I'm only giving this place 2 starts because getting a refund before I left was easy. Like a few other recent reviews, I went with my daughter to see Daniel Tiger. Waited a half hour outside just to buy the tickets. When I was finally inside the doors, still waiting, a guy dressed as a zombie (for what I assume was part of their monster exhibit?) starts walking by all the kids. The poor kids in front of me started screaming and sobbing and running away because they were so scared. The demographic of kids who watch Daniel Tiger I would think is very different than the demographic of kids who think zombies are interesting. Who thought that was a good idea? Everyone was tired and grumpy and then you have a guy who looks dead with blood dripping down his face walk by everyone? That was very poor planning. Anyway, once we got the tickets we waited in line for Daniel Tiger. The line went right past the entrance to the one side of the museum so everyone had to keep shoving past me and my daughter to get in and out of the room. We waited there for probably 20-30 minutes. They started handing out numbered tickets at a point and stopped at the woman right in front of me. Once she was done handing out the tickets a man came up to her and said "We have a problem." They walked away whispering and more and more staff joined them, whispering a huddle in front of all of us. We finally moved forward a little in the line and waited a few more minutes. Finally one of the staff members came by us and asked where the tickets ended. When the lady in front of me said she got the last one, the staff member looked at me and said "I'm sorry but you and everyone behind you isn't going to get to see him." That was at just past 11:30 and he left at 1. It took everything in me not to yell at her. This should have been thought out a little more. Why not pre-sell a certain amount of tickets in advance so no one has to wait in line? I understand that this was probably an isolated incident, but this place was chaotic and expensive and I'm not sure if I would go back. read more

Great hands on museum for kids ages 1-8, or even big kids like Mommys and daddy's. However, currently one of the exhibits is closed and it's a third of services rendered. They should give a discount but they don't. $8 a person is reasonable for all day fun! read more

Our daughter that is 14 months loves coming here. Artville is a great area for her to run around and play in the different areas. We have gone during the week in the am and about 2:30. Both times weren't super busy and felt she had a safe fun place to explore. read more

Such a great place for kids who love to use a creative outlet. Every room is filled with different creative learning activities. My two year old absolutely loved every minute of it. Totally worth the $8 per ticket! read more

The toddler area is great for the little ones. I simply have an issue in paying $8 for my 1 year old, and $8 for myself to only visit that one area for an hour (which is all he can tolerate before a nap is in order) . He is obviously too small to do anything in the main part of the museum so separating the two (cost-wise) would improve my rating. I just can't justify $16 for one hour of baby play that is probably just as stimulating across the street at the public library. That's where I'll be going next time. read more

Great place for children aged 2-10, plenty of activities for children to create little art projects. read more

My girls (ages 4, and 8) really enjoy coming here. They've chosen the I.D.E.A Museum over the the larger children's museum in Phoenix a few times. We typically spend around 2-2.5 hours wondering around. It's a low key museum without a lot of frills, but they have bunch of hand on activities and art stations. Not much to eat in the area but they do have a lounge area to eat in if you want to bring your own snacks. I also love that they feature local artists in theme to the exhibits :) read more

This was our second time here. Our son is 1&1/2 and we have taken our niece and nephew 5&7. All three of them had a great time, there is a great variety of activities for each age group and other general exhibits for all ages. Compared to some other museums in the valley their prices are great and they have multiple trip packs and annual memberships. Great family activity!!! read more

I had them help host my daughters party and spent a grip renting out a back room for 90 minutes while the facilitator did nothing to help me, and rushed us out so quickly that our party goers actually ended up having to leave and hoard out into the parking lot. This place is fun, but don't let them host your parties. They are unorganized, and unprofessional. I emailed the woman Chelsea Marsh (who has yet to email me a response) who helped me book, and she gave us a tour of the facility, and we had gone with it on our minds that we were going to cancel. We were reassured that everything would be taken care of, because of the lack of assistance my boyfriend and I really didn't get to spend too much time with our child on her birthday. Instead we spent 90 minutes frantically running around trying to gather people up and push everyone into the back room because we were rushed out of there so quickly. For $250 I should have been able to rent out the whole of artville, instead you pay $250 for a pushy 90 minutes and they force your party into the parking lot with all of your food, gifts, etc. Needless to say my experience with the idea museum was far below the expectation I was presented when I was given the tour PRIOR to my daughters party, I was also reassured countless times that they would take care of everything, and they did not. read more

Excellent place for kids to explore and learn , even for a one year old !!! Defiantly will be back !!

