Area // Rockford Downtown

Discovery Center Museum

711 N. Main St.
Rockford, IL 61103
(815) 963-6769
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Experience a world of hands-on investigation and fun-filled exploration at this children's museum with more than 250 hands-on art and science exhibits, planetarium, TV studio, special events, traveling exhibits and entertaining classes for children and families. Tot Spot for toddlers. Plus Discovery Center boasts the nation's first community-built outdoor science park featuring 8,000 square feet of wooden fun including a two-story maze, water play area, dinosaur fossil dig pit and a Secret Garden.

Awards and recognitions

Recognized as one of the top 10 (tied for 4th) science museums in the country by Child Magazine in 2002
Named one of the nation's top ten children's museums by The National Geographic Society
Named one of the top 12 children's museums in the nation by Forbes in 2012
Designated as a Good to Grow! Museum by the Association of Children's Museums for making significant strides to promote health and wellness.
List of "2014 Top Family Attractions Worth Traveling For" - Flipkey.com/TripAdvisor, May 2014
One of the "10 Best Children's Museums in the U.S." - Family Vacation Critic, April 2013
One of the top ten in "The 12 Best Children's Museum in the U.S." - Forbes.com, January 2012

Discovery Center is part of the Riverfront Museum Park arts and humanities complex, with plenty of free parking.

Attraction

General

Admission: $9/person, Free for museum members and children age one and younger
Family Memberships and Groups Rates available
Same Day Savings Discount: Receive $1 off general admission to the Burpee Museum of Natural History when you visit on the same day.
Directions: From I-90 and E. State St. (US Business 20): west on Business 20 six and a half miles to IL 2 north (Wyman St., first street past the Rock River); right on IL 2 five blocks to the museum complex on the right side of the one-way street. From the south, I-39: west on US 20 Bypass to IL 2 (S. Main). North on IL 2 through the downtown to the museum complex. Park in the Riverfront Museum Park lot or the Burpee Museum lot. Use the tunnel between Riverfront Museum Park and Burpee Museum.
Hours: Thursdays - Fridays 10am - Noon & 2 - 4pm / Saturdays - Sundays 9:30 - 11:30am, 12:30 - 2:30pm & 3 - 5pm