The Discovery - Reno

I've been hearing people talk about Reno's Discovery Museum since shortly after we moved here, and we've been anxious to find a time to visit. Then, our kids got a Family Membership for Christmas and suddenly this visit jumped to the top of our To Do list. We had been warned that the place was SO big that you could easily lose a child in there in the blink of an eye, so we were surprised when the museum didn't seem too huge from the outside. BUT, as soon as we walked inside, we were reminded never to judge a book (or museum) by its cover!

First, I want to apologize up front because this post is going to get long. As we go back and explore this great museum in more depth I hope to break this up into multiple posts for you all, but for now this is what we get. 

We found the museum easily enough (there's excellent driving directions on their website), but were surprised by the limited parking. The problem may have been that we were visiting on one of the last days of Christmas Break, but there was not much parking left. Perhaps on a normal week day this is less of a problem. 

We got inside, and at first there wasn't much to see. Some coat racks, a small dining area, the front desk, and a gift shop were all that was visible. In the excitement of getting to the fun stuff, we didn't really appreciate some of the great family friendly things available in that front area. Especially the dining area. There were several tables (and high chairs), but no snack bar or food for sale (that we saw, but we didn't go in the gift shop). What they did have was a microwave so that you could bring food from home to enjoy while you were there. I really liked this detail as so many places force you to buy their overpriced junk food, or have no eating facilities at all. A frugal family can come here, enjoy some great play time, and not have to worry about leaving for lunch or budgeting for expensive fast food. 

Once you head down the long corridor into the main area of the museum, there is SO much to see and do! Luckily for us, there was not a moment's indecision about where to go first! The Truckee Connects & Cloud Climber was instantly the main objective of all three of our kids. 

This area is a really neat combination of entertainment and education opportunities. The water play area starts at "Lake Tahoe", heads through multiple locks, dams, chutes, and more (all of which can be manipulated by kids) and end up in "Pyramid Lake". Kids can splash, sail little wooden boats, catch balls as they float by, and generally just have a blast. Safety was clearly a top priority, as the floor was covered in traction spots to prevent slipping in puddles, and an employee was on hand at all times with a mop to keep the slippery floors as dry and safe as possible.

 Above the waterway is a really neat climbing structure. Designed to represent and teach about the water cycle, this structure let the kids climb clear up to the ceiling of the second floor of the building (safely enclosed in nets of course!) Our kids spent a lot of time exploring the twists and turns of this thing! One concern we had as soon as we saw it was that it would be a somewhat tight fit if either of us had to climb in there to rescue a child who somehow got stuck or too scared to come down. We did end up with our toddler getting her foot stuck in the netting near the top, but luckily for us the other children in the climber were eager to help her and we didn't have to make the ascent! Talking to an employee we were told that they will go in and get your kid for you if the need arises, so even if there aren't any obliging kids nearby it will all work out. The person we talked to said it happens all the time and they are happy to help.

 Our kids spent the vast majority of our time at The Discovery in this area, but there is SO much more to see and do that it would be a shame to not take the time to experience it all!

  Another favorite area for our kids was the Under The Stars area. This area celebrates and replicates Nevadan's love for the outdoors. There is a campsite complete with tent, campfire, and fishing pond. There is a cave to explore in and displays about the natural wonders of the area.

 The lighting in here changes every minute or two to mimic the shift from day to night. It was fun, but makes it hard to get good pictures. :)

 Also on the lower level of the museum was the Science Underground room. There are giant musical instruments (the Tube-o-phone is pictured below), interactive displays on nanotechnology, giant building blocks, fun electronics, and so much more. Our kids were too distracted by the Cloud Climber to spend much time in here, but there was definitely some fun and fascinating things here!

 Before heading upstairs to check out what that upper level of the museum had to offer we made a quick stop in the bathrooms. They were clean and in great shape. No kid-sized toilets or sinks, but there was a step stool to make hand washing easier. There was also a built in changing table that looked pretty nice. Right outside the bathrooms there is a drinking fountain too, so you don't have to worry about lugging around everyone's water bottles.
Since our visit I've noticed that the map of the museum on their website shows a "Family Room" on the lower level that looks like it might have accommodations for nursing mothers. Next time we go I'll check it out and let you know what is available there.

Our first stop upstairs was the Build It! room. We learned about and played with electricity, engineering, earthquakes, and so much more! We even teamed up with another family who was there that day and built an arch while learning about what makes a Key Stone so important. Hooray for meeting new people and making new friends!

 For those with younger kids the Little Discoveries room is the perfect fit for you! Limited to children ages 5 and under, this room has climbing towers with slides, tons of building/creating toys, and the coolest conveyor belt toy ever.

 The Nevada Stories room is filled with really neat things that teach about the history and culture of our state. Kids can learn about the Native cultures that have lived (and still do live) around the state as well as the Basque culture that has come to call Nevada home. They can explore a mine shaft, and stand inside a giant dump truck tire. One of the features in here that we thought was super interesting was an interactive game that lets you see what it's like to fight wildfires from the air. So fun!

 The Spark Lab was a huge hit with our 7 year old, but not as much fun for our younger two. He loved creating electrical circuits, building inventions, and watching a 3-D printer work its magic. This was exactly the kind of thing he loves!

 Da Vinci's Corner was another hit with our older kids. There were a few things that held the interest of our toddler, but the older two were really captivated. This area explores the interactions between science, art, and fun with lots of really neat activities and experiments.

 Our kids were running out of steam rapidly as we worked our way through all the amazing stuff on the upper level so most of it we just briefly checked out, and some we had to just walk right by. We'll be back though, and we are excited to experience The Shop and to spend more time in the Inside Out Anatomy Experience.
This place is huge and it would be very difficult to see and do everything in one visit. It is also big enough that losing track of a child is a real possibility. Our 3 year old disappeared on us for a moment and was pretty freaked out when we found her again. BUT, the staff are amazingly helpful, and I'm sure have plenty of practice helping wayward kids find their families again.

Essential Details:
Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum
490 S Center St, Reno, NV 89501
Website
***Think about bringing dry clothes for kids who like to splash.