McWane Science Center Reviews

We have a membership to the McWane Science Center and have been there at least a dozen times, we love it! The first time we went I wasn't sure if it would be the right place for toddlers, but my son loves "Itty Bitty Magic City" as well as looking at all of the animals, dinosaur bones, fish tanks and sting rays/sharks in the basement! There are interactive opportunities and classes for older kids, so much to learn, see and do here!
The Christmas train exhibit is also great if you're visiting in December. I will say it gets VERY crowded on rainy days so either go right when they open or near closing time to avoid all of the crowds. But worth it! Also, our membership here has allowed us to visit numerous other museums across the country (including the rockets in Huntsville) for free!

Visited here with my wife and two sons. We have been to kids museums all over the US and several other countries, and this one is very good. It is much larger and has more to do than kids museums in similar sized small cities. It's really on par with some of the best. Great IMAX theater as well. Definitely a place to go.

A great place to take your children-I was with a 6 year old but I think all ages would enjoy the McWane Science Center. Who doesn’t love a bed of nails?

kids as young as 2 love the McWane Center. It really makes science and learning and adventure and kids have no idea they are learning, how cool is that. Adults love it too but you spend most of your time keeping up with your young children which is something you do anyway so why not do that at a really cool place.

The dinosaur exhibit was very interesting, and the children had a blast riding the bicycle on the high wire. The IMAX was amazing, the kiddos were hooked from the moment we sat down. Highly recommend.

Was there with daughter and grandchildren. The place is amazing. Gobs of learning activities tied to gobs of fun. The kids loved the place and it looks like Birmingham loves this place. If you have kids or are a kid at heart, this is a do not miss place. I cannot say more.

This was a great stop during my travel was real happy that me and my son stopped in to check things out.

I accompanied a group of middle school students. The museum definitely kept their attention. The food was ho-hum. It is a worthwhile visit.

My husband and I visited McWayne Center with our ten year old son. We had a great time and it was very educational.

This was a great addition to our Birmingham trip!
First the facts;
$13.00 per adult
2& under -free
2 nd floor is for the children who are 5 and under- lots to do and a water table !!!
1st & 3 rd floor is for the older kids-lots to do!!
Gift shop on 1st floor upon entering
IMAX movie experience in house with concessions

This place was a huge hit!!!
Lots to keep a little person busy and my 2 year old granddaughter loved it!!
Highly recommend making the stop

We love going to McWane and are actually members. My son loves Itty Bitty Magic City and we love the rotating exhibits as well. The reason I rate it a 4 instead of 5 is that the front desk workers for the member side can be super rude. It is inconsistent because we have had several pleasant experiences and some really terrible ones as well. Also, they allow TONS of field trips every single day (except member evenings after my son has already gone to bed) and it can get very crowded. I think they need to decrease their capacity number to make it more enjoyable for everyone.

We were in Birmingham during our evacuation from Florida. Traveling with 4 children, ages 14-3, it is sometimes difficult to find something to entertain everyone. The McWane Science Center fit the bill. It was amazing, even for the adults. We spent well over 6 hours interacting in all the different activities. Even better was that they were offering FL residents 1/2 off which was super awesome considering the money we had to spend for evacuating. I highly recommend for children of all ages.

Fantastic. We went 2 years ago and it was awesome. Last year we went to another theatre and saw that years Star Wars. We were disappointed. This year, we drove downtown again and were very pleased. Worth the drive. WAY!

Excellent science center !!! We take our nieces and nephews many times throughout the year. They just can't get enough! All staff we encounter are always nice and helpful. Every time we go there is something new to explore. The kids favorite part is getting to pet the sharks and stingrays. Fun for adults and kids of all ages! So much fun while being educational! We go here from GA (an hour and a half away). Can't wait to go again!

We have a season pass for our two year old grandson. There are climbing activities, water fun, small scale aquarium, and more. It's perfect for a rainy afternoon and with a season pass, I don't feel guilty if we only stay for an hour or two.

This place is amazing. A huge variety for all ages. Friendly, fun atmosphere. There are 3/4 levels to this building and they are all full of interesting things to see and enjoy. Great time to be had all the way around.

There is so such to do in there and the staff is very helpful, just ask them anything. This will not disappoint anyone.

McWane Center is a place where kids of all ages have something fun to do. My boys love the sting rays in the basement and their favorite is the bike on the 2nd floor. Have been with family, friends, and school trip and always had a great time.

Fun museum for kids of all ages, and you will be entertained for hours. You and the kids can get to pet a fish if you like or you can just take a photo.
Parking is great and easy to acces

Kids thoroughly enjoyed attending my daughter's 3rd birthday here. The parents had fun as well. I would buy two time slots if I could do it all again though as there was not enough time to set up, direct guests and the kids to play.

When our grandchildren visit us, one of their favorites is the McWane Science Center. From 4 to 16, all six grands love the center. The exhibits there are designed for fun and educating. It’s a great place for 30 minutes or two hours. We have a grandparents package which is $115 per year for two grandparents and up to six grandchildren. That includes admission and parking in the attached deck.

My five kids and I visited on a Thursday afternoon. We enjoyed the nature levels (lower level of ocean/fish and second level of dinosaurs and birds), but the ground level and third level were so so.
From talking to the staff, the best times to come are on Mondays and any day after 3pm. Evidently the school groups are never there on Mondays and depart before 3pm, so that is the time to go if you want to have the touch tank to yourself (like we did!).

The McWane Science Center is such a fun place! There is SO much to see & do. What a great way to spend a day!

This is a favorite spot for our grandchildren. It is entertaining for all ages from 3-15. The iMax theater is also located in the McWane Center. There are hours of hands on experiences for all of the kids. If you are looking for an indoor activity for your little ones, this cannot be beaten.

I would highly recommend the McWane Center to anyone that has a few hours to kill in Birmingham. This hands-on science museum has something to offer for all ages. The exhibits cover a wide range of topics and are changed out from time to time (for example, there is currently a dinosaur exhibit on the second floor). There is even a large section of the center dedicated to younger children that my now 2.5 year old son absolutely loves. If you have never experienced and IMAX Dome theater, than it is a must.

Love the interaction with the exhibits -grandchildren love to go and talk about it all the time, but us older kids can still enjoy and even learn a thing or two, highly recommend for all ages.

We went here several years ago when our children were younger and remember really enjoying it. We went again this past weekend and were surprised by not only the high price but by the aging and seemingly unmaintained areas. The digging area hardly has anything to dig in, the touch pool had only 3 animals, the slide wasn't working, several of the things were broken or didn't work, there was no traveling expo. It just seems that this place needs some upgrades and a good scrubbing. When you pay $65 to watch your two kids play for 2 hours (no imax) you expect things to work.

Visited with 12 and 13 year old. Both found plenty of activities to participate in. The imax theater was fun. Center was clean and well maintained. We spent 4 hours in the center on a Sunday afternoon. It was not overly crowded, we were able to participate in all activities the group was interested in. Happy to see a family bathroom, entire area was handicap accessible with elevators and spacing between events. We will return.

Attended the Center for a birthday party; the kids all enjoyed it, there was so much to see and do. The dinosaurs on exhibit are cool to look at. I enjoyed looking at the aquariums. It is definitely a fun place to go to. The staff is very friendly as well as easy parking in the garage.

Family trip to Birmingham with 8 year old. He had visited with his class but couldn't wait to return. Hands on exhibits kept us all entertained and informed of the science behind them. Live combustion session was informative but also fun. Will definitely return.

Great place to expand your childs learning and tons of hands on activities. Great time for adults as well. We go at least once a year with the grandkids.

There is something for everyone! Even adults get into the fun. I took my niece and she didnt want to leave

McWane Center is one of my favorite places to take the grandkids ... and, heck, for me to go to as well! Lots of interactive learning experiences, well-kept and clean, a delightful place.

Good for all ages. Imax movies are best from upper rows of seating.
We have held season passes every few years since the opening 20 years ago. The food court has never been good, though, and always expensive. You can pack a lunch, retrieve it from your car, and take it to the lower level vending area, where there are table set up. We always do the membership. This year, with the ages of our 6 kids at home, our entry price and parking would have been $101, family pass is $110. We go about once a quarter, when new exhibits come, this works out great for us.

We went up to visit for the train ride. Hoping to see an Imax movie for 5 and under. The only thing playing was Star wars. It was ok, we saved money and still had a wonderful time.

We have a family membership & enjoy the museum on cold, rainy, or super hot days. The Imax theater is a great experience that my 2 year old twins enjoyed. Highly recommend

Great experience for our daughter of 2 years old. The toddler area is great for playing with other kids with both learning and play. The science part of the museum is also great with plenty of interactive exhibits.

You could spend a day in the mcwane center and still want more. Kid friendly and interesting for adults too. Amazing exhibits and futuristic science type projects are looked at much differently than in the textbooks. Amazing place to visit. Good eateries too

The McWane Science Center is a great place to take the kids on a hot summer afternoon. There are plenty of hands on science displays, educational instruction, and an IMAX.

Absolutely one of the best places to visit in Bham if you have kids. Only drawback is if there are several school groups on site, it can get a bit hectic. Food chojces are good, family membership is well worth the price. Super place!

My wife took me here and I was unsure because a 6'5" grown man without a kid will be looked at like they're crazy. Or so I thought. I was WRONG! I was able to be a big kid and play, learn and explore. So much fun and definitely would go back again. Great for ALL ages, with or without children.

A place where kids as well as adults will really be fascinated. There's so much to see and do there, you'll never get bored. There's so many scientific activities to experiment with, objects to examine and so much more. The food court is great, although it gets packed quickly. And the kids will fall in love with the many items inside the gift shop.

During a summer camp, I assisted as a chaperone for the trip to the McWane Science Center. We went to all the levels within the building and for lunch we went to the cafeteria that they have on the site. After lunch we took the children to the IMAX theater to watch a movie which they all enjoyed. I believe the movie was about dinosaurs, a topic which many children are really interested in.

