We are visiting the area and, staying about 30 minutes away, decided to make a trip to Discovery Station based on the website's description, which presents it as an engaging, interactive experience. Unfortunately, we found the visit quite underwhelming. The space itself is very basic, with limited exhibits and minimal interactivity. Much of what was on display felt dated and sparse, and it did not hold our attention for long. For a destination marketed as a hands-on discovery center, we expected a more immersive and thoughtfully curated experience. While this may be suitable for a very brief stop or for locals looking for something close by, it did not feel worth the drive for us as visitors. Overall, the experience did not align with the expectations set by the website, and we left feeling disappointed. read more

We came out to Hagerstown to check this place out because it was described as a hidden gem in children's activity blogs. So my first impression when I walked in was that it seem kind of dated but admission was seven bucks for adults and $10 for kids which is quite affordable. So I think he would spend maybe one or two hours here and then plan out other activities in Hagerstown which I had bookmarked. Eight hours, one missed nap and three diaper changes later we were still here. I think I massively underestimated this place as educational entertainment for my toddler. This is a two floor STEAM Museum built in an old bank, which is so cool. First floor is focused on dinosaurs, space, planes, trains, the Titanic and baseball. Second floor has aquariums, jungle themed rooms, play grocery store, a nursing room, and A GIANT arts and art room at the end of the hallway. They have dinosaur room where they have an exhibit on Maryland Dinosaurs (there wasn't an old bay crabasaurus), a place to dig for fossils and lots of books. This is where my toddler kept running back to. The old bank vault is in this room. Most likely you kids will spend a lot of time by the transportation exhibits (with a Cessna you can climb into), train tracks to build or the arts room where there are easels set up to paint. I would count on spending the whole day here if you kids are under 8 or so. The museum does close at 4pm and there is ample street parking nearby. read more

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Beautiful new location, Laurie and Lorie were kind and friendly. Interesting history and unique stuff

We stopped at this location en route to Pittsburgh from Maryland. This place is definitely outdated and although it sounds cool to have a children's play place in a historic bank building, it really was not. All the toys and play things were old or broken. It was kind of like the toys and play things from a bunch of people's houses that no longer wanted it but someone said "hey let's open a children's play place". So it was really kind of a sad and disappointing place. I would not recommend. read more

Usually take my grandson here once a year. He is now 4 and a half. While a great place to have if Hagerstown that's not Ready Set Play or Monkey Joes that just wants your money for cheesy games, Discovery Station needs a major cash infusion. A lot of the activities just weren't even possible to complete due to missing pieces, being too old to function correctly or being broken. It has so much potential. We went this week and was disappointed. read more

It was a great Sunday activity. Great for all ages. I took a 1yr old 4 10 and 12 year old. They all loved it.

Relatively inexpensive, easy to get to (right downtown, not far from a parking garage) and surprisingly extensive, this is a great place to let a little one (2-5 I think is best) burn off some steam. Some simple robots could entertain those a bit older, and some of the rooms (Civil war for instance) I think might be a bit off-target, but over all a great place. highlights are the village (series of mini rooms set up as a vets office, store etc etc kids can go through) and the cockpit (and most of the front half) of a Cessna you can get in with your kid for photos. read more

We made plans to take our daughter today only to show up to a dark building and a locked door... According to their hours, they're open on Fridays. Highly disappointing. read more

I have no idea why this isn't showing as one of the top museums in Maryland?!? This museum is amazing and I haven't found any childrens museums that top it in either Frederick or Washington County. Even Port Discovery in Baltimore doesn't compare to this one in my opinion. There is so much for children of all ages and interest to do here. The staff is so friendly and helpful. You cannot beat the cost!! Last time , we arrived right when a staff member was tagging and letting some monarch butterflies go. She told us they would be flying to Mexico for the season. It was a neat experience for my toddler to see!! The brand new art room is amazing!! read more

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Absolutely loved it! Perfect summer spot for kids on a hot day. And so diverse. A little for everyone. My son loved the legos, space exhibit, robotics section and art! But there's so much more. The playrooms are adorable and so many props to play with. Friendly staff. Only warning: why is the work there's a Civil War room with a cabinet with civil war medicine amputation equipment is beyond my understanding. I had zero interest in explaining to a five year that the in a war men had their legs sawed off. Trust me...skip that room. Otherwise...fabulous!!! read more

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Discovery Station is a great hands on STEAM museum located in Hagerstown Maryland. Discovery Station offers weekly hands on programs, and has a variety of exhibits for children ranging from infancy through fifth grade. read more

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What an amazing place for kids of all ages to play and explore. The kids are having a blast & the numerous exhibits satisfy their ADHD. They could play here all day and not get bored. The admission is fair for what you get and they also do birthday parties for a reasonable cost. read more

