A great place for the kids. We brought two thirteen year olds here and they really liked it. I was worried it would be too young for them but they had a good time. Another two years and they might not like it as much. I didn't see two many teenagers here. That being said, dad and I enjoyed it. Pretty much everything is hands on. It was crowded the day we were here but this is a big place so I didn't feel like we waited overly long for anything. The kids waited to make the laser cut toy but they only waited five minutes for their turn. They also waited for the race car driving but it was worth the wait. They really enjoyed it. The longest wait was for the virtual reality exhibit. That was really cool and also worth the wait. The aquarium itself is small but really nice. We enjoyed it. There were lots of hands on exhibits in this part too. Overall, we spent about 4 and a half hours there and the girls were never bored. The cost for two adults and two teens was about seventy dollars. Parking in the garage was 9 dollars. read more

Discovery World is a great place to spend a few hours exploring and learning. I love how most of their exhibits are interactive (although a few were non-functioning, and a few I just couldn't figure out). It's fun for both kids and adults! One side of Discovery World is the Museum-y side (Technology Building) with exhibits relating to Les Paul/sound, 3D printing, history of Milwaukee, crafts and more! The other side is an aquarium (Aquatarium) with an impressive display of the Great Lakes, a tunnel through one of the aquariums, a pathway walking over a few tanks, touch pools for freshwater and saltwater fish, a life-sized boat, and more. You can also access the Pilot House (3rd floor of the Aquatarium) which is really a venue space but has some nice views of the lakefront and the Art Museum. It's a very nice, albeit smallish museum/aquarium, they have discounts for Veterans and Students (woo) which makes the price fairly reasonable for a few hours of entertainment and learning. Living in Chicago I couldn't help but compare to the Chicago museums, and while this place is decidedly smaller, they do have some great interactive exhibits making it a great place to spend a good half-day. read more

This is a little review for the very cool and clever little park located in front of the Discovery World. A few wooden benches that you can sit on and play like a xylephone. The wind chime sculptures are fun, and the park is open to catching a breeze. It's a small park, no traditional play structure like slides, but it was different. read more

Discovery World - Make music at the park - Children's Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We wanted to head out on a road trip today and decided on Milwaukee. We had no specific destination in mind, coming only with a few ideas. We stopped here, knowing our kids would enjoy it. We had been members of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, so we're used to the large museum with their huge displays. I got in free, being an educator. The prices for the family were reasonable. I was pleasantly surprised that my 15 year old daughter did not have to pay the adult price. We walked through the main entrance and we were looking at those couple of exhibits for probably a good hour. My kids loved the machine that made laser cutouts of animals from the foam sheets that we put together later at home. I loved the fact that every exhibit had a hands on activity. The kids spent so much time exploring each area. There were also docents spread out everywhere throughout the museum to help explain the exhibits and activities. That sure beats out Chicago. I also loved how they make great use of their space. The stairway upstairs is a double spiral that is a model of the double helix of DNA and a genome model in the middle. Upstairs by the ship that is hanging from the ceiling (which you can board and explore), they have a ring around it that looks decorative at first until you look at it and the sign that explains that it's the actual size of the underground tunnels in the city that hold the city's storm water. My kids' favorite exhibits were the aquarium where you can touch stingrays and bamboo sharks and walk over and under tanks of fish. (Little ones may find the touch tank too deep to safely reach in and touch.) They also liked laying on the bed of nails and the laser cutting machine. It was a great way to spend the day. My 6, 11 and 15 year olds all found things of interest. read more

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Overall great experience, until we reached the airplane simulator on the first floor near the machine exhibit. The male employee, who was supervising the airplane simulator, was extremely rude, off-putting, and condescending. He told one of my daughters that she was "too heavy" to try the simulator, and then proceeded to be unhelpful to my other daughter who tried it. Refusing to help, explain, or direct in any way how to fly the plane when she was clearly struggling. Making unwarranted comments about people's weight is completely unacceptable. To say that it was disappointing and offensive is an understatement. Sad ending to a wonderful day with my daughters. read more

