Oopsie! I ‘accidentally’ booked another last-minute trip. This time, I took a train from St. Louis to Milwaukee, and for the first time in over a year, I have a travel companion— my ten-year-old son.
I wanted to find something fun for him to do, and after a bit of research, I learned about a place called Discovery World.
Located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee along the shores of Lake Michigan, this children’s museum boasts a grown-up view complete with panoramic windows and a spacious atmosphere.
I arrived intending to pay for parking in the garage but found a spot on the street directly outside. There weren’t many open spots, but there were some, and they were free. If you’re willing to walk a few blocks, you’ll almost certainly find free parking.
The cost of admission was a bit high, at $24 for adults and $20 for kids, which can be cost-prohibitive for families, especially those with multiple children. However, the place was kept clean and well-staffed, and there were many costly exhibits. The other reason I was hesitant to buy the tickets was because I didn’t know if my ten-year-old would find enough to keep him occupied or if this was mainly a museum for younger kids. That concern faded the moment we started exploring.
The museum’s interior buzzed with a vibrant cyberpunk energy that inspired wonder among its young visitors. Its expansive high ceilings and sleek industrial design created a sense of openness that cleverly masked the overwhelming number of exhibits—nearly all of which were interactive. Furthermore, many featured transparent sides, allowing viewers to see the intricate mechanical components and grasp the science behind the machines.
My personal favorite section of Discovery World was called ‘Automation Everywhere.’ There, I enthusiastically sorted colored golf balls and played table tennis and tic-tac-toe against AI-powered machines. The same floor features a musical center where you can mix music and control sound frequencies to make objects float.
This is called the ‘Rocktopus’. Featured in Guitar Magazine, this eight-necked creation is composed of three electric guitars, a bass, a cello, a 12-string, an acoustic, and a banjo—making for an impressive total of eight individual stringed instruments.
Pictures of the Rocktopus being showcased on stage were displayed next to it, though I couldn’t imagine being able to play the thing effectively. However, I’m not one to judge because the number of stringed instruments I can play is precisely zero.
Okay, so I didn’t play with this huge LiteBrite, but, to be honest, I had a hard time stopping myself. I still snapped a picture of the adorable board.
My son’s favorite was the airplane simulator. He waited in line several times for a minute-and-a-half chance to fly. By the time I dragged him out of there, he fancied himself a skilled stunt pilot. He also spent a lot of time on the driving simulator and playing at the virtual reality station.
Another exhibit my son loved was the bed of nails, though I heard one young boy excitedly tell his mom he ”found a spiky bed.” Lying flat on a board covered with holes, you use a lever to gradually lower it until you’re lying entirely on the nails. This attraction seemed to scare just as many as it intrigued. For every child who tried it, another stood back, shaking their head and clinging to their parent’s leg.
Using streams of air to make plastic balls float was a safer and more enjoyable activity for many kids, appealing to all ages. I occupied myself at this table for several minutes, but my son did not have the patience to release the ball with the gentleness needed to make it float.
We spent around three hours at the museum, and by the end I was worn out from keeping up with my son, who gave Discovery World an overwhelmingly positive review.
One question lingered in my mind all day, so I’ll leave it at this:
Ultimately, science is magical and allows us to achieve some truly amazing things. But if magic is just science that we don’t yet understand, does that mean being a scientist makes you a magician?
Until next time…
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