We visited the location; 150 West Pepper Place, Mesa, AZ 85201 (480) 644-4332 and spoke to 3 ladies at the front desk on this past Sunday at around noon. I am sorry I did not get their names. I have a family of 6 and we were told upon purchase of this Groupon we could add additional family members to the membership for $20 each. The details for the "Primary Membership" which is what I purchased are clearly stated on their website: (Primary Membership) $85 Includes FREE admission to the museum for 4 members of an immediate family plus membership benefits. "$20 for one additional member" When we reached the museum we were told we could only add additional members if we signed up for another separate $70 Basic Membership. We would rather just have the funds back than go to that museum ever again. It was my daughter's Birthday present and if it weren't for an honest and reputable museum nearby it would have ruined the day. read more

The idea museum was amazing! All my grandkids had the best time. They are all under 4 yrs old so the area they have for them was very entertaining and kept their attention. Which is hard to do at times. Lol.. they have a theatre, kitchen, place to read books, an area with soft blocks to build with, arts and crafts, science projects, etc... read more

Great museum with lots of galleries to view. Although our youngest child is 17, we all enjoyed the racing car sculpture with hundreds of cars moving around the course. Any child (and adult) will enjoy this. Lots of permanent and rotating galleries to choose from. Parking is the only negative here. We went on a Sunday and it was near impossible to find a spot. read more

The i.d.e.a. Museum is great for children because besides looking at and appreciating awesome artwork, kids get to create their own masterpieces as well as play, learn, and be engaged throughout the entire museum! I found out that that the main exhibit gets changed out into something new throughout the year, and I think that keeps this place interesting. It's also pretty nice they have a separate 4 and under area for the toddlers to get some early learning experiences. It looks like the staff really enjoy their jobs, too. I can totally see why, and I'm envious! Very pleased with this museum and the work that's been put into it. Keep. It. UP! read more

Very disappointed :(. Went here with my son and a friend with her two boys looking for a fun morning. We got there right when it opened and there was two bus loads of children filing into this tiny museum. Our toddlers were getting trampled on the whole time and there was barely any room for them enjoy any exhibit. I expressed my concern with staff and all they said was so sorry, this is a large group isn't it? She said she thought there was something online when they had big groups coming but was sure. I checked online when we got home and could not find anything. I would have rather been turned away then stayed and wasted our time and money. I think if you are going to have a group that large the museum should not be open to the public or it should be clearly posted on the website that this is not a good day to come. read more

Took my son here. He's three. Definitely geared towards older kids or small babies. Won't go back again until he is older.

It just only deserves two stars plain and simple even though they try. I have 6 kids between the ages of 11 and 3 months. We go to a lot of kids based museums and this was a big disappointment for the price. They are more interested in looking like a kids museum than actually being one. The toddler space is sparse and outdated with extremely limited options (for example if your going to have a grocery store or market at least have a cash register etc. not enough blocks to really build something, or Levi's or magneblocks, only five instruments in the music area, ). They have a beautiful large art area but it is very poorly stocked. At the easel there were only 4 colors of markers to choose from. And of all the tables out there the supplies were limited to paper and cardboard and stickers. Staff are nice but the overall feeling is very unwelcoming as they pick up your stuff immediately, and in some cases, as you are playing. Generally I felt like we were an inconvenience to them. Has the potential to be great but falls sooooo short. Even two stars is generous considering the number of other great resources this area has to offer. read more

We were told on the phone this would be good for older kids aged 8-11. This really isn't. It's for younger kids . It was dirty. My kids ran out of things to do after an hour. We paid $36. Since we did stay we didn't feel like we could ask for a refund. read more

