Overall a good one time experience for a younger crowd under 9, lots geared towards younger 3-5 year olds. Pro's: Sesame Street Themed Planetarium show (25 minutes perfect for toddlers) Lots of hands on interactive exhibits to keep little hands busy Extensive parking and friendly staff If you are military affiliated they are affiliated with the Blue Star Museums program during the summer, offering military families free admission. read more

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Best place to bring a 3-9 year old on a Thursday afternoon! Much more mellow and academic environment than the other children's museum at VRC. read more

Definitely needs support from the public. My 4&6 yr olds enjoyed it but not for repeat visits. They are a valued presence in our community,I wish the could get more love and funding read more

Yes its a bit sad and outdated. Seems like all the exhibits are in one wear-house like structure. They have a planetarium show which is cool for the kiddo's. The bathrooms either have a broken light or it is just very very dark. Very odd. read more

Yes, small but is worth supporting and bringing children here . My review needs to be 85 characters

Passing through Eugene, Oregon we chose to stop here for a break in our long drive and for a place to let the kids stretch their legs. We arrived before opening and the parking lot was almost empty. Towards one side of the lot they have regular sized parking spots with a sign authorizing free overnight rest stop just in that one row of spaces. There were two different RVs in this area of about 24 parking spots. There was no designated RV parking here but we found a clear space along the side of the lot which was not blocking any traffic. As for the museum we were surprised how small and limited the exhibits were here. It was great for toddlers and young children but older children will quickly become bored here unless they get involved in the lab area or some specific point of interest. I did enjoy the exhibit on the eclipse but that was all. Maybe ok for ages 10 and under. A huge plus was that our admission was free since they are reciprocal members of our local science museum's membership network. For anyone who has a local science museum membership it pays to ask out of town museums about reciprocal benefits. They do not have food services on site but do have a charming gift shop with snacks and toys to purchase. Parking was free. We spent about 1.5 hour here and that was plenty of time for our 11, 8, and 4 year olds. read more

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Cool for what it is worth Price is cheap Place is small Kids have fun Free with passport program (we have omsi membership) for free it's a great way to let the kids run around and have fun. If visiting it's a worthy way to spend a few bucks and a few hours. Be warned, it's small, very small. read more

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If you could do a four hour planetarium showing I would be here every night I came for a fundraiser and have not been to the ESC but I will say it is geared toward a younger crowd (2-11 maybe?). The exhibits were interesting but I bet even more so when it's open and you get more information from staff. The planetarium showing was amazing! We also had a laser show customized for our group and it was cool, the kids especially got a kick out of it (a lot of dancing and laughing). I'm happy to support the science center but as I have zero kids I might not come back any time soon. Definitely encourage a visit to anyone with younger children and get them interested in science! read more

I read reviews that said the exhibits are too elementary for their children. My children are 2 and 4 and I feel that most of them are too advanced. They do have a tot play area geared towards children under 5, but these are just toys and puzzles, not science exhibits. They have added a fun ball maze thing that is quite entertaining for my youngest, so that's a plus. They have Tot Discovery days the first Friday of every month, and even those are often too advanced for the age group they target (0-5), except maybe a 5 year old. I've been to one that was focused on bubbles, which was good, but there have been a few that I've been to that are clearly geared toward kindergarten to second grade. I am having a hard time remembering the last one I went to; I believe it was an exhibit about weighing things, but it didn't capture my kids' attention whatsoever, and I've had that experience at Tot Discovery days several times. It seems they forget that toddlers can't read and don't have the attention spans for instructions. If they filled these days with things that were more sensory and had engaging stories that went along with the activity, I believe they'd be more successful. The planetarium is pretty fun to watch if you like to learn about stars and constellations. I love the dome screen, and the 365° view. The picture quality is somewhat grainy, but it's still an intriguing video. They have a pretty awesome birthday party package. The birthday party we had for my 2 year old included the admission for her friends, a private classroom where we had snacks, cake, and presents (we provided), they gave her a t-shirt, and we also got one-on-one time with an instructor who helped the kids make elephant toothpaste and they got to pop dry ice bubbles. The kids loved it! read more

Visited the science center for the Laser Bowie show with a few friends. Tickets for adults were $7 for a 50 minute laser show with music. The planetarium is small and cozy. The staff was nice. The laser show was fun: sound was good, visuals were impressive, and we even got an encore performance of two more songs! I would definitely go back for another laser show in the future. read more

