Children's Museum of Discovery

We’ve been coming here since we moved in ‘21. My daughter has grown up here. They used to have this stuffy, Gerald (condor). You find it and get some cool stickers. He’s no longer there (to my knowledge), but something that small got my daughter’s attention to where she loves that animal. She loves coming here, and now we take our son there for the past year. They enjoy all the activities, the tortoise, Sebastian, and all the activities. Pillar of the community.

A really fun place for children. Perfect for ages 2 to 8, or maybe even a little older depending upon their attitude. Not very large, but plenty of activities to explore and learn from. Most very young children are too young to grasp the science concepts at each station, but they will receive some didactic experience with the forces and grow in curiosity and understanding. It has most stations that other regional discovery centers have, it’s just a much smaller facility - which is perfect for small children with short legs:-). Reading nook Aquarium Outdoor xylophone Outdoor stage Wind tunnel Large Lite brite Nature exhibits Magnet and Metal Ball drop Plenty of building stations Large low chalk board Etc… All my younger kids loved it. Not for teens! Perfect for young children.

I absolutely love this place !! So many fun activities my son an I can spend hours here just exploring.. dino dig.. gardening.. water table..staff is always so kind an helpful ..being 6 months pregnant it is also easy for me to not have to worry about him running off as we are indoors 😄 bringing my sister an nephews tomorrow to enjoy the fun as well !!! 😊

A perfectly sized museum and center for kids to learn and have hands-on fun activities. This museum is divided into two areas: indoor and outdoor. The indoor area has sections and setups to do pretend grocery shopping, understand some physics principles around fluid dynamics and gravity, learn about money (financial center), pretend kitchen area, pretend laundry area, learn about common bugs and insects, etc. There is also an enclosed and safe play area for toddlers (2 and younger). The outdoor area also has a variety of activity sections. They have sand boxes to let kids do some fossil finding, flowing water to do some gold mining / search, plant sections explaining various veggies, compost center to play around with worms, gardening section, obstacle course , pollination center and an enclosure with a pet turtle. They also run sessions where kids can make their own fossils. Overall a great place to spend time with little kids and educating them on some of the common activities and things around us. To top it all off, the staff is super nice and the place has ample free parking. Definitely a place to visit.

Space night is out of this world!!! The DJ is rockin’ it, the kids are sciencing and dancing and it’s a 10 out of 10 night! This museum is so amazing!!!

Most the time this place is too packed with no parking available. But today it was overfilled due to an event that did not have tickets available in advance. They did not publish that they would close due to too many parents wanting to attend this event. They told us to come after 1pm when the event was over. People were there for the event. If we new in advance that we needed to get there at opening to get in, we would have prepared better. We only found out it was closed due to too many people attending once we got there and we're turned away. Very unprofessional and unprepared for the amount of people showing up.

Parking is a little tight. Place is in the center of a Escondido across from grape day park. It's does have snacks for purchase but no food court like the museum in Downtown San Diego since this one is a little smaller. There is a play area for babies were I could entertain my 6 months old while looking at my 4 year old. It has AC inside. There's an outdoor area, I suggest you have your child wear sandals because mine got water on her shoes while watering the plants. Went on a Saturday at noon and it wasn't that busy even though there was an even at grape Day park. Found parking no problem but it started to pick up by 1pm.

My sister and I took our sons this afternoon, and it was so much fun! Our kids are 13 months and 22 months for reference. There was tons of activities, an area for just kiddos under 2 yrs old. A great outdoor space with many different sensory experiences. There was a bubbles experiment, awesome water table, fish tank. Tons of things to do there. Friendly staff. Highly recommend!