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We had a great time at the Discovery Station. We loved the large Robotics area. Centered around Lego robot building, programming and achieving goals with the robots. My daughter also loved the arts & crafts area. We spent hours here painting and doing a coloring table which I think we spent most of our day on. Also nice displays on trains, baseball, japan, the civil war, instruments, a building area, a play kitchen area, and a nice sized play area for small children. You could spend all day here. We almost did. read more

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Discovery Station is truly wonderful. All 7 of my kids, ages 5 to 12 enjoy Discovery Station! Brittany, the staff, and volunteers are fantastic!! We love the new exhibits. Discovery Town is a great space for the little ones to use their imagination. My oldest recently had the opportunity to meet astronaut Don Thomas at a Discovery Station event and it was an awesome experience! The classes and special guests are always a favorite! I love that we can bring a lunch to eat at the cafe, so we can enjoy the whole day. Well worth getting the annual membership!!! read more

The museum is located in a beautiful white marble building that used to be bank, as can be seen by the vault near the main entrance. We were the only ones there on a Saturday afternoon, which was a little surprising. While we had a nice time, the place needs a serious upgrade; most of the toys and signs and artifacts felt right out of the 70s and 80s. We went with our 8 month old who seemed to have a great time with the exhibits he was able to touch. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. $7 fee for adults, which was a fair price IMO. read more

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This is an old school museum... and although at first I thought it looked a little worn, my four year old daughter adored it. It's an old bank that was converted into a kids museum, and it had a lot of original features like the old vault (where kids can now see dolls from asia on display. There are a lot of cool exhibits and most things have a lot of interactive components- there's an exhibit on Japan where the kids can go into a tea house and make tea, and see original kimonos and even candy and food items from Japan. There's a dinosaur exhibit where kids can make bookmarks with dinosaur stamps and color in dinosaur pictures... Towards the back of the museum is an exhibit where kids can make cars, build buildings out of blocks, and even sit in the front of a Cessna airplane. There's also a cool exhibit on the Titanic in the back... Upstairs is some cool civil war rooms (including a music room), as well as a large room devoted to agriculture- farming, then shopping in stores and even preparing food at home. But the highlight of our trip was getting to release the butterflies- they had been growing them at the museum and then the kids got to let them go outside! My daughter loved learning about their stages of growth and then holding them until they flew away. We spent 2 and a half hours in the museum and could have easily spent another two. We didn't get into the baseball room, or the organ room upstairs and there's a cool exhibit on vision that we didn't see either. The staff is very nice and helpful and the entire museum is well laid out and has lots for kids to do. So while it's a little run down- it's probably one of the best places I've taken my daughter all year. Highly recommend. read more

My kids love it there! Tons for little ones to do! Affordable and educational :) If your looking for somewhere in Hagerstown to kill some time I would recommend coming to the discovery station. My kids are in the toddler years so they enjoy it a lot. read more

Great place. Great fun for all. Parking is tricky due to one way streets but persevere and you can find a place behind the entrance. Staff are very nice. Price is very reasonable. 2 floors of things to do; takes a good 2 hours to see everything. Overall a great experience. read more

Discovery Station - Mock Cessna - Museums Near Me - Cascade, Maryland

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A sweet spot to stop with the littles. Not too expensive and it's easy to avoid the "gift shop" if you want to. Variety of interactive, hands-on entertainment, though definitely geared toward walking-5th grade there are activities for everyone include Lego mindstorms (programmable robots). Check out the membership deals for military and others, your visit could be free! Depending on how engaged they are you could easily stay an hour or the whole time they're open if you brought food. Located in a cute downtown area. read more

This place is a blast for both parents and kids. The color/art room was the biggest hit and it's awesome that you can stay as long as you want and do as many crafts or projects as you want. Lots of interactive exhibits for all ages. read more

