MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation

We had a blast. So many interactive touchy feeling exhibits. What a great place for children. Then the workshop where they can use their imagination to build something they came up with, Awesome. Thank you to all the Staff what a great bunch of people. Sorry for scaring the girl at the front, but she said it happens at least 10 times a day lol again great awesome people work here. I highly recommend you visit the MOXI. You and your family will absolutely love it.

Our 5 - and 7 year old loved it! We spent 1.5 hours there and they could have stayed longer if we had more time. For $15/kid and $20/adult, it was worth the experience. My husband enjoyed it, too. It wasn't too crowded, which made for a really fun experience. There are no big crowds, and the kids got to try just about everything without a wait time. Added bonus - the bathrooms are clean, and they have kid height sinks!

Great meseum for kids. Tons of interactive exhibits spread across three floors with plenty of activities for all ages. There is a beautiful rooftop as well offering panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Parking is a bit tricky as it is a busy area of the city.

This place is not your normal museum. Everything is hands on interactive its a great place for kids. Tons of things to do would highly recommend to anyone. There were all sorts of things from playing a game with your mind to building a car for a race. So of my favorites included the mind game which is a game where you try and make yourself the calmest and who’s ever brain is calmest wins. Another is a game that measures how high you can jump and then it shows your jump in slow-mow. Finally there was a wall that you put pegs and a track on and try and make a little wooden ball make it all they way to the end of the track you designed.

This is a playground for kids, not a museum. Parking is hard to find but there is one next to the building if you want to play. We stayed for 2h30 minutes and you can probably stay longer since there is many things to do. It is also very crowded and you will have to wait in many stations. We went during the week,any school bus full of kids with more or less supervision. The result was a lot of crossing the line. But, it was great. Both my 4y and 7y really enjoyed and would have stayed more. You won't learn much there but you will have fun.

It's been 4 years since our last trip, I was greatly disappointed to see that very little had changed. Updated activities would have been nice. The kids enjoyed their time here, ages 14, 12, and 8. The giant Lite Brite wall and Lego area were the biggest hit. I tried to ask where their nursing area is when my baby needed to nurse, and was told there isn't one. 👎

I would suggest coming earlier as the tickets might be sold out. The technology meets curiosity in MOXI. Kids can explore, learn, and touch. I liked their big guitar, the “sock” ice skating ring with fake snowballs, and rooftop water projects. Their second floor is worth spending another hour -> so many experiments to run. It was one of my son’s favorite places to be in Santa -Barbara

An excellent little kids center. Three floors with the roof, every single one is packed with good quality, inventive, well maintained, and highly interactive exhibits. It’s really amazing actually. Beautiful space, and kind staff :) We had a great time. On a Saturday morning it was very busy but not overwhelmingly slow. Many people wearing masks but not mandatory.

We walked by when we were walking to the pier and my daughter really wanted to check it out. I was worried it might be a little too childish for a pre teen, but end up we both had a good time and spent about 1-1.5 hours there. And also one cool thing is you can send back your projects to your email (I have been to museum that charge extra for that). I will recommend if you have kids and want to get something to do outside than the beach to entertain the kids.

Our child is almost 5. He absolutely loved the museum. We spent a solid 5 hours there. We went to each floor and explored. Being summer time, there was a YMCA summer camp there and it often got very busy in areas. However, we still managed to enjoy every single activity. My Lil one enjoyed the maker's area where he could create and use a glue gun. I believe there is a small parking lot, but we parked in a structure across the street. My husband enjoyed the museum as much as my son. Fun was had by all ages.

Filled with sensory play & wonder, curiosity of fun awaits you on each floor at Moxi. There are 3 levels which consists of interactive experiences for every age, toddlers included! I came along with my daughter's kindergarten class to chaperone and it was not what I had expected. It is very cool that they have a museum to exist that question young minds to think, to build, to create, yet at the same time have fun with it! Field trips do not include the workshop on the first floor. The person did not explain nor did I question why at the time as my little group were a little dejected but quickly forgot about it once they headed outdoor. There is a little gift shop located next to the front desk. Parking is a little difficult but then again, where isn't it when in SB. We walked across the train tracks to sit on the lawn for lunch and headed back to school. Noticed there is Starbucks right across the Main Street and restaurants to dine in if you don't have lunch.

