No parking at the museum. Several parking garages within walking distance or street parking but hard to find. Staff was friendly when we entered. As the name states it is a very hands on museum. Lots of interactive exhibits for kids to learn and play. It was busy on the day we went. We were there for about 2 hours and did not do the upper two levels. Also no food or snacks available there so have to leave with your kids and come back if they get hungry. read more

Doing tourist things after hearing that this was a must visit for people with small kids. This was on the list of to-do's as we had a short weekend visit to the Canton area. .....Great place to see all of the exhibts.. Not a bad time at all. We got to see play and do so MANY things all active and the girls loved the play areas ...all of them. The bathrooms were clean and strategically placed...I was pleasantly surprised. The parking is somewhat close....& I liked the exercise...our girls napped so hard after the visit. I am in firm belief that the overall planning and logistics of this place are professionally done & handled well! This venue is a must visit if in the area and you like hands on action. The girls had a blast and that is what matters most!! 10/10 times I will return.. for the price I paid... I could see myself doing this again with a longer stay in the area! Sidenote the people in guest service station were super awesome... All workers that interacted with our family had smiles on their faces and were so helpful. ***Especially since we had Museum Pass in another state (Oklahoma City) and they participate in the reciprocating membership deal. I still paid for 2 full price even though I figured it should have be the cheaper ... But it was interpreted wrong I guess by me within 90 mile... I feel for the price I paid...it eas kinda worth it. We will return! *Questions reach out* Respectfully, Bryan and Family Oklahoma City read more

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This is such an innovative way of having a museum. My husband and I wanted to bring the kids here for the first time. The bad news is there was an art fair and no parking only $20 parking. That did not kill our vibe. Tickets are $16 a person and under 2 is free. We purchased the tickets and we parked our stroller. The kids walked up the stairs and went into this water room. My son loved it so much. He was squealing and running around. My daughter loved played with the balls and throwing them in the water. Once we were done with this floor, we decided to go up the stairs. We were shocked to see a massive preschool room suitable for ages 4 and under. They have tons of toys for the kids. They had another water station. My kids were dry at first. However, a little boy sprayed water at my son and soaked him as his mom watched and said nothing. This didnt make our experience bad because luckily we had a change of clothes. I only say this to warn you to bring a change of clothes just in case they get wet. We didn't really go to the third floor. My husband said it was more for older kids when he went to check. The kids were having too much fun inside the playroom. We will definitely be back and hopefully not on a day where an event is taking place. read more

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Overall, this is a wonderful spot for families -- everything was functioning well, and the hands-on exhibits came with quick, easy-to-follow instructions that even young kids could enjoy. The staff was friendly, and the entire area was clean and well-maintained. I did take one star off because we specifically came for the Gabby's Dollhouse experience, expecting a fully decorated STEAM-themed room, but it turned out to be just a single table for making cat ears. That said, it's still a fantastic place for families with toddlers to around age 8. Kids can explore and learn how the world works -- from sound waves and electricity to gears and pulleys. It's a fun, educational outing for the whole family. read more

On way back to Indianapolis, we opted to visit here instead of Detroit science museum or Toledo zoo. We made right decision since slot of activities for both toddler daughter and our kindergarten son. There are 5 levels but the 4th and 5th floors are really small footprints. Most of activities on first 3 floors with elevator A to first 3 floors and elevator B to top 2 floors. Water table on 1st floor which we spent a lot of time. Robot suction arm was on 2nd floor that my son spent a lot of time. Snack vending machine around corner to eat and drink for break. Also the gift shop was huge with lots to choose from at all price ranges. We had ATSC reciprocal membership so it was free for our family. No parking lot so had to use street meter which was $5-6 for 2 hours. read more

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The Hands-on Museum is a great place for kids of all ages to try something new and have some fun! This weekend marked our first visit here, and I think the parents had as much fun as the kids. From the ambulance that kids could "drive" to the giant piano that you can play on like Tom Hanks in "Big", to the waterworks section, this place crams so much educational fun into a small space. The space is my only criticism: I wish it were bigger! But we will be back, as even with the small footprint, there is still more to explore. read more

A lawless land of chaos and scientific exploration. Looks can be deceiving because from the outside of the building, it looks so small, but once you're inside you'll see that it is jam-packed with activities for the kids (and adults!) to enjoy. We parked in a nearby structure and walked a few blocks. They offer admission discounts for WIC/EBT participants down to $3/person from the original $16 price tag. Definitely worth the trek to Ann Arbor if you aren't local! Just be sure to bring a change of clothes if you're planning to explore the H2O area with kids! read more

