Visiting Museums with Kids
Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Membership Museums -- Best Option for 2-year-old?
Dec 2012
My husband and I are planning to get an annual family membership to one of the following options:
- California Academy of Science
- Bay Area Discovery Museum
- Habitot
Our daughter is two years old and we are not sure which of these three options would be the best. We want a place where she can learn a lot but also have fun. Based on your experience please recommend us which do you think would be the best option for a girl of this age.
We have 3 kids, and I would say Habitot would be the best bet. But why don't you visit the museums first before you commit to a membership? Alex H.
Of your list, I would do Bay Area Discovery Museum (assuming you live close enough that it's easy for you to drive to Sausalito). I think Academy of Sciences and Habitot are both too crowded and overrun.
You should also consider Children's Fairyland in Oakland.
oakland mom
I have a 19 month old and we live on the East Bay. We recently purchased a membership to the Discovery Museum, only to find that we can get free tickets through our local library. Moreover, we have found that he gets sick almost every single time we go there (probably because everything there is touch and feel), and the drive really is kind of long. I think we have to go 3 more times to make it worth the price of membership, and with the free tix available at the library, we wish we hadn't gotten the membership.
We haven't brought him to the California Academy of Science yet, mainly because it is also a very long drive from the East Bay, and from my experience there (without the baby), it always seemed so crowded on the weekends.
That's just my 2cents worth. I'd visit those places a few times with the free tickets you can get (check your local library and online), calculate the drive time, to see if it's worth it to buy a full membership.
That said, if you live in SF near the Golden Gate Park, then it's much more worthwhile.
It really depends on your schedule and location. Of the ones you listed, Discovery Museum is definitely the best as far as things to do, play with, etc., but it's ~40 minutes from Berkeley, and is not open on Mondays. Hobitot is great, but pretty small with limited hours and I don't care for the basement setting. Science Academy has some cool stuff, but is generally geared toward older kids. For us, after trying out several memberships we've gotten the most use out of our Oakland Zoo membership. L.
I'd get a membership to Bay Area Discovery Museum. It's hands-down my favorite little-kid place in the Bay Area. My kids (almost 4 years old) never cease to have fun there, it's got great indoor and outdoor settings, so many different places, and it's somewhere they can really grow into. The pirate ship, the art room, the little toddler area, the waves center, and the changing exhibits are all awesome. Habitot has the advantage of being closest, if you live in the East Bay, and we do periodically go there. It can be a great (but very crowded) refuge on a cold or rainy day. And my kids do always like it. I kind of hate the experience there, though. It's so crowded and so dark and so cramped. They do often have deals for 5-packs of passes and other things on living social, group on, etc. so you can supplement with that. A membership just never seemed worth it to us. Academy of Sciences is awesome, but it takes forever to get there, parking costs a lot of money, and while there's a lot that little kids can find interesting there, so much of it goes over their head at this age. And it's the most expensive. We reserve Academy of Sciences for a once a year trip at this age. An Oakland zoo membership is also something good to consider. Or, the Lindsay Wildlife center in Walnut Creek. --so many great places in the area!
Habitot for convenience (you will likely go more often) or Bay Area Discovery Museum are much more enjoyable at age 2 - for kiddo and parents. Both are places where little ones can safely move freely without being crowded or trampled by bigger kids. Also there are less interesting things to touch and play with at the Academy. Save it for age 5 and up. Loved Them All
Well, you didn't say where you live or what your budget is - I think both those would play into your decision! However, I have recently looked into all those for my family, with a strong inclination to do Habitot. But the cost is so high (seems like they recently raised their membership rate) that we can't afford it. I think we are going to renew our Fairyland membership (bought last year with our 1 & 3 y.o.s, who are now a year older) which was a great deal for us as we went at least every other month. I am also considering the Oakland Zoo, but it's just a little further so I am not sure we'd go as frequently. I don't think a 2 y.o. needs a particularly awesome environment for learning - they learn anywhere! At the grocery store! On a walk around the block! You have to pick a place that the adults can stand, can afford, and can get to easily.
Both the Bay Area Discovery Museum and Cal Academy of Science are _awesome_ - almost too awesome, as you can't really see them all in one visit and will have to pick and choose. Also, they are across the bay - do you really want to have to plan around sitting in traffic with your 2-year-old?
Habitot is the most age-appropriate, and your daughter will love it, but I find its basement setting dark, depressing and overstimulating as an adult. Also it can be a real germ-fest, with multiple toddlers drooling in the water-table. Ew.