We had an amazing experience! My grandson loved all the experiences and my daughter-in-law and I loved participating with him as well! Our family had a great time. We enjoyed all of the different educational and entertaining activities they are known for. Highlights of this innovative museum were the race cars, the crafting room, the sound booths, sound activities, the giant pachinko machine and the beautiful rooftop view. There is so much to experience. It was hard to get my grandson to feel like he had enough for the day. I recommend the family membership if you live in the area.

Great place to bring your kids to enjoy STEAM for exhibits. There is even a lab for them to be creative to build anything they can imagine!

The moxi is a great place to bring your kids for some fun. First off, if you catch the train to SB, its right next to the tracks! You can park your car in the train station lot, its inexpensive, and a 2 minute walk. The museum itself has a good amount of interactive things to do - we loved the race cars, legos, water play, and the outside play area on the first floor. The waterplay area is on the rooftop and the views are impeccable. There is also a baby section of play structures. One thing we really loved is they have a workshop where you can build your own crafts - equipped with different art supplies, and cardboard, hot glue guns, etc. We spent about 90 mins there.

What an amazing place for kids and also their family members. Endless interactive activities to keep your kids entertained for hours. My 3 and 5 year olds loved this place and begged to return for more after lunch. You could easily spend 3 hours here on a first visit so plan accordingly. If you have membership at another children's museum, bring your id bc they offer discounted admission.

Such a fun place to go too. We had gone to the area a few times before we realized what Moxi was. We got a membership first day and it's been the absolute best thing ever. We go at least once a month to take our little one. He gets so excited every time he sees we are near by. He already knows almost everything and it's so adorable to see. He has the time of his life there. Even we have fun when we go. He's small to appreciate everything but we love it since he's already learning so much without even realizing it. There are 3 floors of a variety of activities. It is on State St. depending when you go parking may be difficult. There are a couple of parking structures near by. If you don't mind to walk, we sometimes park in parking structures closer to the retail stores and walk. There is street parking near by. Once again, might be difficult to find depending when you go. We've had a blast and we will continue to go.

Very cool Our very first time coming to the Moxi museum and it did not disappoint. The website had photos of their exhibits, but in person it was unreal for our little one. She absolutely loved it. They had a wide variety of activity stations from tech, sound track, speed track, light track, interactive media, fantastic forces, sky garden (which has a water well and sound instruments), to their toddler play space, brick build, and blue blocks. The even cooler part of the museum is that your ticket allows for re-entrance on the same day. Which was fantastic as we left to explore downtown santa barbara on state street and returned later in the afternoon to let the little one play again and spend more time at the exhibits she enjoyed. We will definitely come back again whenever we are in santa barbara and would recommend it to friends and family.

The floating staff was amazing!! Lisa was very patient, friendly and kind. The museum was clean and well organized. Sadly, the museum was out numbered my a local YMCA camp and while the leaders did their best they had a 10 to 1 adult ratio with a wide age range. The adult supervision was scarce at best. This added more pressure to the already limited Wolf Staff. I found myself constantly having to move in, support and protect the younger children I brought as well as other children. I heard other patrons complain about the volume, the running and the chaos. When I brought it to the attention of the front desk, the employee politely, nodded their head and told me I could check on the website for future reservations. It was my responsibility to check their website and see what events they hosted. My suggestion was knowing upon purchasing the tickets that I would be grossly out numbered by children and lack of adult supervision. That I would need to parent my children, as well as other children. I would have made an informed decision to attend the museum another day. The customer concern employees should switch with the floating employees on a YMCA day and see how difficult it is. Check the website before going to the Wolf Museum! They need to sell tickets was my take away.