Took my 9 and 6 year old here thinking we might spend 2 hours... 4 hours later and we are closing the place down and they wanted to stay longer. Lots of hands on things to keep them entertained. Really appreciate that they don't charge for every little thing (many other museums would have charged an extra fee for the racing and flight simulators and the virtual reality. read more

As a parent, I was very impressed with this museum, specifically with all the sights and activities for my 2-year old to enjoy. There were also educational items for myself, ranging from thoughts of "are you smarter than a fifth grader" to seeing the inner workings of an electric guitar and being spellbound by the obligatory "octopus guitar." The aquarium was a marvelous sight, and one that I did not expect to see in a museum. From underwater tunnels to glass-bottom sea life viewing windows, it seems that they've spared no expense at building this place out. The electricity area was great for my son (and all energetic kids), as the creators of this exhibit ingeniously made devices that needed human energy to power their devices. My son's excited stomping and pedaling at the energy exhibits pretty much guaranteed a no-fuss nap time. read more

I found this museum to be way too small to justify the $17 admission price. I really enjoyed the aquarium part, particularly the jellyfish, but I can't see ever going back again. For the price you're better off driving to Chicago to check out the Museum of Science and Industry. I will say, however, that the parking is extremely convenient and inexpensive. read more

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I've been here several times now when I've had coupons for discounted admission. If you can't find a coupon/groupon or afford a membership, trips can get really expensive. If you have a child, this place is amazing. It's even entertaining for adults too. There are so many interactive learning opportunities, and the views are stunning. I personally love to sit across from the huge aquarium. While I much prefer to just go to the zoo, I enjoy the large tank and can get lost in time just watching the fish swim. Do not bother parking on site as it fills up fast. If your troupe is capable of a short walk, park along Lincoln Memorial Dr for free and enjoy a walk in the fresh air and soak up those views along the way. read more

Discovery World is a cool place to come. I always bring my 10 year-old little sister here and she LOVES it. The aquarium is a personal favorite for us, as well as the art studio. The exhibits are extensive and there is a lot to learn all around; however, I wish the staff were more hands on. I feel like whenever I ask a question to a staff member they aren't very eager to help. A lot of people seem bothered when you ask them about something. Other than that, we love Discovery World. We definitely will keep coming back! During the summer you can rent peddle boats, which is always a good time! read more

This place is amazing!! It's a science museum and aquarium in one. Totally appropriate for kids of all ages. The place is nice and clean and all the exhibits seem well-kept. Everything is hands-on too! I came here on a whim with my two daughter (3yo & 6yo) and they didn't want to leave. They were certainly entertained for the entire time here. They seem to also have a lot of classes for kids through the week for whatever programs. Pretty cool. read more

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Visited Discovery World for a private event, and it was so cool! We had access to the aquarium in the basement where we could look at all of the fish and even touch some (cocktails with the fish), and then we had a reception in their large hall after. I would highly recommend host an event here if you're in the market. Aside from the areas we were permitted to go, they had what looked like a pretty entertaining hands-on museum. While we're weren't allowed in, my inner-child wants to go back and check it out. They also had a small gift shop, and some incredible views of Lake Michigan. read more

We took my youngest today and they had free Christmas crafting in the Kohl's center. I thought that was pretty neat! There were a lot of the interactive exhibits that were empty and not turned on. They had the Kooky Cookie house set up and a nice area to take pictures. The aquarium is a must see but does get rather crowded when there are a lot of school groups. All in all it was a nice way to spend the morning with spectacular views of Lake Michigan. read more

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This review is more for the underground garage than the actual center; the parking garage is a steal at $15 for the entire day. We parked here early and then walked all over downtown and then headed back when Summerfest opened. After spending a few hours at the fest, we then were right there and easily got our car out. So that would be my game plan for future trips. It is only about 2 miles from the center of downtown. So if you park here, you have to be OK walking a few miles around, but to me, it was so worth it for convenience purposes. As far as the actual center, we saw some of it. It looks cool and especially good for kids. We just happened not to really explore too much because we were more interested in Summerfest. However, reading the reviews, it sounds pretty cool. I would actually like to explore a bit next time I'm there. read more

