Hand On Children's Museum is the perfect spot to take your kid during a rainy day! During my last trip to Mayport/Jacksonville we had a very rainy weekend, so immediately started to search for activities to do indoors with my kid. Frankly, there are not a lot of options in the area, but I did find this museum. Before visiting I read a bunch of the reviews and my expectations were very low. However someone brought a really good point that "the toys might be old, but kids don't care" and that is so true. This place is actually a nonprofit and tickets prices are very affordable, so there's also that to take into consideration. When planning your visit, keep in mind that the parking is pretty limited, so I definitely recommend coming in early. The tickets give you access to the whole space and you can stay as long as you want. The museum has different sections for the kids to play at with different themes, such as: "trains, firefighting, basketball, space, puppet show, grocery store, and veterinary." My kid had the time of his life and we were there for almost two hours. We probably went around everything at least twice. Also, on our way out we bought something from their store and I thought the prices were pretty reasonable. The only reason why I don't give them five stars is because there are certain toys and areas that I felt were a little unsafe for my taste, so I'd recommend to supervise your kid at all time while at the museum. Overall, we had the best time and would definitely be coming back during our next trip to the Mayport/Jacksonville area. read more

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I understand this is a non-profit organization, but I am absolutely appalled at the condition of this place. My husband and I took our young toddler today thinking it would be a great outlet for her since it's been raining for the past week. We should've stayed home and stared at our wall for an extra hour instead of doing this; we might be bored, but at least we would be free from the multitude of viruses and diseases sure to be swarming the facility. I shrugged off a previous review conveying the ants in the toddler area, but oh my goodness they were everywhere. I couldn't even discern where they were coming from, and they were throughout the facility, not just relegated to the toddler area. All of the toys and staged areas were horribly unkept and dirty. My husband hit the nail on the head: "it felt like a dingy bar for kids, and the worst part was the lights were on and we were sober so there was no ignoring the environment." Also, why did they charge the adults like we were going to be playing too? I am horribly disappointed. Stay home or go outside instead. read more

We really love this place. My LO is 19 months old and we've had a membership since he turned one. It's so cool to see him be able to engage in more and more on each visit. There are tons of options and areas. The older kids have always been so helpful with my little guy and he always has a blast. If you come more than once, the annual pass pays for itself and is very affordable. The staff is nice. Be prepared to have your photo ID with you every time you come! read more

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My grandchildren loved this place!!! So well done! A super market by Winn Dixie, a fire truck and EMS vehicle, a "boat" where they played forever and a mini theatre where they put on a " play!" So much more, bank, Vets office, and a restaurant!! So amazing! A must see and do for your grandkids!!! read more

Tatty, run-down and dirty. Everything here is in need of a refresh or repair. There were bugs all over the toddler area. Definitely not worth the entry fee. read more

I think it is important to remember that this is a non-profit organisation. It is a community resource. Yes, the 'exhibits' are older, but your children won't mind! They will still have a lot of fun and learn about different career paths (firefighter, veterinarian, astronaut, journalist, etc). There's also a wheelchair basketball area, a miniature Winn-Dixie, a McDonald's playset, a train set, a puppet stage, a 50s diner, and various tactical toys like magnetic blocks. The employees are friendly, and there's a small gift shop. It was clean and affordable. read more

Not sure what's up with all the mediocre reviews, but our toddler absolutely loved this place. So much that we signed up for the membership

This is a nice place for kids to run around, explore a variety of jobs and locations, engage in pretend play, and play with others. The museum is designed to resemble a "city", with a post office, fire station, sheriff station, vet clinic, theater, cafe, bank, train station, and grocery store (Winn Dixie). There is plenty for the kids to do and there was enough space so that they were not all on top of each other. Certain areas were more popular than others, like the cafe, and they had slides and play areas as well, including one for the little kids. There's a changing room in the back, which was also a nice touch. I was impressed by the message of inclusivity as well at the basketball court area where they had wheelchairs and encourage the kids to try playing basketball while seated in the wheelchair. I love that they were challenging abl Although this place could use a little refurbishing, for the price, it was fine. read more

