Discovery Place Science
4.6(4,796)4.6 out of 5 stars, 4796 reviews Charlotte, NC
About Discovery Place Science
A highly interactive three-story science museum in downtown Charlotte featuring a walk-through indoor rainforest, hands-on maker spaces, live animal encounters, and an IMAX theater, making it an engaging educational destination for families.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families looking for a multi-hour, indoor educational activityKids who thrive in hands-on, creative, and building-focused environmentsASTC reciprocal museum members looking to maximize their membership benefitsToddlers and Preschoolers (enjoying the aquarium, animal touch experiences, and rainforest birds)School-aged Children (highly engaged by the 3rd-floor building workshops and interactive science puzzles)
Why families love it
- Hands-on animal encounters including touching a snake and sea stars
- A walk-through tropical rainforest on the second floor filled with free-flying birds
- Third-floor creative space where kids can build projects using boxes and tape
- Fascinating live science demonstrations and a dedicated aquarium section
- Educational exhibits like the human body formation section and the Jane Goodall 'Becoming Jane' exhibit
- Indoor tropical rainforest exhibit
Insider tips
- Bring your parking ticket inside to get a validation discount at the museum
- Check if you qualify for reciprocal admission; members of other science museums (like the Life and Science Museum) can get in for free
- Ask about military discounts at the counter
- Verify active exhibits before visiting, as major exhibits like the Marvel universe rotate out
Good to know before you go
- Planning a visit specifically for the Marvel exhibit, which is no longer there
- Driving extremely long distances (e.g., 3+ hours) if you already have access to a high-quality local science museum, as it may not exceed those expectations
- Some restrictions on hands-on activities, such as limits on painting or woodworking
- Glitchy online ticketing system that may fail to apply discounts, forcing kiosk purchases at regular price
- Ethical concerns from some visitors regarding the limited flight space for birds in the indoor rainforest
- Crowds
- As Charlotte's most well-known downtown tourist spot, it can draw crowds, but the large three-story facility helps distribute the volume of visitors
- Value
- Excellent value for members of reciprocal science museums who get in free, and good value for military families due to available discounts. However, online booking glitches may occasionally force you to pay full regular price at the kiosk.
- Food
- An onsite cafeteria is available on the first floor across from the entrance
- Accessibility
- Spacious three-story layout with clean facilities and helpful staff distributed across all floors to assist visitors
- Safety
- Abundant staff members stationed throughout all three floors to keep exhibit areas tidy, safe, and organized
What parents say
"I had an amazing time at Discovery Place Science in Charlotte! This museum is full of interactive exhibits that make science fun and engaging for all ages. We got to touch a snake and sea stars, which was an unforgettable experience! On the third floor, there’s a creative space where you can build your own projects using boxes and tape—perfect for those who love hands-on creativity and solving scientific puzzles. The second floor felt like stepping into a tropical fairy tale, with beautiful birds flying around in a lush rainforest setting. The aquarium section was also a nice surprise, and th"
a month ago
"We drove 3 hours to go visit this museum. We already were a member of Life and Science Museum so we didn’t have to pay anything. This museum is surely does have entertainment for kids but not to that extent. They have restrictions on kids painting or making something out of wood. I think the best thing about this place is the rain forest which is flooded with birds. It feels like I am really in the jungle. I love the variety of birds they have but also felt like the space is so little for those birds. Birds are supposed to fly free in the sky but these birds are caged. They have a big a ceilin"
a week ago
"The Marvel universe is not there anymore (Jan 2025 update). Discovery is probably the most well known tourist spot in Charlotte downtown, excellent for kids, but for adults more of a visual learning activity. We tried to buy the tickets online for discounted price but it didn’t work. So we bought them at the kiosk for regular price. It spreads over 3 floors. First floor has small aquarium, living things, theater, planetarium stuff. 2nd floor has cool thing about how human body is formed (my favorite section of the place), a walk by through rain forest, and special section for “Becoming Jane”"
3 months ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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