Nice place with a lot of activities for the kids to do and try. Really nice thing to have in town, but it's one of those places that once you've been, there isn't a need to return. It was also a bit smaller than I expected for the cost of attendance. I would recommend going, just don't expect a massive museum and recognize that about 2 hours is about all you need. read more

Our 3 years old still had fun. We really liked this place and will revisit it when our kids are little older. Lots of good information posted (e.g. different bottles of beverages with sugar levels in each). Lot of areas are packed in this 3-story building. There was a water area where kids came direct the flow of water etc. as you can imagine, our toddler would have been happy just staying here all day. :) All the interactions kids can make with the small gadgets and games are science based, yet our daughter still had fun. Overall, I can confidently recommend them to parents. Plan your trip as you won't find too many parking spots. In fact, you may need to park elsewhere and just walk here. $48 for 2 adults and a 3 years old is worth it here, in my opinion. read more

Love the idea, have visited for decades. Wish it was cleaner, a lot of exhibits are caked in dirt/grim. For the price I hoped it would be cleaned more. read more

I love coming to the Ann Arbor hands on museum! Me and my child both love all of the exhibits. The only thing that I wish that they had was a food court. They do have vending machines that offer beverages read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

It's a great place and a lot to do but only wish it had a little cafe or more seating to eat something

Stopped in here on our way back to chicago from birmingham, mi with 3 kids ages 6-11. I was worried my 11 year old would be too old for it, but she loved it as much as her little bros. It's not a huge museum, but packed with fun to keep kids busy for hours. We had only planned to spend an hour or so here, but the time passed fast and were there for hours before we knew it. All the areas were popular, but the best "big kid" stuff was in the back of the 2nd floor. It was probably one of the more germy things we've done since the pandemic and didn't see very many masks, but we let the kids have fun and did a good hand washing on the way out...and are hoping for the best. Before jumping in the car for another 4 hours we stopped for pre ordered sandwiches at zingermans. Perfect Ann Arbor day! read more

A wonderful museum for anyone! All ages! It's great to spend a day! So many things to do! A great family day!!! read more

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The museum for kids is absolutely adorable and incredibly entertaining. My children had an absolute blast and an unforgettable experience. I am thrilled that they had a dedicated play area for toddlers, which my two-year-old adored. There are countless activities and attractions that cater to the interests of children. read more

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We like this museum! We have an annual membership, which at $100 for kids, parents, grandparents, and two guests is a steal! The kids have a great time when we are here. They love the water play and the preschool area. Here are the problems, some of the exhibits are completely broken with missing pieces. The map is SO confusing. I still don't know where the country store place is, at all. I think I saw a staff member once, maybe twice, if you're lost it's up to you to figure it out. It's pretty dirty, and I didn't see anyone cleaning during the whole time we were there. Overall, it's worth it if you have a large family and get the family plus membership. But truly, we go because there is not many other places to go when it's cold out in our area. It's not our top choice. read more

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One of my favorite places to go as a child! SO many fond memories and fun rooms/activities to do :)

Love bringing my toddler here. I love burning a few hours and having a mini break for myself while enjoying my kid be amused for hours. So many education, child developmental and fun activities! I myself play too and if I lived closer, I'd easily purchase a membership! read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Water station - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

This place is amazing! The staff is great! It's always changing. It's clean and fun. I love the gift shop too the prices are fair!

We came from Toledo, OH and it was well worth the 45 minute drive. Easy to get to, ample parking nearby, and a large area to store strollers/coats & lockers to rent if you don't want to carry them through during your time there. Tons to do on a variety of levels for little ones and big kids of all ages. You're even allowed to bring food/beverages in and there's a seating area where you can eat lunch/feed the kiddos. 10/10 recommend if you're traveling with a family in Ann Arbor and looking for something the entire group will be sure to enjoy. read more

Best indoor place for little kids in town. Get the annual membership, any family members can take the kids and everyone is covered. We go for 30 minutes to kill time sometimes, other times all afternoon. It is my 4 year old son's favorite place. read more

This place has SO much to offer for ALL ages!! So many rooms and levels to explore. You can easily spend a full day and then some to hit all exhibits thoroughly. I will mention that parking was a pain for me bc I'm not familiar with that area, but that will not prevent me from going back. read more

