So amazing. It is like the Ontario Science Centre but less crowded. Anyone who hasn't been here,…read moreyour kids are missing out!

The Museum is great for the kids…read more A lot of interactive activities to keep the little ones occupied and hopefully they would learn something in the process. The exhibits are a little rundown. A lot of screaming kids jumping and banging on everything. It is nice to be family friendly but if you are adults or without kids, I would avoid coming during weekends and summer holidays or just skip completely.

When I am on vacation or am travelling, I try my best to visit a museum. I typically come to…read moreWaterloo either on business or to shop. I frankly don't know much about the history of the area. Since Canada Day landed on a Sunday this year, a lot of businesses were closed on Monday. However, Waterloo Region Museum broke out of this mode and was open. Perfect! This museum is in Kitchener. You can't miss the museum's colourful exterior and pleasing scenic view as you pull into the parking lot. I parked under a tree to provide some much needed shade for my car and walked in. Admission is $11 plus tax. The woman at the desk was kind to show me where everything was with the help of the map in the program guide. I walked over to the museum area and was greeted by an older gentleman. Everyone I talked to seemed so surprised that it was my first time at the museum for some reason. I looked like a complete tourist, armed with my digital SLR camera in hand. The man recommended that I go outside and explore Doon Heritage Village first. It has been hot outside these days and I showed up early, so the heat wasn't as bad as it could be. I spent nearly two hours exploring each building in the village and understanding how Mennonites lived in 1914. You see everything from the post office to the meat market. There are staff dressed up in clothing back in the day providing good information. There is also a farm with chickens, horses, and more. After I was done, I walked back into the Waterloo Region Museum. I looked like I had done an intense workout. I was sweating buckets, mainly because it was so hot and humid outside. I needed a towel and a shower! I sat down in the theatre to cool off and learn more about the lives of folks living in Kitchener (formerly Berlin) back in 1914. It was fascinating that I watched the whole slide show a second time before venturing into the exhibits at Waterloo Region Museum. The museum houses information and artifacts about the region, including a hall of fame on the second floor. You learn about the history of local industries, such as Schniders and Kuntz, with the latter becoming Carling and then Labatt's. I also learned about Abraham Erb, a Mennonite who settled in Waterloo from Pennsylvania, who is known to have founded Waterloo. The hotel that I am staying at is sitting on the street named after him. I loved my time here. I spent roughly 3.5 hours soaking up all the exhibits. I had a great time despite sweating so much. (250)

If ever traveling to Waterloo or Kitchner, this museum is a great place to visit. The first floor…read moreincludes the history of the area and the reasons why Europeans immigrated to the region, including great testimonials from people of various countries. There is a large collection of historic artifacts displayed documenting the community's heritage. The second floor displays Canada's Hall of Fame heroes, from military to government to sports figures; it is quite informative and impressive! Outside, behind the museum, one is thrust into the era of 1914, with a steam engine, historic buildings, and artifacts, including workers in period costume. Each worker has knowledge of the respective building. There is even a historic farmhouse that belonged to a Mennonite family. Out back there are chickens and a pig. Toward the front of the house are beautiful horses. It is well worth the time to visit this museum.

If, like me, you are into military history and military aviation, this is a wonderful place…read more Everything here is in flying condition and there is an incredible selection of understandably Canadian military aircraft. From WW2 era stuff right up to the present day. The facility is huge and comfortable. Fortunately for me the day I was there was temparate so I could spend plenty of time outside behind the museum with the birds stored there as well. Just the right mix of real planes and displays of artifacts and informative plaques. This would be an enjoyable visit for anyone even mildly interested in history, but if history is your passion? Buckle up for an incredible amount of fun!

We had a wonderful visit to the museum today. It's a must see for aviation enthusiasts, the…read morecollection is crazy (say my boyfriend who is obsessed with plane and is a pilot). They also have interactive elements like the flight simulator and VR experience (extra cost). A lot of the staff is made up of retired pilots and mechanics who are incredibly friendly and eager to share their knowledge. My brother and boyfriend loved getting to sit in the actual planes. There's even a small cafe inside with a great view of the runway. A perfect way to spend the day and pay tribute to our veterans as well. Even though it is a bit far from Toronto, it's definitely worth the visit. You can also stay as long as you want, go in and out for food breaks if you need.

