Although it is one of the more expensive museums to visit in the area, if you can swing the admission price -- you don't want to miss the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford.
You can learn about all aspects of science here from anatomy to astronomy, dinosaurs, animals, the environment, sports science, energy, wind speed, gardening, engineering and on and on and on. With four floors to explore there is something for everyone.
It can be overwhelming when you enter the lobby and realize the museum comprises six floors. No worries -- you really only want to hit floors 1, 4, 5 and 6. Levels 2 and 3 are staff offices.
Starting on the first floor is the hot spot for the littles: KidSpace -- a huge water play area that is recommended for kids up to age 7. There are fountains, pitchers, a water conveyor belt, a water Lego table. It. Is. Awesome. There are smocks available but you definitely want to bring a change of clothes. This is pure bliss for preschoolers and they should not be held back just to keep their sleeves dry.
There is also a Subway cafe and a frozen yogurt shop on the first floor. And although a sign reads that the Subway tables are reserved for paying customers, there is a long table and chairs right outside the restaurant where you can eat your own picnic.
Take the elevator up to level 4 and you'll find the Forces in Motion and Sight and Sound galleries. On this level kids can learn all about physics, air flow, sound, and engineering. They can build their own vehicles to send down a racetrack, cut their own tracks on a DJ board, play interactive games, build structures, and so much more.
Level 5 provides many lessons about the human body where kids can learn about heredity, medical technology, how to prevent disease, and how the body works. There is also a Sports Lab where they can check out all the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and learn about sports medicine. In the Invention Dimension you can program a robot, build a Lego car, work with machines of all types, and visit the Space Lab to lean all about our galaxy.
Learning about the environment is the focus of Level 6. There are touch tanks, animals to visit with, a small nature-based play center, a hands on stream where you can explore water flow by redirecting pebbles, an animatronic dinosaur, and many exhibits that teach about conserving energy, gardening, and recycling. You can excavate dinosaur bones and visit a wind tunnel. In the good weather there is a rooftop garden to explore.
In all, there are over 150 exhibits. There is also a 3D theater with educational movies -- tickets are an additional $5 per person. There are clean and lovely restrooms on every level of the museum. If you are planning to bring an itty bitty I would suggest a carrier rather than the stroller. You'll be on and off the elevators all day and the galleries can get pretty packed on a busy day. If you can, plan to visit on a weekday when MA is out of school but CT is not -- that's probably your best bet to avoid a huge crowd. We visited recently during Christmas vacation week and the admission line was overwhelming (we considered turning around and making a Plan B for the day). However, we've also been on a Sunday morning and the crowd was completely manageable.
If you have kids of varying ages, try to divide and conquer at this museum. Have one adult stay with the little ones in KidSpace and the few other spots for preschoolers and have another adult accompany the big kids to the upper floors where they can really explore without interruption and learn some awesome science lessons.
Admission to the CT Science Center is $23.95/adult and $16.95/child (ages 3-17) and FREE for kids under 3. However, you truly can spend all day here and there is something for kids of all ages.
It it located at 250 Columbus Blvd. in Hartford. There is a a convenient parking garage located adjacent to the museum or you can park in the CT Convention Center Garage. Just look for the signs.
This is one of our family's favorites! Exciting, hands on exhibits and educational opportunities everywhere. Pricey, but worth it! Keep an eye out for the occasional Groupon. Bonus if you visit in better weather and can see their rooftop garden exhibits!
Posted by: Kelly Jordan | 01/26/2017 at 09:56 PM