Discovery World. If this place doesn't bring out the inner child in you well that's just sad. I love coming to this place to get out of the cold or to enjoy the view of the lake at anytime of the year. It's a neat place to hang out and along the way you might learn something, imagine that. Lot's of interactive displays and exhibits going on in here. The tanks that take you through the levels of the Great lakes are a real treat and eye opener to experience. Did I mention there's a giant old school ship mounted on the top floor, you can walk on it and move around and about it... Oh the inner child in me is roaring! I've made it a point to bring nephews and nieces, friends and family here whenever possible. Actually it's just an excuse so why not take advantage? Call me crazy but anytime you can let the inner child come out DO IT! Discovery World is just one of them places you can do that! read more

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This place is awesome. Came up on a Friday from Chicago with the family. We got a half price deal online - Woot Woot! The place was just about empty when we arrived. Must sees - the boat, the aquarium, and the technology wing (the whole wing). There was a fantastic Les Paul exhibit there. Parking was underneath the facility and ran us $10 for the whole time we were there. They do have some food, but we didn't eat there. Gift shop had cool trinky stuff to choose from. Boy/Girl scout friendly with take away programs to boot. I intend on seeing if our Webelos can take advantage of some of the VERY cool programs they offer. They also have some VERY cool classes to check out - beer brewing, tea brewing, etc. We'll be back. read more

Way too crowded terrible parking and very boring my kids hated it! I wasted $94 for 5 of us on this place. I will make sure to tell people not to come here. read more

My expectations were high and I was disappointed. We went downstairs to the aquarium where we had to wait in line for about 20 min in order to try and reach into a deep tank to touch stingrays or large fish. And all they offered were papertowels when you were done. Um...can I get some soap and water? From there we went upstairs to see a boat. Other stuff was blocked off. Next, please? Finally a room that looked fun; buttons to push, things to spin, physical challenges to take. My 2.5 yr old finally had something to keep him busy. Even with the limited people due to Covid this place was crowded. I cant imagine being there on a normal day trying to wait my turn to check out a machine. Maybe it was because the upstairs was closed? Regardless, the whole place was not what I was hoping for. Thought our 2 hour time slot wasnt going to be enough but it was too much. We were done in about an hour...and that included the line at the aquarium! read more

Such a great place and the staff is SO helpful and awesome! Came here from Indianapolis, definitely recommend it

This place is good for 3-10 years old to spend about 1 hour. That is correct One hour for $20 per adult. The exhibition materials need to modify and need to expand not only the building but the material. You will get tired if you visit the museum more than 2 times a year you sure need a live. read more

