They've just renovated the front area a few months ago. A lot more engaging, even if they took the tornado tunnel out😫. Super kid friendly and the adults will even see a couple of places for us to get beverages and pastries if we wish. Nice areas to sit down and also having kid interactive areas near to not feel like a helicopter parent. Always super clean but definitely gets BUSY the later you go. Great cool down areas for the kids as well. Definitely worth getting the passes.
Price: Great Value
Prices are conveniently listed on their website. It was $42 for my son and me, which was an absolutely equitable price for the experience. It was completely worth it, to the point where we could have easily spent another hour there just exploring more of the outdoor exhibits.
Quality: Captivating and Phenomenal
The quality of the attractions is excellent. The indoor exhibits are highly engaging for all age levels, and the outdoor exhibits are truly phenomenal.
Range: From Dinosaurs to Butterflies
There is a wonderful variety of things to see and do. The outdoor dinosaur walk was really neat and immersive. While the indoor insect and butterfly habitat was a bit small, it still delivered a really good time and rounded out the experience perfectly.
Service: Very Friendly
The service matched the quality of the museum. The staff was very friendly and welcoming throughout our visit.
Tone: Cute and Welcoming
Overall, this was just a really cute place. It has a fantastic, family-friendly vibe that guarantees an enjoyable day out.
Our new favorite spot! It is massive—we spent 4 hours and barely scratched the surface. The Dinosaur Trail and Butterfly House were big hits, and the under-5 play zone is a great place for toddlers to burn energy. Definitely bring a stroller for younger kids! We visited the Sunday before Mother's Day and still found plenty of parking. Restrooms were clean, but be careful: the water in the entrance building’s mini sink was hot enough to burn.
I absolutely LOVE this museum! My children and I have been multiple times in each time they get excited about something new. They have a train ride that takes you through the woods, which is really cool, they also have something like a little café on the outside near the train area and believe it or not, the prices are extremely affordable! There’s also a café inside. They have things for every age range so all children should find some excitement there. Upstairs, they have a whole area dedicated to hands-on learning, which was a real hit with my children! The butterfly exhibit was breathtaking. This review will probably be updated a couple of times because we go so often now. We got a membership.
We went to the museum with our kid's school group. We had to wait longer because it was a free community day. On certain days of the month the museum is free for Durham residents. This is a really a wonderful thing that they are doing to give access to all. I wish more museums and science centers in other cities would do the same.
The tickets are quite expensive ($19 for kids 2+, $24 for adults), but I felt it was worth it because of all the attractions they had outdoors and indoors. We spent about 6 hours and that time wasn't enough to explore the whole museum. We ended up getting an annual membership. The annual membership also has reciprocity agreements with other museums and science centers.
The kids enjoyed the outside attractions very much. They had several interactive attractions that the kids loved such as the archeology dig and different musical instruments. They had a lemur and a black bear habitat. They had sail boats that could be controlled and an amazing butterfly habitat.
I will update the review once I go there more often. But overall I think this is the best place for kids since they closed Kaleidium North in Winston.
This is hands-down the best science museum I’ve ever been too (and, being from Boston, I’m pretty snobby about museums). 8 seperate floors, many filled with hands-on, active labs where “budding scientists” can touch and interact with actual science for free: levels the playing field and builds identity. I even heard one docent say to a kiddo: so how old are the scientists we have here?! I LIVE this super intentional wording, as it builds identity.
My ONE request, and I know, it’s a free museum so this may feel big: motorized scooters upon request.
The art museum has them and it was the total difference for me. I can get OK on a walker sometimes but my legs were just really bad the last few days and there’s only so much I can see if I’m hurrying through because I’m in too much pain. I know, museums, including this one have wheelchairs, but without someone to propel me, I’m not gonna get very far with that. If you could invest in a couple of motorized scooters, that would be amazing. Already the best science museum I’ve ever been to though.
We came in today for my son's 12th birthday. We had the best time. We always enjoy this museum! Such wonderful setups everywhere.
Went with my 3 sons ages 5-11 and all enjoyed various experiences at the museum while I am absolutely clear we could go back 3 times and still might not have done all they have to offer.
The boys built mosaic patterns, folded and launched paper airplanes and shot parachute men out of wind tunnels. We all learned a bit about Apollo missions, saw some turtles in a lake, and dug for fossils. We had delicious popsicles by their lovely cafe, and our interactions with the Museum’s team were all very positive, warm, and friendly. We will happily return and already recommended a day trip to family who live a few hours away.