Port Discovery Children's Museum

Pretty cool space though I've only been there for an adult event. I have never seen children using or playing with any of the things. But, I can imagine they really enjoy it. Everything is padded, to start. Falling here is easy.Plus there's just a lot of stuff to do, a lot of activities.I found out the hard way the only way down the big slide is to climb all the way up there. I don't recommend adults do this, lol, that climb was pretty claustrophobic.Overall, good visit. I'd recommend it, for kids and for adult events too.

I cannot believe I've never written a review for this place. Every year I get an annual pass at a new place and 2023 we had passes here. I cannot say enough great things about this place. The locations is always clean and well maintained. There are 3 total floors with activities ranging from water play, to puzzles, to physical activities. My kids favorite attraction is of course the but slide. We do this no less than 5 times every time we visit. There are rotating attractions in addition to their standard ones (grocery store, gas station, a restaurant, water play, and more) and annual holiday themed activities. Our favorite by far was the Halloween parade and dance party. Each visit would include several interactive activities as well, giving you a variety of things to do, which is helpful if your kids get tired of routines. We easily spent 2 1/2hrs here on any given visit and I've never had a bad experience. A membership pays for itself in 2 visits and my kids always enjoy their time here. I decided to get passes to the science museum this year because I thought my kids may have aged out (7&8) but they still talk about how much they loved Port Discovery. Like any place that caters to children you have the expectation of unruly kids and germs. Be kind to the workers, bring your patience and some antibacterial wipes and you'll be fine. If you have children aged 5-8 I would say this place is ideal for them.

This place is really cool. It's great for kids ages four through seven. I did go with my sisters to take my nephews who were admittedly a little too young to fully enjoy it. They do have a toddler room and a water room. Unfortunately, the water room was out of commission. And the toddler room is fun, but it definitely needs some TLC.Each room and each level have different activities for children to enjoy and central climbing area! there's fun activities and sometimes even guided activities. The kids can participate in. I would say my two major complaints is it's just crowded. It's in a city and it's just crowded. there's not much they can do about that. It's heavy traffic and that's something you should be prepared for when going for a visit. I wish they would have different section that would work too kind of contain the mess and sanitize during playtime. The great thing about different area. Is it fostered the kids creativity but sometimes that includes fostering with germs. Some kids play styles can be very chaotic so things often get misplaced or unorganized and the responsibility falls onto the parents to contain the mass while watching their kids. I wish each location had a team member who was in charge of containing the mess as much as possible, and also armed with sanitizing equipment so when they see toys going in and out of toddlers mouse, there's a better system to ensure we're minimizing germs as much as possible! Staff members could also lead creative play. For example if a staff member was working in the fake diner, they could pretend like they were server who also encourage kids to use the stove and put food back where it goes before they're done! That definitely would make the experience more enjoyable for the parents!

I'm just not convinced the value is there. Over $95 for a family of 4 to come plus downtown parking, and despite the large exterior of the building, the musuem itself is rather small in number of exhibits. In reality, I think it's a stretch to call it a museum, it is much more of a "play center" with mild facts sprinkled in that no children pay pay attention. The cargo ship is probably the only thing where everyone cab learn - from how the engine room works, to how the cargo is loaded, to the port security - it is all hands on fun. However, the rest of Port Discovery was trite and not well suited to the large crowds they admit - a "diner" (basically a large plastic Fisher Price kitchen), a library with some themed books, a agricultural area, and an Egyptian adventure that was difficult for even the adults in our party to understand the procedures. The main feature is truly just a giant slide accessible only be climbing an enclosed cargo net. Wait times can get rather long, but it was fun.Overall, I think Port Discovery would benefit by having timed entry tickets on their peak days and hours. Beyond that, I don't think I'd go back with the prices the way they are; it didn't provide enough value for me and my family.

Overall my kids and I enjoyed our visit to the Port Discovery Children's Museum. What we liked:*The Ancient Egyptian exhibit was incredible. It incorporated history, kinesthetic learning, hands-on activities, art and problem solving. We spent more time here than almost anywhere else in the museum.*The huge twisty slide*The old timey diner*The water room*The farm exhibit*Something to do indoors during the summer So, why only three stars? Mainly the cost. For three of us, the cost was around $75. Coupled with the additional parking cost, we spent over a hundred dollars. For parents, there isn't much to do. So why do kid and adult tickets cost the same? Why not charge kids full price while the adult ticket is slightly cheaper? Or what about validated parking? Overall my kids enjoyed their visit to Port Discovery. Unfortunately the cost will keep it from being a place that we regularly visit.

