Looking for a childrens museum in the Nashville area?
The Adventure Science Center is a fun place to take kids, and it’s just off 8th Avenue near downtown.
Let this family-membership mom tell you what you need to know before visiting the Adventure Science Center in Nashville…
I’ve been waiting until the 2008 renovation ended to write this article.
But guess what?
It’s still in progress!
The Sudekem Planetarium and space wing will reopen early this summer.
The remaining museum exhibits are still open.
What The Kids Enjoy Most
Of all the exhibits at the Nashville Adventure Science Center, these are the ones my kids like the most:
BodyQuest Gallery
- A walk-through exhibit of the human body, with interactive stations for each system.
- Be warned: the digestive system consists of throwing balls into a chomping mouth and then following the food’s path…um…all the way out a noise-producing slide.
- Mom’s pick: kids can don lab coats and operate on a full-size patient.
Here’s more about the Body Quest exhibit at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville.
Adventure Climbing Tower
- Rises several stories to a glass apex, with a noisy series of physics demonstrations on each level.
- Be warned: almost impossible to supervise children in this loud and confusing multi-leveled structure. Hard to follow children to the very top.
- Mom’s Pick: the parachutes at the bottom level and the bee structure at the very top hallway. Take the elevator!
Here’s video that shows kids enjoying the Climbing Tower at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville. (Another one here.)
Little Labs Small Children Zone
- A room full of building materials suitable for preschoolers.
- Be warned: children over 6 are not allowed.
- Mom’s Pick: let the kids go wild with Duplo knowing that you don’t have to clean up afterward.
Here’s more about the Little Labs preschool activities at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville.
Just For Moms
Best Time To Go:
Weekday morning are the least crowded — especially if you can get there before big yellow school buses roll in for field trips.
What To Take:
Pack your own lunch to eat in the sunny cafeteria. Its windows have the best view of the Batman building in Nashville!
Bring a front carrier or sling for the baby. The multi-story exhibits are not stroller-friendly. (An elevator is available.)
My Recommendation:
As a mom, I have mixed feelings about Adventure Science Center.
On the one hand, kids love the bright and engaging design. It’s one of the best places to take kids on a rainy day!
On the other hand, it takes several visits to get past the flash and into the science. The deafening arcade atmosphere and Nick Junior-style exhibits can distract from the underlying basics.
My advice: Go, but go often. Choose a different focus for each visit. Teach your kids about a concept before you go. Then see it in action while you are there.
And then just have fun!
By the way, a family membership pays for itself in a few visits and gives you FREE admission to science museums across the country.
Be aware: The ground floor museum has additional physics demonstrations (rolling balls down chutes), a flight simulator ride, and an animatronic dinosaur exhibit which will scare your toddlers and not impress the older ones.
UPDATE: See another review of the Nashville Adventure Science Center by a mom with 3 kids who lives in Nashville.
Looking for even more fun things to do with kids near the Adventure Science Museum? Here’s a complete list of kid-friendly activities from the downtown Nashville Bicentennial Mall all the way down 8th Avenue to Brentwood!
I'm a wife, mom of 4, and resident of Brentwood, Tennessee. I love finding fun new things for my family to see and do in Brentwood and the Nashville area!