My preschool aged son and I arrived on a Friday shortly after it opened. First I was surprised by how open and laid back it felt. There's a long, promenade that is glass walled on one side with a view into Lake Michigan. It sits on the lake similar to the Shedd in Chicago. I feel like if my son and I had just walked in past the ticket counter then sat at a table and ate, no one would've batted an eye. The food in the little cafe was pretty standard (candy, yogurt, various drinks) as well as popcorn, pizza, and whatever specials they have for that day. We kept it simple (yogurt, water, Uncrustable, chocolate milk) and I didn't feel like it was over priced. What they were cooking smelled good. We ate our snacks and got to see the S/V Denis Sullivan pull in and dock. My son loved it. Staff is very friendly. The guy at the ticket counter was friendly and informative. The cafe cashier and gift shop cashier were very friendly. Even the staff walking by indulged my super friendly kid by saying hi back to him. A few made special stops to ask how we were enjoying our visit. We went to the aquarium first. It's very small. We got through it in 30 minutes (went through it twice). But don't let the size fool you; good things can come in small packages. The touch tank was great. Parts of it were glass so we could see the animals swim. The big one in the center was split in two- one half freshwater (and I believe had a couple sturgeon in it?) the other half salt water with stingrays. They are super active circling the tank, flipping upside down, swimming past my son's fingers in the water. There's a smaller touch tank that had a slipper lobster and horseshoes crabs. I'm assuming the man was a volunteer came over and told us all about the crabs and the lobster. FYI horseshoe crabs have blue blood. The Great Lakes tank was awesome to stand in front of. You can also walk over it and look through glass panels under your feet into the tank. The Caribbean Tunnel was fun to go through. My son really enjoyed the Underwater Labs exhibit. We wandered over to the Technology Building. Even with school groups there my son didn't have to wait to play or touch anything. He really enjoyed the Les Paul exhibit which was surprising as he's never shown an interest in guitars. He really liked the Milwaukee Muscle area with all the engines and various bits and pieces he could make the parts move on. He felt pretty cool lifting me by himself on the hydraulic lift. He kept running from place to place checking things out. Once all that was said and done we went outside. There's signs all over saying the dock is public. We walked around the outside, saw some birds. We continued to follow the concrete path through large boulders while looking out at the lake. There were also narrow metal walkways further into the water but I didn't feel like braving it with a squirrelly kid who can't swim. We hung out on a large concrete patio/dock type spot. My son played with a couple cars he got from the gift shop while I took in the scenery. On one side of me was the museum and downtown Milwaukee, on the other side was Lake Michigan and a lighthouse in the distance. Seriously do a satellite view on google maps- it was very cool. And unlike every Chicago sight, it was not congested. We were alone for at least 30 minutes before some kids went by to meet up with their friends on one of the metal walkways. My only gripe with the whole place was I felt like some exhibits were not "on". Maybe because we were there so early? The jellyfish tank was dark. We walked past it a few times before I saw it. But there's a picture here on yelp and it looks like the tank was lit. There were some odds and ends throughout the whole museum where a TV wasn't on or there were no clear instructions on how to operate the equipment (off the top of my held the welding area- is the machine supposed to be on? Because I pushed a button but when the screen showed what to do next, that button was under plexiglass). Often times these types of places are very overwhelming and hot and crowded. But this was a nice little day visit. I wouldn't say plan your whole trip around Discovery World but definitely put it on your list to see. read more

Came in on a Sunday a little after they opened in the morning. No wait at all, lots of exhibits to keep my two young children entertained for over 3 hours. I'd suggest packing your snacks as food choices are limited. Great value for your money. Especially love the huge boat and the recycling/water retrieval display. read more

Really fun place for the family! Me and my man went without any children and it was really nice. I can't wait to take my grandson when it re opens. read more

Five stars, hands down!!! Spectacular building, activities and views of the lake. As a Milwaukee native, I got to enjoy the original Discovery World when it was located inside the central library. Now as an adult with children of my own, I was blown away with what it has evolved to. My husband, 3 kids and I recently visited and got to throughly enjoy the amazing aquarium, pirate ship and other cool areas. This indeed is the perfect place to have great family fun while learning! read more

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Because I'm dorky, want to experience a city as much as possible and am a teacher, my brother took my friend and I to Discovery World for the afternoon. We had a wonderful touristy time! The aquariums were the coolest, but also the life size replica of the Great Lakes. The simulated thunderstorm that occurs every so often is also pretty neat. As an educator, I wish'd I could taken the live simulation of the solar system home with me. You have to sign up and space is limited so make sure to get here earlier than the last hour they are open! Totally worth it, but I do have to warn all that they make you wear borrowed Crocs. Bring socks so you're not grossed out with yourself like I was. I believe another reviewer mentioned this, but I wouldn't take a kid younger than second grade here. There is lots of hands on stuff, but I'm not sure the full impact of the exhibits would be impressed upon really young children. As far as price goes, if you have a student ID, it is only ten bucks. I didn't have mine, but the girl at the desk was kind enough to trust me and let me in for the discounted rate. The staff, in general were okay. Some of them were helpful, others irritated by our presence. I think Discovery World is a lovely place to learn and explore. read more

