Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Tommy Bartlett Exploratory

    4.4 (30 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Tommy Bartlett Exploratory Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Tommy Bartlett Exploratory

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Tank G.

    This place is awesome, awesome, awesome. It is the cross between a children's museum and a science museum. The staff there is very friendly and helpful, top notch. They have a decent sized parking lot that offers free parking for its patrons. This is great family fun and is good for kids from age 2 to 14 years old. It has 4 exhibit areas full of exhibits (well over 100) like the Van de Graaff Generator that makes your hair stand up, head on a plater, star room, Simon says, how high you can jump, shock chair, whisper cone, virtual sports center game, balance board, teleportation machine, soccer kicking game, moon rover, Russian Mir Space Station, and funny mirrors. There are a lot of exhibits. I mean a lot, a lot. Most of them are located indoors. The Giant Lever, where a kid can lift a 5 ton truck and the High Wire SkyCycle, a bike suspended 12 feet above the ground on a high wire, are located outdoors. There is a moon simulator that is located in the Mir Space station exhibit area. It cost a few bucks extra to do. I would suggest skipping it. I and my littles were fans and did not care much for it. It was a waste of time. The place had a lot of people, but it was not packed, or uncomfortable. And there was not a long wait, if any, for any exhibit. Be aware though, that you you probably see some parents reliving their glory days on some of this kid exhibits. It is what it is. You exit the place through, you guessed it, a gift shop. They have shirts, cups, science based toys, and candy. It is small and there is no pressure to purchase anything. We spent about 2 hours here and my littles really loved this place. It was a nice indoor option for the Dells. We visited on a rainy weekend day and was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful this place was. It was well organized and the staff was the best. The important part was that not only did my littles have fun, but they learned a lot. This place is sneakingly educational and more than worth the price of admission.

    The second section of the museum.
    Daniel C.

    This place was amazing! My family and I had such a fun time! The workers were really nice and there was so much to do! I highly recommend you come try this place out, it's so worth it. That's are things to do from illusions that leave you with knowledge on how it's done, to physical things that will leave you in excitement and aw. If you are staying at the Dells, make sure to check this amazing place out!

    Head on a platter
    Edward B.

    Engaging, timeless fun and learning for us parents and our children ages 5 to 15. We spent about 4 hours there, with experiments to try and challenges to solve at every turn.

    Sherri F.

    We had the best time it took us a couple hours but could of stayed longer but had to get in the road. The girls LOVED come to this place and we will be back. It was priced well and people were so friendly! Thank you

    Mama B.

    It's basically a kid's science museum, and pretty cool if you don't already have one in your area. The exhibits could use some "freshening up" as it kind of smells "old" in there. Still worth the stop, if you have young kids.

    MIR command capsule

    See all

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Robert R.

    Robert R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    One of the best science places i've ever been to. The only bad thing about it is that there is no water fountains.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Robert R.

    Robert R.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Sherri F.
    67
    88
    44

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mama B.
    99
    47
    15

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joe I.
    107
    1230
    224

    13 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C M.
    0
    1
    0

    4 years ago

    Best science museum ever. Went there and everything was amazing. Who know I could lift a 5000 pound car.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    This place was fun! A little outdated! Lots of fun interactive things for the whole family!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Roy C.
    197
    13
    0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Kids 9 and 5 enjoyed all the activities. Everything g is interactive the exhibits are a bit dated. But it was fun.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Tommy Bartlett Exploratory

    Review Highlights - Tommy Bartlett Exploratory

    It's no longer called Robot World and some of the old robots from the 80s are gone.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Museums 100 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    #FYP Totally 80s

    #FYP Totally 80s

    4.8(6 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    Totally 80s! Totally fun! Went there with my son and it was a blast from the past! Lots and lots of…read morecostumes and accessories to choose from. Lots of cool scenarios to take pics! PLUS: they have tripods and selfie sticks you can use. Great location and something different to do when you're in the dells. Make sure you use coupon!

