Thinkery

Thinkery is an interactive children's museum in Mueller Austin neighborhood just a few minutes North of downtown. It has a cool treehouse. Water play with a spot that allows children to simulate a water tornado. Play kitchen that is popular. Annual membership seems to pay for itself after just 2 to 3 visits. At the time of this writing one day per week is free admission - open to the public.

Went with some mom friends- lots of things to do and learn for all ages. We brought 7 girls ranging from age 20 months to 5 years, and they all had a great time. Park in the associated parking garage- you can get 2 hours comped if you bring your receipt in. Two areas have water features for kiddos- they'll most likely get wet so I would do those areas last. We've been a handful of times and definitely recommend!

$18 for each person regardless of the age. Not worth the ticket price with the size of space. Much smaller than other similar children museums in cities at Washington, California, and Arizona state. Don’t pay your street parking if you plan to visit because of the ticket validations inside. We saw the ticket validation machine after paid 2-hour parking. My kids got bored and only stayed for less than 1-hour.

We really love going here. It’s been perfect since she was six months old. There is a baby and toddler section that is so fun to explore, storytimes, water play indoors and outdoors. The older kids always really seem to enjoy the chicken coop and the playscape. Also it seems that all of the interactive toys and machines are in good working order and clean. I have been to other kid’s museums where this was not the case! Right across the street is a fenced in playground and a lake with tons of feisty duck, geese and children. I might have seen some swans but I’m not a birdtologist.

Went here on community day and it was so easy to reserve the time, easy to park, and the activities seemed fun for my kids. Dropped one star because many areas were closed or didn't have a staff available for activities. Probably just an end of day fluke, but overall was VERY cool!

This is an amazing gem. The kids will absolutely find something to do, and I saw most grownups interact with the exhibits too. Big, no, humongous benefit…nothing was broken. Some things were worn, but the staff keeps everything working. Kudos to the staff for being attentive and caring enough to keep the place running. We’ve been to plenty of kids museums, and kids are ruthless, they break stuff like it’s their job; this place kept up with them. With that being said, adults should adult, and keep their kids in line too.

Underwhelming for the price! 3 hours parking free - insert your ticket inside to validate. I recently visited the Thinkery in Austin with my two children, ages 5 and 7, and unfortunately, the experience did not meet our expectations. Having visited other children's museums, I was disappointed by the relatively high price of admission compared to the quality and variety of exhibits offered. Many of the rooms felt sparse and underwhelming, with several displays appearing overused and in need of repair. Despite the museum's mission to inspire creativity and curiosity, the limited number of engaging activities left my children feeling bored after about an hour. Given their independent and inquisitive nature, I had hoped for a more stimulating and fulfilling visit. Overall, the Thinkery fell short of providing the enriching experience we had anticipated.

We bought the yearly membership after our second visit because I knew we would have no problem coming here at least once a week. There is so much for various age groups and he’s always loved it. Parking in the McBee garage is comped if you validate it inside Thinkery. It’s across the street from a park and also nearby several great restaurants. So thankful there’s such an awesome place for kids!

We visited the Thinkery with a large group of children aged 2 - 12 and we ALL had a blast (adults included!). This children's museum is well spaced out so even though we came during a prime Saturday weekend, it did not feel super overwhelming or crowded at all. This museum is two levels and took us about two - three hours to explore. I recommend coming right when they open, grabbing lunch nearby, and enjoying a car nap on the way home for optimal enjoyment purposes. Things to Note: 1) The Thinkery is part of the Children's Museum Reciprocal Network which allows us to get discounted tickets when purchasing at the front desk. If you have littles in your life, I highly recommend joining your local children's museum...we've been able to benefit from perks all across the US and it has saved us TONS of money. 2) Parking is validated up to three hours in the lot across from Origins. You will need to scan a QR code and enter your credit card information when parking and when you arrive at the Thinkery, you can scan their virtual validation code to get credit back to your total bill. 3) Their gift shop is small but very well curated. Whatever we saved in discounted tickets went 100% back to the museum in the form of little souveneirs. 4) Bring an extra pair of clothes if you want to explore the "Currents" section. They have aprons and crocs for children to use but several kids in our party still managed to get extremely wet. 5) Other fun exbibits: Stop Motion (my older kid spent like 20 minutes her), trains, SPARK (basically open ended arts and crafts), and the fresh farmer's market. 6) If you're looking for a great spot to eat after check out Veracruz and Lick Ice cream.