Took my nieces to the hands on museum and they had a blast! The variety of things for kids to do is amazing. My nieces range in ages 5-11 and all had a great time. The museum is both educational and entertaining. They really enjoyed the water exhibit. We will definitely return. The only concern I had was sick children coming and spreading their sickness all over, I thought the museum could use a few hand sanitized areas on each floor, but I understand this defeats the purpose of the museum considering it is a "hands on museum". I recently went back to the hands on museum with my 22 month old twins. We went to the area designated for children three years and younger. My boys loved it. There was plenty for them to do, between the water area and the ball shoot. We stayed for a little over an hour which was plenty of time for them. I recommend this area for children over one. I think they will need to be able to walk on their own because there is a lot of children running around. read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I love this place! It's never boring for the little ones, and quite fun for the big ones too. I always learn something new when I come here. It's interesting and fun because it's hands on...so nothing boring about this museum! Today, we tried our hand at slime. They had a workshop making slime & explaining how it goes from a liquid and solid into a non-Newtonian solid....I learned a lot and really enjoyed it. Yes...this is a fun place. Great for learning and allowing kids to be kids! read more

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Tip: If you have a current membership to museums in your hometown, be sure to check to see if you're eligible for free or reduced admission here and bring membership cards or proof with you. It took some work to prove my out of town membership, but it saved us $50! Okay, on to the review. Saying this is the best kiddo museum on the planet feels a bit presumptuous, since I've not visited all the children's museums on the planet, but our visit here was pretty darn spectacular. There are multiple levels with SO MANY exhibits to check out, one could spend the entire day here and probably not fully experience everything they have to offer. Our 5 year old was in heaven! read more

When my wife told me that we ought to come here, I was like, "Oh man...not another kids museum where we have to pay an annual membership." I was reluctant at first, but didn't realize how big the place was (in our first visit we couldn't visit the other floors, there's 3 floors total, I believe) and second, it was pretty impressive the variety of interactive activities and fun and educational exhibits they had which our kids had a blast so much so that they simply couldn't do it all in one day.(Well maybe they could if we tried to come early in the morning, but we always came in the afternoon.) The exhibits were not lame, but every one of them was creative and everything had something fun and awesome to offer. I found myself actually taking part in the activities and I had to admit that this place brought out the kid in me. To get immersed in everything from science, physics, geography, and technology was a totally enriching and fun experience for children and parents alike. With the year membership, you're able to bring other caretakers and guests to join you, which is great for out of town visitors with children who come to visit, this is a great fun place to take them to. I can see how this can be a great for home school families to bring their children to because they have workshops, education programs and events and I believe they change or update their exhibits periodically so they feature something new. I was impressed how they had special kits for children with special needs children who may have sensitivity to stimuli that they may encounter in the museum (light, sounds, vibrations, etc.), they accommodate for every child that may walk through their doors. I CAN'T WAIT TO COME HERE AGAIN...I mean, I can't wait to bring my children here again. read more

I love that the kids had so much fun. I took my grown son, along with his young cousins, as their Christmas present and bonding time. It's what they wanted - to spend time with us and play at the Hands on Museum. I can see why it had to be a gift though - it's bloody expensive. For 4 people, admission was $50. I considered the annual pass for them, but since the young ones were cousins and not siblings, they couldn't be on the same pass and would have been $100 each. There is plenty to do and see, especially for those that want to jump from thing to thing and put hands on everything. It was fun to explain things and let them try it out. Had a parent in the water room thank me and my son for explaining the science of how the exhibited worked, as she couldn't figure out how the balls got inside the tank. I would be a good idea to have workers roaming around to assist people who have questions and keep an eye on the unruly kids. It's also fun to watch others' interactions with the displays to see how they perceive and interact too. I would love to take them back, but at that price, it might just be for special occasions. Highly recommended if you can make the investment. read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Excellent, my son loved the place since he was 1 now he is 6 and still loving it. Keeps him engaged all day. We had a birthday party here once and was s great success, all the kids had fun with the small project and party host was nice. Worth the annual membership. read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

The whole family has a great time every time we come. I love bringing my toddler and he has a great time even when it's just the two of us. But I also love meeting toddler mom friends here and making a day of it. Our older kids still have a great time here too. An awesome place to take out of town guests. read more

Since I am not a art or history fanatic the hands on museum is perfect for kids and the kid at heart (me) It is no COSI and won't tke more than 2 hours to go through but the $5 after 5pm deal on thursdays is perfect, otherwise the entrance is $10 pp above the age of 2 which is steep for the fact that it is not that big. It has 4 floors but the top 3 are very small, still fun. Our favorite was the video dancing on the top floor but there was a ton of fun things to do and a nice break from movies, video games and all the other garb that kids are into nowadays. I wouldn't drive more than an hour to get here, but being on vacation in Ann Arbour this was perfect and my son (8) had a great time. read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Small hands on kids museum. Nothing particularly exciting... there is a small Preschool room, otherwise activities are geared for older kids. Stayed for about 45 mins with my 2.5 year old. Bring another set of clothes for your kid since the water play area will get them wet. No snacks or drinks allows inside. Public Parking lot is a few blocks away. read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Took my little cousin here for an afternoon of fun and had a great time myself. I was a kid who was super into educational fun and science so as a wee one I would have loved a place like this. I still had a blast as an adult though, too! Water toys, weather, a look at how a house is built, fun with bubbles, crazy cool light and optics fun, magnets, physics lessons (like pulleys, levers, etc), engines, architecture and engineering, the human body, an old timey general store and more. Plenty to see and something for all kiddie interests. There's even a preschool floor for the young-youngin's. Like a few folks have already stated this place is a bit on the smaller side. Like we were finished in a couple of hours but it's good if you have a few places you want to go or just want to kill some time for an afternoon like we did. You don't have to commit a lot of time to a visit. $11 for a visit and late hours on Thursdays (till 8pm) but they do offer memberships if you like to visit more often. read more