If you have a toddler and you need just some place to keep her/him engaged, especially if they are crawling or walking. This is the place to bring them to. They get to either play by themselves (depending on time you go) or they play by other babies/toddlers their age. And they all learn from each other! We first came here through a museum exchange in May (used our Birch aquarium membership) to check it out. At the time, our son was just 4/5 months and wasn't really moving around as much. We figured we would return once he was older. And we did, we came back after he started crawling as it was getting harder to keep him engaged in the house/walks. And BAM, we would sit inside the under 2 area for about 2 hours. Afterwards, we would bring him out to the huge water river and he would spend the rest of the time splashing before we would bring him home for a nap. My husband joked they should serve beer so it would make time go by faster, watching our son crawl/stumble all over the under two area. We foresee he'll come here quite frequently as there are different areas for him to try out things and learn. Bathrooms are available and parking lot seemed decent for the size. The membership made sense to us as it was close to where we lived, and our son really enjoyed it. And at least either of us can come for the membership (same for the aquarium) ! For the zoo, I'm the main person on the account, so my husband can't go without me. I also hope to connect with other parents that we met there once - but so far, haven't met the same child/kids again when we go :)

Always the best time here! Lots of different areas cohesively spread out through the inside and outsides of the museum. They have a designated 2 and under area as well! - Check their website/instagram/ or call to see, there are often arts and crafts, tortoise time, or toddler story time activities throughout the week! - Beautiful picnic table area by the garden so I recommend bringing a packed lunch to enjoy there! - Special EBT ticket pricing and I've found in just a few visits purchasing the year membership was well worth it!

We stopped here on way back to Los Angeles. The indoor museum had play kitchen, tree house, and toddler area. Outdoor had a huge water table and sand table. There are all shaded with canopies which is nice. In the back, there was a garden and tortoise fenced in area. Our kids spent a couple of hours before we left. There is a nice small gift shop with some board books both English and Spanish. Also they had some cute pencils and water spray bottle fans which were cool. I bought a book for daughter and water spray bottle for son. Museum is part of ACM member so got 50% off tickets.

Omg! Such a great place for the littles. I met a friend here for a play date and the kiddos had a blast. They have so many different activities for them to do. The big hits were the kitchen with the shopper cart and of course the water area. It is a bit pricey if you're not a member as they start charging kids over 1. It would love been great to have under 3 free and charge adults... but overall it was a beautiful day and the kids had fun.

We did our 5 year old son's bday party here and it went quite well. The place is a bit small, but then pro of that is you don't have too much chasing to do. They have an outdoor area with a water table. They only do 1 bday at a time but the birthday room is large (fits up to 40 people) and Michele (our party coordinator) was super awesome. You can bring your own food and drinks and there is even a designated parking spot right out front for the party host. We did the Dino dig add on and all in all it was a very pleasant experience. The kids all seemed like they had a blast. Def recommend!

Kids had an amazing day at San Diego children discovery museum. I loved how they have created station for kids with multiple science experiment. There are few classes like art n craft and other creative activities. Some outdoor activities are also there and good for hosting birthday parties. Few stations were overcrowded with lot of stuffs and fall down on the floor making no places for kids to play, so I reduced 1 start for that, otherwise it is a good place to get your kid engaged for few hours.

3.7 stars. I love that how perfect this place is for toddlers. It seems geared towards the toddler age and every day they give you a story time and an activity/craft that my toddler loves. I love that they incorporate nature and gardening. My toddler loves exploring here. The past three times we've gone though its been crowded. It's a small area but they do have some fun things to observe. I would also say its a 3 stars for cleanliness. By the time you go in even an hour, expect the grocery carts to be gone and way on the other side, the water play is super cool except a little dirty, and I'm not too sure how you sanitary everything is. I do think we've caught a couple illnesses.

We threw our child's birthday there this past Saturday. I thought the rate for everything was really reasonable considering it included admission for the guest. The classroom space was air-conditioned and indoors and perfect for a small party. Michelle the museum liaison and party planner was so responsive and helpful. My family really Enjoyed her and all of her help. I am a science teacher here in San Diego and I really loved all of the activities for children. The museum exhibits are so engaging and accessible, and my kids did not want to leave the water area. I was happy to see that they were working with other local nonprofits as well overall a great experience and would recommend to my friends

Super cute place to bring your children. They have tons of activity that enhance motor skills. No cafeteria but they have a snack bar where you can get juice and cookies. At 2pm they have story time and my kids love that !