Three levels of fun - First level is the completely hands on engagement of children (and most adults) on the exhibits. From wind experiments to the Lego wall, everything had something to touch. The second level of fun, was the ability to CREATE something. From a photo of yourself or family that would be pixelated based on your own interest (from rocks, machines, animals, etc.) and subsequently emailed to you, to a foley studio where three people enter one of three studios to watch a short film and add the sounds effects, it was very engaging. The most creative area was the Innovation Center that was impossible to leave! Scrap materials and construction devices were aplenty to afford all participants to create something in 3D. From yarns and ribbons, to wood, cardboard, fabrics, sticky paper, markers, the possibilities were endless. Finally, the third level - engaging with other families and observing families helping others was a super jackpot bonus. As a Professor of Education the one missing element was the scant information about the properties of force, matter, etc. that could be a wonderful adjunct to each activity. The WHY and HOW of each area could be posted on the adjacent wall so that families could explain some of the science properties to the children. Nevertheless, it was a marvelous day with our three grandsons, ages 12, 9, and 6. Buy a family pass! A great investment.

My boyfriend and I went here on MLK Jr. Day. We got there a few minutes before opening and there were about 10 people in front of us, adults and children. We planned to start at the top and make our way down. It was fun, definitely a children's museum, but we spent about 90 min tires there. The employees are very helpful and knowledgeable.

Our kids love Moxi! So much so we purchased an annual membership even though we live in Northern CA. On our first visit last summer, it made sense to purchase the membership because two visits would have paid for it. And we went two consecutive days we were in Santa Barbara so that took care of it already. But we were back in SB again and the Moxi was the kids' #1 requested place to visit. Two consecutive visits again this trip, and they fully enjoyed themselves each time. From the builders workshop, to the toddler area, race cars, rooftop fun, and all the interactive exhibits, there are three floors full of things to see and do. Even the adults can partake in the fun. The rooftop views are gorgeous too. The Moxi really keeps the kids engaged and learning. Who doesn't love wholesome and enriching activities for their kids. We will definitely be in again a few more times before our membership expires.

This is a great place for the kids. I have a different activities that they can do and work on. We came here for a field trip. It was definitely worth it. I'm not sure how much the entrance is but I would come back we saw kids from 1-12 years enjoy all the activities. This place is right on state street so you can walk down to the pier or the shops.

Perfect children's museum for littles! Located in beautiful downtown SB, the Moxi provides a unique hands on experience for curious explorers. Located on State street near the Amtrak station. No assigned parking lot for the museum. We usually come early during a weekday and are able to snag a nice spot behind the museum. Definitely STEM focused and appropriate for a wide range of ages. I would go even without my toddlers lol! Three floors to explore and we usually stay about 2.5-3 hours. Not all exhibits hit the mark for a 2 & 3 year old, but we love the Fantastic Forces Courtyard spend a good amount time playing and learning. Prices are fair. Adults and children 13+ are $18, children 3-13 are $14 and under $2 free. They offer memberships and i think next year we may go this route. They offer Toddler Tuesday, which basically means that they don't have field trips of big groups in. From my experience, Toddler Tuesday is more busy than I anticipated. For our next visit, we plan to ride the Amtrak since it is so close. Lots of places to eat nearby. We typically go to Rusty's Pizza Parlor (kid friendly) since it is two doors down and who doesn't love some pizza and salad after a long day of play? Can't wait to return.

Great, small but very interactive S.T.E.M. Museum near the wharf area. Parking was a bit challenging but we managed. It seemed most parking in the area was free for the first 90min. We found parking by Rusty's pizzeria. There are three stories of hands on fun for all ages. Our kids are 2-11 years old and all were entertained for at least 1.5 hours. My kids favorite activities were the gigantic lite brite station, the cardboard building blocks, the car building and racing area, and the plinko area.

Moxi is an incredible indoor play and learn place. We've been to many sophisticated indoor play and learn establishments but none come close to Mozi. It's so very well thought out. My little who is 19 months can play here for hours! His favorite areas were the downstairs outdoor balls that are put through the tubes and upstairs water play area.

