08/04/09

Terrible

by menlomama

My son (12 months) and I went here last Tues (7/28/09) and I was terribly disappointed. I don't mind that it is downtown. I actually like that part b/c then I can stroll around all the cute shops and grab lunch at Joes. However, the place is filthy, there were a lot of things that were broken, and parents just let their kids run wild. They have a slide that my son loves to play on but he was being run over by a bunch of 5 year olds. Okay, I know that 5 year olds are hyper, but the problem was that there were no parents in sight!!! The ones that I did see were too busy thumbing away on their crackberries. The worst part was the bathroom area. I went in to change my son's diaper and I was appalled at the place! It smelled like a urine soaked subway station. The floors were a mess. Needless to say, I did not want to put my son down on the baby changing area, so I walked all the back to my car to change him. This place is a representation of Austin and I'm ashamed at the image they are giving the city. You ask if I will go back? Probably, only because my son loved it (that's the extra star in my rating) and it is a place to get away from the Texas heat.

• Pros: At least the baby area is fenced off
• Cons: everything else

08/13/08

Great for kids under 10

by miranda82

Ok, the parking, or lack off is terrible. But the museum it's self is pretty amazing. My sons love this place, and they have been coming here for years. It can get a little crowded on the weekends, so I tend to avoid the crowd. They have baby/toddler only days where they restrict the museum to childrne under 3. If you call ahead they will warn you about any large groups scheduled to come. They also have some of the best day camos in town.

• Pros: always different exhibits
• Cons: parking, crowds

06/26/08

Great Place for Hands-On Experiences with Kids!

by amlinatx

I recently took my three-year-old niece to the Austin Children's Museum, and I practically had to drag her away at the end of our visit. The museum has great exhibits that feature math, science and enginnering, among other things. It also has a great Austin feel, with exhibits like Austin Kiddie Limits where kids can perform on a mini-Austin City Limits stage. The Tinkerer's Workshop upstairs is a great place for kids to design and construct with mini-tools and crafts made just for them. All of the activites are designed with kids and adults in mind, so you get to learn with your child. The current exhibit downstairs is all about sound, so get ready to hear loud drums, echos, and makeshift instruments . All in all, a fun learning experience for us both.

Parking is difficult downtown, so I suggest taking a bus if you can. Also, on Tuesdays the museum does not allow group tours, so it will be much less crowded in the galleries for individual families.

• Pros: interactive, fun, admissions specials on certain weekdays.

06/24/08

Frightening Place

by SantoshT

This is not a good place for people of any age. It is very cluttered, very noisy, very dirty and I cannot believe they charge $5.50 for that experience. Fortunately, we went on a Sunday around 4 when admissions were free and so was parking.

I am not sure why they have a Children's Museum in the downtown area because getting there is a pain and parking is very hard to find. Navigating between one way streets and always-under-construction areas (not just Austin but any big city) it seems like a waste of good real estate space to me.

Once inside you will be greeted with a mental institution(ish) ambiance but be brave and move on because its too late to back out now. Once you see the claustrophobic settings you will wonder who came up with this stupid design (no they don't tell you).

Stay away from this place. I'd rather play run/catch with my son in the Zilker park than go here again.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Everything about it

11/30/06

Educational fun and discovery for young minds.

by Contributor

In Short
Youngsters (and their parents) enjoy a tactile experience with art, science and the global community. Permanent exhibits include Austin Kiddie Limits, which introduces children to Texas music and serves as stage for year-round live performances. The water-themed Splish teaches kids about marine life before they turn trash into art at the Creation Station. Brainteasers offer problem solving through observation and logical thinking. The Rising Star Ranch focuses on developing the motor and social skills for children under two.