I've been in Discovery World previously for a work-related event, but never really got to see everything, I finally made amends to that by taking the whole family. We had a coupon for $5 off each admission, so for 4 people it was under $40, otherwise it would have been over $56, which seems pretty expensive. We got there around 1pm and they closed at 5pm, so we were a bit rushed in seeing everything. Besides all that, the kids (12 and 14) really enjoyed it, as did the wife and I. There's lots of hand-on experiences to be had, and I really enjoyed the Les Paul exhibit, as well as the aquarium. (You walk above and below fish swimming around you, and there is a "touch tank" where you can touch exotic sea creatures.) There is a bit of commercialism throughout the place, so i that bothers you, consider this a warning. (Of course, they donations of these companies make it all possible.) Some of the exhibits/displays were broken or did not work, which is disappointing. I fixed one display by just powering on a computer monitor. The Design It! Lab was cool, but I really wanted to see the laser cutter working, not just get handed a piece of laser cut cardboard. I was told that there are classes that are more hands-on for that sort of thing. There's also some fun audio exhibits and circuit bent toys to play with. My wife loved the theremin and now wants me to build one for her. :) I hope my review didn't sound too down. There were many really fun, amazing, and educational things to see and experience, and the negative things were very few, but I thought I should point them out. read more

My 9 yr old went for his 1st time on a school field trip which I was scheduled to attend with him but came down with a bad cold so my husband went in my spot as badly as I wanted to go. But, they texted often with LOTS of pics & to say what an AWESOME place it was. After they returned, my son asked almost daily for the next ten days when we were going again & we decided that since I really wanted to go & my husband said it was def worth seeing that we'd make it a family day outing & brought our 5 & 6 yr olds as well as our 13 yr old who had been there once with school a few yrs ago but wanted to go back. We bought the membership & are very happy we did! It's such an amazing place to go & kids can touch EVERYTHING!! It's all hands on. With supervision & explanation of what they're doing & why, of course, as not to defeat the purpose of it being an incredibly FUN learning experience. I can' believe that there'd be ANYONE who wouldn't be able to find the creativity & sheer brilliance that has masterfully combined teaching/learning with more fun than any kid - big or small, young or old - has EVER seen inside or even outside a classroom. I know we'll be making our money back at least ten fold on our pass!! My family from ages 5 all the way through age 13 plus my husband & I in our mid to late 30's give Discovery World a review that surpasses our expectations with flying colors!!! In our family's opinion, Discovery World moved quickly to the top of the list of family favorites. Not just for certain age kids, but for them ALL!! Parents included!!! read more

Discovery World - The 'Pirate Ship' kids can climb on & in - Children's Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Discovery World is definitely the place for learning about science and technology. I thought maybe it would be too much for a 3-year old but he found enough to keep him in interested, even if it meant just pulling a rope on a pulley/lifting a lever/controlling a mechanical dino...we'll leave the explanation of simple machines and pneumatic devices for a little later. We spent most of our time in the Reiman Aquarium, the Great Lakes Exhibit and the Simple Machine Shipyard. I really liked how the Aquarium showcased Great Lakes water life. There were few tanks that held more exotic sea life, but it's cool that DW is educating people about local water life. And plan your visit to include the thunderstorm that erupts over the Great Lakes--that was really cool. One thing I wish they had in the Aquarium was more placards or other kind of material to read so you know what kind of fish you are seeing. There were touch screens that you could access that showed the different fish, but because everyone was playing with them, the system was very very slow. When you've got a kid asking 'what's that fish? or that fish?" you want to be able to answer right away and not make up names like I heard some poor chap having to resort to since the touch screens weren't working. I found all the exhibits interesting. If you have a thirst for knowledge/a love of science, this place might be worth your visit. They also have special events listed on their calendar. The day we visited they offered a chance for kids to design a fragrance (it was Valentine's Day after all). We don't use a stroller anymore, but my heart went out to other moms trying to navigate a stroller in the exhibit halls--this exhibit halls are kind of narrow--not very stroller friendly. There's a snack shop and gift shop on the promenade that connects the halls with the aquarium. Great location with great views of Lake Michigan. read more

