Discovery Center LLNL

This is a small, hands on science meuseum. It's free, but difficult to find since Google seems unaware that some roads are closed to the public and only used by the labs. Adults need to show ID in order to go in. This is a popular field trip for 5th graders in the area.

A bit of a wait to get checked in, but very interesting site to visit and learn more about projects at the lab. This is the only spot on the campus that people who are not affiliated with LLNL can explore without special clearance, so it's definitely worth the stop.

It was a relatively interesting museum, though its overall size and scope was rather lackluster. We were the only visitors there at the time, so it was rather quiet and peaceful. We were given a pamphlet with a map on it, though it seemed kind of redundant considering that the entire discovery center was only about the size of a family living room. Still, it was interesting to learn about some of the functions of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. They had an actual used fuel capsule from the lab’s inertial confinement fusion reactor there on display, as well as a mockup of the fusion reactor in the center of the room. All in all, the experience was interesting, though I just wish they had more to see and do.

It's fairly small, but for being free everything was of amazing quality. They provide a plethora of useful facts without being overwhelming. Several fun activities to do. They are pretty strict about security even though the Discovery Center is separate from the lab. Make sure you bring a valid driver's license or other identification (such as a passport) as they have to keep a log of all visitors. Not something I would recommend going out of your way for as we did everything in about an hour or so, but worth it if you're already in the area.

This was a fantastic visit. And it certainly is just not for children. Unless the children are Einstein. It was Only a few rooms, but spent well over an hour there. Looking at all the different exhibits. If you want to know about chemistry, physics, the environment, this is a place to go.