May I suggest Chabot Space and Science Center or the Lawrence Hall of Science? Both have more fluid indoor-outdoor spaces with lots of light and activities, and are easy to get to. LHS tends to have more compelling exhibits, but my little one always wanted to just play in their soft toddler play space, anyways. LHS is also sometimes over-run by school groups, and the space can be hard to navigate - whoever put the only bathrooms down a winding staircase in the basement clearly had never been through potty-training.
I think Chabot is somewhat of a neglected gem. We call it 'the rocket-ship museum' and it has a few ongoing exhibits that have continued to charm (we don't love the new 'Bill Nye Climate Lab' upstairs). The space is fresh and fun, with many levels so you can avoid school-groups when they come, the cafe has kid-friendly options (pb&j, hard-boiled eggs) if you're low on snacks, and not-to-be-overlooked - abundant, accessible bathrooms on every floor! Also, their 'Discovery Lab' (open wed-sun only) is a wonderful, preschool-like space full of tools and toys for active exploration. We could easily spend our whole visit there.
So, I'd vote for Chabot. Luckily, you don't entirely have to choose, as a membership at either Chabot or LHS gives you reciprocal half-price admission to the other museum.
Show the East Bay some love. Happy Museum-ing!
Of the 3 possibilities, the Bay Area Discovery Museum would be my first choice. It's a wonder filled, age appropriate place for a 2 going on 3 yo. Downside is the drive. CAS is better for a year or two older children. Habitot feels claustrophobic to me. Maybe consider Lawrence Hall of Science? We like it there quite a lot & never tire of it. Fellow fun seeker
For a two-year-old, the key to a good membership is to keep it simple - a place that is age- appropriate, not over-crowded with older kids/adults, and convenient to where you live so that you can go often without enduring a long car-trip. You don't say where you live, but you should consider proximity.
Of the options you mention, I would definitely discourage the Academy of Science. It is really for older kids in terms of the exhibits, and in terms of the massive crowds, plus inconvenience of going there. It is the type of place that even adults will find to be a very full day outing -- it's overwhelming for tots.
Habitot is a great place for little ones, as is the Discovery Museum. Honestly, if it were me, I would pick the option closest to you, because that is the one you will go to and enjoy more. Two places you did not mention, but which are great for little ones are the Oakland Zoo, which has a wonderful children's zoo and educational programs, and Children's Fairyland. Fairyland is not a museum per se, but does have animals and is a magical place for even toddlers. Both the zoo and Fairyland are memberships which paid for themselves many times during the toddler/preschool years. Marie
We found the best kids museum/zoo memberships are those that have reciprocal admission deals with other museums & zoos. I believe the Discovery Museum & Habitot have such relationships with similar organizations in the area and out of state but Academy of Sciences does not. We've saved a lot of money of entrance fees over the years. better bang for buck
Also, keep in mind that the various museums and zoos usually offer discounts at other museums and zoos.
If you have a membership at one of these museums, its $5 per person to visit the other museums. Lawrence Hall of Science, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Chabot Space & Science Center, Children's Discovery Museums of San Jose, Habitot Science Center, Museum of Children's Art, Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, and Children's Creativity Museum. http://www.childrensmuseums.org/index.php/component/acmmuseumsearch/searchform.html
The Oakland Zoo offers discounts (Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Happy Hollow) http://www.oaklandzoo.org/images/info_pdf/2012_Reciprocity_List.pdf
Cal Academy doesn't have reciprocal memberships, so its only good there.
Christine
You might want to check out LHS - though it's been years since my kids were that small I have a memory of them playing with a marble maze there....
Yes, like the other poster said, the Lawrence Hall of Science has a whole floor area dedicated to marble runs and ball runs. A yearly membership is pretty cheap, and they have animals, storytimes, and outdoor activities (mostly on the weekends). My 5y has been going since he was your kid's age and he hasn't gotten bored there yet.
Lawrence Hall of Science has a few marble-maze building areas or walls.
Chabot Space & Science Center has a big room upstairs with various hands-on activities, including a marble run wall.
I second the Lawrence Hall of Science! I was there a month or so ago and had a whole marble section including other similar type activities.
The Pinole Valley Park playground has a toddler marble maze under the slide :)
There's one of these out at the Exploratorium right now, though the skill level to set up for tinkering might be a little behind a 2.5 year old but probably still a lot of fun w adult support