maryland science center

Most people gravitate towards the National Aquarium, and while that's a worthwhile see, the Maryland Science Center is much more interesting, interactive and in my opinion it's much more fun, especially for kids. There's everything from great exhibits, space exploration, the IMAX theater, a planetarium, and so on. If you're visiting from out of town with your kids, take a stroll to the far side of the harbor and visit the Science Center. Kids will not be disappointed.

I am a local and have been many times. I have so much fun every time. Be sure and make this a stop if visiting Baltimore. Bonus-its literally steps away from so many other great stops (aquarium, harborplace shopping, great restaurants), you can make this part of a great day.

This might not be the biggest science center I have attended but I was struck by the unusually thoughtful engagement on the part of kids I watched working their way through the exhibits. Too often kids will mindlessly push, pull, spin, and otherwise try to control anything their hands can grab without paying attention to what's happening and why. Somehow these exhibits are more effective than many at turning on the grey matter! Lots of variety is found here from dinosaurs to a fascinating exhibit on the wildlife of the Chesapeake Bay. The IMAX theater offered an excellent film on the Lemurs of Madagascar and the planetarium introduced the possibility of life in outer space. Take advantage of many hallway hands-on activities and the science shed for guided experiments. The lunch cafe had the slowest cooked hamburger ever seen in captivity but the opportunity to sit down was much needed. Plan to spend the day (take the time to understand the exhibits) and don't forget the excellent science store where you could stock up for birthdays and Christmases. The modern building is right on the famed Inner Harbor but be sure to get a map because the three story structure is confusing and easy to get lost in.

We visited the Maryland Science Center on a rather busy day with young children, so we did not really get to investigate all that it has to offer. However the exhibits we did see/use made for educational fun. My family and I had a great time.

There was so much to do & see. Great for all ages. Best part was that my family played together & explored together.

We love this place. We have a family membership and usually spend a weekend day when we are in town. We've been 5 or 6 times and we still haven't seen it all. One of our favorites is the kid's room on the top floor. There are plenty of activities for younger kids. We also like try the different activities that are setup "on the fly" inside and outside through out the day. The restaurant is ok and is the best option since everything else is a bit of a walk. The IMAX movies are enjoyable at only $4 per person if you have a membership. The planetarium is fun.

This was a nice place to go. It doesn't take more than two hours to go through so it leaves plenty of time for other attractions in inner harbor. It is worth the visit.

Family loved the IMAX railroad movie and the planetarium show on black holes. Excellent location near the inner harbor with other things to do and places to eat in the area.

After looking at the website and remembering fond memories of visiting the Air and Space Museum in Washington and the Franklin Institute of Science in Philadelphia I was sure that this would be an amazing experience. How wrong I was!First we went over to the dinosaur exhibit because I have always been wild about dinosaurs. There was one on the wall that I happened to tap on and it sounded hallow. A lot of the other dinosaur bones also sounded hallow and from this we realized that they were just plastic fakes.After this I used the restroom and it was absolutely filthy. The floor was covered in toilet paper and trash and the urinal looked like it never gets a decent cleaning. Plus, both of the hand dryers were not working."Ok," I thought to myself, "Fake dinos and a dirty bathroom. This can't be good."The stairs leading up to the exhibits were very dirty. The exhibits were somewhat interesting but a bit babyish. There was nothing that really blew me away. As we finally made our way to the third floor I thought, "This can't be it!"While the exhibits were a total bore, the IMAX 3D movie, Lemurs of Madagascar, was great. At one points the trees were so 3D it really looked like I could touch them with my hands. Also, the planetarium was amazing. Both the graphics and information about black holes were excellent. Still, I thought the man controlling the planetarium was a bit rude when he repeatedly told a grown man not to spill his drink. Seriously, it had a lid on top.The majority of the employees seemed like zombies. They didn't smile and seemed totally indifferent. The exception would have to be the two ladies working in the gift shop who were very friendly and polite. There was also an older gentlemen working with the space exhibits who was a joy to talk to.The gift shop was ridiculously expensive, although I have to admit that every gift shop in every museum I've been to has been that way.My last complaint isn't the fault of the Maryland Science Center but it is a warning. We parked our car for four and a half hours and our bill came to twenty-eight dollars! That is outrageous! I had no idea it would be so expensive.If you want to show your children an experience in science I highly recommend going somewhere else. The Maryland Aquarium is nearby the Science Center and it is one million times better. Yes, it costs double but it is well worth the money.

I got the 6 person membership for my family as a Christmas gift. We went for the "Countdown to Noon" on New Year's Eve, and then I took my oldest daughter again later in the week. The Countdown to Noon was cool for the kids since they had a band called Milkshake, and the kids thought the ball dropping was awesome. The first trip we only partly explored the first and third floors, but the kids had a ball. We stayed until they closed. When I went back later in the week, my oldest daughter and I explored the second floor. With a few exceptions in terms of exhibits, I think the second floor might be the coolest. It has a lot to do with science in general. The bed of nails, and the science experiment room were obviously a highlight for my oldest. The first floor has a lot of "Earth Science" to the right, as you enter, and more physics type stuff to the right. The third floor has a kids room which both of my daughters absolutely loved. The only downside for our visits so far included certain exhibits that had been defaced or messed up from kids that didn't have an adult paying attention to them, and some exhibits seemed, or maybe were, broken, but it was hard to tell since not all the of instructions are crystal clear. The food at Beakers is so-so, but also overpriced as you would expect. I would suggest packing a lunch.We haven't checked out the i max or the planetarium, but those are next on our list! I would highly recommend getting a membership. Our family would cost us $70 each trip (4 people), but the 6 person membership is only $150. After two trips the membership basically pays for itself, and if we take friends along it's just added benefit.

With one day to sightsee we chose the Science Center over other inner harbor options.A little more price sensative....we were able to spend a half day checking out outer space, dinosaurs, learning about leverage (via tug of war), and a nice planetarium show. We still didn't see the whole place. My kids are 9 and 11. Each had a blast. Enjoy!,

This museum has it all for kids just learning to walk to adults. The kids room has an underwater cave with simulated submarine, water table and toddle room. Newtons Alley has everything gravity. Then of course the dinasaurs room! There is a planetarium and a tons of special events. What really impressed me is volunteers (?) all over the place to answer questions and just engage the visitors. Plus, you can use the membership at a bunch of other science museums around the country. Get the membership!

I go to science museums everywhere I travel. I am from Chicago so the absolute gold standard (for me) is the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. This falls short of that, it is smaller and can easily be seen in a 2 hour session. There is an iMax theater that shows the usual plus some hollywood films (Night at the Museum 3) and Wednesday Workshops. This is a very hands on place there are lots of exhibits where you can interact with the science. There is even a cafe if you want to grab lunch.

The exhibits cater to kids which is a science rarity today. I love the IMAX and the planetarium shows. The only negative thing is that it's so far from the rest of Inner Harbor. But then, we usually go for long weekends in March or December to celebrate birthdays. That's a long, cold walk but a very pleasant way to spend 2-3 hours.

If you go to this science center and find things that don't work do not be surprised. They probably won't be fixed if you go for a return visit. Glad I had a free pass as that nonsense gets old. Could be really nice but it is only fair. And don't get the popcorn or drinks at the IMAX. The popcorn is not made fresh daily and the sodas are warm. Yuck!