Connecticut Science Center — Attraction in Middlefield

A Day of Discovery and Fun at the Connecticut Science Center The Connecticut Science Center in Hartford is a fantastic destination for visitors of all ages. From the moment you step into the impressive nine-story building overlooking the Connecticut River, you're greeted with an atmosphere of curiosity and exploration. The center boasts over 165 interactive exhibits that cover a wide range of scientific principles, making learning an engaging and hands-on experience. One of the highlights is the variety of exhibits catering to different interests. Whether you're fascinated by space, engineering, the human body, or the natural world, there's something to capture your attention. The Science Alley provides a great introduction to fundamental scientific concepts, while the Engineering Lab allows you to test your problem-solving skills through building challenges. For those interested in the living world, the butterfly encounter is a truly magical experience, and the exhibits on health and the brain are both informative and thought-provoking. What truly sets the Connecticut Science Center apart is its commitment to interactivity. Many exhibits encourage hands-on participation, allowing you to experiment, build, and observe scientific phenomena firsthand. This approach makes complex topics more accessible and enjoyable, especially for younger visitors. The center is well-organized across its multiple floors, and the layout is easy to navigate. There are helpful staff members readily available to answer questions and provide guidance. The inclusion of exhibits specifically marked as suitable for younger children is a thoughtful touch for families with toddlers and preschoolers. Beyond the exhibits, the Connecticut Science Center also offers educational programs, workshops, and even event spaces. The rooftop terrace provides stunning views of the Hartford skyline and the Connecticut River, offering a unique backdrop for special occasions. While the admission price might seem a bit steep for larger families, the value lies in the hours of engaging and educational entertainment provided. Consider looking into their membership options if you plan on visiting multiple times throughout the year, as it can offer significant savings and additional benefits. Overall, the Connecticut Science Center is a top-notch attraction that successfully blends education and entertainment. It's a place where curiosity is sparked, learning is fun, and memories are made. Whether you're a local resident or a visitor to the area, it's definitely...

My 18 year old and I went to Connecticut Science Center today (August 31st 2019) to see the travelling Bodies exhibit. I enjoyed every minute of our visit. Its easy to find right off the highway and they have a reasonably prices garage underneath the building. I paid $13 for open to close parking. Anyway, we wanted to see Bodies last so we headed to the top floor and worked our way down. We were lucky with a beautiful warm sunny day. I imagine the rooftop garden isn't a draw in the dead of a New England winter. Beautiful views of the river and surrounding hills from the rooftop. A Subway and a Fro-Yo place for snacking down on the lobby level. Everything was priced reasonably - but you can't bring food into the exhibit so you have to finish your food before you go in. The exhibits are geared towards kids but we found that they were interactive and not dumbed down so we both enjoyed being kids for the day and getting hands on with the exhibits. I'd say a lot of the material is lost on any kid under the age of four. The perfect age to absorb all the material but not get overwhelmed would be the 7 or 8+ crowd. The Bodies exhibit is closing tomorrow so it wont be there. But for anyone seeing it elsewhere, it was profoundly cool. We tried to be respectful that these were real people so this was meant for reflection and education not 'Selfies with the Bodies'. Younger kids probably would be scared unless they're really mature. I did take photos but no posing with the bodies and all photos were respectful. The exhibit itself was very tasteful. Plan to spend a day. You could rush through it but why would you? We got there an hour after they opened and left just before they closed. Took our time and saw everything. It was very quiet because school just started so there werent many kids there. I can see it being overwhelmingly loud and too crowded if there are school groups there or on a Saturday. We just lucked out with a really quiet, lovely day. Oh there is alao a butterfly exhibit and a 3D movie theater which is extra cost to the regular admission. We didnt see those two exhibits so I can't comment on that. But everything else is included in the...

So many exhibits are unavailable and closed right now due to covid and some of it honestly doesn’t make sense. My kids had fun so that’s what matters, they really enjoyed the temporary dinosaur exhibit that was set up, and learning about the distribution of energy from different sources, and the small area with the reptiles during the last visit. But until covid is really over I won’t spend the money to renew our membership that just expired because it’s unfortunately not worth it at the moment. We lost out on several perks due to the covid shutdown (those perks include courtesy visits to Beardsley zoo, Norwalk aquarium and mystic aquarium select times of the year). They did extend memberships a few months past the expiration date to make up for the shutdown of the science center, but when several exhibits are still unavailable to the public, and the perks were never made up for, that kind of ruins the benefits of having a membership in my opinion. Also, it’s a little strange that the lower level allows the water play to be open with covid but kids can’t play with legos or the other games upstairs on level 4? Kinda odd that we are going to let kids all splash in the same water, touching all of the same water toys, but the legos and building games upstairs are off limits. The booking process online to “schedule” a time to come on the weekends was also daunting and there’s no special access for members. I’m disappointed in their handling of things for their members. Members really invest pretty decent money in the membership for the perks that come with it and those perks have almost all fallen short. I know some of it is out of their hands, covid sucks, but they could be doing better. I’ve always renewed our membership right away, so I’m disappointed that I feel bitter over it but there’s just no benefit to the membership right now. They fell short on this one. I recommend taking your money elsewhere for now. You’re going to hear yourself saying to your kids multiple times “sorry kiddos that’s closed too,” while at the science center right now. Maybe whenever covid decides to be over we will be back until then,...