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I didn't see any problem with the place. We both enjoyed it. I brought my 2yr old right at opening on a Wednesday. It was a slow crowd at first but the more time passed the more crowded it was. There's some parents that don't watch their kids which is a worrisome in some situations but, it comes with the environment. Lots of fun and creative spaces for the kids to enjoy. We loved it and the friendly staff. The price was reasonable as well. We will be back read more

Hands On Childrens Museum - Toy trains - Children's Museums Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Okay so to me the name is very misleading. Not a children's museum at all - more like an indoor play area. Not bad for the price but you get what you pay for. The staff was nice but no real sanitizing procedures except for the hand sanitizer on the wall that is by the entrance. You were allowed to wear your shoes inside all the areas but no staff was going around sanitizing the floors at any time during the two hours we were there. The only staff I saw was at the front register. All the kid's socks and clothes that we saw were black from how dirty the play areas were. My daughter's pants & shoes were very dirty by the end of our time spent there. The bathrooms were disgusting & smelled really bad. Probably will be our only time going here- would rather spend $20 for my daughter to go to a cleaner indoor play area that requires their brand socks & no shoes at all. read more

My grandson loved this place! I watched as each set up pulled the imaginations of all ages. Kids were happy and enjoyed them selves. I saw workers cleaning and disinfectanting thru out my time there and yes it's a bit dated but they keep the price low and the place is kept well. The paint is good, the restrooms are okay too. If someone wanted to donate to their fund raisers I'm sure they could do more but I appreciated them for what they have and how much the kids love it. Great event area for birthdays also. I'm a fan and hope to stop by as often as possible. read more

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While I would love to rate this place 5 stars, it is definitely in need of some repairs. My son always has a blast here, but it feels like they could do a better job of updating some of the play areas. Basically, you get what you paid for here! read more

We get it, this place is a non-profit. But for the amount of support from the community this place gets, you would think it would be maintained better. We were so excited to visit here because of the pictures but when we got in, it wasn't as expected. They have everything in their pictures. It's just the cleanliness that threw us off. The place doesn't smell clean and it's just very stuffy. It was so hot in there and with the amount of people that were there, it felt like there was no air flow or AC on. Train table is super sticky but it is cool how they set it up. Everything in general felt sticky, even the playground. I wanted so bad to love this place because my son had a fun time. There were a lot of parents just not paying attention to their kids and their kids didn't really take care of the toys or equipment so it threw me off even more. If they put a little more effort in thoroughly cleaning everything and enforcing things be taken care of properly, it would've gotten more stars from me. read more

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I don't know why this place has low reviews. This place is amazing. It is a bit warm after chasing around the four kids I brought. But that's what happens when you're continuously following kids! This place resembles a town with a bank, veterinary office, boat, police, fire station, theater stage, grocery store, basketball court, and many more. There are several employees walking around constantly putting little props and toys back where they belong. Part of the rules of entering, is putting back items where they belong. My kids especially liked the train station! And for the entrance cost, it is affordable to come back several times. We will be back. P.s. coming from the 11year old we brought, he says this place is fun! P.s.s. If you're that much of a germaphobe, don't come :) read more

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An indoor kids playground, 100% kid friendly. From a kids version Winn Dixie to post office. Party space is available. If I was to guess the age range for maximum fun, ages 4 to 10. But even the kid at heart could have fun. So if you are looking for something inexpensive and indoors for your child(ren) or venue for a birthday party, this is a great place to go. read more

In the age of COVID visiting this place was a bad idea. We took our godson to play and hopefully make some new friends. Think of Chuck E' Cheese on steroids. The bathrooms were not clean, I'm not sure how or when the employees wipe down the play areas and toys. If you or your child are easily over stimulated this is not the place for you. read more

We had our grandson with us for a couple days and found Hands On Children's Museum when doing a search for things to do with small children in the Jacksonville area. Blame it on the negative reviews we almost didn't go. What a mistake that would have been. This place is amazing! There is so much to see and do. We played a mere two hours and he was definitely on a roll. It was hard to leave ... he would have stayed all day if we let him. The play areas were tidy and the bathroom was clean. The wall decor is bright and cheerful. There is a list of Rules for Play at the front desk for children AND adults. It's important to read the rules out loud to your child and hold them accountable for putting things back, using inside voices, etc. Don't miss out on this wonderful learning experience!! read more

