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| - We were given free admission tickets for the Science Center and for the Planetarium. Since the kiddos are home from school for the summer and it's blazing hot outside, I thought it would be a good time to use them.
Pros: nice, cold air conditioning. perfect when trying to escape the AZ heat
They validate parking in the nearby garage for a cheaper parking fee, it's about 1/2 price
bathrooms were clean and water fountains were plentiful.
Cons: the regular prices are ASTRONOMICAL! Had I not had tickets, for me and 3 kids I'd have paid $48 for general admission and then an additional $29 for the planetarium show/movie. There was also a special exhibit that would have been $76 additional dollars. HOLY CRAP! We passed on the exhibit and any additional planetarium shows (you get one for that price). Sure, they offer a yearly membership, but if you only come once a year or less (how often do you really need to go?) that seems kind of silly (members still have to pay for the special exhibit). PLUS, I'm a family of 5 and the family membership is for 4 people.
There isn't much for the pre-reader set to do. They can't read the hands-on activity instructions, and what they do have is really childish (playhouse, blocks).
The employees weren't very friendly. All of them seemed to have somewhere else they'd rather be.
The planetarium show was maybe 30 minutes and the employee talked for 20 minutes of it, not much planetary stuff..it was a cartoon basically. SO not worth paying for, glad I didn't.
The layout of the place is confusing. Weird hallways and rooms. Nothing really makes sense in the layout.
I can't say we'd go back. Way too expensive. My kids are 5, 8 and 11 and they weren't that impressed with the place. I sure wasn't.
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