YOU HAVE TO GO!
My oldest loved science and my husband wanted to see a movie in Imax. He thought we could just show up at the Franklin and watch IMAX and not tour the museum. Technically you can, but seriously with a kid who loves science that isn't going to happen!!!! So we made it a day trip that turned into a membership.
We went three shows, IMAX and the 3D, plus the planetarium! The IMAX and the 3D show are extra and the planetarium is FREE!!! They all were fabulous and the girls loved them. We only were able to get around 1/2 the museum because we integrated them in which was fine because now we decided to upgrade to a membership.
What were my favorites? The heart of course! It was magical to see my girls venture through something I had as a kid. They thought it was amazing!
You were also able to make your own paper and the girls thought that was a great experiment. It was something they could make and take. The final result, the paper would be revealed at home so they loved it! They were able to draw on it and make something with their experiment!
They also have a room of locomotives. My girls don't LOVE trains, but they sure loved investigating how they worked!
Please go to their full site to learn more about the other exhibits. We were there all day and didn't get through it all. Kids and adults and all interest levels would love this museum. You can touch almost everything, there are activities for the kinesthetic learner, and you can take a break by watching a movie packed with interesting information. Their gift shop is packed with science gadgets, experiments and cool t-shirts.
Tips or tricks I will remember for next time... Pack snacks and drinks in your bag. They do have a small snack bar, but as you can imagine things are way overpriced. There aren't too many restaurants around the museum either. It is COLD inside so bring a sweatshirt. I am not kidding we were freezing. There is a garage for parking however we did find street parking. Check events that are happening around Philly or call in advance just in case the museum might be packed that day or weekend you are planning to go. You can purchase your tickets in advance but the museum was quiet the day we went. If you do get tickets you have 7 days to decide if you want to put your ticket purchase towards a membership. Please see the membership information on their page to get more information and details.
This is a great day trip. We can't wait to go back!!!