I give it one star for the following reasons: 1) Very expensive. They charge for adults and kids and it adds up quick. Expect to spend $70 to $100 on a family. 2) It is pretty small. There is not a ton to see for the price tag. 3) It is in somewhat disrepair. Many of the attractions were busted or a huge mess. For example, the gears and gizmos had very few functional pieces for the kids to play with, but a huge pile of broken stuff or barely functioning stuff. 4) It's pretty dirty. The outdoor playground was pretty nasty and inside it's a mess. I understand the kids make a mess and the staff did their best, but the paint area was disgusting and many of the play areas were just dirty. I don't recommend this place at all.

Wanted to love this place after all of the hype and great reviews, but we were disappointed. 1. The price point is not accessible. For a family of 4 to visit just once, it costs $72. That is insane. Charging for adults is absolutely wild to me. 2. Very, very crowded. Disappointed that they would allow such a high capacity. 3. There are better "play by learning" options for little ones, especially those under 5. McKenna Children's Museum in New Braunfels is more affordable and has a better variety for the younger crowd. Playstreet Museum is also a much better, cleaner, and affordable option in my opinion. Considered getting a membership, but won't.

This was such a fun way to spend some time on a trip that included 3 small children. I enjoyed myelf as well!! There is a park across the street that I recommend visiting before or after the Thinkery too. Plan to spend 2-3 hours here minimum but also be prepared for less depending on your child's age and interest level.

A bit of construction going on for a new installation today but we still had an amazing time! There was an artist taking video of some open space for a new art installation which we are SO excited for!

Thinkery is one of the best children's places around. Love going here when I have family in town from back home as they're always amazed. My kiddo never wants to leave!

i've been here as a patron and I've been to private event here. Such a creative interesting space for kids and adults alike. The party area is really fun and you can even pull up a food truck. Don't miss the water feature upstairs.

Best indoor place for kids (and family)! We all love it so much. They have community hours where admission is free. So great!

The Thinkery is awesome. 2 stories of fun and learning for the kids. Everything is hands-on. Downstairs has a dark room with light exhibits, a room with kinetic energy exhibits, a big wooden train, a gift shop, a paint wall, some air power exhibits, some electric circuit exhibits, and a big craft room. Upstairs has a giant water table room, a grocery store, kitchen, and chicken coop, and a toddler area, a room for private parties and a reading/story time corner. There is also a toddler section upstairs. Outside is a tall play structure, a sandy area, and a little stream with block the kids can use to try to build dams and other toys to play in the water. It's a good time. It is also located in a nice area, next to Mueller Lake Park, and lots of restaurants. There is a playground right across the street.

WOW, wish we had one of these in CA! This was an incredibly awesome place to explore with my 15 month old, something creative and interactive in every corner, inside and outside. Every detail is thought out and made easy for parents. Would highly recommend a coffee shop inside, but honestly the $18 for a full day pass is truly awesome!

I'm a huge fan of Thinkery's 21+ events. I have attended several of these events in the past. I was thrilled that they started bringing them back this year. Last week's Jingle Booze event was a blast. It was loaded with things to do including decorate a paper gingerbread, create an ornament with recycled materials, create a paper lantern, screen printing, vodka tasting drag show, ugly sweater contest and so much more. They also had tamales for food that you could order. While I enjoyed the tamales, I'm hoping they bring back additional food vendors in the future. Your ticket included one drink but you could order additional ones. The staff was super helpful and filled with holiday cheer. I look forward to additional adult Thinkery events in the future.

I really wanted to give this place 4 stars but I had to put three while me and my family constantly go here for all the fun and activities,my kid really loves it her , now I'm concerned about the books they sell in this place I would not recommend the books here it was inappropriate and the fact that it was written for a baby it's even more concerning kids don't need to know about the adult content . Please don't confuse our children or brainwash this propaganda!!!

An amazing place for the kiddos to play and learn. So many activities, especially for the older aged kids. There's a small play area for infants with mirrors and toys. I really love that there's this dedicated safe space where little ones can run around and burn some energy. We still have to explore the entire museum and excited to keep going more often!