I was in town for a family funeral in August and was spending time with my family. My sister, who was 8 months pregnant, and huge in front, came in hoping to use her expired groupon credit (she paid $28) to get two day passes ($16 value). The Groupon deal was for a 10-visit pass and in order for her to use her credit, she was asked to pay another $28 (or thereabouts) to buy that 10-visit pass. My sister didn't agree with this (and doesn't live near the museum anymore so couldn't take advantage of a 10-visit pass) and was hoping they would be more flexible, so she looked at the fine print on the groupon and asked the clerk Christina (sp?) to interpret it in her favor. Maybe, or probably?, it's one of those things that the vendor has some discretion about, but other vendors certainly are much cooler about those things(more flexible about the product the credit can be used toward). My sister tried to convince the clerk, but no go. She asked to speak to a manager/supervisor, but was told none were on-site--were out of town--and could not be reached. She could call them in a couple days to lodge her complaint. My sister reluctantly paid the extra money to buy the pass (I sort've talked her into it and now I feel bad that I did, in hindsight) and so she could spend time with the rest of us, who were already inside. No yelling happened, or threat to body or anything, but probably some annoyed voice-raising? I was sort've nearby but not right next to her, and not paying a lot of attention, but certainly didn't hear anything too loud. And my sister is only 5 feet tall...she'll admit that she did, however, threaten...to yelp it or use other social media! The horror, right? Well, so it's done, right? But no! About a half hour or so later, another worker finds us and asks to talk to my sister. They pull her out of the Mad Hatter exhibit. There's a security guard with this other worker. They ask her and her toddler to leave and offer a refund or a free pass for the future. My sister's side was not asked for. Just asked to leave. Yup. It happened. So we all left, of course, because that was a big downer. There was maybe an hour left before the museum closed, anyhow. What kind of business does that sort of thing? Get their way (got more money from her in order to buy a pass she didn't really want), then let a mom and her 3 year old into a children's play museum to play for a little bit, then escort them out like criminals...? No one else's enjoyment of the museum or pursuit of knowledge was infringed upon, and money had already exchanged hands, and they were admitted into the museum. No supervisor on site to discuss the matter at the time of the disagreement, but apparently a supervisor or two (Darlene and Vicky) can be called who can then authorize that a guard be called in to handle this matter. Apparently on weekends, there isn't a guard (Robert) there the whole time...they have to move among several sites...so he wasn't there to witness anything either, and he would not have been there to assist should there really have been a real emergency or situation that could have harmed staff or visitors. But he could be called in to escort someone out after the situation was settled and over. "Altercation" was the word used, but they are using a different dictionary than most of us if that's their interpretation of "altercation." So the second baby has been born. My sister's got a lot of other things on her mind now and may not be writing her review anytime soon. I'm writing this Yelp review to let y'all know that they are messed up there. And at a children's museum dedicated to children and innovation? In this case, the word and ego of this clerk, who felt "threatened" by a dissatisfied customer who raised her voice and might yelp afterwards (I can only venture to guess this clerk may have the power of nepotism paired with inexperience or a very delicate constitution ill-suited for retail work...I can only shake my head) was chosen over the customer/client/family's experience and right to complain. I can't say race played a role, but when you are a POC (as we are), and in Mesa, Arizona, there's always that question..."would this have been handled differently if my sister were a man, and white?" I don't know, but especially for the other POC's out there, or allies, something to add to the dataset. Of course, this doesn't mean everyone there sucks (I think Rebekah was the one asked to escort us out but she looked uncomfortable about it all, and was as professional about it as she could be given what she was being asked to do), but that the system they have in place there is deeply flawed, and ultimately, disrespectful of the client. read more

I basically paid money to get my 2 year old infected with hand foot and mouth disease. We went there this past weekend. All of the foam blocks, play kitchen stuff, and things that kids love to play with in "Artville" were really dirty, some of them even smelled gross. It was obvious they aren't regularly sanitized, if ever. My wife and I kept joking that we were all going to get a stomach bug just by being there, and sure enough today our daughter was diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease. There is no doubt that she got it at the IDEA museum, she hasn't been around any other kids that have had it. This place is even more of a germ factory than a daycare, at least daycares have regulations they have to follow to keep their toys clean. We never should have come here, and never will go back. read more

I truly love this museum! It is great for kids of all ages, and even I enjoy the exhibits and projects. They rotate their exhibits frequently, so there is always something new. The price is affordable and memberships are definitely worth it, especially for Mesa area residents. There are a lot of events for members, so there are a lot of perks. It is a great place to beat the heat in the summer! My tip is to avoid the first Sunday of the month, it is free on that day so it is insanely crowded. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because they do not have summer camps or any sort of camp for older kids or teens. Their camps are affordable, but there is nothing for kids over 9 years, which stinks for older kids who enjoy art or STEM activities. Its literally the one area they are lacking. Otherwise it is a lot of fun for everyone. read more

In my opinion the price is too high for what this place offers. 1 adult should be free per child or some sort of price differential instead of $8 per person which adds up pretty quick.. I honestly wouldn't mind the price if they had more quality crafts or "exhibits." The crafts we found there were squares of recycled cardboard with cut up dish sponges and only a variety of 4 colors in markers. In another room we found one bottle of blue paint that barely had a few drops left, a quarter of a few building sets, and a broken Lego set.. The Artville room which I honestly really liked at first, my kids (2 and 4) got hurt from other much bigger kids who kept building their blocks too tall and letting them crash down on other kids with the help from their parents.. If they make the artville room into a space for just 5 and under and the price drops a little then I might come back just for that but until then honestly you can find most the stuff they have there at a library for free. read more

