Pacific Science Center
add photosPacific Science Center is heaven for the curious child. With room after room of hands on science exhibits that toddlers to teens can touch, bang, listen, observe and walk right into. You will literally be tearing your child away at the end of your visit. Beyond general admission, you can tack on a visit to the planetarium, IMAX theatre, or Tropical Butterfly House. When the weather is nice, spend time outdoors in the science playground. Toddlers will love splashing at the Waterworks. Budding paleontologist will be in awe of the huge replicas of dinosaurs. While aspiring astronauts can even sit in the cockpit of a space shuttle. Ready set - get exploring.
23 Reviews for Pacific Science Center
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"Science Fun"
We visited the Pacific Science Center with our three year old daughter. The visiting exhibit was all about Fear...most of the exhibits in this area were not really appropriate for her (though my husband I enjoyed them). However, there were many other exhibit areas that were great for her. The toddler play area, which includes a long water table, was a big hit. She loved playing in the music room and driving the car and helicopter. The touch pool was also neat...lots of little sea critters to see and touch.
We were able to get in for free because of our science center membership from our local science center (part of the ASTC Passport program). Free is always good! If you have a science center membership from your area, be sure to check if you can get in free to other science centers...we have saved a lot of money by using our science center membership whenever we travel.
The location is great. Right in the heart of Seattle, at Seattle Center, right near the Space Needle. If you're visiting the city, chances are you'll be near here.
Overall, this science center has a lot to offer and is definitely worth a visit.
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"Educational"
Most of the time the Pacific Science Center is a fun family friendly and educational experience. There have been a few shows, exhibits and special events that I thought were inappropriate for kids. But for the most part, the PSC is a good educational experience for the little ones. It's great that they can experience science hand on experience. Having fun and learning at the same time is a wonderful way to become educated and excited about a subject. Just be sure to check out what exhibits are showing and determine if they are right for your family.
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"Depends on the exhibit maybe..."
We went here with our then one year old daughter and 3 year old son. They loved the toddler play area! Pretend car to drive, soft blocks to move and climb on. They had a cool little "above" ground area with a hiding nook underneath. They had a separate little attached room with computers in it (our kids were too young). The whole area is enclosed with a half wall and has a door. So, you don't have to worry your kid will run off. There is a little water play area just by the toddler area that our boy loved! It was the typical water play... boats and assorted water toys. Still fun! I have heard lots of good reviews for this place and hope to go on a day when there is an exhibit that interests our kids. Overall, great toddler area with a wait and see for the rest. Again, get a coupon to use for admission, try the entertainment book or google it. Things can get so spendy when you have more than one child.
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"good place for kids to explorer"
They have lots of hands on activities even for toddlers such as small pond where small kids can play with water, etc. It's certainly nice when it rains outside. Butterfly garden is another nice place to visit. Kids can see live butterflies up close. They also have iMax theater which is always awesome to see movies. By mid-February, they have Harry Potter exhibition so for those who loves Harry Potter might want to check it out.
1 family found this helpful
"Science Abounds"
The Pacific Science Center may sound like a place for the scientific savy to hang out, but this is the furthest from the truth. When our family went, it felt like a mad rush to get though one building- let along all the different exhibits they have. I would recommend anyone who goes, plan on spending the entire day and hopefully 2 or 3. I am not much in the way of science experiments, but our kids got to blow 6 foot tall bubbles, make a weather program and stand in dinosaur footprints. We played life size chess and made a trip thought the butterfly garden. The list goes on. Make sure to call ahead and check out the schedule of special events. It is a great place to not only spend ONE day, so make sure you get in at least TWO days to see and experience it all.
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"My son loved this place!"
This is a really cute museum to bring kids to, you can do all sorts of fun things. My son loved the bug center, he spent all sorts of time with his face smashed against their terrariums. I loved the robots, butterfly aviary, and room where you can give yourself a fitness or flexibility test, see oversized models of body organs, and play some fun educational games! Definitely a great place to bring kids and not overly pricey!