As a parent of a toddler, I really enjoyed going to the Thinkery with my daughter! It has a little bit of everything for all ages and my husband and I found ourselves having a wonderful time checking out all the exhibits with our daughter. A few things 1. If you have an annual membership at a science museum and if it's part of the ASTC network, you could be eligible for free admission. We have a membership for the Fleet science center in San Diego (very cool if you're in the area) and because of that, my husband, toddler, and I were able to get in for free. 2. The Thinkery will validate your parking for up to 3 hours if you park in the McBee Street District garage. It'll save you up to $6 which is pretty cool! 3. Check out their calendar for special events. When we were there, we noticed that there was a story time event taking place on the second floor which looked really fun. On the first floor, there was an art area in which the craft changes. My daughter got to make a bug print craft and she had a blast! 4. The location is super convenient. There is a coffee shop called Haylcon located across from the Thinkery that serves coffee and alcohol. Lick honest ice creams is also nearby and that was a delicious treat. There are also a number of other food options in the same place depending on what you're in the mood for. Overall we had so much fun and I highly recommend taking your littles to the Thinkery next time you're in the area!

Validated parking and community days / hours (Sunday and Tuesdays) make this a great spot for families to explore with their children of all ages! They have regular paid visits (buy tickets online) and memberships. We love frequenting this place as there's soo much to do there!

After a year of membership and multiple visits, we've decided not to renew for a few reasons. 1. While the concept is appealing, the lack of activity rotation became a significant drawback. Initially exciting, my son quickly grew bored as the novelty wore off. The limited variety in the four downstairs rooms, two upstairs areas, reading zone, and toddler space, coupled with persistently broken stations, made each visit feel repetitive and disappointing. 2. Way too many kids. DO NOT bring your kid here if their sensory threshold is easily met. They will be overwhelmed and shut down. The overwhelming number of kids proved challenging, especially for my son, who is sensitive to sensory stimuli. Too many kids, making too much noise, not allowing for any one child to take their time to process what is in front of them makes this place a horror show with anyone who experiences sensory overload. 3. The high cost of admission. There's nothing really for the parents to do. So we are basically paying good money to babysit our own kids. And since the activities do not change, it's boring for the parents too. On our last trip, if it wasn't for the special birthday event and the magnet train set by the front, we would have been in and out in under 20 minutes, it was that boring and nerve-wrecking for the kiddo. In summary, the Thinkery fell short of expectations, primarily due to stagnant activities, sensory overload, and a lack of value for the cost. If your child isn't bothered by loud environments and you have a few hours to spare, it might be worth checking out the Thinkery once but can't recommend a membership at this time.

We were there during a very crowded time. It was so crowded to the point that you'd run into someone anytime you tried to turn around. The chicken coop had over 10 children at times. They were frustratingly short on the number of baskets and trains for the number of kids who wanted to play. The infant area was so packed that there was nowhere to toddle over. The corner on the second floor with the foam noodles and soft steps were quite out of date. The equipment looked very worn down. The book shelf at the reading area had maybe 5 books? Not sure what happened to the rest. Don't come during peak times. It was overwhelming, not worth it, and was just a germ factory.

A creative place for your child. There's this one area where you your child can go grocery shopping and also cook their own meal. My toddler had a blast in this area. There's also a chicken coop where you can go and get some eggs which is nice your child can learn about the process of farm to table. There's a library section where it looks like they do story time. I also brought my 5 month year old and there's a section where we can sit and play. It's nice that older kids were allowed if they can respect the area because of the babies. We also got to enjoyed the the water area where they provide the kids with a waterproof jacket. Since we're not from the area and just visiting, this place definitely kept our kids busy for the visit.

First time members this year. We opted to get a membership since it is essentially the price of two or three visits. It is a good alternative to playing outside when it is hot or rainy. Our oldest is newly a big brother so we take him regularly to give him some time to run off energy. I really wish they had longer hours. I thought their summer hours were their normal hours and I'm not sure if it is worth it since I was hoping to take my son during the weekdays occasionally. Our three year old has fun here and especially loved the food and water sections.

As a 9 month pregnant mama, I cannot thank the thinkery enough! My 2 year old was entertained for 2 and a half hours!!! It was $18/person admission for myself and my son and from the moment we stepped through to the play areas we were blown away. SO many different sensory areas, a bunch of different toys that I did not have to clean up after, so many kids my son's age. He had a BLAST from start to finish. With the reduced price baby bloomers (Sat & Mon) and the community (free) sessions on Sundays, I can't think of a reason we wouldn't be here twice per week. I'm incredibly slow and tired currently and the Thinkery allows my son to continue to be his energetic little self with very minimal interaction from me. This is my favorite place. Parking is a a little hard to find on the weekends, but the park across from the thinkery makes the walk enjoyable. I will now be enjoying the blissful silence of a worn out toddler napping after 2 hours of playtime. I love you, Thinkery.