Great experience for the whole family. Took my 7 and 3 year old cousins who were completely captivated by each floor. The top favorites were the stingray touch tank and the Dino excavation area. Definitely recommend for those with kids 12/13 and under.

My granddaughter is 5 years old. She liked being able to participate in all the activities and science experiences. She loved the show most of all. It was a very enjoyable day watching her expressions.

Our five-year-old daughter had a fun time here. She enjoyed the hands-on activities. She ran out of gas before we ran out of things to do.

McWane is taking necessary precautions and we felt there were adequate options for reopening. The climbing area and slides are closed in Itty Bitty. The shark/sting ray exhibit no longer allows touching. The Dino dig is also closed. For Itty Bitty, each child is given a bag of cleaned toys to sue and hand cleaning stations are everywhere. The IMAX theater is also closed.

They should allow children with disabilities in without a mask. Children don’t understand mask especially children with disabilities.

We took a day trip down to Birmingham and decided to stop into McWane, we spent over 3 hours there and could have spent another 3 hours there, we had SUCH a great time! The interactive exhibits have opportunities to engage for ALL age levels! We will go again

My daughter chose this for her birthday. We have been 3 times. Not one time has the slide worked. So many exhibits are broken. It's no longer worth the 3 hour drive it takes to get here. Step it up McWane. Dinosaur bike, airplane, hover chair, slide...

We stopped between games on soccer tournament weekend. It was great. We only had 90 minutes here, and was nowhere near enough time. My kids (1st and 3rd grade) ran from one thing to the next and my husband went missing for a good 45 minutes playing the games too. We'll be back again when we can spend all day.

Make this a must stop for anyone, not just families. Fantastic facility with lots to do for all ages. Little ones will love Itty Bitty City, Collections area is amazing and don’t miss aquarium in lower level. Plan to spend several hours.

We spent two hours at the museum. Would have been more but we arrived there in the late afternoon. Our kids are three and eight. There were more than enough age appropriate activities to keep the busy. Three floors of fun. Our little one could have spent the afternoon in the Itty Bitty area. I would recommend it as a full afternoon or just a traveling stop as ours was.

We went to the Birmingham Zoo the day prior to our visit and we were not impressed with the poor management. We went to McWane and we loved it. One of the best museums I have ever been to. We had two 13 year olds and a 10 year old and they all said it was a great day. We stayed five hours and can't wait to go back.

Loads to do for adults and children. Highly recommend a visit. Multi storey car park for $5 on-site.

My family and I visited Birmingham for a little labor day wknd getaway. We researched before hand things in the area to do with our small children. This one of the 1st things that popped up. We were excited to experience everything they showed on the website. We were expecting to pay a hefty price for ourselves and our older child but was PLEASANTLY surprised that military was free that wknd! We had such an amazing experience, from all the cook exhibits to the delicious food in the cafe! Even our toddlers had a creat time with the foam building blocks and all of the other cool things. Who knew Birmingham had this hidden gem?? We were literally there from open until about 15 mins until closing. Definitely will be making a trip back!

There was so much to see and do! Fun for teens as well as littles. Very interactive and a great way to beat the heat!

McWane has so many permanent and changing exhibits that there is always something new for repeat visitors. The hardest thing is to keep track of your youngsters while you become totally absorbed in the exhibits.

This Science Center is one of the best! The kids love it and there are so many interactive activities to do. Must visit if you have not been yet.

McWane Science Center is a pretty good science center. We have a 12 year old and two 7 year olds and they kept busy for a few hours. Lots to explore and the IMAX theatre was fun. It could use some refreshing in areas but a good visit nevertheless.

We had a wonderful time. The field trip was with 5th graders. They had a very, very good time. I had a really good time.

We went for scout day, great deal. Lots of cools exhibits and things for the kids to play with. Both my kids ages 5 and 10 loved it! They even had a touch tank with sting rays and small sharks. Parking deck right beside the center. You can pay for parking inside with ticket purchase. Only negative thing I have to say was the food court had several vendors not open and the ones that were open (pizza hut and subway) Only had a few people working and the food didn't look fresh and was pricey so we skipped it.

After a 10 year break (children had grown and left home) we bought discounted Groupon IMAX and museum tickets and took a Sunday to go visit. When our now 30+ year old children were young we visited regularly and loved each visit. I was surprised after such a long break to find the exhibits were unchanged.

Excellent place for learning and play. The security for the play area is a great stress release for parents kids cannot get out without parent. For the children every imagination is covered.

Went to an IMAX Documentary showing “Ancient Caves”. Experience was awesome, unlike any other cinematic experience. Went with the girlfriend but it would be a great experience for any occasion and all ages.

The thing I like about McWane is that the exhibits change on a regular basis, so there is always something new to see and/or do. All ages enjoy it. Great place to take an inquisitive kid for birthday or just special outing.

Very interesting museum about science and nature. Even though most of it is aimed at children, adults can enjoy it as well. And another interesting thing about this museum is it's in a building that dates back to 1935 that originally housed a local department store that went out of business in 1980.

This place is definitely fun for kids, but not for teens or adults. It looks a bit old and outdated.

Great place to take the family. We brought a couple of young children and they had a blast, especially in Itty Bitty Magic City. We spent at least half a day at Mcwane and it was worth the cost. You definitely need to spend a few hours here to get your money's worth, but it is entertaining enough for the kids to let you do that. We'll definitely come back if we head back to Birmingham.

Great family outing! Fun for all ages even toddlers. Engaging activities that are centered on science, art and creativity. My entire family enjoyed our visit. Definitely a must do if you have children and you are visiting this city.

Fascinating interactive experiments/activities for everyone. IMAX theater. Aquarium/reptile exhibit. Good for at least 2 to 4 activities and entertainment.

I had an excellent visit here with my daughter in law and grandkids! So much to see and do. Will visit again!

McWane Science Center is a great venue for children and adults. Exhibits and interactive activities make it especially enjoyable for curious young minds. The adjoining IMAX theater offers additional entertainment for adults and children of all ages. The newly-opened Pizitz Food Hall across the street is an excellent place to enjoy a huge variety of ethnic cusine.

We traveled to Birmingham from Georgia to come to the McWane Science Center. We had never been to Birmingham before and after navigating the downtown area we finally arrived and parked in the parking deck. The exhibits and displays were very entertaining and informational. In the lower level where the water creature display is we were able to touch live rays and sharks and an excellent employee was walking around the displays and explaining the different aquatic animals to my kids and me. I wish I had caught his name to give him the kudos he deserves here.

Now for the bad part. Upon paying for our entry into the Science Center we were asked if we had parked in the parking deck and we replied that we had. Our receipt reflected that we paid $5.00 for parking when we purchased our admission. Apparently the cashier was supposed to give us a token so that we could exit the parking deck since we paid inside (We didn't know this at the time). The only thing she gave us was our ticket/sticker, our IMAX tickets all folded in a brochure type document. Well, after enjoying our day we left and tried to drive out of the parking deck only to have to pay $5.00 again with our credit card in order to exit. Needless to say we were a little frustrated at the situation. I understand how the cashier could have made a mistake and that's not really the issue. The issue is that upon exiting the parking deck into the hectic downtown traffic (which made it difficult to have returned to the Center, much less find streetside parking) we called the Science Center to find out how to address the error. After explaining the situation we were transferred to a voicemail and left our name, contact number and a description of the situation. Two days later we still have not received a call back. I know it is only $5.00 and it certainly isn't going to break me, but I do feel that the McWane Science Center fell short of our expectations with respect to customer service.

I believe that the Science Center is a great attraction and inquisitive minds will benefit from visiting, however be warned, ensure that if you pay for parking at the counter that they give you a token because otherwise you are going to be in the same situation that we were...$5.00 poorer due to having to pay twice for parking.

The McWane packs a large dose of educational material into exhibits and activities that keep children engaged and active for hours. I particularly liked the IMAX Backyard Wilderness movie and wish thst it could be made available online. The exhibits are suitable for ages 4 and up and some supervision and guidance is needed for younger kids to understand the instruction signage. Overall its a tremendous activity for at least a half day visit when in Birmingham

My son's class went her for a field trip and he loved it. My husband and I liked it also. It is very hands on and the kids had a lot to do. They have an awesome IMAX theater. It is great for kids of all ages.

Mc Wane Science Center in Birmingham Alabama is a great place for everyone of all ages, it will entertain you, it will challenge you, and it will leave you very impressed, great location, great atmosphere, awesome venue for everyone, don’t miss it when you’re in Alabama

Love the time and effort it took to make the murals !!!! Must see down to the details would definitely go see the area again

Great place to take younger kids. Pretty much the same stuff as any other Children's museum, from the sand pit where you can find dinosaurs to the bicycle on tbe tight rope. They also have a younger kids area where your toddler can run around and have fun without fear if being trampled hy older kids.

We had a great time exploring all of the exhibits at this hands-on museum. My 9 yr old and 48 yr old ;-) thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We ran out of time to watch the IMAX movie...next time!

I visited first with a group of school children and then with my two grandchildren.
The McWane Center is a hands on science center for children. The exhibits are hands on and appropriate for school age children. The IMAX Theater is a great experience.

The kids never get enough of going to McWane. They are always thoroughly entertained no matter how many times we visit. There are activities for the entire family I enjoy.

My kids ages 13, 11, 9 really enjoyed the science center. Wish there were more show times available for the IMAX. The high wire bicycle was really cool.

I can think of no better indoor activity for kids. Not one. The exhibits go on, and on, there is so much to discover. Don't miss the science demonstrations in the "classroom". Food is reasonably priced and lots of options. Learning while "burning energy"..what more could a Dad want????

This place is fantastic for a day out with the kids - especially in the heat of the summer. Great!!!

Took my grandson to the center. The have a lot of interactive things for kids and adults to do. The aquarium portion was nice you could touch sharks. The little person city was awesome, spent 4hrs there. Scaled down to a child size city they have a diner, grocery store, vet clinic, fire dept., auto repair just to name a few.