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"ALL FOR KIDS!"
This is all about the kids....SO MUCH FOR THEM TO DO! BUT, don't be deceived, you will enjoy it too! There are so many fun things to do here, from static electricty displays, controlling robots, building things, doing a weather forecast....so much to do! And for all ages, too! We like to take the kids at least once a year, VERY fun!
My children enjoyed the robotic display the best. There is one where you can manipulate the arms to pick up ball bearings, and they loved that one! They also really enjoyed the gift shop, but be forwarned, it is pricey!
We also really enjoyed the Imax, and the giant chairs display! The other favorite of the children was the shadow wall!!
Even young and small children will have something to enjoy at the PSC!
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"Everchanging and always new fun!"
The Pacific Science Center is an awesome place to take the kids to explore and learn! They are always featuring different exhibits to teach about new exciting topics or whatever happens to be popular in the media at the time. They also have all of the classic exhibits like space and plant life. Last time we went, they even had a Butterfly Garden that you could walk through and have the butterflies land right on your hand. It was awesome!
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"great place for all ages"
Our 5 yr old loved it here, he was able to touch and play with everything that interested him. Which was nice for us since we didn't have to keep telling him no don't touch that or that. We were able to give him educational types of activities on how things work or why things do the things that they do. Many different things to do for all age type activities. there was also food that was right around the corner with many different choices to pick from.
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"Fun! Fun! Fun!"
We have been to the Pacific Science Center many times and never have a complaint. Our five year olds favorite exhibit is the dinosaurs, they are huge and life like. My favorite is the butterfly house, its just amazing the butterflies land on your shoulders or hands its just pretty amazing. I love how they change the exhibits every now and then which helps in the museum not being boring. The restrooms are far and few between, and there is not much as far as food is concerned. But they do have a small concession area upstairs. The museum is interactive and educational but it makes learning fun, so much so that my husband I quite frequently find ourselves interacting with the exhibits as well. This is a must do in Seattle.
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"Fun for kids"
The Pacific Science Center has a great play area for younger kids (about three and younger). They also have a neat butterfly exhibit that you can walk through and see all different types of butterflies flying around. They have dinosaurs, shows, a planetarium and other exhibits that are there all the time and then special exhibits that come and go.
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"big place big fun"
I went here all the time as a child. I think now that I have kids it could be great but I would be prepared for a big day. It is pretty spread out from the rides to the science museum. It is fun for festivals but pretty tiring with kids, oh wait, everything is tiring with the kids:)
2 families found this helpful
"Great for all ages!"
I recently took my three year old and her eight and ten year old cousins to the science center, and they all loved it! There was a toddler area that I spent some time in with my daughter while my husband took the older girls to the other various areas. There was even a big ride one of them went on. This had enough exhibits to interest my husband and I as well. They have different exhibits at different times. Unfortunately, I was there when they had their "grossology" exhibit, and they weren't kidding; it was disgusting. The older girls loved it!
Cons: This is pricey. I think we ended up spending about $100 for two adults and three kids to park for a couple hours, get in, and buy something to eat.
Solutions: Look for coupons, and bring your own food if you can. The Entertainment Book has coupons, and since this is indoor, it might be a good idea to buy a membership. You can spend a whole rainy day here.
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"Great Science Museum!"
We've been here 3 times now, and still haven't seen everything. Sooo much to see and do here, we love it! Our membership ends in mid Nov. and I hope to make it here a few more times to see more of this museum. We do love it!! I especially love the butterfly exhibition.
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"A Must See! Great for a wide range of age groups!"
There is a lot to love here. First, the location is fantastic. Its near the Space Needle, so it is within walking distance of tons of family stuff (arcade, other museums, places to eat varying from fast food to expensive, and hotels with pools).
