The Montshire Museum of Science is beautiful inside with lots of hands-on exhibits for kids of all ages to play and explore. Some highlights for our crew were the bubbles area, the classic air tubes throwing scarves and balls all over the place and the local wildlife exhibit with turtles, frogs and fish.
There is lots to explore and I would love to go back on a cold winter day to really soak it all in. However, if you are visiting mid-May to mid-October, outside in the David Goudy Science Park, in the Play Grove and on the walking trails are the places to be!
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Logistics and Details You Need To Know
David Goudy Science Park at the Montshire Museum of Science
What happens if you mash together science museum exhibits and a splash pad? The David Goudy Science Park is what happens!
There are two main sections of water features outside. The first is a river up at the top of the hill that you are not supposed to wade into. At the start is a big metal box where you crank out ping pong balls that then follow the river down. You can experiment with the flow of the water and watch how they travel. This space also includes the sand table.
The no-wading river pictured above has tiny sculptures underwater in various places so you don’t want to be walking through there.
This river area tends to be the quieter section as everyone makes their way through to the more immersive exhibits. If your kiddo needs a break from chaos, this might be the safe place to spend some time. The second part further down the hill is where you are invited to wade into the water and get wet!
Pressure Fountains
First is the Pressure Fountains. There are all sorts of tubes and connectors that allow kids to design their own fountains. These are a great example of learning while playing, they got to see how each attachment affected what the water did. If you stand there, you will get sprayed!
The Cascade
The Cascade is the main attraction. Set up camp in the shade of the trees because you’ll be here awhile! A great example of risky play, the water and ping pong balls flow over steps and through rocks. Kids can wade and climb through everything. Don’t underestimate how wet they will get – proper swim diapers and water clothes are a must. There is a simpler wading pool section at the bottom that was never empty!
Mist Arm
Grown ups make note! If you are starting to melt, seek out the Mist Arm off to the side of the Cascade. I like to think it was made just for tired adults who need a refresh to make it through this vast adventure land. You push a button and the perfect amount of mist comes down around you. Your clothes won’t be soaked and you’ll get a nice cool down. Forge on!
Montshire Museum of Science’s Meadow Walk
After the Cascades, a big people tunnel starts you down the stroller-friendly Meadow Walk. The highlight of this trail is the Meadow Sounds Kiosk, home of many exciting buttons that littles can reach by themselves!
Inside the kiosk are buttons that allow you to play all kinds of bird songs, calls and insect sounds. It was lovely to listen to these different sounds while in the context of the meadow where the animals might be found.
After you have pushed all the buttons, head down the trail to the all-shade Play Grove!
Montshire Museum of Science’s Play Grove
I had opted to go stroller-free for this day. After our morning inside and hours spent in the water area, this is the point in the day where I 100% would have sent a fellow grown-up on a run back to the car to fetch the stroller. After a long day, it would have been worth it to give little legs a rest on the Meadow Walk down to the play grove and then back.
The Play Grove is a beautiful natural play area tucked into the woods. After playing in the water under full-sun, the cool and breezy shade was a welcome treat.
There are lots of different areas to play in with opportunities to swing, hang, balance, and build. Benches are well distributed throughout the large space.
The logistics details for your day at the Montshire Museum of Science
Coat Room
Our plan for the day was to check out inside for the morning, then grab our lunch and water clothes and head outside for the rest of the day. Inside there is a huge coat room at the front of the museum where we stashed all our stuff for the morning. It is right by the rest rooms for easy changing as well.
Family-friendly Restrooms
In the museum, the main restrooms are over by the coat room. This gem however, is over by the Wonder Woods area for littles under 5. Not your typical family restroom, it has stalls but you can still lock the door. What a good idea – why don’t more of these exist?! You can take over this restroom with your whole crew and get everyone sorted with changing diapers, going potty and washing hands. Shoutout to Montshire for all the step-stools around, I appreciate you!
