasant surprise!! Went with our sons and they absolutely loved it!! So many great things to look at and buttons to press. The staff was so friendly too. Highly recommend it! read more