This is the best attraction for all ages, every interest- in this area!! It’s a Children’s Museum meets Discovery Place! All five of us learned something new & had fun :)

McWane Science Centre is a good museum for children interested to learn more about science. It is a must for children while visiting the area.

Seems a little pricey at first, but it is an all-day visit. Great fun for young and old. Make sure you go to all floors. Very educational. Try the IMAX theatre at least once.

My four year old loved it here! Her favorite part was the mini city. They have a play area where they can play nurse, firefighter, vet, grocery store, farm, and even a mechanic. The museum is fantastic! So many things to do and learn. Even aquariums!

We have visited many children's museum in different states and this particular one is one of the best! Entertaining and educational for the whole family. Great exhibits, hours of fun. Highly recommend!

My Grandkids love this place. My daughter bought a membership and they go all the time. When I go with them I even have a blast. It is so interesting and there is always something new to enjoy.

We used to go to the museum part a lot when our kids were younger. This is always a must do when we have company with children visit from out of town. My husband and I still enjoy all of the IMAX Documentary films. This is a great, clean, fun and educational place to spend an afternoon.

Fun night out at one of their after dark events. I was not wanting to go before I arrived thinking I was too old, but found the exhibits really interesting. If I had kids I would take them here in a heartbeat :-) It’s accessible to young children and encourages them to explore and interact with science.

The McWane center is incredible! Pay the 5 bucks to park. Lots to see and DO. this is a hands on place for kids and grown folks alike. Mini manic city is just the right size for young kids and toddlers but my 19 year old loved it too. Be sure to visit the lower level touch tank to touch sharks and sting rays. The staff is friendly and helpful.

I have a Grandparents membership and try regularly to treat them to a day at McWane. This is a fun, entertaining, educational place for toddlers to pre-teens. Though I stay close to my grands it is a safe environment and clean. You can carry in your snacks or lunch or there is a cafe with lots of choices. The children are never disappointed when we visit.

Lots of science participation opportunities. My favorite is a chance to build a keystone arch (about 8 feet high) from large stone shaped pieces. Getting it built with inclusing of the final stone, the key stone, was an adventure. With the cooperation of my grandson and granddaughter, we made it on the 2nd try.

McWane center is an amazing place for children as well as adults. Lots of hands on intertainment for every one. The imax theatre is so much fun to be in. We have been there several times . I love the feeling of being up in a hot air balloon or riding a wild roller coaster. Once the movie was about insects, so scary, we felt like tiny ants. Most anyone would have a great time at McWane Center.

My husband and I love anything science related! They have 3 floors of so many fun things to learn and so many things you can touch. We are so impressed!

Great place to take the kids to engage in interacting science experiments, and to learn about the world around us. There an I Max theatre that you will totally enjoy your movie experience. I Great Day of Family Fun!

My daughter asked to go here because it looked fun. We went and had a wonderfully enjoyable day exploring all the exhibits. We took lunch across the street at Pizitz Food Hall, but the museum cafe also looked like it would have been a great choice. A highlight of the day was when Mr. Jordan brought out animals for a show - snake, tarantula, hedgehog, etc. My daughter really loved the show, and being able to touch many of the animals. Mr. Jordan was kind enough to take extra time to answer her many questions at the end of his presentation. The touch pool with stingrays and skates was also a wonderful experience, with great staff assisting. We loved our day here. Highly recommend.

Wonderful learning opportunities for young children to experience science in a new and different way. Finger touching of sharks a highlight!!

We were surprised to see they didn't have hand sanitizer all over the building like other interactive places we've visited. And with everything being hands on, it's needed. Be sure to bring some.

Parking is either at the adjacent garage or on the street. But the latter is limited.

Getting in touch with a live person on the phone was impossible. I tried repeatedly on New Year's Eve to confirm they were open and could not get anyone. If I hit 0 for the operator, it just put me in an endless automated prompts loop. The phone system should at least let you wait on hold for someone to pick up.

We also did not see a place to put jackets while visiting. With us needing our hands free to do everything, having to carry them around for several hours was a pain.

That's all the negatives. The main positive outweighs them, however. It is a multistory building full of creative and educational things to do. Our son loved it and so did we. I highly recommend it as a top thing to do if you're visiting Birmingham with children.

My son and I come here several times a year (we have the family annual passes which are an amazing deal) from Montgomery. I will usually ask him if he'd rather do McWane Center or Chuck E Cheese and he's always picked McWane Center (which I prefer as well). It does get hectic by lunch time on Saturday's, but we try to get there at opening time. We'll spend a few hours playing (I have fun too) and then go to the Imax as the place is getting busy. If you come more than a few times a year then look into the family passes. There's even an "Add-On" for a babysitter, grandparent, or, in my case often, a female friend.

This place is fun for all ages. I liked the IMAX theater you can pick a great movie to watch. I also liked the fact it showes Alabama's wild life and sea life. Great place to come and hang out with friends or family.

I love this place. I always go with kids but I would prefer to go alone so I could play! It's a learning place for children and adults,

This science museum was pretty fun and interactive! I personally love interactive exhibits that are mostly geared towards kids. That was a big part of this museum! It was fun to explore, but while we only had about 90 minutes to do so, we felt we had seen it all. For the price, I would have hoped there would be more to see, but it was still enjoyable. I remember the staff being extremely kind and helpful.

They will have many hours of fun and learning. Fabulous center. IMAX movies too. All ages of kids love it as there is something for each age. Adults love it too, because we are all kids at heart. If you can take the noise of happy, screaming kids, you are home free. Enjoy!

This museum has everything. Even the cafe was good! We spent several hours here and could've stayed longer. The staff was friendly and everything was clean and well organized. We have been to several museums in the South and this was as good as any I've been to. I would visit again.

It was a blast! So many fun interactive things to see and do. Also loved the Imax experience! Awesome science museum!

We visit Birmingham several times a year, and our son is hooked on this place. I would have saved if I had just bought a membership back when we first visited as it is requested to go every visit. When the weather is very frightful outside, there is more than enough to do inside. My son was even able to complete some of his Cub Scout requirements visiting the various stations. We've been there to ride the Christmas train, do the zip line, and the fall corn maze. Even parents won't be bored.

Decided that me and my 8 year old son need a day out so went to the McWane center. We had plenty of fun activities to keep us both entertained for most of the day. Would recommend for any family.

Wonderful science+ center in downtown Bham. IMAX with good movies. Itty Bitty Magic City for children under 5. Fun for all in this museum.

My son loves the McWane Center! He is 8 and we have had a membership since he was 2 or 3. There is always more things to play with and they have rotating exhibits on the top floor. My husband and I love to explore as well. If you want a few hours of fun with some learning mixed in go here!

It is there? Gets old fastbfor anyone out of elementary school. The fish downstairs are the most interesting. Go on a discount day.

this was a great place to take the kids to learn about sciences and animals. there are lots to do plan on several hours at least. the tight wire bike was the best thing for the kids.

The McWane Science Center is a great place for kids and those who are young-at-heart, especially on days that are too hot, too cold, too windy, or too wet to play outside.

Parking is a little dicey sometimes, but I truly appreciate both the facility and the staff.

The McWane Center is truly a gem located in Downtown Birmingham. Especially when my kids were toddlers through early elementary school, they loved going to the McWane Center. And I loved it because they could occupy themselves doing new things and creative play for as much time as I gave them. There's a food court for taking breaks from all the exploring, too!

It's the perfect place for families when the weather outdoors is leas than ideal. Rainy days, cold days, HOT Summer days..., the McWane Center is aleays comfortable. Just don't come on sick days! We don't need to take home whatever kept your kids home from preschool or day care!

But to me the McWane Center is an incredible value, whether you purchase a family membership or just pay the daily admission. Come on, we'll see you at the McWane Center!

We had a great visit to McWane with our 7 and 2 yr olds. Its a science museum + a children's museum so had enough for both. The itty bitty magic city is well put together. The cafeteria has a food court of sorts and more than the usual museum cafe. We signed up for a year's membership.

Wow! Just loved this Science Museum for Kids!! We have a membership to Amazeum in Arkansas and it allows us to go to other science museums when we travel for free!! So, we get a chance to check out other great places and enjoy learning in the process. The Dinosaur exhibit was the best and we LOVED the massive metal dinosaur T. rex in the front foyer! The bone digging area was great but our fav spot was below the 1st floor where all the aquariums and water activies were located. The stingray and bonnet shark petting area made this trip all worth it, especially when you have a tired and extremely worn out toddler who is very overstimulated! She had a blast and thought the sting rays felt cool! We named all the animals in there Bruce. Sorry Bruce the Bonnet Shark, now everyone has your name!!
The restrooms were clean and easy to find—which is a bonus!— and the elevators were easy to access. The older kids had fun doing their own tings and while Zoey and I played with the bubbles and such.
Have a blast, enjoy the day and explore!!

I took my 10 y/o son, who's a junior scientist. He had a BLAST!! We can't wait to go back!! 4 floors of info and activities to stimulate young minds!! This will be a regular outing for us!

Four adults and eight children was just about right. Children were from 3 to 9 and they all enjoyed every minute. We went to the third floor and never visited the first or second. The kids had things to look at, things to touch and full body experiences all in one space. We left after about 3 hours after arrival with all the kids happy and the little ones tired. Great place and a good value.

Hands on fun for all ages. A science experience. Recommended for parents with kids and do not play out in the heat. Go!

saw two movies there on field trips with my kids, saw another two star trek movies there, grate place to watch movies.

Went with friends an took the kid,the kids were having a great time,as was we,the place was fun and educational, clean the food was good,beside educational it had some really cool rides for the kids

We were really excited to go and visit the science centre today, having visited a few others in different countries. We felt a bit disappointed by what was on offer.

Whilst there were some fun exhibits, it’s advertised as having live demonstrations throughout the day but we didn’t see any of these whilst we were there.

It would also have been helpful if, when we got our tickets, that the colleague points visitors in the right direction and perhaps points out where a few of the main features are in the centre. We felt a bit lost when we first arrived.

