Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore is less than an hour drive from Washington, D.C. The museum features three floors of hands-on, interactive exhibits that encourage children to use their imaginations, ask questions, and explore how things work as they learn through play. Children learn to play together, experience real-world exhibits and situations and learn skills that help them in school and life. Everything in the museum is meant to be touched, played with and experimented with by kids of all ages. Age-appropriate activities are available for kids just a few months old to the age of 10 years old.
We were recently invited to visit the museum and we decided to make a play date out of it with my friend Cheryl and her family. Our kids ranged in age from five to nine. There were plenty of rooms to keep everyone happy and happy at the same time.
There are nine permanent exhibits including:
Royal Farms Convenience Store and Filler Up Station
Learn how to make healthy choices in a convenient world in this mini interactive convenience store! Pretend you are the customer or employee and stock and scan various foods. Check the items in your cart against the food pyramid to see how many healthy food items you selected. Be sure to fill the Royal Farms VW Beetle with gas and check its tire pressure before you leave!
Wonders of Water
Parent Tip: Take a full change of clothing including socks for the little ones and a plastic bag to tote wet clothes home. The museum provides an assortment of waterproof Crocs to borrow while inside the exhibit, but the kids can get absolutely soaked here. This seems to be a fave among the exhibits for kids of all ages, including the parents. Make a splash in this new wet and wonderful area of Port Discovery! WOW!, helps children understand human interactions with water in fun, exciting and interactive ways. Featuring: Earth Today (a real-time atmospheric display created by Animated Earth LLC featuring global data from NASA, NOAA and USGS), Water Chimes, Build a Fountain, Plumbers Park, Stream Table, Bubble Hoop and more!
KidWorks
Parent Tip: Children and adults should wear sneakers for this exhibit for your safety and comfort. Climb, crawl, jump, and slide through our three-story urban treehouse, KidWorks. Dare to cross a narrow rope bridge and who knows what you’ll find on the other side!
Tot Trails
While exploring some very unique landmarks and landscapes of Maryland, children and their caregivers will engage in hands-on exploration in a space that sparks imagination and inspires curiosity. Children will delight in the joy of reading and singing, while building language skills as they engage in our Mother Goose on the Loose story times and Jingle Jangle Music Time with the Museum educators. Infants will develop their gross motor skills and balance coordination as they can crawl, roll, and wiggle through cushioned, mirrored “tidal pools” and “dune walk.” Young toddlers will test their problem-solving skills as they maneuver their way through the Mountain Trail and Paw Paw Tunnel, while exercising their imaginations by digging for fossils and playing with puppets.
The Oasis
Take a break in The Oasis, a quiet room where families can lounge on pillows and read a book together, play a game or solve a puzzle. During the week, Circle Times begin at 11:30 am, with singing and storytelling for our youngest visitors. Visiting on a weekend? Check the “Cool Things To Do” list posted inside the Museum on the day of your visit for special Circle Time events. The activities in this exhibit are appropriate for children six-years-old or younger.
Tiny’s Diner
In this realistic 50’s style diner, kids can “cook” and serve food to their parents while using their math skills to ring up orders at the cash register. Recommended for ages 2 and up.
Kick It Up!
Get fit and healthy in the soccer and games stadium complete with electronic scoreboard and goals. Designed as an indoor soccer stadium, Kick It Up! is a unique exhibit that offers hands-on programs to get children’s arms and legs moving and hearts pumping.
When children are not engaging in a friendly game of soccer, the field transforms into an interactive, ExerKid games arena where they can surf, snowboard, and skate through challenging courses on balance boards, ride bikes, compete in an “i-Dance off”, and play challenging games against the electronic T-Wall.
Healthy messaging through visually compelling electronic signage in the exhibit provides helpful tips and facts on health and nutrition during play.
Adventure Expeditions
Travel back to 1920’s Egypt for the adventure of a lifetime! Part physical adventure and part mental obstacle course, in this exhibit, you must decipher hieroglyphics and find clues that will lead you to a pharaoh’s lost tomb!
Recommended for ages 7 and up.
BGE StudioWorkshop
Everyone is an artist! BGE Studio Workshop is the space to express the artist in you! Programs change three times each year. Recommended for ages 2 and up.
There are also two temporary exhibits, click here to see what exhibits are current.
You can even plan your child’s birthday party here. Celebrate your child’s birthday with an easy-to-plan party at the best place for fun, imagination and learning in Baltimore! Enjoy non-stop fun and play in our hands-on exhibits and drop-in programs, kid-approved activities hosted by our talented Party Pals, and a stress-free day for the adults thanks to friendly staff who help with setup and cleanup! To find the right fit for your birthday child, choose from several party package options and themes. Party packages start at $325.
All Parties Include:
A private party area and a dedicated Party Pal to help stir up the fun! All day admission for guests plus complimentary return passes for children, Complimentary parking for the party host plus discounted parking for guests. A t-shirt, balloon bouquet and certificate for the birthday child.
For more information and to plan your visit to Port Discovery, visit them at www.portdiscovery.org.
{Thank-you to Port Discovery for hosting our visit!}
Leave a Reply