We got tickets in advance for the 10:30/11 time slot. Got there a bit later but that wasn't a problem. Easy access with scanning the tickets.
The museum was very busy, but with it being the Wednesday before Thanksgiving it was expected.
My kids are 7 and 9. They enjoyed the downstairs a lot but they enjoyed the upstairs more. The downstairs area is for smaller children I'd say. The upstairs is definitely more for the older kids. It's a lot of fun and you can easily spend the whole day there.
There are plenty of hand sanitizing stations around the museum, there's an elevator, water fill up stations, a nursing station and plenty of bathrooms.
The only thing I wish they would have had was free parking. You can street park and pay or pay for parking in one of the lots. But it wasn't a deal breaker.
I definitely recommend this museum for children.
We did not visit the cafe, gift shop or IMAX.
We love the Marbles kid museum we have gone a few times in the past but seems to have been updated since we visited last. My kids love the water table, moneypalooza, Lego blocks, art, and the fitness section. There were groups of kids there from other schools and some of the sections were very busy but we just went to a different section until it was less packed. We stayed about 4hrs and still could have played more it's always nice to go when the kids have lots of energy.
This museum was really fun and my son enjoyed it. We got there at 1100 and it was packed already. I thought we’d only spend an hour but that quickly turned into three lol. There was so much to do that he was knocked out on the drive back home. He really enjoyed being able to color his own car and have it appear on the big screen. We will definitely come back.
We went on a Monday, there was a decent amount of people there. So I would recommend going on a Monday. There are a lot of exhibits here. My 8 month old enjoyed the baby area, there were a lot of soft obstacles for him to climb on. He also liked the toddler area, he could crawl around and there were some stuffed animals and some things for him to crawl on. I strolled him around to the other exhibits, he was too little for most of it but he enjoyed watching the other kids and splashing in the water table. The cafe outside was not great. I got a water and my daughter got a smoothie but the staff at the cafe were very friendly and attentive. There weren’t any handicap doors, which made it a little difficult with a stroller. I think we will be back when he’s 2, I think he’ll enjoy it a lot more! I would say if your child is walking until about 7 years old is perfect for this museum.
SO MUCH FUN to be had here!
All of the areas in this city block sized building are set up for hands-on Montessori style learning! Everything from a giant chess set and giant Legos to an exercise/game themed room with loads of fun, educational stuff in between!!!
This was my first time visiting, with my friends' kids, and I think I may have had more fun than they did!
If you're in Raleigh with children of all ages, this is an absolute MUST for a full half day or so!
Must visit place for kids. Right in middle of downtown and many parking options nearby, this is a gem of place. Kids can simulate and play with ambulance, firework, helicopter news, painting, water and many other things. Price around $9 on weekday and $12 weekends. Promotion for bofa customers on price on a particular day. Purchase tickets online as they sometimes have a full board at site.
My son (autistic) LOVED being here! We have to bring him back because he has asked EVERY WEEKEND! I wish it was closer! It would definitely be an every weekend trip if it was!
Spent a delightful 3 hours here with 7 and 4 year olds. We explored nearly all of the exhibits and faced tears when we had to tell the kids it was time to go. Really clean, really fun and creative exhibits. The water table was probably the biggest hit for the 4yr old, followed by the room that lets kids color balloons and cars then projects them moving around on a giant city map. 7 yr old liked the balls in the “economy” exhibit. It was pretty crowded on a Friday but still totally enjoyable. Almost no wait- we got tickets online the evening before.
We love marbles so much! Plenty of choices for kids with different interests. My toddler loves it here, he can pick whatever interests him and move on to the next fun thing whenever he prefers. Very safe environment and thought out designs.
This museum is AMAZING. We live in DC where there are museums galore, but this one is fantastic for kids. You could easily spend an entire day here. My kids are 8, 5, and a baby and they were all very entertained. My only regret is not coming here earlier in the day to have more time.
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