Port Discovery (museum) facts for kids
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| Established | 1998 |
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| Location | 35 Market Place Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| Public transit access |  at Shot TowerBaltimoreLink routes Blue, Orange, Brown, Purple, 63, 65, 150 Charm City Circulator Green Route |
Port Discovery Children's Museum is a fun and educational place for kids and families in Baltimore, Maryland. It's located in the historic Fish Market building, right by Baltimore's Inner Harbor. This museum is very large, covering 80,000 square feet with three floors full of interactive exhibits and programs. Over 265,000 people visit it every year! The museum is mainly for children from birth up to 10 years old, and their parents or caregivers.
You can easily reach the museum by public transport. The Baltimore Metro Subway's Shot Tower/Market Place station is very close by.
Museum History
The museum actually began as the Baltimore Children's Museum in 1976. It was first located in a historic property called The Cloisters in Baltimore County. The museum operated there for almost 20 years.
In 1990, the Baltimore Children's Museum became its own non-profit organization. It then joined with the Maryland Children's Museum. The leaders of the new museum decided to move it downtown to Baltimore. This way, more people could visit. A big fundraising effort collected $35 million. This money helped renovate the old Fish Market building downtown. This building became the new home for Port Discovery Children's Museum, which opened in December 1998.
The museum building had major updates in 2019. These updates added new exhibits, a lunchroom, and more restrooms. This renovation cost $10.5 million. In February 2022, the museum also helped the community by serving as a children's vaccine clinic for COVID-19.
Fun Exhibits
Port Discovery has many exciting and interactive exhibits for kids to explore. Here are some of them:
- SkyClimber
- The Port
- Art Showcase - a place for different art displays
- BGE Studio Workshop
- PD Presents
- Tangram Wall
- Chessie's Grotto
- Kick It Up!
- Royal Farms Convenience Store and Fill’er Up Station
- Adventure Expeditions
- The Oasis
- Tot Trails
- Over/Under Weaving Wall
- Wonder Widgets
- The Overlook
- Previews, Pop-Ups & Prototypes
- Sensory Wall
- Tiny's Diner
- Wonders of Water (WoW!)
- Harvey M. Meyerhoff Gallery
Awards and Recognition
Port Discovery Children's Museum has welcomed over 2.5 million visitors since it opened. It is considered one of the top children's museums in the U.S. Both Parents Magazine (in 2015) and Forbes (in 2012) have ranked it highly.
In 2009, Port Discovery received an award called the Promising Practice Award. This award was from the MetLife Foundation and the Association of Children's Museums. It recognized the museum's partnership with PACT: Helping Children with Special Needs.
In January 2011, Port Discovery was named a “Good to Grow Museum.” This special title means it helps promote healthy living for families. Out of 350 children's museums across the country and internationally, Port Discovery was one of only six to get this recognition. This national award came from the Association of Children's Museums.