    I am very surprised that I am the first to review this place. It has been open for about a year and…read moreis awesome. It is something that is cool and different for the family to do. You can't miss it. Just look for the colorful cars standing up on end. They have a decent sized parking lot that it shares with the other business in the strip mall that it is in. I was also surprised that I did not have to have a reservation, even though I got there early. There still was not a long line or huge crowd the whole time I was there and we spent about an hour there. They do not even offer reservations either so, I do not know how they handle it if they get slammed packed. You start your journey by getting dressed in 80s gear that they provide. You could also bring your own, but they have a huge selection of pants shirts, shoes, earring headbands, sunglasses, gloves, phones, hats, sweatpants, and chains. They also have makeup for you. They provide changing rooms and lockers to lock up your clothes you wore there. I recommend getting there early to get your full pick of clothing. Once something is worn, it is out of commission for a while until it is cleaned. The staff there is so helpful and friendly they are awesome. They provide you with a tripod, which was perfect because I was able to use my Apple Watch to control my phone's shutter. They have about 20 scenes set up for you to take some photos. Some of the scenes include MTV, a big boom box, Miami Vice car, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Farris Beuler's room, Super Mario Brothers, Hulk Hogan, Back to the Future 2 hoverboard, a rubix cube, bubble gum and you start it all off with the Simpsons, which is located in the area with the clothes. The scenes are very well done. My favorite was probably the MTV, followed closely by Miami Vice and the Rubix Cube. You end your tour by exiting through a huge stack of VHS tapes which comes out in the gift shop and looks like a coke machine on that side. The gift shop has candy, drinks and 80 themed items like shirts, hats, rubix cubes, bags, lite brites and pictures. Once you hit the gift shop, don't forget to go outside and take pictures by the cars though before you turn your clothes back in. When you turn you clothes back in, you put them in a basket for cleaning and you are off. This place was very fun. My littles, who were both born in the 2010's both had a blast. You will definitely get some awesome shots. If you have an Apple Watch and iPhone, it is easy peasy. If not, you will just have to use your camera's timer or bring your own Bluetooth shutter. I highly recommend checking this place out. It puts an 80s spin on the selfie museum fad that is sweeping the country. It is a unique spot and is definitely more than worthy for a prime-time spot on your itinerary.

    Photos
    #FYP Totally 80s
    #FYP Totally 80s
    #FYP Totally 80s - Pontiacs

    See all

    Pontiacs

    The House On the Rock - Area that looks like a bunch of little shops

    The House On the Rock

    3.9(336 reviews)
    38.4 mi

    My cousin really wanted to come here and I didn't even know what it was. We drove here from St…read more Louis to come see this attraction. I came in blind, not knowing what it was. It was super impressed. It literally kept going on and on and on. so many fun interesting things. We stopped and got a hotdog at the cafeteria, which was nice because we were getting a little hungry and thirsty on this long walk. I would recommend bringing dollar bills so you can buy coins and put them into the different coin operated machines that they have. They have a lot of those around the entire facility and it's one of the only interactive options. Obviously everything looked really cool. I think that the only thing that would make it better would be to have a more interactive aspect to some of the parts, but I'm not sure how they would do that and I don't think they're gonna change anything. It's still well worth a visit.

    This place is immense! We walked over 3 miles to see all the collections amazed by former owner…read moreAlex Jordan. It can be overwhelming if you have sensory issues, so keep that in mind. Lots of lights and lots sounds, not to mention the number of things to look at. Plan for walking up and down hills and walkways/stairs. Some areas are too narrow for mobility aids and might be a tight fit if you are plus sized, like I am. That said, it was worth every step to see it all. The automated music machines, infinity room, and the carousels were my favorite parts. I'm sure there's plenty I didn't notice, so I would return to take in more of it. Be prepared for irregular temperatures throughout the experience, as you move between indoors and outdoors and gated locations versus not. There are many restrooms along the way, as well as a cafe halfway through where you can rest and recharge. We didn't stop there, but it smelled great as we walked through. Get your tokens at the front desk to save a little money. You'll need them for the automated music machines. I bought 15, but I could have used 5-10 more. Luckily, you still get to watch and listen when others use their tokens.

    Photos
    The House On the Rock - Whale and kraken

    Whale and kraken

    The House On the Rock - Carousel horses

    Carousel horses

    The House On the Rock - Queen and kings crowns

    See all

    Queen and kings crowns

    Circus World

    Circus World

    4.3(82 reviews)
    9.4 mi

    I came to this place on a family vacation and was pleasantly surprised! While we only had about 2…read morehours before close, we made the most of it. The museum had a lot of history which included posters and pictures with artifacts; My children enjoyed looking at the wagons and black and white panoramic pictures. We came on a weekday so unfortunately we were not able to enjoy the face paintings and pony rides that were offered. We saw the last circus show of the day and it was very good. The acrobatics,jugglers, and father daughter duo unicyclists were so entertaining to my kids. I personally enjoyed the equestrian team and appreciated how they would get the crowd hyped up before a performance. It was raining pretty hard so they had a shuttle from the circus tent back to the building which was much appreciated with three kids and a stroller. There is a gift shop upon leaving with circus themed items and plushies. I do plan to revisit in the near future to enjoy more of the grounds and more interactive experiences. If you plan on coming to Wisconsin Dells make a stop here as well. You won't regret it.

    Circus World is a Wisconsin Historic Site that is a peek in the rich circus history of the town of…read morebaraboo. From a live circus show under the Big Top to museum exhibits explaining the beginnings of Al Ringling Bros and Bailey and Barnum, this place does a great job at pulling you into the world of trained animals, circus freaks and traveling carnies. Great place to bring kids and adults have a blast too!

    Photos
    Circus World
    Circus World
    Circus World - He was like, "mama take a picture of me"

    See all

    He was like, "mama take a picture of me"

    Tommy Bartlett Exploratory - museums - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...