Wonderful experience for all ages and interests. Our family went to the Discovery Station in Hagerstown, MD today. Their ages ranged from 4 y/o, 7 y/o, two 9 y/o, 11 y/o, 14 y/o, a few 30 somethings, and grandma. Parking: There is metered street parking on the side of the main entrance. While there isn't designated handicap parking, the location allows for the use of a few different side streets, with crosswalks and wheelchair accessible curbs and sidewalks. There is also FREE parking in the rear of the building designated for DS guests. Due to city street flow, you do have to go around the block to get there. They offer a wonderful military discount. At sign in, the hosts asked if we had any particular interests so as to point us in the direction we needed. We were also offered a map of the facility. They were very informative and helpful. On the main floor, there is a play area with many activities designated for infant/toddler aged children. It's enclosed with a half wall. It offers fine motor and gross motor activities as well as other literacy/science activities geared to infants/toddlers. One exhibit that we spent a longer amount of time on was the rocks and minerals exhibit. There were several dozen different pieces of rocks and minerals all labeled, and free to handle. We enjoyed feeling the different textures. The petrified wood and the fossils were among the favorites. There is also a NASA inspired area with an introduction into space travel with available costumes for children (and adults) to put on complete with helmet. There is a wonderful Lego Robotics exhibit. The children can build their own based on the directions there. They are also able to operate Lego robots that are already set up in a caged area using a tablet. My boys LOVED that exhibit. There is a sustainability exhibit that gives a brief, age-appropriate introduction into recycling and alternative power sources. There is an insect exhibit that includes butterfly wings that children can wear. As you move further into the main floor, you can see a Japanese Culture Exhibit. That is extensive, and fascinating. Topics range from food, origami, and traditions to religion and ancient artifacts including some very intricate and beautiful carvings. That exhibit is located in what used to be a bank. The original vault is still there. Guests are able to see the bank vault which I found to be very interesting. Continuing on, you will come to the dinosaur exhibit. There are bean bags to watch a dino movie, a sensory table filled with mini dinos to play with, fossils, and facts of all sorts. There is also a table with stamps of dino footprints. As you get to the other end of the building, you come to the transportation exhibit. Automobiles, Aircraft, and Marine vessels fill the room. The Titanic exhibit remains my favorite. Such wonderful detail. This exhibit also pays homage to our local history by teaching about Mack Truck and Fairchild. There is a Cessna plane cockpit that children can actually climb up into. There is also an exhibit on building/construction that contains different types of blocks, and child friendly tools as well as hard hats, tool belts, and design plans. Heading up to the top floor, you'll find many historically relevant exhibits. There is a very detailed Civil War diorama that includes a search and find list. There is a room with CW hats and other props guests can use for #civilwarselfiesDS . There is a train exhibit showcasing the Roundhouse as well as a lesson on Locomotive whistles and what they mean. With Hagerstown being the hometown of the Suns for so many years, there is a wonderful baseball exhibit complete with a segment of 'How it's Made' showing the creation of a baseball. There is a victorian style doll house, a 'grocery store' for children complete with a grocery list for the different age groups. This exhibit showcases some aspects of farm to table with a display on cows that is really unique. Finally, there is an unbelievably wonderful hands-on art room. It is spacious, clean, and very well stocked. Dry erase board wall, chalkboard wall, several easels with paint, paper, smocks, etc. There is a table with a mandala design on it that you are able to color with dry erase markers. The children had fun with play doh, finger painting, brush painting, stamps, water color, manipulative toys, as well as watching the adults enjoying it with them. All in all, a wonderful experience. Note: wheelchair lift/elevator available. Hand sanitizer throughout. Gift shop, Cafe, restrooms available. Cafe can be rented for birthday parties. We will definitely go back. Children 3 and under * No Charge Ages 4-17 * $6.00 Adults * $7.00 Military and immediate family-No charge Visit their website at www.discoverystation.org read more

I took my 8 year old son here yesterday. It is a great concept but I believe it could have been structured better. Maybe have guided tours to teach the kids. There was a young lady jumped into the black light room to show him that his teeth glow and why they glow. For $6-$7 it wasn't that bad and took up about 2 hrs. read more

Something for every age and stage. Plus theres an area to eat your brown bag lunch so you can spend the whole day here. Our family has been members at this particular museum for 3 yrs now and love the membership. Most weekends have a hangs on proogram too and theres a midweek storytime. Today we came and haven't been here for a while due to weather and illness and were amazed all over again as a lot of exhibits were new or altered. Definitely a good way to spend the day. read more

LOVE the art room! My little one loved painting and they had so many other supplies for creating art. The staff is super friendly and they have SO much for kids to do. Minus one star because some of the areas need some cleaning and TLC. read more

A wonderful, interesting and low-priced way to spend a few hours with your kids. We used The Discovery Station for our 4 year old's birthday party and couldn't be happier with the room provided and treatment by the employees. The Discovery Station is very military friendly and routinely provides a military discount for most of their services. The room used was upstairs and out of the way from most of the museum. There was plenty of seating for 40+ people in attendance and still room for a performer to set up and entertain. We were allowed to set up the party a day in advance and given time and help to tear down and clean after the party was over. The parking in the front of the building is free on weekends and there is also always free parking on the back of the museum. My husband and I would highly recommend the Discovery Station for others to use for birthdays and other entertaining functions. This place is such a gem in downtown with a wide variety of things for all ages! read more

I often struggle with where to take my 14 and 10 year old homeschooled boys. We have exhausted museums in Washington DC and Maryland. I wanted to take them and my nephews somewhere different when my nephews had off from school. I found a listing for Discovery Station on a website with fieldtrips for Maryland. It was the perfect place for us to visit. All of the kids and myself included had a fabulous time. My boys do not typically like museums but they are ready to go back to this one. They were attracted to the hands on displays. I liked the museum because every room had something hands on to occupy younger kids while order ones could spend time looking and reading. I highly recommend this museum...and I have been to many! read more