How to Plan a Trip to the Fort Worth Children's Science Museum

The Fort Worth Science Museum is bursting with fun activities for adults and children. By taking some time to plan your day, you can alleviate some stress and frustration that naturally comes when spending a busy day with children. Some of the activities in the museum are better than others. Be sure to explore the exhibits on this list before venturing into some of the less exciting ones.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Arrive at the museum early. Upon paying for your admission, check IMAX show times and purchase your tickets then. The tickets are first come, first served for all shows. You will want to plan your day around your show time and arrive at the show early so that you can have seats in the middle of the theatre.

2. Head straight to the dinosaur dig. There are not very many fossils. If you get to the dinosaur dig late in the day, the fossils will all be uncovered and your child will spend a frustrating bit of time trying to uncover something that isn't there. Digging in the sand is fun, but uncovering a dinosaur fossil is much more fulfilling.

3. Go downstairs if you are visiting with small children. There are pintsized activities that will keep them plenty busy. If you are visiting with only small children there is not really a need to explore much more of the museum, as most of it is beyond them. If you are visiting with big kids, skip the downstairs entirely. It will only entertain them for about 5 minutes.

4. Take older children to see any special exhibits. These exhibits are generally on display for only a short amount of time. These are often very entertaining and educational.

5. Eat lunch at the museum cafe or bring your own food. The prices at the museum are reasonable and the food is good. It is probably worth the money to eat at the cafe and not worry about hassling with a cooler. Cafe seating is only for cafe customers. You will have to find a different place to eat if you bring your own food.

6. Go stargazing at the planetarium. Prepare to be dazzled by the stars and constellations in the Texas sky. This is a really great show, and again, educational. This is not the best place for small children, as it is dark and can seem scary to them.

7. View your IMAX film and visit the remainder of the standard exhibits.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy a year membership to the museum. This allows you to see all of the exhibits, including IMAX, for the entire year.
• Sit in the back of the IMAX theatre if you are taking small children. The movie screen is huge and can be really frightening to little kids. There is a “cry room” at the back of the theatre where you can watch without little one's causing interruption.
• Go to the museum early to beat some of the crowds.
• The museum is less crowded at the beginning of the week. Toward the end there are a lot of field trips, and Saturdays are always a zoo.