I've been coming to Port Discovery for over 20 years and it is a place that holds many cherished memories. Most recently I brought my young cousins, 6 and 8, and was disappointed in the way the museum has been upkept. Many of the exhibits have broken or missing pieces or just look rundown. The museum has been around since 1998 and it LOOKS it. Nothing has been made over or refurbished. I was also DEVASTATED to learn that Miss Perception's Mystery House is GONE. This is seriously one of my favorite childhood memories and I was heartbroken not to be able to share it with my cousins. I'm fairly certain it was still there 2-3 years ago when I brought my nephew (although you couldn't go down the drain anymore). This was seriously one of the best (albeit bizarre) exhibits and it's disappeared just like the daughter who used the vanishing cream on her zit (IYKYK).PETITION TO BRING BACK MISS PERCEPTION'S IN ALL ITS GLORY!!!Additionally, I think more care and consideration needs to be put into cleaning the museum and well as employee supervision of the different areas. It does seem that parents are mainly responsible for guiding their children through the "museum" when there could be a lot of value in an employee or 2 monitoring each area to ensure patron safety and the cleanliness of the area. It looks like a bomb went off everywhere and although there are a few hand sanitizer stations, there's not enough being done to mitigate germs. I got a nasty cold the day after coming here and a week later I'm still sick. Periodically shutting certain areas down for 15 minutes throughout the day to sanitize and tidy up would do wonders. We were there for 4 hours and the only employees I saw were at the ticket counter.

Fun slightly chaotic play based learning center my 10 year olds had a blast on the slide and doing things with blocks. We participated in an organized design competition that didn't seem very thought out more like a photo op for the museum than an educational experience for the tweens. The place has a good, warm vibe with lots of fun nooks and crannies. The bookstore tucked in the front is excellent - my child found a signed copy of Dork Diaries! Cafe was self serve with fair pricing but wasn't well stocked (maybe since it was a holiday weekend). Overall a fun way to burn off kid energy for an afternoon.

What a lovely museum!There is a parking garage right beside the museum (Harbor Park Garage), which is incredibly convenient. Employees are welcoming, friendly, and very helpful. Tychell was so kind and made sure we were all set to have a good time. We absolutely love the bright colors, different play areas, and the creativity that went into building this museum. The kids (and adults) had an amazing time!So much to see and do in here. We all learned so much! You are allowed to exit and re-enter on the day of your visit by showing your wristband. Just keep your wristband on if you plan to re-enter. You may bring food and drinks into the museum, but it is not permitted inside the museum exhibits.There is a designated eating area at Port Discovery, where you may eat your lunch or snacks. Vending machines are available for snacks and beverages. There is no café or restaurant inside but there are many family-friendly restaurants around the museum. Several nearby restaurants offer special discounts to Port Discovery guests and members. Overall, we had a great time and can't wait till our next visit!

We took a day off work and came up as a family to baltimore. Drove two hours in car for kid to have an epic, family fille day! We registed way in advance and planned out to have it on a community day to maximize cost savings since we had to plan gas, snacks and resturants in that area. The parking was more than the tickets...And it seemed like 2/3 of the items were not for the kid's age group we brought or it was under construction (all of the top level and other attractions). Was a huge disappointment since we travled for it and never got an email saying the exhibits would be closed or that they would require an age level or height level to participate. The favorite activity was the ropes suspended "bridge". But the kids that were there pushed and kicked our kid off the suspended seat/circle and didn't let her participate, event though she waited her turn. There is not supervision it seems from staff and a lot of parents seem to be local /residents that were meeting other parents like at a park and didn't care what their kds were doing. This part was cool, that it was local, but not cool for out of towners that were expecting all parents be at the same level of supervision. Overall we had a terrible experience and I do not think we would go back to baltimore for this experience. It was miserable trip to get there and to get back due to time of travel and when the time we spent there was not memory inspiring.

Port Discovery is my top pick for children's museums in Maryland. Over the years, my family and I have made it a tradition to visit, and we're always delighted by the ever-changing room themes across its three floors. With interactive, hands-on play areas focusing on adventure and exploration, it offers both fun and educational experiences for all ages. Our personal favorites include the wonder of waters and the sky climber, which serves as the building's centerpiece attraction. Convenient parking adds to the appeal, making it accessible for families. Geared towards children aged 10 and under, we consistently have a blast during our visits, typically spending about 2-3 hours exploring the various exhibits. Additionally, the museum hosts diverse programs and events throughout the day, enhancing the overall experience.