I brought a friend and her daughter (6yo) to Thinkery during their recent visit to austin. Here's a run-down: 1. Location - the museum is located across from muller park - there is free 3 hr validated parking in a garage behind the museum. The setting itself and the 3 hr validated parking was great. For your entry you can go in-out of the museum from your ticket entry time through closing. This allows you to check out the surrounding park area if you want which was great. Location and parking 5/5 2. Value - at $18/ticket regardless of age (no discount for kids) I don't know if the museum itself was worth that cost. Maybe I'm expecting too much but for $18/pp I would have liked for there to be a bit more for kiddos to do/create. The exhibits were all extremely crowded so it was difficult for kids to get in and experience the "station". A lot of stations required pieces and parts and these were often missing or scattered so using the experience was difficult. 3/5 3. Staff - the staff were friendly and seemed to be walking around areas but I didn't really see any of them "restaging" anything successfully (see above). Mostly, they seemed to be monitoring to ensure adults didn't have iced coffees (no food or drink allowed except water). We did have a great experience making embroidery and the staff there were incredibly helpful and kind. Would be great if the staff wandering around reset the various stations. 4/5 I have been to a lot of children's STEM/STEAM museums and this one just didn't hold up compared to others (the San Antonio one is fantastic, Ottawa Canada also has an excellent one). For the price of entry I expected more. It's OK if you are looking for an indoor space to bring your kids but don't expect something spectacular.

Thinkery is such a fun place with a great variety of activities that go far beyond other run-of-the-mill play spaces. There are several play areas: an outdoor playground with water, ropes to climb, and a cool music setup, a dark room with lots of light up trinkets to play with, a train set, a humongous play market where kids can "grocery shop", a reading area (they also do story time here), and a water play area. I'm pretty sure I'm even forgetting some areas! My son's favorite is probably the water area where the kids can bang on drums, scoop up water in cups, squirt water, and so much more! We likely could've stayed here the whole time because he enjoys it as much as he does. I also love that they provide little water resistant smocks and crocs so the kiddos' shoes don't stay wet. My only true criticism of Thinkery is that there aren't a lot of opportunities for connection. In a time where we're all feeling more and more lonely and yearning for connection after the pandemic, connection is something we should all be prioritizing. And you'd think that a space filled with curious children and their parents would be optimal for connection but it's not. I'll tell you why I think that is: there are so many people in the building that it's overwhelmingly loud, overstimulating, and overcrowded. I believe most parents are on high alert (wrangling, making sure children are taking turns, redirecting, and trying not to straight up lose their kid) without much space to relax, make eye contact, and connect. In an ideal world, Thinkery would let in about half of the people that they typically do so patrons can have a more robust, impactful experience. For that reason, I'd give Thinkery a connection rating of 3/5. Everything else is superb!

This a great place to bring children, even at the toddler age. I went with my friend and her family. Her children were the ages of 4, 6, and 8, and there were many activities at the museum to peek all of their interests....shoot, even mine! I also liked how some of the activities helped with their motor skills, and made them really use their brains (hence the name thinkery). We went from 1-4pm, and never got bored. They have a pretty cool outdoor play area too. I recommend this place for a family with kids of all ages. It is $18 a person, but I found out if you have a Medicaid or SNAP card, you get your whole family in for free.

Before having a baby, I'd walk by The Thinkery and say "that place looks like fun" but would never go because it's weird to go to a kids museum as an adult... right? So, I had a baby so I could go. She's currently about 9 months and we've been to The Thinkery five times. We went once to the free Community Night when she was 4 months old and it was just not the vibe for us. It was SO PACKED and she couldn't really do much because there were a lot of bigger kids running around. It also wasn't really free because they asked for a donation at the door which we were happy to pay (as it supports STEM access for kids) but something to keep in mind. After that experience, I though "eh, we'll wait until she's older" until a friend told me about 'Baby Bloomers' on Saturdays 8-10am (and I believe they added Mondays now). Baby Bloomers is a time when the museum is open just to kids 0-2 (and their grown-ups) with activities geared towards that age. I took her to Baby Bloomers when she was about 5 months and it still felt a little above her since she couldn't sit or crawl... until story time! The story time leader did some fun sign language songs and really made the book come alive. My girl was enthralled! Since then, I've been back a few times and, each time, she can enjoy more and more of the Baby Bloomers activities. I would recommend it best for kids who are at least 6 months old and best for kids who can crawl and/or walk. Activities include: - themed sensory play (ex: this month is the 5 senses) - two play areas where they can climb, roll, etc. - two 15-minute story times and a parachute play time - a water sensory area (warning: you will get wet) I also like that, because it's early on a Saturday, you can park for free right outside the museum. I also usually hop over to Halcyon afterwards for my coffee. I would like to go more often but it's $18 each time ($9 per person including baby so two parents and a baby would be $27). Considering I can usually only get an hour of actual play due to wake windows, feeding, etc., it feels a little too much for me. (I wish I could have taken better pictures but I want to respect people's privacy and it's possible to take a pic without a kid in it. So, you get the back of my kid's head).

