Please Touch Museum

Wish I would have taken more pics, but this place was great, even when it was so busy! I was chasing my oldest and youngest around. Don't judge by my pics haha. 7+ year old loved it and 2 year old loved it as well. You enter on upper floor, and can go "downstairs" to see more exhibits on either side. Facing inside from entry, stroller/wheelchair ramp accessible to downstairs is by treehouse on right, and stairs/elevator are by cars on left. From flowing waterways and cars/buses themes, to Alice in Wonderland and grocery/kitchen play areas, it really does have something for all kids to enjoy. There are some quieter maker station and craft rooms downstairs as well. And as pics show, a giant carousel. We were there for 3 hours and could have been there more! Highly recommend. We showed up during a Holiday weekend right at opening, and many other people did as well. Opening during a weekday would be better to arrive with possibly less kids. But even when it was so busy, we had a good time there.

Did my son have fun? Absolutely. Is it overrated? In my opinion, yes. The biggest issue is the price. We paid about $80 for two adults and one child, which felt excessive for what was offered. A lot of the activities were things that could be replicated at home or at a local play place, and several of the exhibits that looked the most interesting were either not functioning properly or completely out of service during our visit. I understand that children can be rough on exhibits, but at this price point I expected to see more staff actively maintaining things and keeping exhibits operational. Instead, much of the museum felt worn, outdated, and not particularly well maintained. Ironically, the coolest part of the entire visit was the building itself. The late 1800s architecture is beautiful and was honestly more impressive than many of the exhibits inside. The building has a lot of character and ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the experience. My son still had a good time, and that is what matters most. That said, I left feeling like the experience did not justify the cost. If admission were closer to $30 or $40 total for a family, I could see it being worth a visit for an hour or two. At the current price, I would have a hard time recommending it to other families.

The Please Touch Museum is an absolute gem for families. Housed in the stunning Memorial Hall—built in 1876 for the first U.S. World’s Fair (the Centennial Exposition)—the setting alone is breathtaking. Inside, the museum delivers nonstop hands-on fun and learning, from the kid-sized grocery store to the always-popular Rubber Ducky Wave Zone. My kids can’t get enough of the Alice in Wonderland maze and exhibit, and riding the beautifully ornate carousel is always a highlight. The traveling exhibits have been fantastic as well, with Dino Train being a standout. This is a must-visit Philadelphia destination for families with young children. Membership is worth it.

Amazing place for kids! So much to do and see it was incredible! Went as a class trip and had a good time and is sensory friendly for special needs children. The place is huge you almost can’t do everything in one visit since there’s so much to do it’s crazy! 10/10 recommend and make sure you have plenty of time to explore since it’s such a big place.

The exhibits, rooms & the carousal were so much fun. So much to see and do. You’ll have to come back and do it again! Great fun for the kiddies & me too. Got in more than my steps this day!

What a fun fun day for toddlers!!! My grand daughter had the bestest time! I was able to get a pass from my local library, so it was a wonderful bargain having only to pay for parking($18). Sooo many things for kids to delve into and play til they drop, lol. We went on a Friday and it was not horribly crowded. Its easy to find via gps and next time I'll bring a picnic lunch!

Cute museum for little ones. A bit smaller than I expected it to be.. all on one level/floor. You can see each room if you stand in the middle of the place, staff was very friendly and good with the kids. Cute interactive activities for young kids, any older than 8 would probably be too old for this place.

My 10 year old loved this place and wants to come back with friends. Each section is well thought out and super engaging, especially the grocery store. The carousel was also cool. We were under time constraints so we couldn’t do everything, but hope to get back soon.