We enjoy this place, yes its run down a bit and could benefit from being updated...but the star gazer shows are fun and my son loves to play here. Its a smaller place, but its safe for him to roam and learn, and he enjoys spending 1-2 hours just exploring. They rotate the exhibits and you can go to special events for free with a membership. We have a membership that pays for itself in just a few visits. For a rainy day or a super hot day, its a fun place to hide out! read more

Eugene Science Center - Screw-Ball - Children's Museums Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

This place is mediocre at best. The exhibits are cheap and not impressive. My husband and I brought our two kids here. We were done looking around within five minutes but managed to be here an hour just to feel like we got a little bit of our money's worth (didn't really work). We won't be returning. read more

We came here with multiple families and kids. The activities were fun and enjoyable but also educational. They had a planetarium but we didn't participate so I can't proved a review for this aspect. The variety of activities were many and they all involved a lot of interaction. I used the male bathroom and the stench was very strong. I wouldn't go as far as to say it was dirty but it the stench made me want to rethink using the restroom a second time. The staff was very friendly and accommodating and overall was a lot of fun. I would recommend this to my friends and family. read more

Know going in that it's not OMSI or something else huge and fancy; nonetheless, the Science Factory (formerly WISTEC) is a great choice for local folks on a rainy day, for summer camps, for special events, and for birthday parties. Renegade the lizard greets you from his habitat just past the entry. Star shows and movies show in the planetarium (one of only a handful in Oregon). In addition to rotating special hands-on exhibits (currently "I Dig Dinosaurs", October 2011) there are several exhibits that stay put all year (the Recyclatron, the flash screen, the train table, etc.); all are hands-on science for kids. Babies and toddlers will enjoy the Tot Spot, with blocks and a puppet theatre and a small ball pit. At this age, everything is scientific experimentation, right? During events and camps, kids get access to special science experiments led by staff members in the classrooms in the back. We have a family membership which means we can go as often as we want for as short or long a time as we want without worrying that we're "getting our money's worth" if our toddler's attention span is short. Sometimes we drop in for a half hour on a weekday just so he can play with the train table before nap time. Another benefit of the family membership is that the Science Factory belongs to the ASTC, which means free entry to six other science museums in Oregon with our membership. Definitely recommended! read more

This place is so fun. The people who work here really love kids and it shows. They are talented and skilled teachers. They change their exhibits often. They have great toys for toddlers and infants, which makes it easy to bring kids of different ages here and nobody gets bored. It's the perfect size to allow children to roam around. Larger museums are fun too, but as a parent they can be exhausting. They show great movies that are educational and captivating. The location is great too, since it's right next to the park and the river. So it's a great place to go for a walk. To the staff, we love you! Thanks for your efforts. read more

Had a surprise Bday party here, and it was actually really fun! We were able to watch both the movies they were showing because it was after hours, and had a good time playing with all the stuff they have as demos, and acting like a bunch of kids. All around good time. read more

Eugene Science Center - Children's Museums Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

Disgusting place! Filthy and worn down. Staff was less than helpful. Most of the exhibits were out of order. What a waste of money. read more

Some older reviews said it was dirty and broken down. They must have fixed it up. It was very clean, everything worked, and the staff was nice. It has a science focus unlike some "children's museums" which are really just play areas. And for the five and under group, it has a small play area also. Our two and four-year-olds were entertained for the two hours we were there. It is small (one large room). read more

Eww. We arrived late in the day and you would have thought the only person working was the one at the front desk. The place was a disaster! The tots area is very worn down. There are dirty hand prints along the edge of the puppet studio and honestly that made me feel like nothing is wiped down. We live in Portland and met friends from Roseburg here and I think we spent a whopping 20 minutes inside before we decided we'd chalk the money we spent as a loss. Is their A/C broken? We were all sweating inside and found it cooler outside. This place needs a major makeover. Don't waste your money or for sure don't road trip here. read more

This museum seemed mostly directed towards older children. They had a small area for tots, but not much stuff for the in between ages, and just one large hall with an exhibit in it--when we were there it was all about bones. I think it would be good if your child was very interested in whatever the exhibit was at the time, but for us it wasn't great. read more

It's small but nice. The kids section was a lil grungy though. I loved the planetarium show! Not sure but I think we might have caught a 24 hr bug from there but who knows. read more

This is a great little science center for kids. We stopped here on a road trip and it provided my kids (4 and 8) with 2 hours of great activities. The center is small, but it is packed with science stuff. Both my children were well entertained by the games and exhibits. We also attended the planetarium show which we all enjoyed as well. Everything here is geared toward children, no adult exhibits or activities. This science center participates in the ASTC reciprocal program, so if you are a member of another science center your family will get in for free (check the website). There is also free parking and the planetarium show was only $5 a person. Nice affordable activities! read more

