Maine Discovery Museum
4.5(695)google
4.4(17)yelp
KidsFamilyInteractiveEducationalHands-OnIndoor
Overview
The Maine Discovery Museum, located in Bangor, Maine, is Maine's largest children's museum and the largest located north of Boston, Massachusetts. It opened in 2001 in the converted Freese's Building department store following several years of planning and fundraising. Maine Discovery Museum is a member of the Association of Children's Museums.
Practical Info
MonClosed
Tue10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wed10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun12:00 – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration2.5-4 hours
Best TimeA premier year-round indoor children's science museum that is highly suitable for families. Arriving at 9:30 AM on a weekday morning is ideal for securing hands-on access to interactive water tables and simulated dinosaur fossil digs before larger weekend crowds build up. It serves as an excellent safe haven during rainy spring days or snowy winter afternoons.
Getting ThereLocated in the heart of downtown Bangor at 74 Main Street. From I-95 Exit 185, head south on Broadway, turn onto State Street, and turn right onto Main Street; metered street parking and multi-level parking garages are within a block. Virtually all lines of the local Community Connector bus system terminate at Pickering Square, a mere 2-minute walk to the museum entrance.
Travel Tips
- The museum features zero dedicated parking spaces; patrons must utilize metered street-side bays or the multi-tier Pickering Square parking garage, and absolute cutoff policies deny general visitor admissions past 16:30 daily.
- Three floors of fully interactive galleries experience severe sensory saturation on weekends from 11:30 to 14:30; scheduling weekday exploration remains critical to optimize navigation through the hands-on science and literary installations.
- Museum bio-safety protocols strictly ban outside allergen-heavy and peanut-based loose food from entering active galleries; daypacks and infant strollers must clear main entry thresholds and reside within the unmonitored ground-level racks.
Reviews
Positive
- Three floors of fully interactive exhibits, including dino digs and water play. Kids can play for hours without getting bored.
- As a children's museum, it beautifully integrates Maine's natural environment into play features, delivering a very high educational value.
- Staff are friendly and proactively guide children through complex science experiments. The crowd management keeps parents at ease.
- Excellent location right in downtown Bangor, surrounded by great restaurants and cafes. Super convenient for a full-day family trip.
Heads up
- Admission is charged per person (same price for adults and kids). For larger families, the cumulative cost can feel a bit expensive.
- Some high-frequency water and electronic interactive exhibits are frequently broken or under maintenance, not opening at 100% status.
- There is no dedicated free parking downtown. You must use metered street parking or nearby paid garages, adding extra transport expenses.
- On rainy afternoons and winter weekends, it gets packed with running children. The seating areas are insufficient and the noise level is high.