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The hands on museum was a nice break during Christmas vacation. We spent about 2.5 hours exploring. The water area is a highlight, as is the area upstairs with the bubbles and gravity exhibit. To be honest we've been to both the Grand Rapids Children's museum and Imagination Station in Toledo and enjoy both more. Next time we're in the mood, we will keep driving to Ohio. read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Building room - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

A lot to see here but the actual content is better suited for middle to high school students. Being a high school physics teacher, I love the place, but other than looking really cool and being fun to play with (which honestly, is why we brought our daughter in the first place) the material went right over the kids heads. For $12.50 there is nothing to complain about. The parking is limited to nearby garages and food options are limited (vending machines, maybe a little snack bar - didn't get a chance to see). We will be back! read more

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Had a great time here. I've been when my babies were smaller but it's a different experience now that they're older. My sons school took us here for their monthly Field and we literally all had a ball! It's a great place to let the kids be free and SAFE! I love how it targets their imagination while still feeding their natural abilities to want to learn and absorb new information! Literally can't wait to go back. It's affordable and the staff is really friendly. read more

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Sons class field trip - Children's Museums Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Would only recommend going here if you want to get Covid! The place was absolute pandemonium with hundreds of children and parents with no structure at all. One week later our entire family has Covid due to their lax mask and hand washing requirements. My 2 year old didn't have much fun- very limited options for small children. There's a huge play room for toddlers but why would I bother driving an hour to have my kids play on a playscape when there's a park around the corner from our house. I will avoid this museum in the future. The flint childrens museum is actually far superior! read more

Okay, so I have a love affair with museums; there, I said it. Every single city or place that I visit, I always want to know: "where is the best museum (of any kind) around here?". In Ann Arbor there are a couple options, but among them is this jewel in downtown Ann Arbor. The Hands On Museum is everything that a family museum should be. It is focused on kids and families and they hit their mark quite nicely; they're also great for anyone who is interested in a great museum, because the Hands On is a great museum! There are better ones in NYC and Chicago, of course, there are even better ones in Detroit and Toledo, but each of those cities are much larger and much more of a drive and even a possible plane trip away. But if you plan on staying in the Ann Arbor area, then you can do a lot worse than this museum, and it's unlikely that you will find much better than the Hands On museum. It is converted from an old firehouse and it retains that ultra cool look on the outside still; that makes it pretty awesome in my book, right off the bat. It just keeps getting cooler as you peel back each successive layer, and if you're lucky, you'll learn something new each time you visit; I know that I have learned something everytime I have visited there. They keep their focus fairly tight on things that are based in science and technology and especially the aspects that are easily visible and touchable for curious children of all ages. (I admit to being a curious child of 51! If I can, maybe you can too!) Seriously this museum rocks, and while it may not be the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, it is a truly superbly curated gem right here, and they treat their visitors with a bunch of warmth and they love to teach about their fantastic collection! Go visit The Hands On Museum and thank me later. Oh yeah, find an excuse to drag a kid or three along as well, they provide great cover, and they will a blast too! read more

Excellent place for a fun morning or afternoon of educational play Our little one enjoys the preschool room with the endless balls, large blocks, and multiple water tables. We bought the family membership which we thought was a deal for $80 as it covers grandparents as well. I didn't realize how big this place actually was until our second visit and we explored more of the other areas. We still haven't seen it all and look forward to our future visits! read more

This place was lots of fun. It's definitely a great place for toddlers up to about 2nd graders. My oldest, 3rd grader, was getting a little bored but still had a blast. My youngest loved the h2o station. read more

This was definitely made for kids to learn more about different scientific fields, but I had fun as an adult visiting! I appreciate that this hands-on museum has plenty of hand sanitizer stations everywhere. My favorite part was the water center, complete with hand dryers. Make sure to wear something you don't mind getting a little wet! read more