We were gifted a membership for Christmas and after our first visit I realized what a fantastic gem this place is! My one year old really loves the Truckee River water table and the play room with the foam "coal" and treehouse. If you have littles, check it out on Wednesdays where they open an hour early only for kids under 5 - the story time lady is great! read more

The Discovery - Love the water table! - Museums Near Me - Reno, Nevada

What a great place this is. As a senior citizen my friend and I enjoyed a couple of the hands on puzzles. And, it took a few minutes to figure them out....LOL Great interactive puzzles, things to climb, lots to learn. My friends who has lived in Reno for 50+ years had never been here. (South end of town is like another country... they almost never come "downtown.") But now she's set to bring down her great grandchildren. We were there for Yelp's Yelpstronomy ... a food and beverage tasting of local restaurants and vendors. We enjoyed tasting many different drinks, sweets, and some actual food. And while we walked from vendor to vendor, we sampled the "kiddy puzzles" as well. So if you are visiting Reno/Tahoe, and don't know what to do with the kids, bring them on down, this place is terrific. And if you are "new" to downtown, don't be afraid to explore.. we've got great restaurants. Use the Yelp App on your phone to check out locations, menus, directions, and what other people think. Check out our baseball stadium and our bowling stadium... and we even have an ice skating rink during the winter months. Downtown Reno "ain't what it used to be!" read more

We have just returned home from the Members Only preview event at the brand new Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum. Here are my quick pluses and minuses about the museum: +Everything is lovely, clean, modern and fresh. Being there felt like being out of town. +The cloud climber is an educational play area unlike anything I've ever seen. It is one-of-a-kind and every child I saw playing there seemed to really love it. +The water play area had lots of legitimate educational value (it's a giant, 3 dimensional, interactive map Lake Tahoe, the Truckee River and Pyramid Lake) +I witnessed some little boys in the 7-8 year old range pretending to go camping in the Under the Stars exhibit. They had play sleeping bags and gear, taken from a bin near the entrance of the exhibit, all set up inside the cave portion of the exhibit and they were completely overcome with joy. -Some of the computer-type game exhibits were not fully functional, buggy, and some were shut off all together. I'd imagine they will be fixed . . . -One of the galleries listed on the website is not yet open. I don't know if it will be open soon or . . . ? +DaVinci's corner is an art-meets-science lab, of sorts and I could stay in there for hours. There is a really neat glass wall on which kids can paint, lots of tubes blowing air that you can use to make pinwheels fly. Just, fun beyond what can be created at home. -The store is EXTREMELY pricy. There are some things in the feasible-to-purchase range, but the rest is in the "heck no" price range. I could definitely see a child who brought $2 or $3 of his own money being quite disappointed. I hope that the store comes down to earth in their stock selection before too long. In closing, I purchased my membership on a whim, and as time passed I started to worry that my kids (at ages 11 and 9) would be too old and possibly disinterested in the museum. But I can see, now that we've visited, that won't be an issue. I can definitely see myself spending lots of autumn and winter afternoons here in the coming year. The kids totally loved it and cannot wait to go back. My 11 year old boy liked the magnetic wall of re-arrangeable tubes, used to make machines of your own design in DaVinci's worshop. My 9 year old girl liked playing with the electrical circuits and wiring a house on her own, in the "Build It" exhibit. I cannot wait to take my 5 year old nephew for a visit! read more

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You don't have to have children to enjoy this museum. While it is geared for the under 16 demographic, there is plenty here to keep any one entertained. They even have special adult themed activities that really are adult only. One of my favorite galleries is DaVinci's corner. This is a hands-on area combining art and physics complete with helicopter and catapult. Another is the Build It section where you can use a computer graphics program to design an energy efficient house. Word of advice if you do not have kids - do NOT go on a weekend or during school holidays. It is very popular. For an adult for a one time visit, I do not feel the admission of $8 is exorbitant. For a family or frequent visits, an annual pass would be the way to go. It would be one of my top choices for visiting friends and family particularly if they have children. read more