There are a ton of exhibits in the McWane center. The first level has a lot of hands on exhibits, there's a small aquarium in the basement, a natural history museum is on the 2nd floor, and there is a rotating exhibit. It's great for summer trips and rainy day fun. My kids love the bubble station.

We live in Birmingham & have been going to the McWane Center for years. My kids absolutely loved this place up until they were about 12. We were members & visited all the time. I loved this place when they were really little because there is a section you can let them loose to play in, with only one way in & out. I like that the exhibits are regularly updated and well maintained. Now that they are older there is less there that holds their attention long, but we still visit the center occasionally. Both of my children have had birthday parties here, when they were ages 3-5, and they were wonderful. I highly recommend this place for regular visits for young kids, and for older kids a few visits per year are great. We used to go and stay for at least half a day, now they like to stay there about 2 hours. The I-Max movie is always good too.

We stopped here for two hours with our 5 and 3 year olds on our way to Florida, and wished we'd had more time to spend before they closed for the day. We managed to see most of the museum, but our kids would have loved an extra hour or two to spend playing. This is well worth the admission. We might even stop in again on our way back.

This is a relatively small science museum, but plenty big to wear everyone out. There are numerous hands on exhibits for every age.
My 4 year old nephew loved it!! We did not go to the IMAX.

We spent most of the day at this place with our kids and grandson. There is so much for everyone to do. We enjoyed the entire experiance. Our 4 year old grandson loved this place, we could hardly keepnup with him. It is reasonably priced, very clean and well maintained.

Decided on something different while in Alabama. Had a really great time. Definitely not expensive but allows adults to act like kids for a little while. Enjoyed the activities. The only reason I rated it a 4 is due to children that would run around without much supervision. If you have kids or grandchildren, I’d definitely take them here.

We took a 5 year old and found that so many of the activities were for older kids. The IMAX movie was awesome. We found the older kids running wild a hazard---maybe the workers need to wear whistles and call the wild kids down. Oh, and parking was almost $5!!

Our family was in Birmingham for the day and decided to visit the McWane center and we were not disappointed. Lots of activities for all ages. We especially had fun in the Itty Bitty Magic City. Our son is almost 4 and there are more than enough activities and games for him.

Have gone there several times with 3 and 6 year old grandchildren. We spent the day there (the whole day) and the kids had a grand time--something for all age groups. My only quibble is that the food offerings are not as healthy as the signs suggest.

The McWane Science Center was part of a spring break trip to Birmingham. My 2 daughters, aged 12 and 16, did the Aquarist for a Day experience. Both of them really enjoyed it! It was hands-on learning and fun. It was from 8 to 12, and they did a number of activities from feeding fish to cleaning tanks. Lots of learning about aquatic environments and what it takes to maintain them. They were also able to see the Imax movie, Oceans.
My favorite part was having my girls so excited to share what they had learned. When we visited the World of Water exhibit later that day, they were eager to share facts and figures they had learned. We were able to see the tanks they had each worked on, and hear quirky little stories about the creatures in them and their personalities. It's always a joy to see your kids excited about learning!

McWane is an incredible experience for both adults and children. Our grandchildren and children always have a fun time. It expands your intellect by participating in the various activities. Our kids learn so much and at the same time are having fun.

This place is great for all ages! Perfect for the family outing! Staff very friendly. Prices perfect!

This is an interesting, hands-on place to visit. Our youngest (5) was quite entertained; our oldest (10... and a mature 10) was also entertained. She gives it a "B." Staff are friendly and engaged.There are exhibits that range from moving dinosaur skeletons to science and technology activities. Both kids loved the activities with water, bubbles and balls. They also were taken with the tornado machine. You can easily spend half a day (or a bit more) here, just exploring exhibits.There's also an IMAX if you want to add that to your trip.

This place was great. We visited with our 3 year old who is extremely active. He had a blast in all the areas but had the most fun in the Itty Bitty World. It had an interactive Fire Truck with fireman jackets and all the buttons worked for the sirens and horns. Also inside was a play diner, grocery store, mechanic shop, play farm, train table, jungle gym and a water works table. We could have spent the entire day here. They did have a timeframe on our entrance stickers but they weren't enforced.

It was $35 for two adults, our little guy. Make sure you also pay the $5 for the parking token.

Overall this was a great visit and if we lived in Alabama we would definitely buy a membership.

Great place for toddlers to teenagers. IMAX movie and many hands on activities to stimulate the imagination. We make this a priority visit for the grands when they come to visit.

We spent the night at the museum with a scouting group. My daughter, who was 10- loved it. I'd say it's most age appropriate for age 6-11. We saw the National Park IMAX movie- def. worth it! The overnight adventure was a big success. Just a few issues...the overall place was dirty- bathrooms overflowing with trash. Dirty sinks and stopped toilets. I was under the impression that the cleaning crew did not come in until AFTER we left Sunday morning. We had a large group- I'd venture to say 100- 150- so we used every bathroom and eating area. The staff did not have enough badges for our group despite knowing how many were attending. The staff also was supposed to lead a badge workshop. We were told to bring 2 liter bottles (which I had to go buy and lug to the campout) only to be told later we were not using them. The person in charge of the badge told the girls to put their names on the can and then left the room indefinitely. There was not a class. And 1/2 the supplies were not out. We had to fend for ourselves. Poor organization. I would have rather skipped the workshop and spent more time in the museum. As for the best place to sleep - the third floor. 2nd floor has dinosaurs that can look scary at night! Overall, it was a great experience.

This is a very family friendly museum that offers hands on experiences. The body experience was there when I attended and it was well worth the short time I had to see it.

We had a family membership until our kids aged out. I would say preschool-3rd grade is the perfect time to spend a few hours. Interactive exhibits are a hit.

Take my grandchildren when they are in town and they LOVE it! Something for all ages!! Special exhibits and the regular ones! A safe and fun place!! great for young, middle and teen ages!

While visiting Birmingham my son and I needed something fun to do while my husband was in town for work. We decided to try the McWane Science Center for the day. We had a blast!! My son is 11 and sometimes Science Centers can be too young for his interests. This one kept him, and I, entertained for the entire day! Each floor we visited always seemed to have one more thing to do and learn. Some things we even visited more than once. We didn't do the IMAX theater or have lunch so we can't speak for those. We were too busy playing! We went on a Tuesday about noon so even with summer camps there it wasn't too crowded. We were still able to do everything.

Parking is in an attached garage and when you go in you pay the $5 and they give you a token to use when you leave the garage. Nice and easy.

There is also an area just for 5 and under that looked pretty fun. There is an area downstairs that seemed to offer a good selection of places to eat.

If you're looking for something to do in Birmingham with the kids, the McWane Science Center is it!

Young or old, everyone can enjoy this interactive destination. Loose yourself in science, nature, or engineering. The iMax Theater is quite an experience in its own right. Be sure to check out the offerings and times. The Pizitz Food Court is right across the street, so you can make a day of it!

Our toddler & preschool aged kids could spend their entire day in 'Itty Bitty Magic City', but there is so much more to do at McWane! We especially loved the dinosaur exhibit this time. Plan to go early on a week day to avoid the crowds in 'Itty Bitty Magic City' because it gets to be chaos the later in the day it gets. Since we visited last time they have become a Blue Star Museum, which is great.

This was not incredibly expensive. It was fun and there are some really cool things to do. My grandson had been before so he knew what he wanted to do. Unfortunately, he was somewhat bored because it had all of the same things as last time. The IMAX movie was good. They do have a food court and plenty of restrooms located throughout the center. Some of the things we wanted to do were not working. All in all, it was fun but not something I would do regularly. The parking deck was convenient.

We wanted to enjoy this place, but there just wasn’t enough for our teenagers. Several of the things they would have enjoyed were broken or out of service. Small children would have fun, but with so much broken, it was still not worth the cost.

This place has something for everyone in the family. I just bet you cannot go and not learn something new.

Our grands love Itty Bitty Magic City. Spent 2 hours and had a great time !! Totally age appropriate and a safe venue

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!

We have a membership to McWane and the kids love it, but this place needs upgrades. What I mean by that is that the hands on setups for the kids on the 1st floor need to be upgraded or fixed. Most of the time we come there, some of the interactive setups partially work or don't work at all. The year membership isn't cheap and I know they sell a lot of them, so there is no excuse for equipment to not be maintained.
The 2nd floor has the bird education area, itty bitty Magic City and the dinosaur education area. It's okay, but the fossil hunting area needs some upgrades. It's the same setup for years now.
On the lower level is the aquarium area with different fish and species in tanks. There is also an area where you can pet sting rays as they swim around. On this floor there is also an exhibit where one of the local wx men explain tides and other wx effects on the planet. The video was probably shot years ago and it just puzzles me that it hasn't been updated and the same can be said for the bird education area on the 2nd floor. The video looks like it's from the 70's and we are in 2017.
Overall the kids love it, but they get bummed when the interactive setups don't work. Please, please, please update the interactive exhibits!!!

We took our two grandsons here ages 9 & 11 and stayed 4 hours until we were worn out. I believe they could have stayed another 4 hours. This place is amazing!!! All the exhibits are very hands on and everything was working and clean. We were impressed by this place!!! We saw the Imax movie too and that was a treat. A place not to be missed if you are going to be in Birmingham with children.

We have had an annual membership to McWane for the past 5 years, and my kids still love to go! My kids range in age from 6-15, and there is definitely something for absolutely everyone to enjoy. They offer so many different interactive displays, and frequently have hands on activities for the kids. They have a revolving schedule of demonstrations, all im redibky interesting. Our favorites so far have been the lightning demo, and the lab time we spent where the children watched cockroaches who had computer chips placed on the connected to their antennas who could then be controlled by an ipad. Each of our kids have a favorite activity, and I personally could sit for hours and watch the live jellyfish! We always try to catch the newest imax shows, and of course, the kids just have to ride the sky bike and play on the slide when those attractions are open. In addition, I often buy things inside the gift shop for gifts, currently we are growing a magic rock garden, and the kids most recent purchase was space ice cream. What more could a parent ask for, than educational fun? Be sure when you get there to get a list of that days events, because as I mentioned, they are always worth stopping to go and attend!