We visited MOXI--the Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation--with our kids and a group of our family and friends on the last Sunday afternoon of July. We had a great time, especially our three-year-old Leo B. He loves talking about the visit, asking, "And what did we see at the museum?" We saw more things than is convenient to describe whenever the question arises. There were three floors of hands-on exhibits with maximal appeal for curious children, one of them a rooftop with great views of Santa Barbara. We don't live in town, but we visit often enough that I'm thinking about getting a membership. The single entry tickets weren't cheap--$18 per adult, $14 per child between 3 and 12. We got our money's worth, though, and would definitely recommend a visit if you're in Santa Barbara with small kids. We parked at the train station, which I mention in case your children are also enthralled by trains. The retired black train car permanently parked at the station was an exhibit all on its own. Leo also loves seeing and hearing the trains go by whenever we're in this part of town, so I'd say the MOXI's location is pretty ideal for its customer base. Leo loved the museum from the moment he walked in through the child-sized door. The only challenge for us was getting him to move from exhibit to exhibit--he didn't know we were on any kind of schedule, and he seemed happy to spend forever watching balls go through an elaborate track on the first floor. Thankfully, we got him upstairs, where he had a blast with the race track and the giant Lite-Brite wall. He loved the huge instruments and water table in the Sky Garden. Other highlights included a giant guitar and a wind column, which he was reluctant to leave when we closed the museum down at 5:00. Our 11-month-old baby napped for a lot of the visit, but he was fascinated by a spinning table and would have done quite well in the second-floor play area for tiny children. I expect he'll have even more fun on our next visit. Leo's auntie surprised him with gifts from the MOXI shop: a museum tote bag and T-shirt, a Santa Barbara coloring book, and glow-in-the-dark stars and Magna-Tiles. I didn't have time to visit the shop, but it looks like it sells some great stuff. I imagine MOXI is even better for slightly older children who can start to grasp some of the scientific concepts. For now, I'm just glad to have such a lovely place to take my kids for some safe, exciting play time.

So much to do. 3.5 year old thoroughly enjoyed and didn't want to leave. Spent 2-3 hours there and could've gone back for more. Well worth the visit.

The Moxie museum is a PHENOMENAL place to take children! I am a summer camp counselor and we had a field trip today at the museum. The kids loved every single second of it. There are three floors and my group started from the third floor. Each floor was completely different than the other, with exciting/interactive exhibits everywhere you looked. As an adult, I certainly took advantage of this field trip and tried every interactive exhibit I could, loving every second of it. There were so many laughs and smiling faces! A 30 second walk across the street has a nice little grassy area (some of it shaded by a very large tree) that was perfect for an outdoor lunch. The staff were really friendly as well. Overall, this was an amazing experience. I highly recommend a visit to this museum, especially if your little ones enjoy hands on activities!

Great spot for STEM learning for kiddos. It's like a baby baby sister of SF's Exploratorium. 3 floors of activities that ranges from magnets, crafts, parachutes and even a sound tunnel. Prices are fair but when we went (on a weekend) a lot of the areas were either not working (the car lift) and the water area up top. Not sure if they rotate activity installations but overall the place could be done in half a day. Great bi-annual trip perhaps, public parking right across the museum too!

We were in search of a place that is kid-friendly and were very happy to find MOXI. They have so many cool exhibits that will not only educate your child about science and the world, but also provide activities that are fun for both children and adults. The racetrack room is fun, because kids can build their own race car based on their own specifications, and then see how well it performs on the race track. The kids can get pretty aggressive though, so you'll want to monitor a bit. The top floor has many musical instruments, some which were made out of recyclable materials. The lego station also remains very popular, with several designs left by previous lego builders. It also provides a chance for your child to create something on their own. If you need somewhere to visit before or after lunch, MOXI is the way to go!

My only issue is that it is pricey, $18 per adult and $14 for kids 3-12. Besides high price for entrance, this was a super cool, interactive place for the whole family. Watching my son's face light up with wonder while he explored the different exhibits was cool. Three different levels, one outside, that offer a variety of things to explore. I'm pretty sure my husband and I had just as much fun as my son. I would definitely recommend visiting the museum. Perfect thing to do while on vacation or just wanting to spend some family time. Also the building offers stunning views of Santa Barbara. We are looking forward to our next visit.

Came here with our 2 year old. She wasn't quite two yet so she didn't have to pay which I am glad. I do believe that this museum is for slightly older kids. My child had fun but didn't enjoy some of the activities. Not sure if she was grumpy. Will come back in the future.

This place is located in the perfect place, right next to the train station and walking distance from the Pier. Such a great museum filled with great activities for kids of all ages. It is a 3 story museum and each floor just gets better and better. The third floor is outdoor and you get a great view of Santa Barbara. A must visit place if you are in the area.