If you have children and you haven't taken them to this fantastic facility, what the heck are you waiting for? Featuring educational & fun activities for kids of nearly every age, Reno is fortunate to have a museum like this. Science & history & fun! My niece & nephew are still young enough for the "little kids" room, but they enjoyed themselves in areas that are really more for the older kids, because everything is designed to be very accessible. As we left on our second visit, my niece said, "I want to do this again." Kidding, I asked, "Right now?" Without a pause the response was, "Yeah! I want to do that." The staff and volunteers do a good job of keeping things safe & fun, and there's so much to do I highly recommend buying an annual pass for the family. If you don't have kids but have friends or family with children, this makes for a great activity to give mom & dad a break and the kids a treat. read more

Nevada does it again. Las Vegas and now Reno. Spend almost entire day here with 2 kids. They loved exploring, learning and playing. If this was nearby I'd definitely get annual pass and come regularly. read more

A lot to see and do here. The Survival of the Slowest exhibit is nicely done, great habitats for the animals, and all were easily visible. Would liked to have seen some live snails on display (giant African land snails or just garden snails). read more

Wish there was a way to give these guys 10 stars. If you are in any way, shape or form considering the Discovery Museum for an event and/or just looking for a fun place to take the family, do it. My family and I have memberships here and love to frequent the museum during the day. There is plenty for my 2yr old to do and there is even a Little Discoveries room designed for 5yrs and under. Tip for parents of littles, bring an extra shirt or change of clothes. The river on the ground floor is so fun, but often ends with a wet kiddo. As for group events, I have now attended three events at the museum; Yelpstronomy, a UNR AOSP Professional Development Training and an overnight Upward Bound high school Senior Retreat. I facilitated the last two. The staff at the Discovery Museum is so great, easygoing and accommodating. I loved working with Kevin, Jessica, Alexa and Nick. They can make anything happen as long as you communicate your wants and needs. We used the Collaboratory classroom for a professional development training day, which included team building science experiments. Fun and innovative way to do team development and training. Most recently we did an overnight sleepover (Saturday-Sunday) for 50 high school seniors! The "Overnight Sleepover" is affordable depending on your group size ($1,000 overnight rental of the museum and $50 per science demo; $250 if each person wants to dissect a cow eye). You get full access to the museum and party rooms equip with refrigerators, ovens, and sinks. We checked in at 5:30PM and had Olive Garden cater a pasta bar in the party rooms for dinner. After dinner we explored the museum for a few hours. Every 20mins or so Kevin would make an announcement calling everyone to the top floor to watch a science demo. ALL of the demos were so fun to watch and learn from. Kevin is the man! He is fun, entertaining and super knowledgeable. It's very obvious he has a science background. Alexa ran our dissection demo. You can tell she is passionate and excited about what she is teaching which made it even more fun for the students. By the end of the evening Kevin could tell how much our students loved music and dancing so he let them have a mini dance party in the star room downstairs. The lights adjust to sound so it was a really cool atmosphere and nice touch to close the evening. As the night wraps up you grab your sleeping bags and can sleep virtually anywhere throughout the museum. I mean, how fun! The ideas that you can do here for events is endless. You can tie anything into science! read more

As a family we had an amazing time here. My younger son was enjoying the hands on projects. I was also educated on the history of Nevada. Home means Nevada. We love it here! read more

Terrific place! We really enjoyed the various stories, games, puzzles, and play structures. The kids really enjoyed the museum and did not want to leave. read more

The discovery museum is a fun place for children to go that is indoors. There is a toddler room called Little discoveries for children who are too small to climb on the big cloud in the center of the building. It seems to fit all ages from two years of age and up. I had to change my review for the five-star to three-star for a few different reasons. As I walked in The staff at the front seemed friendly. After telling them how many children I had they gave me a price that I'm not normally used to. I don't know of the Price increase. It was crazy at the discovery museum today. I feel with $10 entry fee for everyone is unreasonable. Especially for the adults because they normally just sit around and make sure the children are safe. They walk around with their children making sure they are treating the materials appropriately. As I was paying after I found out it was $10 per person. I gave them my payment of $100 bill. They looked at me crazy and asked if I had another source payment and I replied to them now I do not. They then said that they will most likely not be able to break that amount. Even though I brought five people with. I am not sure if the year pass is still $85. If it's $85 then it's worth getting because if you come three times it pays for itself. But I'm not sure if they raise the price on the year membership either. I highly recommend if you are coming to the Discovery Museum to call ahead of time. Find out exactly what the prices are for that day. Also make sure they aren't planning huge field trips. read more