Went here on a Friday and it was a good time with the family. Having been to several other science museums across the south, this one ranks towards the top with interesting topics.

We saw two special shows. 1) science is cool and 2) animal show. Our teacher for item one froze an onion in liquid nitrogen and then dropped it on the floor! It sounded like a light bulb breaking on the floor and the onion went into a hundred pieces. My kids loved it!

I think my only confusion point was about half the third floor was full of guitar history. I’m talking acoustic, electric, and some corn husker made in 1200 BC! I like music probably more than the average person and know a lot of the greats in the guitar world (Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, etc). However, I wasn’t really expecting to see their pictures and tons of real guitars. I saw about 1 out of 10 kids paying attention to the exhibit and about 4 of 10 adults. It was the kind of exhibit that belongs in some Rock and Roll museum.

Maybe it was just me but the rest of the museum was entertaining. I would recommend if you are in the area.

I brought my 10-year-old, who typically isn’t very interested in science. After 3 1/2 hours I finally had to tell him it was time to go. And he still didn’t want to! There are activities for all ages and I highly recommend the panda IMAX movie. Panda babies are so damn cute and the movie was really informative and entertaining.

We decided on the annual membership even though we live in Montgomery- (1.5 hours away) and we are so thankful. Our children (4 & 6 years old) just love it. We have been 4 times this year which has made the membership more than worth it, but in addition to that, the membership gives access to many science and discovery museums around the country. So we got to go to other museums at no charge just by showing our McWane membership card. Out of all we have been to, our children have enjoyed the McWane the most because of all the interactive things they have to work with. One time we went there were a few exhibits that were not working, but everything seemed to be working well this past weekend. The food court downstairs is nice because it offers a discount to those with a membership but there is a tremendous food court (Pazitz Food Hall) across the street with a delicious selection of eclectic food.

We were in town for a wedding and had some time to kill on Saturday morning and stumbled upon the McWane Center. The kids were very happy with the center, very interactive, very educational - nice place for the kids!

Whether you're 5 or 55, there are fun activities for all and the IMAX is a definite plus. Could have better food options.

Went to McWane today with my son (18) and two of his friends. His friends had not visited since 2nd grade, so we found it our duty to fit that! There was several field trip groups, but despite the amount of people, the crowd moved smoothly. A couple times the field trip kids joined in activities with us. McWane allows everyone to be curious kids for a bit. My favorite activity is the aquatic area and petting the sharks and stingrays.
One of the field trips there today was my nephew and my brother! My nephew (3) wouldn't even talk to me; he was having too much fun! It's definitely a place for all ages to have fun for a few hours! Although we ate before we arrived, there is a small food court at the entrance. Parking deck is $5. You can pay $5 cash on the way out, or you can purchase a token when you buy tickets! McWane is always adding new exhibits; we love it! McWane is always a hit with my family!

We are from out of town and have 2 toddlers. Going to the McWane Science Center was one of the best places we have gone as a family ever! My kids loved it! I could not believe all the levels that were offered with so much to do. We could have spent hours and hours there. I do think it was very pricey for a family of 4 on a budget. Other than that, it was perfect.

This place was great! 3 floors (and an IMAX theatre) of hands on fun! The science center has so many things to do, ranging from science experiments to information on dinosaurs, birds and fish! Definite family MUST if you're in Birmingham

I took my two toddlers here and they loved it! You can and will spend a few hours here! I highly recommend families to come!

We had a great first time visit to the science center. There was definitely something for everyone in my family. We especially loved the area for younger kids!

Took my daughter who is 8 here today.
We had a wonderful time!
4 stories of fun and education.
We enjoyed the IMAX too.
Well worth the trip!

This is a great place for the whole family! My daughter and all my nieces and nephews love it! They are always changing up what they have and making science fun!

From the moment I saw the exterior of the McWane Science Center, I knew my husband, my two grandsons, and I were going to have a fun time.

Several hours later when we returned to our car, we each listed our 3 favorite activities. We had 11 different responses. Only Ed Tannenbaum's "Recollection II" was mentioned twice.

From petting stingrays to making cloud rings, our favorites also included the IMAX movie, the slide, the bicycle racing, soccer, and basketball activities, and watching the Look down fish, which looked like they were made of aluminum.

With a large array of activities and exhibits, it's a fun place for people of all ages.

Good science center experience. Nice compact museum with something for everyone. Kind of a combination children's museum with a traditional science museum. Our kids had a fun time. Takes a few hours to see everything. It was helpful we were able to use our reciprocal benefits with the Adventure Science Center in Nashville.

This is one of my kids' favorite places to go in Birmingham. Enjoy the interactive exhibits that are always changing and the Imax theater. Always hours of fun!

McWane is a great spot to bring kids of all ages. There's so much to do, and there is always new exhibits. For toddlers, there's the Itty Bitty Magic City exhibit. Something for all ages!

We have been to visit The McWane Center several times, and my kiddos love it. I have to drag them out of there kicking and screaming (that may be a slight exaggeration but they don't want to leave). They love the Bike on the second floor and laying on the bed of nails (first floor). My daughter loves to go downstairs and pet sharks and sting rays. They also love to play at Itty Bitty City, a small "town" with a diner, fire station, playground, water world, veterinarian office, mechanic shop, farm, etc. It is mostly for children in Kindergarten or younger, but their older siblings can go in as well. The kiddos also like the exhibit of dinosaurs from Alabama and looking for fossils and bones. There is a cafeteria and an IMAX theatre.There is so much to do here - I haven't even scratched the surface. It is a fun, interactive way to spend the day with the kids and they learn so much in the process.

I really thought that it would be better. Wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t great either. I wish there was more involvement from staff, maybe an actual person explaining some of the exhibits rather than parents just reading the boards to their children. My children (4 and 5 years old) did enjoy the activities geared towards younger children. But I would have preferred to put my money elsewhere. Next time, I will.

We love McWane! We’ve had a membership for five straight years starting when my oldest son was just a baby. There is something for all ages. My brother and his family who live in CT are always so impressed with this museum, they wish they had something like it. Perfect place to beat the summer heat!

Had a wonderful time. Very engaging. Went to one of the films, very well done. Parking was challenging so you should plan for a little time to find a spot on the parking deck.

I took my 11 almost 12 year old boys to this Science center on Good Friday in April. I really love how they have their own parking garage that is attached. So you can go straight from parking to the elevator into the complex. I say complex because the place is HUGE!

It has about 4 floors of exhibits and a dome Imax and a food court. Very awesome. We spent about 3 hours seeing all the exhibits and 1 hour in the Dome Imax, We saw the Dog movie and it was very awesome. I will warn you if you are sensitive to motion sickness the dome Imax might not work for you. When the camera quickly pans-I had a slight moment of motion sickness but when the camera is still it passes. The movies are not 3D at this Imax or at least this one was not. But it is still super cool because the dome is so awesome. It basically has a screen above below and all around you in your entire field of vision. So I highly recommend seeing a movie here.

The museum has some great exhibits I have never seen anywhere else before. We really enjoyed everything. I do wish they had the slide open when we were there. I feel like if we pay full price EVERYTHING should be open. My kids were sad they saw that cool giant slide and could not do it.

They need more staff though around the museum because the school groups were AWFUL! The chaperones just stand there and don't monitor the kids. They were cutting line in front of my kids over and over and when I said something to their kid-the chaperones just glared at me. If school groups are going to come-they should not ruin the museum for the tourists. So my advice is go when there are no school groups.

Make sure you visit all the levels and see everything! I felt very safe at the museum as far as part of town its in. It was easy to find.

I love the food court too. They have a big food court with Subway, pizza, burgers and fries and chicken fingers and dippin dots. The imax also has a concession stand with popcorn, drinks and candy. They also have a room down on the bottom level where you can bring a packed lunch I think and eat it and it has vending machines.

It was a super cool place and I would actually visit again but the school groups are an issue and management needs to do something about that. Either have more staff placed to enforce decorum or ban school groups that get complaints against them or something.

Our favorite parts were the aquarium tanks, the Rube Goldberg machine in the lobby and the Imax. But almost all of it was very cool and all the exhibits were in good condition.

Such a great place for young children! Our favorite things are Itty Bitty Magic City & the fish on the bottom floor. We will be returning again next time we are in town!

We went with my family! My son was so excited! The 1/3 part is closed! Nobody taken care of the toys! Not worth the full price! With military discount is OK, once!!!

We have been members of the McWane for about 3 years. There is always so much to see and do. Our kids9 & 6 year so old - always enjoy coming here. The “itty bitty Magic City” is great for the younger crowd- 6 and under, but my older daughter like sit as well. The seasonal exibition is usually very interesting. Our family also loves the Winter wonderland display around Christmas time with miniature train displays, and a zip line and lots of winter type fun activities!

If you are looking for a rewarding experience for your children than this is the spot. There are so many STEM activities. I must admit even I got in on the action.

We enjoyed our visit to the McWane Imax Dome Theater at the Science Center in Birmingham, Alabama. We saw a Meteorite Movie that was with a real surround feel to it all in the experience. Lots of great seats in a huge Theater with the best sound affects. After the show you have a complimentary Explore, touch and learn area in relations to the show, which was really nice, including a play Weather Station Camera to pretend that you are the person giving the Weather Map on TV, lots of Fun. We recommend this place if you come to Birmingham AL.

Very nice place in Interactive my 11 year old love this place that is very limited amount of activities for 2 and under they could have it sectioned off for guided for age groups or age appropriate activities because it is limited for that age group it also does not have things to encourage you to go over around you almost have to find in trip over areas on your own which in some cases is great for those who just want to wonder or for everyone to see everything there should be some type of map of areas and activities for better guidance

Children enjoyed playing at the bubble station, basketball & building the race car station & also the big screen with the butterflies & many more things.

McWane Center is a great place for any age. There are tons of things to see and do. The kids just enjoy everything it has to offer. Great place to just spend the day.