What a great place! Great for toddlers and young kids, my kids absolutely loved, very educational, really help you little ones to stimulate their creativity and imagination, they offer craft activities at the patio, you can bring your own snacks for an epic day, bathrooms just get renovated and they absolutely beautiful. They also have a nursing room which is a blessing now days for mommy and babies. However the ticket rate is getting a little high ... $14 per person and any older than 12 pay full ticket. We are a family of 4 so $56 only for one visit. People with wic and medical get discounts but if you don't have it like me... pay, pay, pay Even though is such an amazing indoor place it is a little small, it definitely gets super crowded on weekends. The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming every single one of them are very helpful and knowledgeable.

We were gifted a membership here and took our two little ones to check it out. While small, for two toddlers it was a good way to satiate their curiosity and need to move and explore. We particularly enjoyed the toddler tidepool area, which is supposed to be for kids 2 years and under. It's a shoe free zone with age appropriate items, but we did see a number of older kids plowing through the space, which was unfortunate and made it less safe for the little ones. Overall, it was great because we were able to entertain and pass time with our toddlers!

Awesome space for kiddo's birthday party! We loved doing our kid's birthday. Large enough to host many people. They recommend listening to of catering companies around. Pizza by Criscito was outstanding. And the staff ( Michelle) they had were on top of everything. We didn't have to worry about a thing. Such a pleasant experience, all our guests were very happy. Highly recommend for kiddo's birthday party.

I wish I would have taken pictures but we were enjoying it all that forgot to get some. This place is great. My 8 year old had a great time. We like that they have picnic tables also it's indoors and outdoors. They do provide story time and other special events.

I've been bringing my daughter here since 2020 when she was just 2 years old, and it's been such a fun and enriching place for her to grow and explore. The hands-on exhibits are creative and engaging, especially for toddlers and younger kids. We've always loved the outdoor play area and the rotating activities that keep things fresh each visit. The staff are friendly and great with kids too. My only small critique is that some areas could use a little more upkeep or refreshing over time, but overall it's a fantastic spot for young kids to learn through play. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area with little ones!

very small but very well laid out childrens museum. The water table is a hit outside, so is the fossil finding table and the building block area. Kids could spend HOURS here and its very very well priced. Was the best money I spent since the kids were self occupied, in a safe controlled environment. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. Would definitely come back if we're in the area.

We had the best experience yesterday while attending my nieces' Birthday party. The visit was made even better with Mr. Ben. To say this man is an absolute treasure would be an understatement. He was cleaning up after a class when he noticed my 8 yr old and I walking through the garden. He walked over and showed us a praying mantis and even let us hold him/her? He told us about the plants nearby and made it a hands on experience. My daughter and I both walked away having learned new facts. We luckily caught the next class, painting butterflies. This man has the patience of a saint. To say that some kids and parents were a touch over the top would be an understatement. Mr. Ben didn't even sweat. He handled everyone with kindness and grace. He completed each child about their butterfly, making each one specific for their butterfly. He did all this while walking around and teaching us about the life cycles of butterflies. If you have the chance to hang out with Mr. Ben you are one lucky duck. Please tell him Hi from Jen and Elle if you remember. ;)

Good for toddlers. While it's a small space, there are a good amount of indoor and outdoor activities. I gave 4 starts because $14 for each adult and child adds up quite a bit for quite a small space. Toddlers can get similar types of play and entertainment at a playground, so I'd probably go to a playground instead. They did have fun activities like making a paper crown, so that was a nice perk.

It was fun visiting this museum location, although I don't think they should charge an admission fee for non members, but I guess for the maintenance of the museum they do need some fundings, but if you have EBT it's only $1 per person which I think majority do have that, so it's a plus. A lot of activity programs for children here, I noticed they hosted a lot of field trips from different schools, I saw a bus load of kids from Hemet coming in. They have a playground and garden in the back also a small petting zoo. I would say the only issue of this place was parking, they have limited amount of spots here on the main property, you might have to park across the street at the park or walk a bit from the center of arts lots, other than that everything was fun especially for the kids and educational purposes

San Diego Children's Discovery Museum is a fantastic place for toddlers! Unlike the larger children's museum downtown, this space feels much more manageable. I love that both of my toddlers can run around in different directions, and I can still keep an eye on them whether we're indoors or outdoors. We have a membership, so we enjoy popping in for an hour here and there. I try to visit during quieter times to avoid crowds, as it can get busy, and parking can be a bit tricky when that happens. Another great perk is the picnic tables outside--perfect for bringing a little lunch and making a day of it. Highly recommend for parents looking for a fun, safe, and engaging spot for their little ones!