What a great science museum in the heart of the city. We recently went with our 10 year old boy and although he has loved children's museums for as long as he can remember I was a bit worried that he might have aged out of this classic distractor I had used for so long. I was mistaken! This center offers an array of activities that kept his occupied and having fun both with us and other kids. It's nicely laid out and can handle a big crowd without feeling overwhelmed. A must go for any family in the area! read more

This is a must-do if visiting Reno with 2-10 year old kids. It is much like other children's museums although smaller than average. The exhibits are well done and the water area is a hit with all kids. In the middle of the water play area there is a tall climbing area that is well constructed. My non-adventurous 4 yr old didn't make it far up, but I did see children her age and younger making the full climb. There is a nice camping exhibit with caves and different kinds of rock. The gift shop has a variety of unique (albeit pricey) items. There is no refreshment concessions so don't forget snacks and water. Plenty of free parking in lot and the bus stop is right in front. We stayed in a hotel right next to the iconic Reno arch and found the discovery museum to be a nice walk. The price of admission is for all day so we came early, left for lunch, and came back in late afternoon. read more

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I did a day at the museum the first week I moved to Reno last summer. My Uncle accompanied me and we were able to learn about multiple topics, especially regarding the (then) current exhibit of a T-rex named Sue. I did not realize before touring that it is completely child focused. Everything is at lower levels or has steps leading to it for tiny humans. However, once I realized that I may be knocked into by the occasional child or have to give up my spot at a station for someone smaller to enjoy it, I was still able to enjoy the couple of hours we spent there. The exhibits are extremely interactive and thought provoking. If you're looking for a good way to entertain some children for a few hours at not too high of a price, this is the place. On the other hand, if children aren't your thing, the museum does offer plenty of "adult only" events so that big humans may be able to explore and learn on their own. These events typically offer food and adult beverages as well, which is a major bonus in my book. My boyfriend and I attended the Yelpstronomy event last fall. We were able to learn about how gin is made and see some very unique ways to make food form the people at Whispering Vine and Trokay in two separate classes. There were great appetizers/desserts and drinks galore spread throughout the various rooms and levels, and it was a great way for us to learn more about the food available in the area's restaurants. I plan on attending some social science events in the future and will make sure to get on the list for Yelpstronomy as it comes up again next year. read more

Being in REno, it was hard to find things to do especially with the kids and little baby. We found this place and thought it was amazing. It's not soo big, but has a lot of fun hands on activities and full of learning experiences. My teens love this museum. I'll definitely bring my little one back when shes older. read more

While you may perhaps already be familiar with everything that's great about the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, I am sharing this feedback specifically about their new Hybrid & Distance Learning Support program, which we have utilized during their first week into the program. This is a great option especially for working parents when remote education from home (or bringing students into the office!) is simply not an option. Even for those, like me, who have some flexibility to work at home on designated distance learning days - the reality of navigating around kiddos' varying schedules, assignments and online requirements is a logistical nightmare, to put it candidly. Alternatively, after just a couple days of our child being at the Discovery Museum for distance learning, we are seriously considering moving him entirely to WCSD's DL model at the Discovery Museum. Not only is the staff so invested in the kids' learning and overall experience of being 'plugged in' during school hours at the museum, but they are also doing a great job making it fun for them. Yesterday, one of the staff members even troubleshooted an issue my child was having while using a new online platform for his class (given limited login instructions), and was able to totally figure out what would have surely consumed a ton of my own time and patience - if it had been up to me! For anyone considering a long-term alternative to in-person learning, or else in need of a last minute option when WCSD resorts to Distance Learning days, this is a great place to have kids learn. And as a member, the reduced daily rate makes it so worth it. It's been truly enjoyable for our child and he has peers to interact and work around while he does his own tasks. Thank you, Discovery for stepping up and adapting to these uncertain times in order to serve your community in the best way possible! read more

Make sure that you set enough time out in your day! Kids well enjoy coming and learning new things.