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Needs a good updating and cleaning. Everything looks very used. The tube slide has months of dust just settled on it. Someone with their finger actually wrote 'Clean Me' on it. We returned 2 weeks later and it was still like that. Good place that the kids have fun at, but needs improvement for sure. read more

The kids had such an amazing time here at the museum! I am sure they could have stayed here all day if we let them. The price for (2) adults and (3) kids and (1) baby was $26.... That is cheaper than the children's general admission for the zoo!!!!! While you can tell thought went into all the many play areas for the kids the equipment is not the latest and greatest so don't expect fancy. The kids didn't seem to mind at all! Parking is free which is a nice bonus. The staff is very friendly which is also helpful and cool that they want to talk and get to know their customers. The main areas seem fit for children 3 years old- 11 years old. There is an area for children 2 years and younger which is super cute as well. They offer restrooms for both age groups. The downside is there is no food or drink allowed in the museum other than water. If you are looking for some indoor cheap fun for the kids this is a great place to take them to use their imagination. read more

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My son and I had a late flight and were looking for a time killer that was indoors. Google provided the name of this museum as well several other activities and attractions. I thought I'd take a chance on this and if it was a bummer, we'd go elsewhere. For my son and I both the total was $11 to get in. If I had paid double that I would still have said it was well worth it. There are stations set up all around this very small building; a veterinarian clinic, a jungle gym, the post office, a grocery store, space station, theater, a wheelchair basketball arena, a fire station, a police station, a bank, a polling place, and a few other smaller things. My son loved the whole place. I would say if your child is nine or under this is a great activity. The building looks small from the outside, when I pulled in I was a little worried, but I would definitely bring my son back here if we were local. read more

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Read a lot of reviews of Jacksonville Hands-on Children's Museum (JHoCM) before attempting to go. Many said it's dated & dirty, & with COVID still amiss in March 2022, when I visited, I was definitely wary. I don't understand the people saying it was "expensive" though, b/c the kids' museum in Philly, where I live, is $19pp, parents & kids over 1yr, all included in that price, plus parking fee. JHoCM is only $4 for kids 1-3, & $5.50 for anyone older, with a free parking lot all around it. So this was worth risking the money. My plan was to go in, check it out, & immediately leave if it seemed too dirty. Well, my son instantly was thrilled to be there, & went into stimulation overwhelm with all the many many activities, themes & stations set up all over the building. So here is where I saw differences... at my local Philly Museum, Please Touch Museum, there are activity staff around, who are paid to specialize in artistic, reading, pretend play, etc. activities at various times of the day. And PTM staff just hanging about are all very caring about making sure the kids are safe, no one gets lost, & everyone is minding rules (not to a stifling degree, but there to help in case a parent isn't watching). At JHoCM there are a few staff wandering around, but they all seemed bewildered & helpless. I happened to visit during spring break for Jax public schools, so they were filled with kids. My son & I were some of the only people wearing masks, but I am definitely glad we wore them. A lot of kids seem to have been dropped off & left alone, or, their parents found a corner where they could hide, & were not monitoring them at all. I've never seen this at another children's museum. Again, this could have been the chaos of spring break? Something that I saw with staff at JHoCM which I see at EVERY other kids' museum I visit, is no one was really putting groceries back in the food store, nor restaurant. Things were taken from one play area & put out of context in another, & a lot of areas were just chaos. I always visit these places after lunch, b/c it allows the longest stretch of open hours for play time. I'm sure those who visit in the morning get to see the museum in a more put-together form, with all toys in their places, but it really is a drag when your kid gets excited to play & you have ketchup for a doctor's tool, or a brick in the chef's kitchen. That said, the parents who were present with their children/grandchildren, were active about putting things away, & helping facilitate the play areas with their proper appointments. Other reviewers complained that there were a lot of things crammed into a small space. It is true that the play areas were set up side-by-side & back-to-back, moreso than similar museums, but each play area, to me, had enough room for that activity. It became hard when too many people wanted to play at that activity, & b/c there is no space between areas, parents can't easily stand by w/out being in someone else's way. I was constantly in someone's space as I made my way around with my kid. As for cleanliness, yeah, I didn't feel like it was clean, but honestly it wasn't far off from similar museums. I was counting down to bath time at JHoCM, just as I do in Philly, & any other kid museum. I think the age & wear on a lot of the surfaces at JHoCM makes them look dirtier than they are. Other kid museums I've seen have more updated surfaces, or at least maintain new paint or deeper cleanings to keep them looking newer. JHoCM has a repurposed McDonald's playground, with a ball pit & a huge tunnel tube jungle gym / slide. I was hoping my son would not want to go in it, lol, but of course he had to explore. It was probably his favorite thing. That definitely seemed like a germ magnet, & I doubt they can manage to clean every surface of so much child-sized tunnel every day, much less every ball in the pit. Nonetheless, it's a favorite. At one point, some boys at least 6 years older than my toddler, were loudly roughhousing in the tube slide where my toddler was, & I could not see my child, but could hear at least four boys screaming for several minutes. I asked the staffer near me for help, but she just shrugged her shoulders & looked at me like my request (to make sure a 3yo was okay, in the middle of older 4th/5th grade boys screaming), was bizarre. So you get what you pay for in terms of staff. But if you come expecting some rough & tumble (& prep your kid for it), you will do okay. What else? We did the grocery store, the restaurant (some older girls were serving us up anything on the menu, & my son loved it), the theater (though the costumes came & went from behind the stage), the castle, the toddler room, the wheelchair basketball area, the fire truck, the mail center, the bank area, the train tables, & another favorite, the veterinary clinic! We spent a couple hours there, and in the end I had to pry my kid out, & he was asleep a few min later in the car. Good time! read more