We've taken our now 14 month old toddler to several of the Growing Together classes and we've loved each class. The class includes entrance to the museum and is a 30 minute session with songs, arts and crafts, and sensory experiences. Kenji and team always do a great job of entertaining the children and providing a fun environment to explore and learn. We ended up purchasing a museum membership as it gives a discount for the classes. We really do hope they continue the Growing Together program in the future.

Very first time visiting yesterday with my son, the staff at the front desk were very nice, the place seemed very sticky (first hour of opening), sadly I was disgusted with the floor staff outside when I overheard one of the younger female employees pick up a soaking wet German shepherd stuffed animal and say "all dogs go to heaven, except police dogs" then she continued to laugh very hard and say it again to another employee...

Beautiful, Safe, Clean, Montessori design. My family loves this museum, I've been taking my daughter here for at least two years now. Highly recommend this place, sometimes if you're lucky you catch parades and community events happening at the same time, as your visit.

Very sweet, fun and hands on museum, ideal for smaller kids (toddlers maximum 5-6 year olds). Lovely outdoor area where kids can water flower, watch butterflies, look at plants with magnifying glasses, do crafts at certain times (for example, we made a paper/ cardboard house with tape and decorated it), inside are books, a climbing tree house, magna tiles, a small bank, a small kitchen/ market. It felt a bit crowded when we arrived at 10 am on a stir day, and began to clam down around 11 am. Staff were very friendly, clean bathrooms. Limited parking though easy to find street parking. Don't take your stroller, museum is too small for strollers.

Thanks to Discover and Go we paid a visit to the SD Children's Museum on a Sunday afternoon. We spent a solid 2.5 hours here. It was our first time. I enjoyed that there was a water exhibit with legos and boats, a dinosaur excavation area, an area that you can water the plants and lots of building blocks in different shapes that were hard rubber and foam. I would say, children between ages 1.5 to 7-8 years old will enjoy. Not a lot of climbing structures but lots of hands on activities and building. Be prepared to bring a change of clothes as children can get wet or dusty from the dinosaur excavation area. You may benefit from wearing closed toed shoes but if you're playing in the water area your clothes and feet can get wet. Surprisingly so many different types of activities and all one space. There's indoor and outdoor play. Seating all around in the outside areas for sitting and maybe 4 picnic tables for activities and if you want to snack. It's a peanut free zone which is mentioned on their website. When we visited there today there was a pretend Jimbos market and restaurant display. Reminded me of pretend city in Irvine. In looking at former photos, this staging area had a pretend PNC Bank. It seems like this is a rotating display which is nice they switch it up. My only complaint is the parking. It's small for the size of the museum. They have signage that redirects you to park at the Escondido Center of the Arts when they're full. There's also ample parallel street parking and it's not a busy area. On one side of the lot it's a private property for some apartments. So definitely don't park over there. There's also only two bathrooms (gender neutral) but that can cause a line to form if it's a busy day. A visit to this museum is at a very accessible price point. I noticed prices increased recently jumped up from $11.50 to $14 per adult. Still very reasonable for a few hours of entertainment. If you're interested, they also have an indoor private event space that you can rent for a party.

we went here to celebrate our daughters birthday, and it was such a big hit. We really loved all the activities They have for our toddler kids, especially the toddler area, even though some of the older kids came in the employees were really good about telling them nicely to get out lol The hours of this museum was 930 to 430 or depending on the day that you go. The price to get in was $11.50 and under 12 months was free. parking was free. We parked in the overflow parking lot because they close the front parking when we went because there was a festival at that time. we went on a Saturday morning and all the families that were there were really nice and Customer Service was super sweet. We brought in strollers and they helped us with the strollers and where to park it at there was also a nursery room as well so if you have a baby or breast-feeding, you can go in there too. we would totally recommend going here again, especially for toddler age kids we loved it !!!