We have a membership with another science museum in CA and we're pleasantly surprised that this On had a reciprocal relationship with it. It has some interesting building activities like large foam blocks, Knex car race track, and a huge arch. We loved the giant pin impression wall. Good for 2 hours and we were done.

We spent two hours at the museum. Our kids are three and eight. There were more than enough age appropriate activities to keep the busy. Three floors of fun. Our little one could have spent the afternoon in the Itty Bitty area. I would recommend it as a full afternoon or just a traveling stop as ours was.

The kids enjoyed the Science Centre which is the point! A lot to see though. I'm not sure this place knew what it wanted to be? Aquarium, natural history, science and robotics? Too eclectic for my adult tastes but it certainly kept the kids entertained! Nothing extraordinary; seen it all before. But again: the kids will love it!
Staff was very helpful (got us a taxi and let us wait inside even though they were closed).

Most of you know about their wonderful science exhibits for children (and they are so very innovative and exciting), but I'm not sure how many have talked about their wonderful IMax Theatre. I went there to see Jerusalem and felt like I had visited the country and seen the city in person! If you see anything listed there, go see it!! You will not be disappointed!!!

My 2 year old grandson loved playing in itty bitty city so much that we decided to have his birthday party there.

My daughter likes science. She really enjoyed this place. Has alot of hands-on things for kids to do.

This is a good place for the family with young kids can play and learn as they are doing. There is a lot of activities to do, plus the IMAX is there too!

It was for little kids, even though we enjoyed it! Nothing had really changed which was kind of bad!

We spent about 4-5 hours at McWane Science Center and had a fun day. Our family really enjoyed the imax movies about the dog super heroes and thought the dome theater was very cool. My son really enjoyed the interactive play area on the first floor and I liked the 2nd floor dinosaur and Alabama wildlife exhibits. We were there in the midst of a tornado watch, otherwise we would have walked across the street to the food hall for lunch.

Check the events calendar for rotating exhibits, movies and events. It has a cafe to eat. Some tickets can be combined as pkgs. All ages go wild in this place so have plenty adult supervision!

Great for young children but needs some updating .. BIRMINGHAM is a lovely city and should fund facelift and revitalize area surrounding the center ....

My youngest really enjoys the Itty Bitty Magic City. He has a blast every time he goes. Well worth the Family Membership.

This was a great place to go on a hot July day . Our grandkids really enjoyed the trip. We stayed about 3 hours .

Went a few years ago. Was great. Is great for younger children. Lots of science and fun things to do. Staff has activities for the kids and on hands experiences. They have a Imax theater. Well worth the trip. You can get snacks and meals inside i believe they have a subway inside. I loved it here. Great time for all ages. I dont know prices. Haven't been in a while. But well worth family fun...

This is a hidden gem in Birmingham, especially if you have kids. First time here, will be back. Plenty of parking, reasonable rates, and lots to do for all ages. There needs to be more places like this!

Took my three grandkids, ages 4-8, and they all had a great time! Make sure to plan your visit when school sponsored fieldtrips aren't there, just due to the crowd.

Great place for children and home school field trips.
Interactive displays, lots of activities. Well worth the admission for a morning or afternoon trip with kids.

This is a great activity for the family. Join your local museum to get into here for FREE!!! A must do when visiting Birmingham.

Everyone had a blasts from parents, teens to younger kiddos. So many activities to do, sting rays to pet, great physical games and experiments. We did the Everest IMAX and it was quite sad but interesting. We had 3 hrs and it was barely enough time, could have spent the day.

Just an amazing experience for a family. My wife and I went with our son and daughter-in-law, to take their two kids (8) and (4).

We adults had a great time with all the amazing hands-on exhibits. We had a blast with all the mechanical, electrical, optical exhibits that demonstrate scientific concepts in a very entertaining way. Kids from 3 up will have a great time. There are many exhibits that will entertain young children even if they are not involved in the science behind what they are doing. They have a zip line, train rides, many fun items like a compressed air cannon that shoots empty soda bottles...for example... fun things to try even if a 4 year old is not concerned with how compressed air shoots a bottle into the air. Our 8 year old grandson is picking up a lot of science while enjoying the same things his four year old sister does.

They have some extremely detailed scale railroad exhibits that both the kids enjoyed. Definitely a great place to take your kids.

We spent the day in Birmingham and wanted to see what else there was to do. The Blue Star Museums listed this as a place to visit so we went and used the free entry to just kill some time. We knew it would be kid oriented but it was actually more fun than we thought. I had been once before about a decade ago and it had been rented out for our work conference. It was fun then and was fun still too. The water world was more fun than the zoo! You can touch the animals in the tank which was fun. There were so many exhibits that you can really learn a lot from even as adults. We did enjoy getting most of it scene before the kids came as we went right at noon. Overall, it was a fun experience and really well thought out.

Great place for family of all ages. There are a lot of hands-on exhibits and things to do. They do a good job of explaining the science being displayed in the exhibits and the IMax always has a good selection of educational shows to watch. Wonderful place for kids to learn and play, but fun for adults too.

I had never been there. I loved it. It was fun, interesting, decently priced, and comfortable. They have bubbles, making electricity, river habitats, and "Itty Bitty Magic City". Great Imax too!

We spent the afternoon here during Spring Break. As to be expected, it was super crowded. The crowd took away from the experience a little bit. My 10 year old son had a blast with all of the hands on, interactive exhibits. It was lots of fun. We'll definitely be back.

We knew a lot of the items would be geared more for younger kids, but we usually still enjoy these types of science centers. We were quite disappointed. Many things didn't work, placards were worn to the point you couldn't read them. Best thing was that Subway is in the cafeteria so we didn't get gouged for lunch. Parking was good, close and relatively cheap at $5.

A great place in downtown Birmingham to learn and play. It’s well worth the money for everything you get to experience. I loved the learning tables with someone there to teach you something cool and science related. The zip line car was really cool and the kids really enjoyed it. The touch tanks and structure building materials were cool too. We would definitely go again.

We visited McWane on the recommendation of a friend, and we are so glad we did. Even my tween enjoyed it.
There are three floors of fun, and we didn't get to see everything in one day. There are musical experiments and computer games with a purpose. The challenges are hands on for all ages. One of their favorites was a wall with interactive images of falling colorful rocks that your shadow can hold or allow to flow over you. Next to that was a wall of butterfly images that will land on you. Very cool. Highly recommend. We bought a membership, so we will be back despite the hour+ drive.

This place has the same things over and over and over. They have to do something to change this. After 3 yearly memberships, we won't be going again for a while. We visiting other states with other children centers and they are far superior

We had an awesome time here. Our scout group spent the night. It is 3 floors of fun displays. You can touch everything. The staff was very helpful.

We have always loved the McWane center, until this last weekend. I carried my 4 year old and a friend for her birthday. The slides are closed, sand closed, fish closed and others. Same price, its still ok, if had known of closed exhibits would have went to zoo.

We were hurricane Irma evacuees from FL and needed something to take our minds off the storm. It was really well thought out and had something for everyone. Very enjoyable.

Recently took my 5-1/2 year old son to the McWane center for the first time. We stayed there for 6 hours, and he did not want to go home even then. The IMAX was very good. Crane Works had a lot of different equipment set up in front of the McWane center for children to climb on and learn about. They even gave all the children little yellow (plastic) hardhats. I would recommend this to families with children of all ages.

It was a rainy day and we decided to take the 3 grandkids, all under 10, to the McWane Science Center. What a great experience. There were movies, exhibits and tons of hands on things to do. We all were delighted with the special model train exhibit, wowed by the touch tank (skates and sharks) and had fun with all the hands on learning opportunities. Parking was onsite, great for a rainy day visit, and, considering you could spend the day, reasonably priced. A must do with kids up to 12 when in Birmingham.

The activities for the kids are fun and all-inclusive! If you have an age gap between your kids don't worry, there's something for all of them. The dinosaur exhibit is always a lot of fun, they can look at life-size dinos and even dig for fossils. The Itty Bitty Magic City is the highlight of the trip! My kids can spend HOURS in there, which is nice if you're with other adults or your spouse and you want to be able to relax just a little. The kids can run around and play in a cafe, a mechanic's shop, a firehouse, a play house, and much more. The kids love playing pretend, serving "food" to the adults at the counter, it's a large area and there's plenty to keep them entertained. There's also a food court on the main level to keep everyone fueled up for the day. The Imax theater is always an excellent option if they're showing something that you want to see, but I usually don't go because once we cover the other areas we've been there for most of the day and had lots of fun!

We visited during McWane’s birthday weekend. Our boys thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this place. Ages 13 and 7 and they both had plenty to keep them occupied. I recommend for children of all ages. Great family trip.

We are grandparents to 2 and 4 year old grandsons. When they visit from Atlanta they always want to spend a half day at McWane. It offers a great variety of exhibits that are “hands-on” for a broad age range. They really love the “itsy-bity magic city” the most. It offers a wide variety of play areas for young kids of both genders. The oldest can spend an hour roaming the elevated maze that comers one quadrant of the room. The trick is getting them to leave before they collapse. Save a food treat to lure them away when it’s time. Entry is pricy, but it’s a great spot to hit on a hot muggy summer day or in winter.

McWane Science Center is a great place to take young children, and they will never get bored. The experience will not only be educational, but a great time.

I got the year pass and my kids really enjoyed it. The itty bitty city is perfect if you have toddlers to 5-6 year old kids. Good plan of a rainy day or celebrate a birthday.

The first time I visited McWane Center my wife and I got a free pass to to see if we wanted to take our grandkids. Neither of us had been before but had heard through friends it was very good. We were not disappointed.There are multiple floors of attractions and exhibits for children and adults. What surprised me is there was so much variety for every age group.Some attractions were educational and fun but some were just for fun. There is an IMAX theater there as well.
I would suggest allocating a half day to really see everything especially if you have children. There are a lot of attractions the kids can actually play with. It is too pricey to go for an hour and leave. Plus you will never see and experience everything.

