Here are some tips to make your visit to Discovery more pleasant:
Go early morning to avoid the crowds. Reserve 2-3 hours to enjoy the museum. Plan ahead which exhibits you must attend and go there first. Suggestions:
* Toddlers and young kids: KidsPlace room, Puppet Show Theater (shows at 11, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:45 PM), and Virtual Reality Room
* School age kids: Digging for fossils (extra $2), Little Einstein science, and The Shop Machine exhibits. Here is a video with one of the live science experiments (blowing off a balloon):
http://www.youtube.com/v/EYZlLbf80JI
* Everybody goes nuts for the live Rats Basketball Game...however it's more of a hit and miss when exactly they have it open.
There are several PARKING options:
* Use the museum garage parking ($7 day flat rate fee) and walk straight into the museum.
* Park in the garage across the street from the museum ($5 day flat rate fee Fri and Sat)
* Use the metered parking spots along the streets. Good luck finding one!
Food is not that great, cafeteria style. Hamburgers, fried and grilled chicken sandwiches and small size pizzas. Also soups, yogurt, pudding and salad boxes. Combo options for about $6 include fries and soda drinks. I'll go with the pizza and the yogurt.