We attended a birthday party at this museum and it was well done. Our party had the private room that fit about 30ppl and ample space to sit and eat. With a party, you have access to the entire museum for the entire day. Unfortunately, it was super busy when we went and it was hard for the kids to play with so many people. The indoor space had a lot of fun activities and areas to explore. There's even an area for the littles. My kids enjoyed the outdoor area the most. The fresh air is awesome but again there was a lot of kids. I was a bit bothered by all the parents who let their kids run rampant while they were on their phones. Some kids didn't have manners and started taking toys away from my kids which I did not appreciate and no parents around. This place is definitely fun for kids (my kids are toddlers), but only when it isn't so busy. Free parking out front and this location is across fr a busy park. If there is no parking then you can find parking across the street at the park or a block or 2 down from the museum. Just be mindful that this museum sits on a main street of Escondido and cars speed along this area.

Perfect place for my 3 year old! Bottom line: It has a homemade feel to it, so nice and cozy. The museum is probably suitable for kids under 5. Here's my take: Activities that stood out: - There's a section gated off for under 2 YOs. A great crawling space with a book nook, squishy lava pads, a tree-slide and toys suitable for infants - At the entrance there's a air tunnel maze where you can insert a ball and watch it whiz through the tubes. There was also a wind tunnel where you can insert scarves in and watch them float up - There's a little ship nook with a hammock and mini aquarium built inside it - There are two small playrooms - a kitchen and an office where kids can dress up as different professions Outside: - There's a long water table that cascades down into little waterfalls for the kids to play with - You can water the garden outside - my son was obsessed with this portion - There used to be a mini animal farm, but I guess they removed them due to the avian flu Others: - They offer discounts on membership for special needs children. They also have "sensory" hours on weekend mornings. You can grab a sensory bag as well at the front. - It's right next to city hall and this park called the "Grape Day Park", which is literally, a park with a giant grape as its centerpiece. Fun place to go across the street to further entertain the kids

Love love love it here. We've had the membership for almost 6 months. All of my children love it and can't get enough. Facilities and staff are wonderful.

What a cool little museum for kids! It is super interactive and the place had so many "exhibits" that my toddler didn't want to leave! We were here for a birthday party and our gracious hosts rented out the entire place. We absolutely loved exploring the indoor and outdoor space and it was such a great birthday party venue! My friend even had a little boba truck parked at the museum to serve guests boba drinks! Parking might get hard on a busy day but I figure since it's a small venue, it's usually not a problem. I highly recommend!

We are new members and I just hosted my daughter's 5th birthday party at the museum. We had a wonderful party. The party room was spacious and we added on a chemistry activity. The structured activity was fun for all ages and still left plenty of time to play and enjoy the museum. The indoor classroom was decorated nicely so it felt like all I had to do was set out some food. I have been so impressed with the friendly staff and fun activities offered every time I've been there. I couldn't recommend the museum more.

Such a fun place. Very impressed with the staff and what they offer for families and children.

This place is amazing! I was worried because my little is not quite walking yet but finding out they had a designated spot for my little crawler was awesome! All of the staff and parents I came into contact with on our visit were extremely friendly!

A great place to burn a few hours with a toddler! My daughter is 1.5 years old and there was plenty for her to do even though most of the activities are geared towards older children. There are indoor and outdoor activities, so when the weather is good, it's nice to be able to go back and forth. They also have learning presentations and craft projects that are interactive. All of the employees there are great with the kids and do a wonderful job keeping everything clean, safe, and fun. After our first trip, we ended up getting the membership since our daughter loved it. It was worth the price since we'll easily be here 2+ times a month.

Awesome ply areas for different age groups. My son had a blast. Very well organized and there was an awesome outside area to dig up 'fossils' and a garden are. 10/10 would recommend, we will be back

Seems understated when you first walk in but there is so much to do in this small space. So many activity centers! The under 2 year old space was perfect for my 14 month old grand daughter. She spent almost an hour in there. The huge outside water table was another hit & the sand tables were awesome. Why are people complaining about the price? You can buy a year's membership pass for 2 people for $85 which is a totally great deal. Pack a lunch or snack & there are a couple picnic tables in front. The staff was friendly & enthusiastic. We'll be back.

The kids loved it! Will definitely be coming back! Don't know why I need 85 characters but I hope this makes it.