Not impressed. Took our granddaughter, who had just turned 11. Not much there for her age group. What surprised me the most was the condition of the exhibits and hands on displays. Almost every station had something broken, missing, or just a mess. I realize kids make messes, but it was early on a weekday and the place looked like nothing had been cleaned or replaced from the previous week. At least they validate parking.

Pretty neat place for the kids but I'd be hesitant to recommend it for just a single outing without membership. $72 for 2 adults and 2 kids was an insane amount for what is available.

Thinkery is hands down one of the best children's museums I've ever visited! The staff here is incredibly friendly, patient, and always ready to help. They even went out of their way to assist us in applying our membership from Port Discovery in Baltimore, ensuring we received a 50% off discount. The museum itself is spotless and well-maintained, creating a safe and enjoyable environment for families. With two stories filled with engaging activities, Thinkery offers a diverse range of exhibits that cater to kids of all ages. My 20-month-old son was enthralled during the interactive reading time, where they not only read captivating stories but also sang catchy songs. The pricing is reasonable, with free entry for children aged 0-23 months and $14 admission for children aged 24 months and above. Considering the wealth of exhibits and educational experiences available, I believe it's well worth the price. Parking was hassle-free with their convenient validation system, and I appreciated the fact that we could bring our own water and closed drinks. The availability of lockers made it easy to store our belongings while we explored. As a pregnant woman, I was delighted to find elevators and stroller parking throughout the museum. There were also plenty of seating areas for me to take a break and relax. Thinkery truly goes above and beyond to ensure the comfort and convenience of all visitors. In conclusion, Thinkery is an absolute gem of a children's museum in Austin. With its friendly staff, clean facilities, and engaging exhibits, it offers a memorable and educational experience for the whole family. I highly recommend a visit to this fantastic museum!

I was keeping my 3yr old granddaughter and decided to go to the Thinkery. After reading mixed reviews I was not sure what to expect. Given I have never been to any other children's museums I did not have anything to compare to but OMG this place is fabulous! First, parking is not easy unless you use the garage next to it. The Thinkery will validate the parking ticket (just make sure you insert the ticket the correct direction in the machine to get the validation). There is no food or drink allowed so it floors me that others have given bad reviews for blatantly violating this policy. And there are also bins around to place items that belong to the Thinkery into that may have made it into a child's mouth or gotten dirty if people will just follow directions. We went during a paid time (I'm sure the free community hours are packed and harder to interact). I purchased tickets online the night before and it did not take long to get in since we had the QR code on my phone that they scanned when we entered. The market area upstairs and the light room downstairs were where my granddaughter spent most of her time but I had to be firm about leaving after 3 hours and we still didn't make it to every area to play. She could have literally spent the entire day there! We will definitely be going back again to make it through the rest of the areas. The entire place is not as large as I had envisioned but it is jam packed with so many interactive things that it's more than sufficient for most children. I did notice that some younger kids struggled at some stations without a lot of adult help and some older kids played but quickly got bored and moved to another area faster but for a child 2-6 they will definitely spend a lot of enjoyable time there. Make sure to bring an extra change of clothes. We had a water mishap half way through and I was thankful I was smart enough to have an extra change of clothes with us!

Fun spot for kids, and nice for the adults to get out of the heat for a minute. Didn't have high expectations when coming into this children's museum, as it was our first museum with our 1-year-old, but was presently surprised. There are a ton of fun activity rooms that the kids can run around and play with, and each offers a different message and how things work, like electricity, water, wind, light and more. I think the sweet spot for a kid might be a little bit older than 1 years old, but there was definitely some fun things that my daughter found interesting, specifically the Lightroom, as well as the water activities. I would think about bringing her back when she's a little older and can understand some of the larger lessons inside. But I do think it was completely worth it, while we digested our lunch from Colleen's, to chill and get out of the sun for a bit.