Dear Mr. Brennan, Our school group just returned from a five day trip aboard the schooner DENIS SULLIVAN.   I suspect that Museum is not aware of how this vessel is being run by the current Captain, Tiffany Krihwan.  As an organizer and sponsor of youth programs and an experienced sailor, I was appalled at this captain's caustic and condescending attitude towards our group of African-American and Hispanic students throughout our time under her charge. Chicago Hope Academy is a private Christian school located in the heart of West Chicago.  Our group was comprised of fourteen 15 and 16 year old girls entering their freshman year in High School and three adult chaperones including me.  The trip was intended to introduce our students to new horizons, literally and figuratively, and to help them formulate personal Mission Statements for using their gifts in service of others.  Our girls are not delinquents and were willing to abide by the ship's routine. Yet, they were routinely chided in front of the entire group for minor infractions on rules and matters that were totally new to them.      While I sought to be helpful, my curiosity about techniques and equipment were most often met with a grudging single word response or dismissed.  Our Academy students were successful in winning over several member of the crew.    But the atmosphere between the Captain and our group remained tense at best. On one afternoon, during our passage through Lake Ontario, the 2nd Mate loudly berated two of our girls for not responding faster to a command.  The incident was so heated that one of our parent chaperones had to intervene.  The matter was presented to Captain Kirhwan, who immediately sided with the 2nd Mate.  The Captain then suspended all interaction with her crew and ordered all the passengers to go to bed.  As punishment, she cancelled an outing to a nearby beach for the next day. In another incident, a Deckhand was found rummaging through one of the students belongings, including her undergarments.  No rational explanation was ever given and the crew member was never reprimanded.    But, the incident that was most demeaning and abusive was the ransoming of our personal effects that the crew had confiscated when ever and where ever they were found outside of our bunks.  The ransoming was conducted by Captain Kirhwan as if it were a mock trial, in front of all the passengers and crew, with the Captain officiating as judge and jury.  The ransoming began with the Captain holding up an item and insisting that the item's owner "perform" a song or a dance to the Captain's satisfaction before they could come forward and retrieve their property.  When one of the 15 year old girls refused to perform, the Captain kept her items until her friends performed on her behalf to get the items returned.  The girl was completely humiliated and reduced to tears. I am familiar with rules on board Maritime Vessels and Sail Training ships.  I have served on the Polish STS, POGORIA and have arranged and served on sailing adventures for West Point Cadets, the Miguel Academy, college students, and the Chicago Hope Academy.   In my fifty years of experience on the water, I have not witnessed a more strident form of bigotry and abuse of power than that displayed by Captain Krihwan.  The Captain and crew of the Denis Sullivan are predominantly white, and with the exception of the Education Officer and Cook, were generally complicit with the Captain's abuse of our students.    If the museum is overlooking these character flaws in Tiffany Krihwan because she is a woman, I assure you that in a court of law, it will not matter. read more

First time at DW, took my son and went with some friends. WOW, very cool place. Beautiful building and great surroundings. So much to see and do. We spent the day exploring and learning all while looking out at some beautiful scenery (overlooking Lake Michigan). I'm so happy we went. Bed of nails was the biggest hit! You have to try it. Quick tip! As soon as you get there, sign up for The HIVE so you can see the presentation, it fills up quickly. read more

I visited today for the first time with my parents and my partner. Sometimes I forget how lucky we are to have beautiful Lake Michigan so close to us, but as soon as you walk in Discovery World, you are reminded. We had a GREAT time! The employees there were so friendly and helpful with the exhibits, I didn't feel like a dummy asking questions to people half my age... and obviously knew much more than I did about science, etc. I really look forward to visiting in the summer. You don't need to pay to be on the grounds, and I understand you can bring a picnic lunch and eat on the public patios. In the summer, the boat the Dennis Sullivan is there, and I guess that is beautiful.. there is also live music outside. It was a bit expensive. But, I THINK you can get a family pass which allows three adults and kids are free every time you come -- for like $60!! It sounds a bit too good to be true, so don't take my word on THAT. It was a weekday, and parking underground was super easy- and meant that we didn't need to drag our jackets around with us. I really can't imagine the museum would be much fun for kids under the age of 5 or 6... outside of the aquarium. read more