What I love the most though, is the huge range of activities for all ages. Kids of every age are enchanted with the butterfly room (we traveled with an 2.5 yr old, 6 yr old, 8 yr old, and 12 yr old and we had to force all of them to leave this exhibit). Activities range from a toddler area, life sized games area (the boys loved the chess game, there were about 6 games to choose from), the tidal pool, dino room, astronomy area, the body exhibit room, the iMax, and our family favorite: the dna area.
What I loved is that in each section there are displays geared towards younger grade school ages all the way up to middle school ages (except in the toddler section, but that area is close to the bugs and life size games area-so you're still all in the same room together). We are used to having to split the group in places like this, Dad takes the older kids to their section and I take younger kids to their section. Here the whole family can stay together in the same room-there is something for everyone in the same area. This is very well done. I wish more places would model this idea.
We went to a live science demonstration (which they do a couple times a day) which was fun for all the kids and the special exhibit, which was well worth the extra money (the science of the circus while we were there).
There are bathrooms throughout, so you don't have to trek all the way back to the entrance. There is a cafe with the typical fast food cafeteria selections of pre-made burgers, pizza, cold sandwiches. If we go again we will take a picnic to eat outside in the park (which is huge). The gift shop offers a lot of books on a variety of subjects as well as science kits (and the more typical museum gift shop stuff).
This is a must see location if you are in the area and have a science lover among you. This is especially worth the ticket price if you have a large range of ages to please.
With the special exhibit and IMAX this could easily be an all day event. We were there about 4.5 hours and could have stayed longer.
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"Pacific Science Center with young kids"
This is such a great place to take kids of ANY age. My 3 year old and 1 year old love it, and never seem to tire of going there. The highlights for my family are the butterfly terrarium (where live butterflies flutter ALL around you), the toddler play area, and the awesome IMAX theater. The toddler play area has some really fun areas for toddlers and babies to climb around in, and a great water play area too.
Tip: Bring lunch with you and eat it outside by the fountain. The cafeteria there is really lame!
2 families found this helpful
"One of my favorite places in Seattle"
I've been to the Pacific Science Center a number of times over the past 8 years, and last month we finally became members! Every time I visit, there's something new and fun to explore.
The museum has it all, robots, animatronic dinosaurs, displays on how the body works, IMAX movies, a butterfly house, a space display, a planetarium, snakes, bugs, a tidal pool display where you can touch the tidal pool creatures, and the most fabulous toddler play area I've ever seen.
My kids are young, so when we visit here we do tend to gravitate to our favorite exhibits, like the dinosaurs, then hang out in the toddler area. I especially appreciate that just off of the toddler area, there's a nursing room complete with chair and a door that closes and locks. This means that I can feed my baby in privacy while my toddler sits in the room and reads one of the books that they have in there for him to look at, or plays with the moveable blocks on the wall.
The museum also hosts talks during the day- exciting talks like those on combustion, where things get blown up right before your eyes!
This is a fun museum for the whole family, and there's really something great for everyone, no matter what age your kids are or what their areas of interest are.
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"FUN and educational"
I love this place, have my whole life. I remember going when I was a kid on field trips. They have added so many more exhibits and now the my son is old enough, can't wait to take him. The one thing I will always remember aobut this place is how much cool stuff there is to see and do.
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"Loved it!"
I took my 5 and 3 yr old here and we had a great time! There was tons to do and we spent the whole day there. The best part for my kids was the butterfly exhibit where they got to walk around with butterflies flying everywhere. Next time we are in Seattle we will definitely be back!
3 families found this helpful
"Great Science Centre"
A great variety of exhibits for all ages toddler to adult.
For the toddlers, a great designated play area including a water exploraion area ( waterproof smocks provided). For your preschooler, make sure you show him the cross section of the toilet which flushes! Great live-size dinosaur diorama and a planetarium, robotics demonstrations etc... Hands-on fun for everyone.
Check out the gift shop. All sorts of mind-stretching educational gifts for your budding scientist.
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