My 4yo thoroughly enjoyed himself. There is so much to see and do here. His favorite room was the light lab. He spent at least 30 minutes in there before I suggested we check out the upstairs. Next favorite was the water room. He enjoyed making the wheels turn with water. We could've spent all day here!! Bonus: they validate parking for the garage across the street

This is a nice place to take a young child on a rainy or cloudy day. They have several activities for the kids to play, especially on a rainy day. The staff are nice and their are several stations for the kids to play in. This seems to be best suited for young kids though. My 4 year old niece had fun but I the younger kids really seemed to enjoy themselves more. Overall, I think we would return if she had friends over to go with her.

This a great place to take your kid(s) to keep them occupied for a few hours. About a dozen indoor and outdoor areas for kids to explore. There's a really cool climbing structure outdoors with netting surrounding it to protect the kids from falling - you'll get to see your toddler scurry around like a spider on a web. The toddlers loved the innovator's workshop where there were simple tools and machines, the notion of motion (ping pong balls and air tubes!), the light lab and also the farmer's market. I believe they also have rooms to rent for birthday parties and events, but they are strict on time limits. Bring your sanitary wipes though - kids are grimy and you'll be wanting to wipe those little paws at the end of the day.

First time coming to the Thinkery and all I got to say is... ABSOLUTELY FUN!! My little one is 1.5yrs old and she totally loved it! She especially loved the Notion of Motion room and Currents room. All ages can enjoy themselves here because I know my s/o and I did! (that's just my opinion haha). There really is a lot to see and do here and I even considered getting a membership here because it was just that amazing for us! Definitely will be going again soon!!

waste of (a lot of) money.. majority of the toys & interactive stuff is broken. extremely outrageous pricing. go take the drive out to Mckenna Childrens Museum in New Braunfels.. you pay $8 per person of any age, as compared to $18 per person 2 yrs + at the thinkery.... with all that $$$ they take from families you'd think they would have functioning attractions.. the only time thats worth going is when its FREE on Tuesdays from 3-7

I think this is a good spot that has the potential to be amazingto The day we went there were several field trips there at the same time- at least 4 at once. I think it could be limited. It was very overwhelming, not just for myself but also my toddlers. Lots of fun things to do but to it's overpriced (because parents have to pay as well which I find odd)

One of our favorite local children's museums in Austin, updating photos of newer exhibitions. We suggest an annual membership for $100 and free 3-hour parking validations included. Fun restaurants nearby and also a park across the street. The Mueller area is a newer , hip development.

Thinkery is doing everything they can to help social distancing by offering timed entry. All above the age of 24 months are required to wear a mask indoor. Staff surveys everyone while checking in to ensure minimum risk to all. Although we are members and some staff recognizes us, they have been consistent and always asks us the same Covid survey questions. They also circle around the area to make sure guests continue to remain masked indoor. Masks, as of the last week in December, was optional Outdoors. Three hour of free parking is included with admission. Therefore, after playing at the thinkery, you will still have time to grab coffee, ice cream, or even eat at a nearby restaurant. Also, Mueller lake park is literally across the street. There was the one time when my daughter just wasn't having it at thinkery but was okay strolling around the park and lake. I just love having there option open as kids are unpredictable at times.

We came on a Sunday around the lunch hour, and there were a ton of people. So many kids. This place was great! Other children museums I've gone to don't have much in terms of things for infants and young toddlers to do, but this one had a good amount. There was a little play pen with colored blocks and spinny things, etc. which were so good for my 9 month old. She could reach the toys on the play pen walls while sitting. There was also a large play area with a bunch of cool thing activities like a bunch of different sized mirrors on a large portion of one wall. And the area was marked off for infants and toddlers under 2 (I think it was two. I'm pretty sure it was two. Maybe 3). They even have a Baby Bloomers time where the museum is open for two hours from 8-10 AM on Saturday and Monday for babies specifically ages 3 and under. I am disappointed that we missed this while we were in town, but I would definitely go if you want dedicated museum time tailored for your infant! There were multiple family restrooms with and places to nurse and change diapers. So glad we went to Thinkery while we were in town. If we ever go back to Austin, I would definitely visit again.