This place is very cool. I have taken older kids (10,12 &13) and younger kids (3 and 4) and must say that it is certainly geared towards the older kids. My favorite part is the waterways and lake systems but the kids liked touching the stingrays and sturgeon, laying on a bed of nails, opening and closing the Miller Park roof, playing tic-tac-toe against a robot... OH YEAH AND THE LES PAUL HOUSE OF SOUND! The architecture is beautiful, the location is ideal and there is a lot to see and do here. I would certainly recommend it! *the only downfall is that it tends to get REALLY crowded with field trips! Make sure you keep an eye on the kids that you're with, I must have seen 10 lost kids walking around with security guards looking for parents or teachers. read more

I'm a bad Milwaukeean for not having been here before yesterday. Seriously. That being said, a charity event finally brought me to Discovery World, and I have to say that I'll most certainly be back to experience the museum portion of the space. It's beautiful, though. Great venue space (the event was held on the third floor), Bartolotta's catering, stellar views, a beautiful wooden, pier-like floor, and great architecture. This place is stunning. The little bit I did get to peer into the museum area was really cool... the tiny Great Lakes system seemed really cool and educational for little ones and big people alike. There was also a closed off room with crazy winding staircases and lasers and neon lights and stuff. Not sure exactly what was in there, but it looked fun. There's something really fantastically cathartic about being on the lake in a beautiful space during the evening, and Discovery World's setting can't be beat. I look forward to checking the place out when it's open! read more

The best place to take your kids. Plan to spend at least 3 hours. Incredible maker space, VR games, flight and driving simulators, robot tic tac toe, and do not forget the aquarium and water exhibits. We could have stayed much longer! Covered parking is available for $10 or so, also plenty of free parking on the street. Note- maker space was crowded with a 45 minute wait. Put yourself on the wait list as soon as you arrive. They will text you where they are ready for you. read more

Checked this place out with my toddler the other day because I was stir-crazy and HAD to get out of the house. He's into Finding Nemo right now so I figured if nothing else he would enjoy the fish. The aquarium is very cool (although we didn't see any Nemo fish). The touch tanks are neat and walking through the circle tunnel of the huge tank is pretty awesome. It's a small aquarium though and considering the fact that the rest of the museum didn't really have much to offer going for the Aquarium alone is definitely not worth the hefty ticket price. The "Discovery" part of the museum was not as impressive for me. I'm not sure if I am just dumb and didn't understand how anything worked or if there were a lot of things that were actually not working (which seemed to be the case) on the day we were there. Granted, I had a toddler with me so I couldn't stop to read elaborate explanations about how to operate the different machines but I feel like even just plain old buttons you are supposed to push didn't do anything when I pushed them. There are a lot of pretty complex machines that needed to have an attendant there to operate (which probably contributes to their high costs) and that caused lines to build up which I had no interest in waiting in. The Great Lakes exhibit was pretty cool (above the aquarium) but seemed like there were a lot of parts that weren't working (like much of the rest of the museum). Oh, the big ship was pretty cool but definitely no good for a toddler. On the whole this is not the best place to come with a toddler. I would probably come once in a while if they offered the free day for Milwaukee residents but since they don't it's just not worth it for the price. Stick with the Milwaukee Public Museum if you have littler kids. + The people who work here were all very friendly. - You have to pay for parking which sucks. read more

We arrived a half hour before closing and the staff allowed us free admission. It's at a beautiful location and has a ton to do inside!

