Forum Index
»
Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers
best children's museum?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| My 3 yr old dd's spring break is coming up and we want to do one special, all day outing. What's the best children's museum w/in, say, 1 hr drive of DC? |
Anonymous
| Port Discovery in Baltimore |
Anonymous
|
Are there any others *besides* Port Discovery? I don't think we have lots to choose from, unfortunately, if you mean big children's museums as opposed to local playspace type places.
The Please Touch museum in Philadelphia is fantastic, but that's closer to 2.5-3 hours. |
Anonymous
| I like the Science Museum in Baltimore better than Port Discovery. Huge hands on room for the little one; Dinosaurs. Very cool. |
Anonymous
| We spent a fabulous day at the Reston Zoo last year. Not a museum, per se, but really fun!! |
Anonymous
| I also think that 3 is slightly young for Port Discovery. we were there on Saturday, and although our almost 4 yo and almost 3 yo had a great time, there were a lot of things that were "over their heads." Our older one enjoyed kid zone (really the highlight of the place), but my husband had to accompany him the whole way. It was too difficult for our younger one. Waterworks was fun, but nothing THAT spectacular. I've also heard good things about the Science Museum, and there's always the aquarium. They are right next to each other, so you could even try to do both, although that might be a bit much for a 3 yo. |
Anonymous
| Haven't been because baby is too young but I hear that the Building Museum has a great room and lots of kids activities. |
Anonymous
|
A playground. What's that magical fairytale place up in Columbia MD or something?
I hate crowded museums. I find the educational displays mostly unimpressive for kids that age. Best young kids museum I ever went to was the Deutshes Museum in Munich. Lots to touch, build, bang, splash, strum, climb, swing, etc. Just the right speed and on a weekday, hardly anyone there. Haven't found one like it in the US. |
Anonymous
| My kids like the Baltimore Aquarium. A morning there, the dolphin show and lunch, and a water taxi ride, and they are done for the day. |
Anonymous
Baltimore's Science Museum would also be my recommendation for a 3 year-old. |
Anonymous
|
My 2 year old LOVES Port Discovery. She can't go into every room - but loves the diner, the Hess gas station, the water play room, the toddler room, and the climbing structure (although I hate the climbing thing!)
It is more like 2 hrs - but the Please Touch Museum in Philly is FABULOUS. And the "fairytale place" in columbia is Elioak Farm. It is fun - but not wonderful and with all of the rain/snow is a muddy mess right now, I am sure! |
Anonymous
|
The kids room at the Children's Museum in Baltimore is fabulous. Our 2.5 DS loved it there - wouldn't leave. The rest of the museum also has some fun things for kids to try.
The Building Museum in DC (right at a red line metro stop) is fabulous too. Haven't been to Port Discovery in Baltimore yet, but have heard great things from friends with kids in the 2-3 yr. age range. |
Anonymous
Clark's Elioak Farm is actually in Ellicott City, not Columbia, and it doesn't open for the season until April 1. Not sure if that fits in with OP's spring break plans or not. We go several times a season - love it! |
Anonymous
| I took my kid to the Building Museum and she LOVED it. They have a little kid zone in the back but all she wanted to do was run the huge lobby. |
Anonymous
| Thanks everyone for the ideas. We go to the Building Museum all the time and love it -- now, I'm looking for something a little more special. It sounds like either the science museum or Port Discovery is our best bet, but keep the ideas coming. |