Very fun, lots to do. Super interactive. Some of the exhibits were broken or closed. Seems like they have a lot of kids go through there and they aren't doing a lot of up keep.

I'd give a 5-star review if MOXI offered a space for nursing moms. There's literally nowhere to nurse. When I asked, I was directed to benches in a hallway with a ton of foot traffic. MOXI should either invest in a mamava pod or allow nursing moms to use an empty classroom.

Beautiful museum - lots of well thought out exhibits, spacious, with two large outdoor play areas, including a water action station on the roof. There's also a create craft room stocked full of supplies where kids can go wild. Bonus are the views from the roof where mom can sit back and relax while enjoying the Santa Barbara!

If you have kids then this is a must visit! The MOXI is three floors of hands-on, exploratory learning, but in the most fun way possible. The first floor explores sound with a gigantic guitar, a sound meter to test your quiet walking abilities and recording studios where you can become a foley artist. There's also an outdoor area that tests pressurized movement, where parachutes get launched in the sky and soft balls zip through pipes. The second floor has race car building, a giant light bright, Lego walls, drawing projection, and a slow motion camera to test your jumping ability. Finally, the third floor is set on the roof with a beautiful view of Santa Barbara. It also offers a variety of unique instruments and a giant water table with hand pumps. You can also shoot giant balls of air from the air cannon. Overall, the MOXI will have you learning about science without you even realizing it and will give you memories that will last a lifetime... and plenty of insta-worthy pics.

my husband and I decided to come here. Without looking at prior reviews for the website we had no idea. This was a kids museum. However, we still made the best of it and it was kind of cute as we were able to build our own Legos and kind of relive our childhood. I can definitely see this being wonderful for field trips, family bonding, etc. at the parking wasn't even that bad we just parked across the street in a garage. .

I took my 4 YO to this museum and she really enjoyed it. Unfortunately when we went, they had closed off their 3rd floor for a private event. However, we did end up purchasing the family membership so hoping to come back and enjoy the third floor at that time. Membership department seems to be a challenge for them. I received my membership online but my husband did not. Also under children, 0 were listed when I had clearly written 1 in the application. There was a glitch that happened to my friend too. She received two membership cards both with her husband's name. Thus, I give 4 stars as they are still working on this department of their business.

You could spend HOURS here!! Such a great place for kids and adults. We have a 2 year old and we have visited about 3 times and he loves it. Each floor brings a variety of hands on learning experiences. The design and layout of each of the activities is well thought out. By far, the water area on the top floor is the winner in my books! Keep up the great work Moxi!! I'm telling my friends! :)

Today was Moxi five year celebration. Members were invited to attend a pre opening celebration featuring arm painting, balloons, cookies, bingo card, group picture and to enjoy all the excitement Moxi has to offer on a daily basis. The staff members were so friendly and helpful and my grand daughter had a wonderful time. 2022(15)

Came since we had reciprocal membership w another museum. Otherwise, it's a bit pricey for adult entrance as it's more so for kids though it can be fun for those who are a kid at a heart. There were a couple items that didn't seem to work and there was no sign stating they were broken nor employee to ask how to make them work. Overall it was still fun for our preschooler for a couple hours, but don't think he would want to come here repeatedly.

Amazingly fun spot for kids of all ages. Three floors of unique, exploratory fun. Go, at least once!

After wanting to do for nearly 2 years, we finally went! I wanted to visit before buying a membership and we were there for maybe 10 minutes before my mind was made that we were definitely buying a membership. -Every employee we encountered was so helpful and kind. That makes such an experience for me, because when I go somewhere alone with my kids, I don't want to be scared to ask for help or made to feel stupid. -The variety of exhibits is so fun! My son explored, revisited or at least observed every exhibit. He's 3.5 and was able to participate in some capacity with everything, which is so great! -I didn't feel dirty and grimy while we explored. Things geared towards kids can get pretty gnarly. But there are a lot of options for cleaning -BATHROOMS ON EVERY FLOOR! I know, silly thing to love, but with a kid who holds it until he's about to burst, it's so helpful! Main downside is parking. Major nightmare! Otherwise, can't wait to use this membership as often as possible!