I happened across this attraction while driving out to Waterloo. I didn't need to stay long and…read moredecided I'd visit on my way back home. It wasn't too hard to find off the highway. It was a summer weekday and although I figured it might have additional traffic with kids on school break, I could tell just by turning into the parking lot that it wasn't crowded. What I did find a little strange was the constant signage and website warnings to book tickets online and not on-site. I guess that might have been an issue in the past but it certainly wasn't a problem the day I visited. I paid my entrance fee and walked the short distance back to the conservatory area. There's really good signage to let you know what species you're seeing, and their habits. What I didn't think of was all the butterfly remains I'd see on the grounds...a little disconcerting at first but ok, what did I expect! The sanctuary is easily accessible. It's very warm and humid, but quiet with the hum of the waterfall. It was great that it was so quiet. There were maybe 2 dozen species of butterflies, and many species of trees and plants. At the back end of the conservatory, there's a counter with large, informative photos naming all the different butterflies and insects, and their distinctive characteristics. There were also pupa hanging, and staff to answer any questions. There were a couple of seating areas. After I had rounded the sanctuary a couple of times, I decided to sit on one of the rocks near the waterfall and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere. I then decided to check out the snack bar/cafe. The offerings included some lunch items and baked goods in addition to the usual beverage selections. One thing I encountered that is one of my pet peeves, is a place that charges full 13% HST on takeout food that's $4 or less. I brought it up to the staff and asked that they enlighten their management on how that works. This isn't some mom and pop corner store and they really should know better. Anyway the cafeteria is large and has plenty of seating space, plus a big patio area out in the back with acres of greenery to look at. There are also some swings and space for children to enjoy some fresh air outside. Last but not least, a visit to the gift shop is mandatory. They had tons and tons of preserved butterflies in frames. They also had a good selection of books and gift items. I liked that they were not the generic same old, same old you often see in other attractions' gift shops. I purchased a couple of things I will use as gifts in the future, and be happy that I won't have to worry they'll already have it or get it from someone else. I would love to revisit in future, and bring a friend with her young child. It's the absolute perfect place to spend a day or afternoon getting some light exercise, enjoying a slice of nature, and recharging your battery.

Absolutely love this place. Thousands of beautiful butterflies in the main rainforest type room,…read moretwo other bug rooms, plus a cafe. Got an annual membership with my family a couple of times now (you can use your admission fee towards the price).

Price: 35 CAD or so for adults, a bit less for kids or seniors…read moreTime: 60-90 minutes. Less if you're rushing, but I wouldn't. Add an extra 20/30 minutes if you're going to look at everything/use the shop or station Location: Lower basement of The Tenor Other Notes: Free Wi-Fi and scavenger hunts for kids Side note: There is a separate business page with one review and no photos for their newer name, Pocket Planet Canada. I requested a merge or similar Toronto Review 10/Many: I went to this excellent exhibition, previously known as Little Canada, with another person. They are located downstairs in the basement of The Tenor. The price was reasonable, and we stayed for around 80 minutes, but it definitely could have been longer. I have previously been to a couple of other miniature museums, but never one with this much detail and with so many moving parts. The staff was friendly, and they had some scavenger hunts and other things for kids. The first area goes over Niagara and the surrounding area. Along with showing some early movement, this also introduced one of their interesting features, where the models and room shift between day and night. Then came the largest portion, which, as expected, was the Little Toronto section. This included one of the highlights, a scaled replica of the Rogers Center, including a fully retractable roof and lights and sound that can be turned on and off. There was also, of course, the CN Tower, various squares, and other things. The remaining sections covered the remaining parts of Canada. I would go into all the details, but I honestly think that it shouldn't be spoiled. In case you do want to see, I have also posted many photos. A particular highlight for me was an appropriately wintry take on Petit Quebec. After the exhibits, there was a "Littlization Station," which we didn't take part in as we didn't have time, but apparently it makes miniatures of people using a lot of high-quality cameras. I saw something similar before at a studio in NYC, and it's a fun idea to add that here too. There was also the Miniature Maker's Studio, where a friendly woman was answering questions regarding how they make things otherwise. Finally, there was a particularly excellent gift shop that sold some items you can't buy online, such as miniatures and other things. I bought a nice cherry blossom one, but there were also some options for all different regions of Canada. For how long the experience is and how detailed it is, I found this more than worth it. Overall, this was the unexpected highlight of the trip, and I heavily recommend it for people of all ages. I can see why they've won awards.

Interesting and educational mini Canada exhibit. They make it extra exciting for the kids with a…read moretheme to search for...right now it's Maurice the Moose. In the past, it looks like they have had Superhero's , KPop Demon Hunters and Moana. My little one enjoyed searching for Maurice in each section. Some surprise effects like watching the Skydome open and close, and the odd train or car moving, added to the fun. The whole thing took us about 90 minutes to complete and we were not rushing. We wanted to do the mini figure creation but there was a long line. I don't think we would go here again though, unless it was a completely new experience or something . Giving it four stars for that reason and also because it was pricey for what it was and there was no line up process to see each section. We kept getting 'stuck' behind a group. The only was to pass them meant skipping a large section. A briefing at the start, explaining to keep moving could help. We did make an afternoon of it though. Went to Shake Shack next door, walked down Yonge Street and then through the Eaton Center...

Great little museum featuring changing displays on history of Waterloo. Free admission…read moreWorth a look see if you are ever in Conestoga Mall. Located at back of food court. Very knowledgeable staff so if you have any questions on history of area great resource.