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We love this place! That have a closed off area for smaller kids/babies. The rest of the place is a free for all. Slides, puzzles, interactive locations (diner, grocery store, space room, bank...) Most of the stuff in there IS a little beat up and prob could use a hefty cleaning every so often, but my kid never gets bored here. There's even a place with crayons and stamps. If you go during the week there's only ever a few people there. Weekends are crazy busy (as to be expected) read more

My grandchildren love playing here! They go from station to station and enjoy. I think the grocery store is their favorite.

If it is raining or mega hot outside in the Sunshine State, and you want a reason to tear the little one away from those mind-numbing video games, this is a hidden gem for parents in the area. They have 15 different areas for building your lil one's creativity and imagination. They have the little ball pit and slides similar to the ones at Chuck-e-Cheese, a make-believe Winn Dixie where the little cooks of tomorrow can practice their grocery shopping, a pretend diner where kids can play out a scene in a restaurant, a mini-stage and costumes for putting on shows, puppets and a puppet stage if the kids are feeling too shy to go on stage themselves, a make-believe police station, bank, radio station, and even a tiny basketball area where the kids can choose to play in wheelchairs. Also, for the really small ones, they also have a play area exclusively for them. For admission, ages 1-3 pay only $4, but everyone older pays $5.50, even the parents. Personally, I would recommend this place more for the younger set, like age 12 and below. If you are hungry, there is a restaurant next door, and a few across the street. Just a heads up to eat before or after attending this museum, because they don't sell food here. If you are planning a birthday party for the little ones, it costs $5.50 per child (ages 4-12) and $4 for everyone older. For more information abou renting tables and the party planning in general, I won't go into detail for this review. Check out their website. Anyway, this is a great little place to take the kids. It doesn't get crazy noisy or crowded like at Chuck-e-Cheese or Ollie Koalas. My son really liked his visits here. We've only been a few times, but he's always loved the ball pit. read more

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We loved this place our first visit thst we booked our bday party here for next month!