We took our 7 year old grandson. We ALL had a great time. There was so much hands on learning. Many amazing science learning experiences. It was less crowded after 3:00. I was surprised how many school groups were there on a Monday in July. We also watched the 2:30 IMAX theater movie.The adjoining parking deck was very convenient . We got our $5 parking token when we purchased our tickets. There were some balls missing on some of the games. I watched as a young boy walked away from one carrying a ball. They probably need someone monitoring those sites. My grandson is looking forward to his next trip.

Lots for little children to play with Our 2 and 3 year old loved it. The played in a make bekieve diner and vets office They enjoyed playing in a fire truck ,

My daughter and I took 3 year old Granddaughter for a day trip. She enjoyed playing on the Fire Engine and the water activities. The personnel were friendly, we ended out trip with lunch.

My family loved this place and also the friends I went with. They have something for all ages to learn and the learning play area for young kids is superb!

Really impressed with the science center. Lots of safety measures and the kids are still able to have a good time. Highly recommend.

Very well put science center good for everybody but better for kids. Lots to learn about dinosaurs, birds, science concepts, etc
We enjoyed a Panda movie in the Imax Dome Theater.

McWane is such a fun place for kids. This was always my favorite place growing up. They have an iMax theatre inside too. They've started doing events called McWane After Dark for adults which are really fun.

We bought Imax no ie tickets. When we entered we could not find a place to sit. People were sitting on the wide steps on the left side of the isle in the floor. We saw a couple of chairs in the middle but could not squeeze in. The people on the end would not get up and let us in to be seated. We got our money back and left. This was a fire hazard and we called the fire inspectors to report this infraction of the fire code.

Great place to take kids. And of course the IMAX is great for kids and adults. I highly recommend taking your family there.

The McWane Science center is a fun thing to do with kids from toddler to elementary age. We go once or twice a summer and my kids enjoy it. The novelty can wear off for older kids so it might not be worth it to buy a membership unless you are planning on doing many of the special events they offer. You can easily spend a few hours here. The snack bar has decent choices.

The McWane Science Center is a wonderful Birmingham downtown attraction. The exhibits are interactive and very educational. There are exhibits for the very young and adult. We loved being able to touch the sharks and manta rays in the tidal pool and see so many live native Alabama animals. Don't miss a movie at the omni-max theater! We loved our visit!

We visited on a day when the weather was projected to be bad, so they closed early. That was a bummer, but we still got to spend about 2.5 hours there. The exhibits were wonderful! This is a must visit for families with kids. My kids loved it.

Worth every penny . My children never get bored and have been many many times . Bring snacks because the lunch place gets packed .

I took a 1 year old and a 3 year old. They had a ball. I strongly suggest 1 adult per pre school age children or you will never keep up with them.

much knowledge about history and how we have managed to make it to this point in our lives. experiments and normal daily activities have drastically changed in everyone's lives.

We had so much fun at the Science Center. This is probably one of our tops because it was expansive and there were so many different things to do. What I liked about it was the fact they had explanations for every exhibit. The explanations were written in a way that children can understand and comprehend the science behind it...i.e. the basketball free throw explained the science behind the trajectory.

My family of three (myself, daughter 15, son 9) spent about two hours there but we really needed another hour. We saw an IMAX movie. They wanted to sit up front but I probably would have enjoyed sitting in the middle as it is a dome-shaped screen and it became a little uncomfortable around my neck trying to see everything. It was fine for the kids.

We spent a lot of time on the first floor because there was so much to do; very interactive. I had to pull mine from exhibits to interest them in other areas. Most of the exhibits worked. They could build a car and race it, lie on a bed of nails, have a free throw contest, play with bubbles, and have a dance competition. Everything was all science!

The top floor was all about Earth and the weather. I liked how they incorporated recycling and knowledge of weather into the exhibits. There was a very clean restroom on this floor. Not many people were up there because most were on the bottom levels so it was a bit of a breather without so many people around.

The bottom floor was exciting - we got to pet stingrays! We also saw a number of fish - including Nemo :).

There was a restaurant at the museum. Take your time throughout the museum and enjoy. You won't be sorry!

We've been to many Science Centers around the country and this one has a large variety of hands on activities for children of all ages. Great way to spend a rainy or hot day in AL; the kids love it and the BIG kids will find things to learns as well...if you're military there is a discount which will help with the price of admission...always a bonus! The lunch area is not too bad and is cost appropriate with pizza, subway, drinks, etc.

We spent our Spring Break in Birmingham specifically to go the McWane Center. It was our second time there and loved it just as much as the first time. My 6-year-old daughter's favorite part was Itty Bitty Magic City. She would've spent all day in there if she possible. Each year, they have different exhibits, so there is always something new to see.

The exhibits were plentiful and in good condition. I had kids ages 16 to 4, and all had fun. We enjoyed all the hands on nature of things.

Unbelievably well done Science Adventure experience for families with children. Toddlers trough teens will enjoy this thoughtfully curated installation. There are so many interactive opportunities that even with crowds, children are able to move through the center with ease. Handicap accessible.

My wife and I are grandparents with grandchildren living out-of-town. Whenever the grandchildren come for a visit, The McWane Center is on the agenda. The kids love it and so do we. The educational opportunities are worth the effort.
If you have kids or grandchildren, this is a must in Birmingham.

The McWane Science Center is a great place for kids to learn interactively; especially on a rainy day.

On a little walk sightseeing around Birm, my family happened upon the science museum and got curious, so we stepped inside and inquired if it would be entertaining to our family (2 adults, our 20 year daughter and our 17 year old son) or was it geared more for children. We got kind of a mixed answer but from how it was described inside and the little we could see from the ticket purchase area, we decided to give it a shot. It was so entertaining, WE STAYED FOR ALMOST 3 HOURS! I guess I should say I have kids that love science. As parents, we found it just as cool as our kids because it had been a while since we had channeled our inner science child. There were 3 or 4 floors to the enormous building. One floor was basically an aquarium including a ray and shark petting tank. It also had a snack/vending area with tables. Another floor was full of fun science based activities, and the top floor included fun stuff about trains, outer space, and dinosaurs/fossils. There was a working train that gave train rides to the smaller kids, a fun little zip line, and a big slide. Every area was educational AND fun! Since it was right before Christmas, there were also Christmas related activities going on all around the building. When we finally left we laughed because we were so surprised at how entertaining it was for us, and we couldn't believe we were there for so long. Definitely an unexpected interactive, educational, and fun experience for our whole family!

It is so much more than a hands on museum, science center, or kids center. They have done such a good job of having something for all ages. The lowest floor is one of my favorites with all of the fish swimming in representing various environments. I will say, I felt like a kid during the visit. What a great place! Worth every penny for ticket

Love love this place! So imaginative, science and fun. The best children’s museum I’ve been to so far.

This is one of the best attractions in Birmingham. We've been taking our grandchildren who visit from Atlanta for years, and they always find something new to enjoy. Great for young children all the way to teens.

I took a group of high school students to McWane, and the students as well as the adults had a great time. Really cool educational components and tons of interactive activities.

Enjoyed all the experiments, the play area for the kids and especially the aquatic life. Lots of fun activities for the family. There is also a food court on site.

We spent 4 hours here and could’ve easily spent all day!! The itty bitty town was awesome and my 4 year old didn’t want to leave so we took her back before we left. My 12 year old had just as much fun playing with his sister in the toddler town but there was plenty for him to do too throughout the museum. Will definitely be back.

My mom and I took our 3 grandchildren, 10, 8 and 4, for the afternoon. This is a completely interactive museum with tons of activities to keep little minds busy. All 3 kids loved and after 4 hours was exhausted but didn’t want to leave. This was our first trip but will not be the last.

Been to better children’s museums, been to worse. It’s “middle of the road” in my opinion.. Today was our third time visiting on a field trip. The activities on the ground floor always seem to be crowded. We were told today was a busy day for visiting. Okay, understandable, but still, the food court wait times were ridiculous. Seemed understaffed. If at all possible try and dine elsewhere. Follow the already posted advice and sit near the top of the iMax Dome for a non neck breaking experience.

The experiences are interestingly interactive, thanks to the friendly, involved, well-informed staff members.

This is a great place to spend the afternoon with The grandchildren. There's plenty to do for
All ages. I highly recommend visiting this attraction

My kids, ages 9 and 10, and I all enjoyed this museum. Pretty much everything is hands-on, and my kids were just the right age to figure things out on their own. I also enjoyed doing some of the activities. Lots of school kids there on field trips, so some areas were really crowded, but the crowds thinned out on the upper levels. We still had to wait our turn for some exhibits. Might be better to visit later in the day after the field trips have left. But still a really fun time with lots to do.

We took our two grandchildren, ages 7 ( special needs) and 9 to the science center yesterday. They had a great time. We were surprised by how much there was to do and see. Well worth the trip from Atlanta. We thought the admission price was very reasonable.

We had fun but some of the attractions are out of order or doesn’t open until 2. We thought that was weird since they still charge you full price. The bubble area smelled bad like they didn’t change out the water. Not sure about coming back anytime soon.

Takes more than two to three hours. Changing themes - lots of fun! Everything from toddler things to older children. Had a small train ride and train exhibit when we went.

Have lived all over the southeast and this is one of the best science museums I've visited. There are demonstrations, several interactive experiences, and the IMAX theatre.

With 4 floors of activities and exhibits anyone at any age can find something to explore and learn. Of course our grandson who is 11 enjoyed the basketball toss and several of the exhibits on the 1st floor.

We all enjoyed Xtreme Weather in the IMAX, but even though they published that there is CC, THEY DON'T!!

My daughter worked here through college. So, I guess you could say I like it. I never get tired of visiting.

My two year old really enjoyed the Itty Bitty City! She played and played and played! Will be back soon.

I met my daughter in law and two grandsons there for an outing. I had never been there but had purchased them season ticket for Christmas. It was a wonderful experience. A must go for families.

This place is great for all ages of the family. We had ages from 6months to 50 years. We will go back. To much for just one vist.

Being a local of Birmingham. If you have small children a membership to this attraction is a must. Love the educational aspect of it and how interactive they are for you kids. They also will do special exhibits through the year and fun events.

