Yesterday we visited The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia and it was so much fun! If you have been to Port Discovery in Baltimore, the Please Touch Museum is quite similar, though much larger/spread out, updated and a lot brighter (why is it so dark inside Port Discovery!?).
The museum is two stories, with so many different areas, each dedicated to a different theme. My children LOVED the water room, and, strangely enough, the bus station where they took turns waiting on the bench and driving the SEPTA bus. The market was also a HUGE hit, as well as the Alice in Wonderland exhibit where they were able to “grow” bigger and smaller, have a tea party with the Mad Hatter, paint the roses red, and get lost in a maze of hedges and playing cards!
There was a hospital complete with X Ray and MRI machine (so cute!!!), where the kids could play doctor, a restaurant where they could be servers, gas station, a train room, construction area, little houses; there are really too many areas to mention! You can also ride the carousel for an additional fee.
The staff was SO friendly and easily accessible, with at least one staff member in each area making sure everyone was playing nicely and interacting with the kids. There are plays put on most days (check the schedule) as well as STEAM experiments, story times and craft demos. Every area was very clean. We went on a Saturday, which I would normally avoid, but due to the size of the museum it did not seem overly crowded at all.
I would highly recommend the museum for a fun day trip! Every room we stepped into, my kid’s imaginations were in full swing! It was awesome to watch them fall into different “characters” as we explored the museum. We spent a solid 4 hours there, but definitely could have stayed a lot longer had we not had a family celebration to get to.
Know before you go:
-Stroller friendly
-There are occasional deals on Certifikid, and discounts on the website (reduced prices on Wednesdays, discounts for AAA members, etc)
-You can bring your own food and drink
-There is a clean cafe with lots of reasonably priced choices, ranging from pizza and hot dogs to salads and lobster bisque
-Clean bathroom
-The museum has its own, private parking lot attached to the building, $12 per car, free for members
-Check the calendar before you go! Next month is a spotlight on Daniel Tiger!
–Consider bringing a change of clothes; if you have a human tornado like I do, they may find a way to get soaking wet in spite of the water proof smocks provided.
-You can leave and reenter as long as you keep your receipt
– The museum is only about 7 miles from Geno’s cheese steaks!!!!!
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