We love the museum! We come here at least once a week with my 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old. Membership is SO affordable and my kids love it here. They are also so on top of keeping the place clean. If there are spills or accidents, they clean them up immediately. All the employees are very kind and great with kids!

I feel like this place has gone down hill and I used to love it. I went yesterday after not going for several months and was surprised to find several things had been removed from the space. There was also a birthday party going on that had a couple spaces "reserved" just for the party. This part was kiiiiind of annoying - How can I still be charged full price when the entire space (which is already small) isn't open for my child to use? I sadly don't think I'll be back.

Worth the price of admission especially when you get the membership! Had our baby shower here and have finally taken my son here since the pandemic. He loves it and we will be back for sure. Staff are super friendly and welcoming. The place is clean, well maintained and fun!

I took my 2 year old for the first time and I loved it. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly. There's plenty of activities to do, my toddler did each one. Definitely coming back.

Better price/value for the 50% off museum month. Otherwise $12 is too expensive It's kind of small and really geared more towards babies to 4 years old on the top end. My almsot 6 year old was so very bored bc alll the activities could only do one play pattern. We stayed about an hour.

Misnamed as a "San Diego" museum while being tens of miles away from the city, this is many things in one. The indoor and outdoor spaces are not large, but accommodate many things that actually can be "discovered" and played with multiple times during repeat visits. Good for age range of toddlers (dedicated space) to 8-year-olds. Few installations, notably the gravity run for wooden balls, will provide entertainment for mechanically inclined 11-year-olds, but they might eventually become bored - if not, you might have a future engineer on your hands. The indoor space is airconditioned, in the outdoors one would face the regular, hot in the summer, Escondido weather. Many features might be better explored in a small group; the layout of the museum is conducive to interactions with other kids, so the visit will go better when the kid is bringing a friend or is able to strike an instant friendship (this is the enhancement, not a mandate). Admission, at about $11 per person, is not very expensive. If you are a local, a membership ($30-40 per person annually) might provide a good value. No food or drink is sold inside, so bring your own snacks (your kids will have to eat outside). Parking is free. Overall: worth a visit if you live within, say, 15-minute drive radius. With minimal assistance from the parents, the kids will be entertained for many hours. Tip: at the first glance, the museum does not look terribly exciting, but the smallish space is well thought through and will grow up on you and your kids.

Great San Diego kid's museum! Different " stations" . Very nice employees and small touches- clean stocked restrooms, hand sanitizers etc , lovely exhausting time!

This place is so cute for children to play and learn through play. My kids love coming here. The good part is they switch it up every so often so you never feel like you're playing with the same crafts. I love how they have crabs and arts activities for those kids who love to create something of their own. We frequently visit this location and the location downtown.

I took my 3 year old grandson and he had a blast. There's so much to do for the younger kids.

I think they do a beautiful job with the space they have. All of their activities are hands on, and focused on younger kids. I would recommend toddler to about 8 years old. It is a smaller museum with one large room for their indoor space, and then an outdoor space with more hands on activity.

Very disappointed in this place. They do not have inclusivity for kids with special needs. My 5 years old autistic son was crying because he wanted to play with a busy cube that was inside toddler area and the older woman with black hair did not let him. She said the equipment is for lighter weight kids. Note, there is no equipment there at all. All they have is foam blocks and that busy cube. When we tried explaining her that my son has autism and we will be there with him, that he just wants to play with cube, she still said no and instead offered him noise canceling headphones. This person has zero understanding of what autism is and her uneducated brain just thinks that it is all about the noise. Would not recommend.

I'm beyond blown away by this place! Fun for the entire family! My wife and I took our kids here and they wouldn't stop talking about it for weeks! The staff is friendly, accommodating and always willing to give their all. I'm a character on YouTube called Lieutenant Learning or Lt. Learning for short. We reached out to film a video for them and they welcomed us with open arms. I couldn't be happier with the way the staff took care of us and went above and beyond! If you're interested in seeing this establishment in more depth go checkout the video on YouTube. Take care and don't forget to "Be A Friend" tm

They engaged the children, and help to fill the imagination, and answered all the questions even the silly ones. Books are great but stepping in the pages is good too.