When my family planned our weekend vacation, the original thought was to visit the National Zoo in D.C. But with a weather forecast of 90+ degrees, we reconsidered and looked for a fun indoor place to spend our extra day.
Boy, am I glad that one of our loyal facebook fans recommended the Maryland Science Center, which is located at Inner Harbor. My kids (son 4 and daughter 2) had a terrific time running from room to room enjoying all the hands-on science fun.
We started in the dinosaur room since it's impossible to go anywhere else once you see those amazing and large replicas. Plus, here you get to try putting together your own model with fossils, dig for dinosaur bones and walk in life-size dinosaur tracks. There were also stations with computers and videos set up to teach you more about dinosaurs if you have older kids who will actually sit still!
From there, my kids found their favorite room - Newton's Alley. This room was probably the most hands-on area in the whole place with buttons to push, balls to roll and even a tug-of-war station. I know my kids are too young to understand the science behind it, but they were still amazed by making clouds move, water bubbles appear and a harp with no strings play music.
If you're like me and have Mini Macaronis under the age of 8, there is even a special Kids Room of the center with a large water table and other sensory experiences designed just for the littlest visitors.
We were also lucky that when we visited, the Science Center was hosting a special science carnival that featured a great juggling show as well as special hands-on activities like make your own juggling ball and ride a clown bicycle.
It's impossible to cover everything the Science Center can offer a family and you can easily spend your whole day there, especially if you check out their Planetarium and IMAX shows.
One last thing is that we did have lunch in Beaker's Cafe which was reasonably priced and carried all the kid-friendly staples of hamburgers, chicken tenders and pizza. What is also nice for families is that the Science Center also has a special room for families who pack their own food to sit down and eat.
If you're planning a trip to Baltimore, I would place the Maryland Science Center on your must-see list of places to go!
Disclosure: Although my family and I received complimentary admission to the Maryland Science Center, all opinions expressed here are my own.
Review originally published in 2012.
