McWane Science Center Reviews

Nice place to spend time with the children. BIRMINGHAM NEEDS CITY PASS.

The experience was nice . The Older employee in the gift shop is a piece of work.

A lot of exhibits are run down and in desperate need of repair. Slide was closed. We won't be back until improvements are made, which will probably be never.

We were pleasantly surprised at the variety and depth of the exhibits and activities. All three of my kids (ages 9, 7, 5) loved it. Give yourself at least 3 hours, but 4 would be better. There are decent choices for food if needed.

Best place to spend the day as a family. Great entertainment for everyone from toddlers to grandparents. I really love the section for younger kids. Plenty of areas for hands on learning.

SCIENCE! So many cool exhibits for kids and adults. Be prepared for the likelihood of the IMax shutting down mid movie, especially in the summer. The projectors are old, fussy and hard to fix. It's unfortunate, but unavoidable, though they will refund the movie price if this happens

I attended ACTM conference at the McWane Center and it was my first time there. The atmosphere was so pleasant and the staff was excellent in making sure that everyone got the assistance needed. I am looking forward to going back again.

The best reviewers should really be children or parents. I went with my daughter and her children. The kids loved it. I thought it was a good venue overall and with some good edutainment ideas. However, it is in need of some TLC which is often the case of interactive museum-like places. The prices were a bit high in light of the condition of the displays.

Great for a family outing, prices on food really good. Parking garage right there. . There is a ton of stuff for children from a slide, to petting a sting ray / shark very educational.

So amazing. This adventure is well worth the drive and cost. So many fun things to do. Come early and spend the day.

I love this place and so does my son! There are so many activities to see and do. The staff are friendly and helpful and besides that, it totally rocks since Science is my thing. I'm an adult and I have fun at this amazing place. We hope to see you again soon but hopefully, next time, it will be with his classmates and teachers. It's an educational experience that everyone needs participate in. If you love Science, I highly recommend the McWane Center.

Great place to bring the fam. The only money you'll need to spend is coinage for the meter every hour or so.

Great place to take young kids. Exhibits do not change very often so a visit every couple if years should work for most families. Make sure to park in the deck. The ease if entry is worth the extra few dollars.

Great place for the whole family. My kids (6,6,2,2) all have a great time as well as myself. They have done a lot of remodeling and it really is a fun experience for all. Free wifi and tons of stuff for the littles. Our favorite is itty bitty magic city. We just renewed our membership for another year. Great for rainy days, cold days, or really hot days.

I grew up going to the McWane Center as a kid on field trips, and I remember the immense sense of wonder I got when entering, amazed at all that science could do. Although I don't have quite that response now, I still love it! With the recent addition of their adults-only after-hours events, they're now catering to a group that often doesn't get to go to McWane any more, and misses it greatly. The exhibits are still interesting, even the ones that have been there as long as I can remember, and it's great fun to get to feel like a kid again, exploring the wonders of science. Some favorite exhibits of mine are the recurring trains exhibit that happens each year around Christmas, the giant-size Lite Brite, and, of course, the ever-present bed of nails. I can't forget the bubbles, either! Last week, I was able to see a doctor, a real estate appraiser, and a future realtor playing with bubbles, and having a fantastic time letting go of inhibitions. This is truly a unique place, where everyone can be a kid again!

This was an amazing place to take my kids. The slide had to be the most intersting. Ive been to many science centers and a random slide was not in the cards! Lots of interactive displays on hand, a great and friendly staff. Parking was easy and plentiful. Fun for both kids and adults who were having just as much fun! Great space to move around no crowding. They have noise sensitivity areas for special needs children which was a plus for my son. All in all a wonderful place that i see multiple visits in the future!

My three year old loved how huge and colorful this place is, it's a great activity for the family, and it's super educational for kids and adults

The perfect place for kids of all ages to explore and learn about the world of science and engineering

Great time with the kids! They had loads of fun with plenty to do!

Totally the best fun and educational activity to do with kids. Would I recommend this place? Of course 10/10.

My 4 year old would give them about 20 more stars... friendly staff.. always very clean

We went this past Saturday. The price with parking was reasonable. My only complaint is that there were about 8 machines/activities not working. The slide was closed and when we tried to go into the exhibit the doors were locked. My kids loved the aquarium level and the Itty Bitty Magic City. We will be giving it another chance in a couple of months and hopefully all of the activities will be working.

I enjoyed the different aspects of a ience and loved seeing the kids playing and learning

Love the McWayne Center but it is always so crowded.

Awesome place to bring the kids. An asset to the community!

This was my first time going to the Mcwane Center. It was absolutely wonderful. I went with my son on a school field trip and we had a blast.

It's great for first time goers but if you're local its the same stuff since 98 they have good exhibits every other month

My young scientists were super excited! As a homeschooling mommy, I was also excited to show them more of the theories we've studied as well as introduce some new ones!

One of the coolest places I've ever been! My little one was a little too small to enjoy it, even the Itty Bitty part, but I had a blast and she enjoyed looking around.