Absolutely, positively AVOID special events here. They advertised Daniel Tiger being here 9am-1pm all over the news. We got there at 1045am and waited an hour, only to have the manager come out and tell everyone in our portion of the line that we would not make it through to even see Daniel Tiger. She said he had to leave right at 1pm. Huh? When we told her that was more than an hour away, and explained we had already waited an hour, she just said "sorry." The place isn't even that big, and they clearly could've just had him walk through and wave to everyone. Super disorganized, devastated kids everywhere, and a waste of a day. Never again. read more

Super fun Super clean Super friend people place! We live in far North Valley but the hour drive is totally worth it for this place! My 3 year old loves this place and I can't say enough great things about it. read more

For $8 per person I was expecting a lot more. For $11 per person we can go to the children's musuem in phx. They have 3 floors of activities including stuff to do outside and an actual lunch room and not lame vending machines. Over priced for what you get. read more

I am giving this museum 2 stars instead of 1 only because they did refund my money when I asked for it. My husband and I took our grandson for the start of the Solar system exhibit and we were totally underwhelmed by it. The virtual headsets were hard to use or malfunctioning and there were no instructions on how to use them. No one on staff was much help either. Another mom was the one who figured out how to use it and helped us. The other exhibits certainly didn't keep our interest, let alone a six year olds. There was one large exhibit of 2 spheres but there was nothing distinguishable on them. Most of the areas seem to be for making crafts out of cardboard and cotton balls. I was getting more aggravated by the minute, but the final straw was when I realized we would have to pay for socks for an area that looked like a place in Chandler that is for younger children that is much better and much cheaper. $27 for this experience was ridiculous, so I asked for a refund, which they gave, and we took that money and went to the Natural History Museum for the same price. read more

Love the price, and stuff inside. My son is 2 and adores this museum! We have a season pass.

I'll give this place 2 stars simply for the fact my son did find a few exhibits that struck his interest. He liked glow-in-the dark camping room and also enjoyed the stations where he could build things. I was not impressed with the cleanliness of the facility or the layout. I'm not sure how they can actually call this place a museum. Many of the activities were simply arts and crafts with supplies strewn out all over the floor. I understand this has to be hard to keep up with and in all fairness I did see a few staff later in the afternoon attempt to straighten up the areas. Parents beware: bring socks if you come here!!! I was not a fan of having to fork over $2 to buy some socks for myself to enter the Artville area in order to supervise my son for the whopping 10 minutes we were in there. The employee who was monitoring the Artville area was very rude in the way she handled the "socks" issue. She would not let me stay right outside of the gate to watch my son because evidently kids have to be within arms reach of a parent in that area. I had to buy socks otherwise my kid could not go in the area. Additionally, she scolded my son and a few kids he was hanging out with for...appearing bigger/older than the other kids (I guess???-he is tall for a 5 year old) I know the staff there tries to watch out for the younger kids in the Artville area but I had not witnessed any wrongdoing on the part of the kids. I simply think she was just on a power trip, grandstanding in front of the other parents. If you are looking for a well-organized, clean and educational place to take your kids I would recommend the Halle Heart Children's Museum or the Tempe History Museum instead. read more

I am a mother of two girls and a teacher, and I cannot recommend this place. I noticed in the past that they had a lot of try-on costumes and clothes; my kids don't do this in shared places because we have gone through lice twice and this is very risky, but in the past, it was a small enough part of the museum that we could skip it. However, we just went during the Once Upon a Time exhibit, themed around the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, and there were hats and dress up clothes everywhere; it was really the main thing to do once you got through the first big art project room, and it was very hard to get away from it. Clothes and large cloth and felt hats were strewn all over and were part of several of the activity stations, and kids were happily putting on and taking off hat after hat. Again, my own kids knew better, but I really feel that a "museum" should have better health/public welfare practices. There really is not that much to do at this museum, and I agree with the parent who said that the toddler play room is not clean, either. I would say save your $8 per person. My kids had no problem skipping the hats and clothes, but most kids would be disappointed to do so. Sometimes kids are exposed to lice accidentally, but this seems like asking for it. Imaginative play is great, but the experience of having lice is awful, and it IS an issue in Arizona. I would just expect the management at this children's museum to keep the best interest of kids in mind, and I don't see how hat sharing does that. read more