Ok, so I read the other reviews after I went to the museum just to see if it was me being picky or hard on the place because it is a children's place and I am grateful for places where children can run around and learn as well. The concept of this children's museum is spot on however, the place is wayyyyyy too small for all they want to display. Each station was so close to the other that I felt like I was on top of the next person. I love the mock grocery store, that was a favorite it seems for the children. Some of the other hands-on stations they have in this children's museum are; a veterinarian clinic, puppet show, dress up stage, a wheel chaired basketball "court", post office, police and firefighter section, a toddler section (for 3 and under only) and slides. After mentioning all of these areas you would think this place was huge! But it's not. :-( When my granddaughter and I got there a school was on a field trip and kids were everywhere! I almost turned around but I was committed at this point. Lol. So I took her to the toddler section first because only two people were in there with their children so it was less chaotic and crazy. Thankfully, it was lunch time when we got there so the field trip was over 10 minutes after we walked in. After the school children left, we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Like most reviews said, the place was fairly clean especially for a small place like this and especially having so many children in there at once. They must clean the place every chance they get. I will keep looking for other activities to do with my granddaughter who is visiting just until the end of March. I won't say this place is "one n' done" as long as there are no field trips that day. Im sure if my granddaughter were to review the place, she would give it a 5-Star so I took into consideration how much fun she had and she loved it! read more

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If you're thinking this is anything like the children's exhibits art MOCA or MOSH you'll be disappointed. This is an activity center for preschool and kindergarteners only. In fact, it's set up with different centers in much of the same way. I brought 4 children today, ages 6 to 13. 1 out of 4 enjoyed themselves (25% entertainment for $25). The parents and adults here, although charged admission, have nothing at all to do but follow their kids around and look miserable. There isn't any place for grownups to test our take a break either. No snacks or drinks except for 1 soda machine. The centers are quite dirty, dusty, and rundown. I think nothing's been changed or replaced here in over a decade. I can't see how they are still in business. I wish I would have taken the kids literally anywhere else. read more

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This place is rad. I was shocked to read some of the negative comments. It's really well kept and run by some nice folks. The cost is inexpensive and there are many choices for all ages. I would say 6 months to 7/8 would have fun. read more

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Visited the Hands on Childrens Museum for the first time today. The overall concept is great and my daughter loved it. The place could use an update. It felt very run down and droopy. It was relatively clean despite others reviews, however; I was there during the middle of the day with schools in session. The front desk employee was less than enthusiastic to be there and not terribly friendly. I get it. It definitely wouldn't be the job for me. This employee should find something that she is excited about or fake it till she makes it. And last, but not least, I don't agree with parents being charged an admission. I understand that they're trying to make a profit but this is a kids establishment. read more

My 3.5 year old loved this place! The items weren't brand new and I don't know how often they wash props/costumes or disinfect toys BUT, it looked clean and after playing barefoot for 2 hours the soles of my daughter's feet were still clean!! It has scenarios for every kind of child and endless hours of fun. My daughter loved the train tracks and the post office. read more

I'm torn about this place. It's fairly dated but my 2yr old doesn't care about that. My mother, who was with us, said, "this is a museum?" There are sections for a veterinarian's office, ship (with a slide), train & train track (with some pieces broken and part of the track not lining up), an emergency vehicle section, bank, grocery store, puppet show & theater, young kid's section, wheelchair basketball, a space section, and a play area with a ball pit & slide. (Hopefully I'm not missing anything.) My negatives are that the floor was really, really dirty. My daughter took off her shoes to go in the ball pit and then through the playground and down the slide and they were really dirty. So we're the feet of a little girl walking around barefoot. The space area is past the bathroom and you can completely miss it if you don't look for it or see the sign that's really high up. The girls bathroom doesn't have a changing table for littles. They do have a separate bathroom with one but the signage for it is really poor. It points to the left and says, "changing table in children's first area," or something to that affect. However there is no way of knowing where that area is and there isn't good signage once you get to that area. It also had kind of a smell to it. That's probably because everything is pretty old. Oh, and the costumes for the theater that I saw some other children wearing were all ripped up. This place definitely needs some TLC. Luckily it's really cheap. read more

This place is old and dirty. It even smells dirty. The carpet probably has never been cleaned. It needs a major renovation. I was so nervous for my children to touch anything in there in fear of getting sick. We definitely won't be back here. Very disappointing read more