My kids love this museum, and we visit often. There is so much to see and do. They love the aquarium in the basement. They enjoy the dinosaur exhibit. They love all the hands-on activities.

So me and the misses decided to take one of our little tadpoles to the McWayne Center Saturday and let me tell you, that place is big!
There’s more stuff to do and Learn, no wonder it’s all ways packed!
Listen to ol Bullfrog, this place is well worth the bucks.
Try your hand at weather caster while your there!

Hands on learning displays that teach scientific concepts. Geared for children, not so great for adults. Imax is great.

Family of four with 9 and 6 year olds. We went on St. Patrick’s Day and it was VERY crowded. However, the Center is very big and we hardly had to wait to try any of the cool activities. We all had fun! Will be going back, I am sure!

We went to McWane Science Center on a Sunday afternoon since it was right around the corner from our hotel. I have to say that I had so much fun. I am a math/science guy so this was right up my alley. There are four floors (including the basement) with many interactive exhibits. They touch on various science fields (biology, chemistry, astronomy, physics, etc.). So there is something for everyone.

My only complaint is the parents who let their children run wild throughout the place. I don't fault the science center for that; they cannot say much if the parents don't care. And they probably will not just throw someone out unless they are being completely unruly and disrespectful.

Make sure you wash your hands before you leave since everyone is touching everything.

All three of our grandboys (ranging from 1yr old to 8 yrs old) had a wonderful time visiting the McWane Science Center! This place is a must see when visiting Birmingham.

We spent five hours with our three kids and they all had a ball. I would have given it a five except several exhibits weren't working .

Great place to vist with family and friends!! We had a blast!! Children enjoyed it thoroughly. Grown ups enjoyed it as well! Great prices.

This museum has three levels. We have a 2 year old and a 6 year old and there was plenty for each of them to do. The Magic City exhibit for 6 and under was awesome for both kids with plenty to do. The special exhibit for the Holidays was fun too. Our 6 yr old enjoyed the zip line. We ended up joining as members and will visit often!

1000s of rug rats and noise makers all having fun. Families with kids rule this place. Hundreds of things for children to see and do
My grandaughter has loved this place since she was two. The bed of nails is my favorite thing.
Children know this place top to bottom and they run us adults all over the place. A little fatigue is well worth it after seeing the delight on the faces of the children.
We have grandparent's passes each year that let's us take our grandchildren, their parents and ourselves to unlimited visits as well as special deals on LIMITED and SPECTACULAR SPECIAL EVENTS.

We are members of the McWane because it is such a great place for kids to spend a rainy or VERY hot day. The kids enjoy the Science center and mom is happy that they are getting a little education!

The family had a great time. Lots of fun and educational exhibits. My most memorable activity was playing a "guess who" game in the space center. The kids loved the Aquarium and IMAX theater was amazing

Let's face it: science has the ability to captivate, right? So, it shouldn't be that difficult for a science center to get it right. Sadly, there are those who get it wrong. McWane Science Center isn't one of the ones that gets it wrong.
Packed with science marvels in nearly every square inch (I mean, there's only so much you can do with a flight of stairs), you will not get bored. If you love your children, then you will love the fact that they love this place!
The IMAX film, Journey to the South Pacific, was absolutely entrancing! The Alabama Dinosaurs exhibit was an absolute treasure! The open area with its hands-on displays proved magnetic!
If you can't spend three hours in this place, it's because you hate science or the parking meter is too annoying to placate every thirteen minutes. McWane Science Center defies you to thoughtlessly stuff it into your travel itinerary; it demands your careful consideration. You will not be disappointed.

My niece and I needed a break on our road trip, so we decided to stop for a few hours and waste some time. We are both adults without kids, but we still had fun. We planned to stay for an hour or two, but ended up being there til closing.

This place caters to people of all ages. We made everything a competition, and there were plenty of things to compete with. There are some basic things that are for really small kids, but most things everyone loved. The most annoying thing for us is parents just letting their kids run wild. We would be in an exhibit doing the task, and a child would run up and jump in front of us and push us out of the way. Only once did a parent come up behind his daughter and tell her to wait her turn. We were pretty much done, so we just let the 3 yr old play. But this is parents' fault for not attending their children and teaching them to wait their turn. There were a few things that needed repairs, but that is to be expected with kids. The one thing I wished they had more of was water fountains. We found one on the next level from the main hall near the elevators. We really needed it by then since you can't bring food or drinks in.

One thing that really was a negative for me is that there was a lady who brought her little dog. It was on a leash, but this was not a place for a dog. It is dangerous for the kids running around to trip over it or the leash; kids might step on it or hurt it; little pieces of displays could be swallowed or chewed on; no place for it to relieve itself, screaming kids and high pitched noises hurts their ears, etc. It wasn't a service dog, so it should not be allowed. I love dogs and have 5 of my own, but this was not a place for dogs. Please think about your animals and others before bringing your dog.

Overall, we had fun. Great place for any age to enjoy! Definitely recommend.

Overall, we got to stretch our legs and see some cool stuff. We had a good time. It would be a great place for a first date to help break the ice and have some fun. And of course, it is great for those with kids.

It was about $14/adult ticket, including the tax. They had senior and kids tickets that were a few dollars less.

Most of my trips to McWane involved 150+ fifth graders. This trip was with my family and small children. The madness wasn’t so mad this time. There is plenty to do for all ages. My younger children really love the Itty Bitty City!
This is definitely a great rainy day destinations!

Usually enjoy the center but this year we came on a day when all of the schools were using their rain checks from the covid year. I wish we would have been told upon arrival that so many would be there. We arrived early in the morning and all of the movie tickets were sold out for the whole day. And other attractions were either closed or had very short time limits to allow all schools to be able to play. Had to wait several hours to enter the itty bity magic city and then had a strict 45 minute play time. Overall wasn't worth the high price of admission.

While we do not have children, we went with others who did bring them. I was surprised at how much there is for adults to enjoy.

My family has a membership every year. This is a great place to bring kids when the weather is yucky. They always have fun attractions for the kids as well as stuff that makes learning fun.

The kids absolutely loved this place. Too bad we don’t live closer and could go more often. Great time for the kids young and older.

It is a nice situation for lunch. They have Subway, Blue Plate, Pizza Hut etc...all of the prices are great. They also have movies and popcorns with a store too buy gifts or other items. Nice place for kids too learn and be safe in Downtown Birmingham

In December of 2017 I went with my son on his class field trip. There was plenty of things to do and see.

We stopped in for a few hours while on our way home from our Florida spring break trip. The center was very, very busy (we went on a Wednesday afternoon). The cost of admission was quite reasonable. We started on the top floor and worked our way down. It was hard to find something our three year old was old enough/interested in, but eventually we did in the small city (Itty City may be the name). He enjoyed going from place to place and building with the blocks. We also ate lunch at the musuem, and there were many choices and were affordable. Overall, this was a good viait. It would have been a little better for older kids, but we still enjoyed ourselves.

Its our 1st visit to this center. 4 floors of pure science and fun! We truly enjoyed it. Our kids under 5 truly have had a ball! Go and you will not regret it! We will most definitely return!

What to do with kids during the summer, that was the question. The McWane Science Center was the answer for my teen girls who actually asked to go here. Lots of hands on activities for the kids to do from brainy activities to physical challenges over 3 floors. Small kids even have their own Itty Bitty play area. There is even a touch tank with teal sharks and stingrays for the kids. There is also an IMAX theater here for an additional charge if you want. During our visit they were showing the new movie "Dunkirk". There is an excellent food hall right across the street at the Pizitz building for lunch or dinner. I would caution you to park in the McWane's garage when you visit. We parked at the Pizitz garage and it ended up costing us $20 while McWane's would have been only around $8. My rating would have been 5 stars but there were several exhibits that were not working when we were there on the weekend. Overall, a good place to spend a day with the kids.

We spent a couple of hours here today as a result of weather issues having closed down our original plans... but what a great find this ended up being! We only spent a couple of hours here, but easily could have spent 5 hours here and still probably only have hit half of the exhibits! We also enjoyed the "Dream Big" IMAX movie - very well done and inspiring work - I thought it was well worth the price of admission! On that note - the museum is free for military for the summer thanks to the Blue Star Program - making it an even better deal!! We'll definitely be back before Labor Day and probably even after that since there's so much to explore! I loved watching the kid's get so excited about all things math, science, engineering and nature!

*Note - we visited on a Sunday - so we just found street parking so that was also free. This is in downtown though, and the area was a bit sketchy, some homeless abound panhandling and such - so park on the streets at your own risk, but our car was fine after 3 hours.

*The museum is located right across from a food court - but not your normal mall food court. The Pizitz Food Hall - had the vibe of a cool LA or Portland OR food truck place... small mom and pop type places serving up a variety of ethnic foods - MMM MMM good. We skipped the museum food and walked across the street to enjoy the variety of choices :).

We had so much fun being kids again! Yes this place is probably mainly for kids but my husband and I truly enjoyed it!

Tons of scientific experiments and "how it works" stuff inside! This is a must visit! Especially for kids, they will love it! I enjoyed it myself at my 42. There are also very interesting iMax documentaries.

A friend and I took his children several years ago. It was a wonderful day for both the children and us. Much more to see and do than I had imagined. Planning to go back as soon as I can

My son has been going to McWane since he could walk. Now 15 he takes friends from school that have never been for their first time. He's 6'2 and enjoys himself still.

Peggy and I spent 4 delightful hours here, marveling in What Things are Possible in Science. Well worth the money ($18 each for seniors). A fun, hands-on experience and a nice documentary on Heroic Dogs in the auditorium. We had lunch in the cafeteria (Subway sandwiches). The restrooms were plentiful and clean.

This was our first trip here and we were so amazed of all the things to do. The IMAX theater was the kids favorite thing. They said they felt like they was in the movie.

This is our favorite place to take our kids in Birmingham! The kids especially love 'Itty Bitty Magic City' which is geared towards preschool age. We will definitely return next time!