Thinkery - Children's museum in Austin - 1830 Simond Ave, USA

I was keeping my 3yr old granddaughter and decided to go to the Thinkery. After reading mixed reviews I was not sure what to expect. Given I have never been to any other children's museums I did not have anything to compare to but OMG this place is fabulous! First, parking is not easy unless you use the garage next to it. The Thinkery will validate the parking ticket (just make sure you insert the ticket the correct direction in the machine to get the validation). There is no food or drink allowed so it floors me that others have given bad reviews for blatantly violating this policy. And there are also bins around to place items that belong to the Thinkery into that may have made it into a child's mouth or gotten dirty if people will just follow directions. We went during a paid time (I'm sure the free community hours are packed and harder to interact). I purchased tickets online the night before and it did not take long to get in since we had the QR code on my phone that they scanned when we entered. The market area upstairs and the light room downstairs were where my granddaughter spent most of her time but I had to be firm about leaving after 3 hours and we still didn't make it to every area to play. She could have literally spent the entire day there! We will definitely be going back again to make it through the rest of the areas. The entire place is not as large as I had envisioned but it is jam packed with so many interactive things that it's more than sufficient for most children. I did notice that some younger kids struggled at some stations without a lot of adult help and some older kids played but quickly got bored and moved to another area faster but for a child 2-6 they will definitely spend a lot of enjoyable time there. Make sure to bring an extra change of clothes. We had a water mishap half way through and I was thankful I was smart enough to have an extra change of clothes with us!

This is a unique place, at least in my experience. The place is filled with various devices and components your child can use to perform experiences and construct various devices. The concept of providing children with such things isn't unique. You'll find such activities in various museums that cater to children. What is unique is constructing a museum almost entirely around such things. I think you could bring a child here regularly, and they'd never run out of me things to do.

We went during a Saturday morning that was blocked off for babies and toddlers and had a wonderful time. Our 7-month old was interested in many of the activities and we only had to call it quits when she was overdue for a nap. The employee that led story time and the parachute time was right in her element and did a lovely job.

Very well structured children's museum with lots of activities within a relatively small space. Has plenty for the 1-2 age group which I've often struggled with at other museums. Definitely worth a visit.

This is such a great place! They have indoor areas, outdoor areas, water current exploration areas, as well as an infant/toddler only area (with guardian and gentle playing older kids allowed). Very hands-on educational. We loved everything about it!

Our grandson will be 3 soon and he is so active. This place has a lot to offer for your kid on the go. The water features are a hit, and the outdoor climbing structure was popular too. We all had a great time. And they validate too.

Neat spot to burn off the Thanksgiving weekend wiggles! Kids really enjoyed the outdoor playground as well. Shadow wall was a favorite. Lots of activities, never had to wait more than a few minutes for any of them.

It's not worth the price of 2 tickets. I did take my 2-year-old. Especially if there are having school events. Luckily for my daughter, she managed not to get hurt. It's only got a small section for kids 3 and under.