Ok Science Factory, I totally get what you are trying to do and I appreciate the effort but this place really needs an upgrade. While some of the interactive displays are fun, most of them are just cheap and boring. The people who work here are always so friendly and I hate writing a three star review but I really wish the city would put more money into places like these, especially in a town that needs more indoor activities for kids. I bring the kids I babysit here sometimes and while they have fun for an hour it's pretty dull and kind of depressing. Once a month they have a day geared towards toddlers with different rooms with activities for them and that's fun. They also have their planetarium show which is really cute and fun too but that equipment must be from the 80s! They do rent out rooms for birthday parties but I wonder how often that really happens since it honestly doesn't seem like it would be that much fun. I think if this place had a few fundraisers they could really get some more funding for such a cool idea. I do appreciate what they are trying to do, don't get me wrong! I honestly can't believe this is the only place like this for kids in Eugene especially when there are so many families who live here! I do still think it's worth going to and letting your kids run around for an hour or maybe two! read more

I went for the first time for a laser light show the other night, and had a blast. We were the only ones there (so unfortunate!) and had bought a groupon for the laser show. They don't have the shows all the time as they have to rent the equipment themselves, but do keep an eye out and check it out when they are in town. Super fun! I didn't get a chance to see the museum but do have a groupon for the actual musuem I plan to use on or before April --- check it out! read more

This place was so lame. Everything was old and out dated and it was all about money and budgeting. Really don't know how this place is still in business. Everything in there had nothing to do with science read more

Not what we expected, but we still had a great time. The facility is essentially one large room with exhbits. Several of the exhibits were not working, but my boys had a blast with what was working. There did not seem to be a cohesive theme, just random exhibits and signage. There is a planetarium, but we didn't go. We spent just over an hour and had done everything there and more than once. read more

Eugene Science Center - Children's Museums Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

I loved the Science Factory when I was a kid and even more as a teenager, back when they had Laser Light shows. Currently, the museum is going strong with Dome movies and rotating exhibits that kids can't get enough of. Great place to go for a family outing. read more

This place was within walking distance of our hotel (La Quinta) and right on the U of O campus. We are suckers for some science educational fun and this place had enough to keep the kids busy and active for a while. We started the visit with a film in the planetarium about the Google Lunar X Prize. It was interesting and was almost like a glasses-free 3D experience. The kids played X Prize for the next several days so they must have enjoyed it. The exhibits were very hands on the kids had a good time. There wasn't much for the adults, unlike OMSI or some of the other small science museums we've been to. Over all, it was worth the visit. read more

You can actually let the kids run around, huge selling point, also the stargazing shows are fun. Afterwards you're really close to the duck pond and you can also do the solar system walk. read more

Never seen any museums keep closing. We are always here for work at the beginning of the week. Last trip Tuesday closed, in fact everything for kids were closed here in Eugene, water park too. So we managed to a local flight museum which is nothing near Evergreen. Anyways this time, we are now here Monday is closed again. So ok we have to "remember" their schedule since our kid will be outgrown little local science place soon. Wednesday must be opened right! Nope they are NOT if I haven't click on calendar page I'd never know there's such thing "closed for exhibit set up". Huh? Seriously town of good college can't manage to educate kids on the first week of summer? There's no school this week what Eugene kids do? read more

Our kids ages 3 - 7 had a great time here. The exhibits are simple and interactive, with activities that engage all of the senses. We played for about 2 hours, and the kids could have easily enjoyed another hour. I also enjoyed myself. It was nice that it was basically all one room so I didn't spend half my time frantically looking for a missing child. read more

I thought this was a pretty sad science museum. Several of the displays were broken, and I fear that even on a "good" day, they really don't have very much--just one room with some warn-out, low-tech, uninspired activities. The planetarium was nice however, and the 20 minute star show was worth it. My 8 year-old pretty much summed up the rest of the museum in 2 words: "Pretty lame". read more

I just came from Ashland kids science museum, so was looking forward to being the kids here. Many of the exhibits are for looking at and not interactive. A few exhibits were ivery outdated. There were no interactive demonstrations. Really sad that this place could be so much more. read more

nothing fancy, but cheap and fun for toddlers.

This place was great. We almost didn't go due to the mixed reviews but we (grandma, two science-y parents and a 3 and 6 year old) all enjoyed it. We spent about two hours there and pet a boa constrictor, made paper airplanes and a rocket, and learned a bit about Archimedes screw and the Bernoulli principle. Plus our entrance was free as we are members of our local science museum. It is a small gem. read more