This place is great..in theory. Multiple play stations. Great for kids eight and under. They really do have fun using their imagination and creativity. The only reasons I have to really not come here again is the following: Very dusty and dirty. Obviously not cleaned on a daily basis. The smell of human musk and urine can be too much. Obviously no ventilation system of some sort. Recycled old air. The other thing is that there are big roaches there. From what I saw, no food is served on the premises. I grabbed my child after I stomped one out in the play room. Absolutely disgusting. I will say that the bathroom was surprisingly clean and adequate. Pricey for one parent and child to go. For what it is, I would say it was a bit pricey. Again, great in theory, but better air quality is a must. And cleaning needs to be a priority and so is pest control. read more

We were in town visiting a friend and she suggested we stop in to let the kids play for a couple hours. We have a ton of these small children's play places in Chicago so my kids are know the drill. I'll say that compared to other ones we've been to, this one is a little more cluttered and chaotic than others but all together, a fun place to let the kids free. I think it could use a good cleaning but it's by no means dirty. Some of the places we go to are shoe free and socks only and that might do wonders at keeping this place feeling cleaner. Having everyone go through the gift shop sucks but I get it. You gotta make a buck. I'd probably take my kids back to play when we're in town again. read more

It's impressive how they have so much in there and so many things to do for all ages. All 3 of my kids had a blast and it was only $20 (didn't have to pay for my 2yr old) and could stay until they closed which was 5pm. The only 2 issues I had were some of the bigger kids were running around and not watching out for the little ones, and it was very easy to loose track of your kids. At one point I couldn't find my 6 yr old son and ended up shouting his name and thankfully he came to me. He was in the firefighter section I forgot about... I'm telling ya, there's all kinds of little rooms/sections in there. I would recommend a way to make sure kids leave with their parents by having some kind of bands or something. Anyone could come in and just take a kid. Luckily everyone there were kind and my kids easily made friends. They can't wait to go back and other kids asked us to come back as well lol read more

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"Hands On" is wonderful. The place is clean. The staff is friendly. My 4 yoa granddaughter had a great time. We were able to leave to eat and then come back. read more

I went in expecting it to be on the science-y side, but it ended up being more like a museum of real life.  There was a grocery store, bank, veterinarian, cafe, theater, etc. I'm not really sure where the "museum" part comes in... maybe because it has been there for 17 years? Lol Everything was a little old and beat up, and it was hot and some stuff was stinky, but you know who doesn't care about any of that? A two-year-old. So I just took a step back and let him go crazy and play with everything. We've got to kick that immune system into high gear for our impending date with preschool anyway! It's definitely worth checking out if you live in Jacksonville. We were there a couple hours and K didn't want to leave! I think it's odd that parents have to pay $5.50 to sit and watch their kid, so essentially that made it a $9.50 visit. But overall worth the trip since I had a tired baby afterwards! Just stay away from that pirate ship area...So Stinky! read more

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I was not impressed with this place at all. It has a run down feel and doesn't seem to be very clean at all. We took our 22 month old there and went into the "3 and under" area where there was a group of kids probably between 10-12 years old jumping and climbing all over everything and throwing all of the balls out of the ball pit. Not a parent or employee in sight watching them tear apart the toddler area. I will not be back. read more

Calling this place a museum is a stretch. I have been to the children's museum in San Diego and Philly and this one does not compare. It's small and on one floor. Inside is messy and dirty. The kids supermarket has the boxes of pretend food thrown all over the floor. In Philly they also have pretend supermarket and an attendant stands in there and keeps it neat and orderly. How can kids enjoy it if everything is grown on floor in a mess. One of the exhibits is wheelchair basketball. I do not understand how this belongs in a kids museum. The dress up star area has all costumes thrown on floor in a mess. The staff needs to be active on the floor. Cleaning up constantly after the children. This place is so messy and dirty. I would not recommend. The 5 star reviews shock me. These people must no travel a lot and have not seen other children's museums. read more

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Everything inside is very worn and dated. The ceiling was leaking and when I told them about it (the staff didn't seem to notice water was actively dripping on the floor), they acted like they were used to it. It was dirty, ugh. Can't say we'll be back. Ever. read more