This is a review of the Gingerbread house workshop. Quite underwhelming and very over priced. Between the cost of the seat, the gingerbread house, and the entrance to museum fee you are over 100$ for just one house. They hardly give you any candy to work with, which is really frustrating considering the expense. The house does not come pre- assembled which means you'll spend most of the hour you're given building it. Instructions will say use the toothpicks if the icing isn't holding it together, but the house is way too hard for a toothpick to penetrate. Also, really didn't appreciate the staff member cleaning up our little mess on the table AS my child was decorating. Like, right in our way all up in our space. That could have waited.

A lovely place to bring your toddlers and older kids . So many fun learning and playing activities . My husband and I took our 1 year old here and he had a blast.

Came to Austin for a mini-trip with the family - our first one since the pandemic and the first one ever for the 19 month old. I had to rethink my usual packed itinerary and look up things geared towards young kids and came across this place. It's located in a newish area of town (or definitely new to me in the 2 years since I was last in town). Much of the area was still under construction. We parked in the McBee Street Parking Garage the next block over - free validated parking for 3 hours - and walked over. We purchased our tickets in advance online (recommended) so all we did was get them scanned and we got stamped. You can leave and return any time the same day, granted the ink stamp you got upon arrival is still present. No food or drinks allowed except for water and formula. Those under the age of 2 are free. The staff all wore face masks but it's optional for visitors (barely a handful were masked). The staff are super friendly and enthusiastic. There are 2 floors with various sections. It could be a little overwhelming, especially if you're new, but there's a map with recommended ages for each area once you get to the elevators. Because we have a 5 year old and a 19 month old, we went to every station. Sadly, the Littlest one wasn't in a good mood (teething?) so he was clingy for much of our time there except for the last 20 minutes. There's an outdoor play area that looked really neat, but perhaps a bit difficult for a small 5 year old. My daughter a LOVES play areas but the height of it was a little intimidating and she never really made it far, but she liked the neighboring water way with boats and "logs." There's a "CURRENTS" section with water play where you can learn and play. It comes with a waterproof vest you can don on. Yes, it's likely you'll get wet. My 5 year old liked this the best. Other areas include lights (this was a winner, though the light painting area wasn't working), motion (she tried playing with everything in her), food play area (she liked this too), story time (she didn't like this... she doesn't enjoy sitting down)...), and a shoeless, gentle play area for those less than 2. I feel like it was fun, but it's very dependent on your kids. Once 5yo warmed up to it, she was good, but it took a little bit of time. She liked it overall, but I didn't feel like she LOVED it. I feel like if we were close enough so she could go a few more times, she would be more comfortable with everything. Great idea and lots of potential! I did love all their restrooms... male, female, family restrooms. Breastfeeding room. Major kudos! It's located across the street from a nice park and Mueller Lake, surrounded by eateries and shops! You can easily stay in the area all day.

I guess one could say it's not really fair for me to rate this place given that I am an adult and have no children, however, my husband and I decided to drop in just on a chill Sunday morning assuming there would be some interesting activities even for grown adults such as ourselves. We enjoy museums and had not yet been to this one, mostly since it is known to cater solely to children, and our assumptions were confirmed after our 20-min. visit today. I can definitely see and appreciate the value of this place for kids of all ages, but mostly young children. I liked how the museum is sectioned off by category: motion/movement, lights/electricity, water/currents, an outdoor playground, and a food/grocery store area. There's a lot of cool things to tinker with and learn from that appeals to your 5 senses. It seems like a great place for birthday parties and learning and Sunday fun! I can't say that it's the least bit entertaining for adults with no children (I guess I was hoping for something similar to the Doseum in San Antonio that is both interesting for children and adults), but it certainly has great value to it for families and kids and I 100% support spending money there!

Love everything Thinkery has offered for my daughter. The older she gets the more excited she becomes when we go. Before my daughter arrived, I took my nephews here in 2018. So it's been a treat for everyone. Our most recent experience left us feeling less than thrilled. The reason I'm writing this review is to bring awareness to the water station/room upstairs. Of the handful of times my daughter and I have visited, the water station has always been a highlight for her. This last time, we walked into the room and it smelled foul. Very musty and not clean. As we continued to walk around the water table, I looked into where the bowls and water toys are located and there appeared to be brown residue or some type of floating substance in the water. I counted a handful of toys that had black residue around the outer edges. The murky substance was floating all around the water and again, it smelled. The room didn't appear to be clean and kept up from what we have seen in the past. Hoping this is not a trend as we really enjoy coming here!