This place is great. My 3 yr old had a blast it was very educational and great for hands on learning..

Spending 3 hrs in the museum with the kids.. there are lots of things to see and tons of activity to do. Every time when we come to the place , we never had a bad day. Since the kids always had fun!! read more

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Eveytime my grandsons come visit, I make sure to bring them here! They love it, not to mention, get a lot of energy out! Special thanks to "Chris" , what an amazingly patient and welcoming young man! The 3D was awesome! Susan "Nana" Sparks read more

I've been here twice, the first time was quite a few years ago and the second was last February for a formal event. My favorite part is without a doubt the main area with the model of the truckee river water flow. Great place to bring children. read more

This museum is really cool and my son loves it HOWEVER! We will NOT be buying another annual pass. The past year EVERY TIME besides maybe 3 times that we have gone there are soo many kids on field trips it over runs the place. It's overwhelming to be there with that many kids that aren't properly supervised. There's been countless times we have been shoved and pushed out of the way. My son hasn't been able to experience things because of how many kids and how rude. So if you don't mind 2-3 field trips in a building that's rather small for that. This is your place read more

A membership at the discovery museum is a MUST for families in Reno. We make the most use of it when it is super hot or super cold outside. There is endless entertainment for the kids, there are many rooms to explore, and it accommodates children of many ages. I found the museum particularly useful for entertaining my 20 month daughter during maternity leave with my son. She was able to independently play while I could hold him and relax. I'm looking forward to the same experience when baby #3 comes along. The "Truckee river" downstairs is my favorite to explore with the kids, and I have enjoyed watching my daughter as she starts to explore the cloud. We'll continue our membership here for years to come. read more

This is a fantastic place for kids and adults alike. You can take the kids here a few days in a row and they will still have fresh and interesting experiences each day. There is plenty to see, do, and learn at this hands-on museum in downtown Reno. Kids can learn about Nevada history, paleontology, science, engineering, nanotechnology, physics, hydrology, and the list goes on. When in Reno with kids, skip everything else and head straight here. read more

The Discovery - Museums Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Great place for some educational family fun. The life as a rain drop climbing structure was impressive and entertaining for sure.

My niece and nephew visited during the holiday break and visited the museum. We had so much fun and enjoyed the exhibits. The place kept them. Interested and they enjoyed all the displays and activities. This is a fun place for both young and old. We also enjoyed the gift shop and all the small treasures. read more

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I have been to The Discovery Museum many, many times. As a teacher, I have taken 7 and 8 year olds all the way up to 11 and 12 year olds. There are so many things to do that kids of all ages can really enjoy this museum. In fact, I even find myself really enjoying most of the rooms! Everything is hands on and interactive which is great for the kids and their is a ton of interesting information for the adults! The employees are all very kind, friendly, and helpful. If you plan on going frequently, I would highly recommend getting their season pass holder, it is much cheaper and gets you some good discounts! read more

Interesting place to visit and average cost is $10. Spent about 2 hrs here. Worth visiting if you have some time and want to take the kids somewhere to entertain them. If you are a teacher(locally to Reno) this would be a nice field trip for K-8th graders. read more

The Discovery - Discovery Museum - Museums Near Me - Reno, Nevada

I've been to the museum twice- the first time was for their fundraiser and the second time was for the Big Brothers Big Sisters holiday party with my Little. I had a good time each time- I REALLY enjoyed the mixology lesson at the fundraiser. When I was with my Little we had a good time playing in the earthquake and energy room. I really enjoyed playing with the tubes that make noise. She loved the boats and water play. I've been to other children's museums that were a little more fun, which is why only 4 stars. As an adult I found myself kinda bored after an hour however my Little was very happy and she would probably give this 5 stars. read more