Tourist here. Absolutely worth the 4 hours spent here on our central coast trip. The kids (4 years old) had a blast exploring the 3 floors and the adults had fun on the 2nd floor with the slow motion, movement, and mosaic installations. If I lived near here, I would absolutely buy an annual membership for the kiddo, that's how good it is. Street parking only. In and out privileges, so you can eat elsewhere and come back. Note: Majority installations are touch based. There are hand sanitizing stations on every floor.

Great for kids and teens. A cross between a children's museum and a science center with lots of hands on activities and a makerspace.

Took the family here for the day and the kids had so much fun. We didnt know how much time we would be here for but there was so much fun stuff for the kids to do we stayed for three hours and had to drag the kids out of there. There were tons of STEM learning activities and the kids were super into everything. Wish we allocated more time for the kids to stay here.

The kids had a great time here! It's the perfect size for a couple hours and housed in a beautiful white building by the sea. They loved the children's door, the giant guitar, the vacuum tubes sending fluff balls. The water feature on the roof needs either more water or some repair and there were a few other experiences that weren't fully working but all in all they had an amazing time. The next day they wanted to go right back! We have been to many children's museums in various cities, and this one was definitely the best. Well worth it. And they loved the maker space! We made pins and my daughter made a golf club and golf course out of cardboard and wine corks.

Not only for kids!!! Went with my husband to the open night (I think this event occurs monthly). We had a blast! For all people who like experiencing stuff! We went full 4 hours and if they wouldn't have closed we might be still there! Also, from the roof top one has an excellent view over the city and the ocean.

Fabulous museum for kids of all ages. Right. Etc to the train station in SB. Indoor and outdoor activities and explorations.

Absolutely loved it. My son had been 3 times before with his school and I wanted to go and check it out. Well I was amazed at all the heads on activities they had for children. It was so much fun. I will be going back so I can enjoy the museum with my kids because having a ton of 5th graders running around was a lot. I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I wanted to. #chaperone #schoolfieldtrip My 4 YO loved it and she wants to go back as well. It will be a family affair.

The MOXI is an incredible place for kids to run around and explore. The rooftop is my favorite spot to oversee Santa Barbara. You can see the ocean, the mountains and the city. It's located conveniently downtown Santa Barbara near the ocean. Well priced and a good time for kids of all ages. This was a great addition to Santa Barbara a few years back that we enjoy visiting over and over again.

I had no idea this place was so popular! It was full of kids with their creative minds activated and laughter all about. We were warmly greeted by the staff who are energetic and passionate about the kids museum. Thanks Alyssa for the great tour! The race car exhibit was our favorite, other than that, nothing kept us entertained for long so we did a complete run of the whole place in 40 minutes. They definitely keep things clean and organized which is great at a place that could be a germ collection station or hurricane of toys and children. So A+ there! We will have to try it again when we have kids and see what they think.

My 6 year old loved it ! She was apprehensive of going to a museum during our getaway but ended up loving it . She preferred the moxi over the zoo. Very interactive and supports kids' creativity

This Exploration Museum is THE BEST!!! It's incredible and has everything to inspire, motivate, & entertain children & adults of ALL AGES!! Honestly, it's even become my favorite place to visit whenever the family and I go to Santa Barbara!

Moxie is a great place if you need to entertain some little ones for a morning or afternoon. The variety of activities to keep little ones busy is plentiful. Just be aware that there will be plenty of toddlers running about under foot. The activities for older children are more limited and some activities are frequently broken. But there is plenty more to keep kids busy. On the first floor there is a craft room and the kids can use all materials that are available to create. The staff is friendly and very helpful making it fun for any age to create something unique. The top open roof area is also a favorite of our granddaughters, warning: there is water and what kid doesn't love water. Our youngest granddaughter always needs a shirt change after a visit to the third floor. Age range appears most activities for 3 to 9 year olds. But there are activities for toddlers and an arcade for 8 to 12 year olds. Plenty for any child or adult to be creative. I highly recommend a visit.

There's a lot of activities for kids. My son loved playing with a the legos and blocks. He really enjoyed it. Would definitely plan to visit again when visiting SB.

Kids with curious minds will enjoy coming here, my daughter had a great time and didn't want to leave. This is the place we will visit again next time we're in Santa Barbara.