Water-bottle-filler Sound Effects
Right outside of the family restroom next to Wonder Woods is this nice water station. Look alive grown ups – if there is a speaker above your head, using the water bottle filler might trigger rain and thunderstorm sound effects! It scared the bejeezus out of one kiddo on our crew who is afraid of thunder storms. Very clever touch and we all loved it after the initial shock, totally not criticizing it being there, just heads up to anyone else with a sensitive kiddo in their crew!
The stroller situation
I would call this place kind-of stroller friendly. Inside, the first and second floor are very roomy and easily navigable for a wheelchair or stroller. The elevator goes up to the second floor but after that, there is a tower with two other small exhibits and an outdoor observation deck that require using the stairs.
Outside, the paths are a loose gravel so you might have trouble with a typical small-wheel stroller. Definitely bring nothing less than a jogging stroller with the big, air-filled wheels. Lastly, if you reference the picture above, the easiest way to get from the white tent picnic area down to the water is via stairs. If you have a stroller, you’ll need to go all the way around. The outdoor restrooms are in the trees by the white tent.
Water clothes and swim diapers are a must!
Do not underestimate the need for water clothes and swim diapers! It was very apparent which families knew there was going to be water play outside and which families were caught by surprise. Rather than bathing suits, I went with rashguard shirts, swim diapers under quick dry shorts, and durable water shoes for my littles. All the water features are on cement or rocks and it seemed more comfortable to me to have less skin exposed to the sun and scrapes. After the water, we just continued on with the day in the same outfits. They were still comfortable going for a walk and playing in the nature play area.
Pack lunch for the Montshire Museum of Science’s Hughes Pavilion
There are picnic tables scattered throughout the property so if you are traveling with your packed lunch, you can stop anywhere you see one through your travels outside. We decided to walk out to the Hughes Pavilion on the other side of the science park. A large tent on a cement pad, there were plenty of picnic tables for everyone and there are restrooms around the corner hidden in the trees.
Also under the tent are more things to play with so kiddos have something engaging to do while everyone else is finishing up. (You know, instead of just booking it into the forest while you are mid-bite.)
Montshire Museum of Science Quick Facts: Outside
| Main Highlights | The Observation Deck inside is a great way to start your visit. The David Goudy Science Park is all water activities; You WILL get wet. The Play Grove is a beautiful natural play space. There are many walking trails to choose from; Meadow Walk is an easy trail with a fun kiosk of meadow sounds. |
| Seasonal | The water exhibits in the David Goudy Science Park are available mid-May to mid-October. |
| Notable Things to Pack | Water play clothes, swim diapers, hats and water-safe shoes for when you are wet and walking on gravel. |
| Bathrooms | Bathrooms are on the first floor of the museum and seasonally outside by the Hughes Pavilion. |
| Sun Exposure | All of the water play areas are full sun. Find shade in the Play Grove, under the Hughes Pavilion tent or on a forest walking trail. |
| Parking | Large, paved parking lot. |
| Lunch | There are lots of picnic tables scattered around outside as well as a covered picnic pavilion. Water bottle fillers inside. |
| Hours and Admission | Montshire Museum of Science website |
| Stroller Friendly-ish | Requires a stroller that can handle gravel paths and the stroller path to get to the bathrooms or picnic pavilion from the water exhibits is inconvenient but exists. |
| Sensory Friendly | The museum has a social story, sensory map and sensory resources available. |
| Address ——————————————————————– | 1 Montshire Rd, Norwich, VT |
Make it a weekend getaway!
The Montshire Museum of Science pairs well with a trip to VINS Nature Center. Only 20 minutes apart, they are both easily accessible while staying in the Lebanon, NH or Hanover, NH areas. Bonus if you can include a stop at the King Arthur Baking Company minutes away from the museum!
Happy Adventuring!
One Response
Thanks for the tip about water shoes, can’t wait to check this place out!