Always a wonderful time for my kiddos ages 10 and 3. Tons to do and it's fun for adults too! Can get a bit crowded weekends. If you use food stamps you can get in for free! The parking garage is free up to 3 hours just be sure to get your ticket stamped downstairs before you leave. The water room can drench little ones so the smock and water shoes provided helps with this but you may want to skip if it's cold outside if you don't want your kids cold. The playground outside is for bigger kids but my 3 year old enjoyed figuring out how to follow big sissy up to navigate the tower and felt proud he made it up to the top when he was finished! Just a great place to bring kids all around!

Absolutely loved this place. We took our 4 children while on vacation with my parents and everyone enjoyed themselves. We all played . Everything is hands on with many stations and areas to choose from. They have sensory packs when you enter if needed . The bathrooms are clean and they have a nursing room made for mom, baby, and to entertain a small child. They change out the areas weekly so there is always something different. I would definitely visit the Thinkery again if we come back to Austin.

The Thinkery used to be a family favorite place for us. It was fun, easy, and entertaining. We even had my daughters birthday party there. Well, fast forward to yesterday. I'm a member so I go to the member counter and get told no food or drinks. I abide and put my food away. Then I start walking and as I'm walking by the elevators a cleaning woman tells me no food or drinks, my kids weren't touching anything but they had beverages in the wagon so I threw them away as she nastily told me no food or drinks again and that I had to go outside. Whatever, I keep on trucking and let my kids enjoy the museum even though I'm annoyed. Well, I had a coffee that I hadn't touched so we go outside so I can at least sip my coffee. Guess what happened. Yup, you guessed right- someone else tells me no food or drinks, to which I say "I thought it was allowed outside" and they say no, OUTSIDE OF THE MUSEUM. ok. Fine. So I put the drink away because I don't want to break any rules and we go upstairs. My kids play in the water room and my youngest is having a tantrum because she's teething. I get her some Motrin tablets to soothe her pain and guess what happened? YES, SOMEONE TOLD ME NO FOOD. For Motrin. FOR MOTRIN! I literally said,"It's Motrin, it's medicine." And she still kept saying no food or drinks. I had to show her the bottle and finally a mediocre apology but by that point I am beyond frustrated with them. The only time I actually broke any rules is when I took a sip of coffee in the OUTDOOR playground area so fine I'll take the heat for that one. Also, the girl was nice about it so I appreciate that. But the other 3 times? It's overkill. You are a children's museum where children get hungry and thirsty. I understand damage to displays is a concern but at least provide a seating area if you're not allowing any food or drinks - because sitting on the concrete blocks outside is not acceptable or safe with multiple children. You are not the Louvre. Get with the program. Also, please fix the exhibits that are broken down since you're so worried about damage to them. I am not one to be rude and I try my best to be a rule abiding guest anywhere I go but I guess kindness went out the door along with the snack machine and the tables/chairs.

I cannot say enough good things about our trip to Thinkery. Traveling with a 2 year old is never easy but this amazing museum gave us such a fun morning of experiences and pictures we'll always remember. We initially planned on doing their Saturday morning program that's exclusively for kids 0-3 but our schedule just wasn't working for that and the tickets for that timeslot were all sold out anyway. Thankfully while in the airport we met a lovely couple from Austin who spoke highly of Thinkery and told us it wasn't necessary to go special at that time, that there was plenty to see and do on our own. After hearing them rave we knew it was a must do so we were there at 10am when they opened Sunday morning (this also meant free parking which never hurts). Tip: if you're a teacher, law enforcement, or health care worker make sure you let them know - the price is discounted. I didn't have my teacher ID on me and they did it anyway which was much appreciated. Once inside Junior was free to roam the many amazing exhibits they had. Everything was hands on and truly had something for all ages to do. We especially loved the water play center, food market and light studio. Kudos for having protective gear (smocks etc) for the little ones when doing water play and painting, this made cleanup much easier and was greatly appreciated. We will definitely be coming again on our next visit to Austin to see what more fun we can find at Thinkery

LOVE this place and so does my son. They have a ton of different activities and setups for them to play in and it's always a good time. Plenty of places to eat also around there. Validated free parking for up to 3 hours so you will have plenty of time to chill and enjoy yourself without having to pay for parking.

Great experience for young and not as young. The interactivity of the numerous stations you'll find as you browse is encouraging for interaction that well describes the topical displays. Magnetic? Indeed, you'll find this display sticking in illustration of this sometimes esoteric phenomenon. Don't miss it for sure. Dell & various sponsoring partners have really put together an excellent activity/learning place that won't disappoint. I give it 5 stars, even if it's the lone star state. :-) check 'em out folks! See ya soon.