Quite possibly one of the best children's places I've been to. Lots to see and do, clean, nursing…read moreroom, family washroom, several rooms to explore, lots of sensory activities, friendly staff, educational and a grand total of 8 bucks for the 4 of us! Worth the drive.will definitely be back.

Bizarre experience. This "museum" (not sure how they can use that word) is a rundown Victorian…read morehouse with 3 shabby tiny rooms. The first was closed for a birthday party. The other two (living room size rooms) were half empty and had a box full of old dress up clothes, a box of shabby stuffed animals in front of a tiny puppet stage, a built in play kitchen too high for young kids to play with, a pirate ship play structure (the suze of a king size bed) with a "broken- gentle" sign on it, and a few boxes of things to Build a toy house out of sponge stones and wood planks. It is not a museum and I would struggle to even call it a kids play area- the worst $9 I've spent. A kids cafe or playground has more to do. We left in 10 min. Not a museum and angry we wasted time traveling here- false advertising. It's a shabby house with a few old toys.

Toronto Review 7/Many: I went to the Royal Ontario Museum as the first of many museums/exhibitions…read morewe did in the city. Apparently, tickets are cheaper if you book them online, but they were reasonable enough, with the typical discounts for seniors or kids. We added both the special exhibits, and for those interested, I would recommend one (Psychedelics) but not the other (Bees.) The first floor included the first special exhibit, "Bees: A Story of Survival," which was a collaboration/moving exhibition by the National Museums Liverpool along with Wolfgang Buttress. The exhibit covered bees in many ways, including their habits, conservation, and other topics. This was all presented in a series of corridors with many touch screens, though one of them wasn't working right. The rooms overall were pretty dark, with the whole exhibit being pretty abstract, including hives large enough for us to walk through, among other things. In the background, there was a mix of classical music and the sound of bees, but I couldn't really hear the bees, which might be a good thing, honestly. Overall, it was a bit of a letdown as it was just a bit too abstract for my liking, which was a bit of a buzzkill. Soon after, we beelined (okay, I'll stop) to the other exhibit, which was on the 4th floor. The other, much better exhibit, was "Psychedelics: Art, Culture. Science." It was a bit hard to find, as it was through an extra door which probably needs a label, but once inside, it was excellent. It was quite large and included various methods cultures have used to consume said substances, some music and other things created by said cultures, and many paintings/albums inspired by psychedelics. The exhibit also included a video portraying a "trip," which was unique and quite loud. It also ended with a nice artwork by Brian Blomerth (or should I say blometh for this exhibit/I kid,) who also has a rather trippy homepage. Outside of the two special exhibits, we went through a variety of things before getting hungry. Another exhibit I enjoyed was "Shokkan: Material Encounters in Japanese Art," which included some touchable objects and some good details and facts that I wasn't personally aware of. There was also a room that went over the various fauna and flora of Crawford Lake, and otherwise we checked out some general things. The other exhibits included suits of armor/weapons, a good mixture of dinosaurs, a more general Asian gallery (which unfortunately had a lot of background noise as they were working on another room, so we left,) and a small exhibit on Judaica. A particular highlight of the rest was a section going over various periods of European history, ranging from Baroque to Renaissance to semi-modern styles, including examples of rooms, architecture, music, and other things. While not my favorite thing we did on the trip, this was an excellent museum overall. I can see why it's so popular, and I would go back to see other exhibits so I could see the rest of the museum.

Huge! We did 2 sections:…read more1. European household goods. Educational. Relaxing. 2. Dinosaurs. A massive exhibit. The best I have ever seen. $68.93 CAD for admission for 2. $9.60 CAD for coffee and hot chocolate.

Not many museums are free but this one is (by donation) and it was an easy walk to get to. When you…read moreenter, there are washrooms to the left and a gift shop in front. The gift shop has homemade jewelry, housewares and trinkets, books, and wallets. They had a cute bicycle display with various items. The front desk was staffed and the woman working told us the exhibits were upstairs. We made our way to the stairs and there's also an elevator. Once on the second floor, there were a couple of doors and then a volunteer was seating there telling us where to go. The exhibit on the left was ok, not a lot to see but a few interesting pieces. My favourite was the paint workshop with cans all coloured with paint. We went to the other side and there was an exhibit of book covers and an Aboriginal one. The book covers wasn't so interesting but the Aboriginal one had old records and cylinders that recorded conversations and songs. There were some sofas and a large window looking out to water and greenery. It was a lovely view. We spent an hour here and it was ok. They are going through some renovations but hopefully they can make better use of all the space.

Nice place to bring a small family with older kids and for a quick date getaway. It's a rather…read moresmaller museum and nice place to meet people for a quick gathering at their cafe shop. You can spend as little as 1 hour to see their collection. Smaller parking area with a small parking fee to pay at the self-standing booth to get a ticket location at the museum pathway about 20-30 feet from the front door. Give a online donation of a few dollars to support them for future work. Pleasant to visit and comfortable.