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I absolutely love this place!!! We are members and I try to come as often as I can. This year as a gift to my son we came the day after his 9th birthday and we had a blast but one of the lady's at the front (not the one checking us in) saw my brother carrying a birthday gift for my son and asked if we were having a party. I told her no we are just here as a birthday gift. She said that's fine but you are not at all aloud to say or sing happy birthday unless you rent a room and was snappy and rude...... I was very frustrated that she would say that. I pay for the annual pass and I'm treated like that..... So for that reason they lost a star. read more

The Discovery - Museums Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Great experience, good times every time. Lots to do and discover.. Children and parents alike enjoy climbing the cloud. So much memorable good times read more

Great price and it has so many activities for your child do. Exibuites are easy enough for an older child to read and fun enough for them to do as well. read more

The Discovery - Great activity on a rainy afternoon in Reno. - Museums Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Great place for kids!! There were so many things to entertain our 3 and 6 year olds. The inside out is quite interesting for kids and adults. It's my favorite section. Climbing the cloud also quite enjoyable (even as an adult) read more

What a cool place! The river set up on the below-ground floor just has to be experienced. The small rooms around the edges make it easy to keep track of the little ones, and keeps their focus on one activity at a time. Multiple bus stops -- including the 25 cent Sierra Spirit -- within a block. Note that the "Dining Area" on the facility map does not indicate the presence of a dining establishment! Simply a food-friendly area. Eat before you arrive or bring your own! read more

Where do I begin? The Discovery museum is nothing short of amazing! I do not currently have kids but have spent numerous hours in this museum with the children I previously nannied for-- this place has everything. Even as an adult, I felt I could visit this museum and always find something interesting to do as well as learn something new. They have many different areas for all different types of "discovering". Two of the areas seem to change exhibits occasionally so you always have something new to look forward. The other exhibits don't seem to change but offer excellent learning about the body, mind, history, as well as sensory experiences. On multiple occasions when visiting the museum, we were able to participate in fun craft activities that included painting in windows and creating robots out of all recycled materials. I really can't sing enough praise about the discovery museum and wish I still nannied so I could be a more frequent visitor like I was in the past. I also loved being able to pack lunches to take with us so we could stay as long as we wanted and take a break to eat whenever needed. (Tables for dining are provided near the front lobby where you enter the museum!) As a forewarning, school vacations are an extremely busy time at the museum but provide a perfect environment for the kids to make new friends! read more

Very impressed with the facility. We took a 3 and 6 year old there. Yes it's crowded but that is what you would expect. Great river with locks etc on the main floor along with a climbing tree. Wandered through all the rooms and we were entertained by all the different things. OH, by the way, We're over 50 and were very much entertained here. Take the kids any day. read more

Great fun for kids of all ages. Our son is 19 months and enjoyed this interactive museum. My wife and I highly recommend visiting

Sorry this place is strictly for kids - sticky, wild, screaming, riotous kids. We went early on a Jan winter weekday and it was still overrun. There are a handful of displays with enuf text to dissuade some kids who stick with blinky activity- based displays, like the seismograph where they scream and stomp as hard as possible. However we ran from the place after 30 mins despite $12 admission, after washing our hands maybe half a dozen times. read more

My first visit to the Discovery Museum was as a chaperone for a kindergarten field trip. Believe it or not, I had a great time! There were lots of fun hands on activities throughout the museum. Very interactive, displays and activities to keep kids of all ages busy for hours. The children were so excited and enjoyed their visit immensely. There are several party rooms that are available to reserve for small parties, which we used for the children to eat their lunch. There is a sink in the room, which was very helpful with small kiddos. The staff was very helpful, even helped to roll the bins of lunch boxes on the elevator and outside to our busses. I'd like to go again, maybe even with adults! read more

Always visit this place when we go up north for vacation. We have an annual pass. This location is well kept and update their stuff often enough that it doesn't get boring. My kids favorite part is their arts and crafts. read more