Discovery World is both amazing and difficult at the same time. I've been to the museum on a handful of occasions and each time was more different than the next. Visiting the museum during daytime hours with tons of over-excited children proved to be a bit of a hassle. The installations are so unique and really interesting to interact with. However, it's really difficult to do that when there are so many kids and parents running around that it's hard to get your bearings. Kids will be kids and, yes, I so very much want them to have a blast while they're there. However, when they make such a noticeable distraction that I want to leave early, I can't not take that into account when reviewing the museum. I will say this, if you are patient enough, so many of the exhibits do redeem themselves. The aquarium segment is AWESOME and so much fun. One note further on the museum itself, wow wow wow--the prices. I'm so thankful I was able to visit the museum with gifted tickets because I'm not sure if I would pay those prices, especially not with the amount of rowdy kids there. Sure it's an amazing museum with great views of the city, but I wouldn't shell out all that for it. Visiting the museum for an event is a MUCH different scenario. Obviously sections of the museum are closed off at night, but you really don't notice it in the midst of the excitement. I attended the MKE film festival party there and I LOVED it. The event organizers made great use of the spaces they had available to them. Bartolotta's catering was awesome and the open bars served delicious drinks. The museum seems to really take on a different form at night and I'd recommend anyone to attend an event there if they get the chance. read more

While I look forward to seeing what Discovery World has to offer in the future, for those considering a visit I sincerely want to tell you to wait until it is finished and more exhibits are working. On the weekday that we visited many exhibits that had previously been working were not. Additionally many of the exhibits were technology based and there was very little in the upstairs portion to interest and engage a small child. (ages 3-6ish) However it was cute to see the little ones lay on a bed of nails. What is completed and fantastic is the aquarium, which has fish from both Wisconsin and the Caribbean. Additionally there was a touch tank where you could get better acquainted with some sea/lake life. It is beautifully designed and provided much entertainment. I will return in a year or so, and I can't wait to delete this review and put a glowing one in it's place. read more

So I was a bit skeptical of Discovery World, because Mr. Snarky and I had been to a similar museum in San Diego and while it is fun for children, it doesn't take much time to go through. This place is still good for children, but also entertaining for adults. I am going to say something, but please don't judge me. We did not pay... not on purpose, but purely by accident. The entrance to the exhibits is before the ticket counter which is still a bit hidden because it is in a little recessed area. So apologies, but I will most likely be back and I will make sure that we pay. I particularly enjoyed the little wooden figurines near the gear area. Especially the ones that move. However, my favourite part is the Aquarium. Mr. Snarky was also quite impressed with it... 1) how much they fit into a small space (compared to other Aquariums) and 2) with the way they displayed everything. I really enjoy the model of the Great Lakes... and really enjoy it when there is a storm that starts up. On the bottom level you get to see fish and even "pet" a few in the tanks. In the "petting" area, there are sea urchins, stingrays, and apparently sharks... we didn't do that. You can call us chicken... that's ok. Now, if you go up to the top level, they have a tutorial on water, how it is treated, and you could also board the ship that you walk under on the ground level. Mr. Snarky made fun of me for being scared of boarding the ship, but there were lots of other people on it, so you should be ok if you decide to sail the high... air? Anyway it is a good day out... even for adults and don't miss the aquarium! read more

Today marked the second time that I went to Discovery World. Luckily I was able to use my student ID and get in for $10.00 - which is exactly what I think the experience is worth. High and above the best part to me are the fishies. They separate them out to show which species are in which great lakes - very cool. Unfortunately a lot of the fish/turtles were nowhere to be found - empty tanks. The water exhibit that shows Milwaukee co. is really neat too. Once you enter the science area it gets to be a bit of a mess. So many exhibits are packed so haphazardly into a small area. It's hard to figure out what description matches what exhibit. Half the exhibits are either broken down or "in progress" which is also a disappointment. Today there was a special heart exhibit put on by Aurora. They had real pigs/sheep hearts that you could handle, and all sorts of ultrasounds and examples set up. You could even get an ultrasound of your own heart! Very cool. I would suggest going here sometime, preferably on a discount day. It just isn't somewhere I would be dying to return to. read more