My kids love Mcwayne center. We go at least once a week.

Loved it but very unorganized and alot of things out of order or broken. Otherwise was awesome!

They just got a new exhibit on the 1st floor about genomes and how it contributes to who they are. It has many different stations and is a great learning experience. I'm always excited to see how they update the science center every time I go.

I cannot not recommend this place more. It is great for kids and adults alike.

We went with 4 adults and 6 kids on a cold and rainy Saturday. Even though it was busy, there were a TON of activities!! I suggest the lightning show, but also exploring every single level. We had kids ranging from 8 months to 45 years old, and all of them LOVED it!! Plenty of interaction, things for big and small kids, and places to sit and chill.

I dont know who loves this place more ..me or my 1 te old son lol

Amazing science center. Loved how large the play area was for kids!

If you've never been to the McWane center, it's just a great experience. I personally love the basement area, with the aquariums and such -- but they have so much more. And even if you've gone a hundred times, there's a dozen new things to do. It's great fun for the whole family.

Hasn't been updated a ton in the past 10 years, but most of what they have still holds up very well. Cool exhibits that will keep kids of all ages engaged and excited to learn about science.

Worth the money! A great place for kids and adults. So much to do and learn. Recommend. Great experience gift for all ages! Make sure to get there close to when they open because you will have something to do/explore all the way until they close.

10/10 my nephew (1 year old) fell in love with Itty Bitty Magic city and the Ray tank. Perfect fun for adults as well.

It was an awesome place to go for a quick outing in Birmingham. The science aspect was very well thought out and demonstrated very well. The IMAX theatre was well worth the asking price. It is a large dome shaped theatre with spectacular sound and video. Overall, I highly recommend it.

Great venue for the Girl Scout Father/Daughter dance. Had a great time.

Love it! Lots of things for the family to do together.

I was a chaperone with Huffman Academy. We had a great time!

Ehh, it's okay.
Very wild and very loud.

Love this place. We go all the time and it's always fun. The Imax theater is especially amazing

It can be a little difficult to find the way around because there are so many exhibits and so little signage. Went with a group of Pre-K through K. The organized events (classroom activities) were chaotic, but the children seemed to enjoy it. The interactive exhibits are definitely fun for the kids.

Great place for kids, special play area for kids under five.

Took our toddler here when we spent a few nights in Birmingham on the run from Hurricane Irma in Florida. What a gem this is! I would have been happy enough to go there as an adult, but was great to see the wonder and fun my daughter was having in all the sections.
She especially enjoyed the small aquarium, bubble room, and indoor small kids area. Would frequent if we lived close.

It was just nice to walk around in the science Center today

Awesome place for kids & adults! Great Experience! Reasonable prices.

School field trip with child, great place, very educational. Seemed to be problems with several exhibits, maintenance may be lacking

My 5 year old loves coming here. Lots of hands on stuff to play and learn.

Pricey but so much to do. My daughter loves it. I plan on buying a membership soon! Def worth the money if you re stopping by or traveling, so much to see and experience. Fun for all ages.

We always have a great time with our 2, 4 and 9 yr old here. Getting another annual membership for 2019.

Very educational and fun.. Took our grandchildren there was something for all ages. . Price was great. Staff was friendly and helpful.

I have always loved the place. Great for kids and even fun for parents

One of my favorite places ri bring my kids. Fun and educational

It was fun today just went for 2 hours but we enjoyed it

It was fun for a 11 year old girl and a 8 year old girl

My Grandson and I had a great time with his friend (Alex and Alex's Grandma Christina..) we walked all 3 floors and Jaxon lived the Sharks the most!! It was a nice place for the kids !!

We love the McWane Science Center, especially Itty Bitty Magic City.

Kept my kids entertained from the moment it opened all the way to closing. Four floors of learning and entertainment for all ages.

Very interesting. Some of the exhibits were not working.

We just got back from our second overnight adventure at McWane. We go with our cub scout pack every few years. The experience is AWESOME! The coordinator, Jeff Pace, is great!!!! He is so easy to communicate with and to plan an event. The facility is TONS OF FUN for all ages. The exhibits are innovative, creative, and engaging. The kids learn a lot and have a blast doing it. The scout program is extremely flexible and customize-able. The staff are friendly and helpful. The kids love to have the whole museum to themselves where they can run, play, and explore with only their friends. Parents, rest easy; the doors are locked and security guards and staff are present to make sure that your children are safe, even when they are out of your sight. Even the food is yummy! They served us chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, salad, and rolls for dinner, which is included in the overnight fee. Everyone had plenty to eat. The cost is EXTREMELY REASONABLE as well.

I cannot say enough good things about this trip. I strongly suggest that you plan a day trip with family or friends or spend the night with a group sometime soon. You won't be disappointed.

Pros: lots to see and do that captures the imagination, Itty Bitty Magic City was an enormous hit with our 2, 3, and 5 year olds, parking wasn't expensive ($5 for the day)
Cons: pricey, upkeep wasn't impressive (Lots of activities and displays that weren't functional)