Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving Point

Address:	3605 Garden Dr, Lehi, UT 84043, USA
Phone:	+1 801-768-2300
Site:	thanksgivingpoint.org
Rating:	4.6
Working:	10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM Closed

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 5

Josh Huntsman

Ok. First things first. Yes, we had fun. Its a fun place and there are lots of fun things to do. Our kid had a blast and there were plenty of things that made us laugh and play. But its not a museum. Its a giant playground with very few educational components. I suppose if you planned ahead to attend a class or something there would be a larger education aspect to it but if you are just going for the day expect big fun and low education. I dont want to be a wet blanket. Not everything kids do needs to have an educational aspect to it but if its a museum then, yeah, it should. Once I pushed the desire for that out of my mind the place was fun enough. Also, and I know this isnt exclusive to the Playground of Natural Curiosity, but the overt corporate sponsorships led to some humorous moments. Want to play in a Zions Bank? How about learn how Questar Gas safely utilizes extraction techniques to bring you safe and affordable Natural Gas? You are in luck! (Hair dryers. They use hair dryers.) So lets say there is an exhibit that features some sort of physics experiment. Would you expect some sort of display explaining what you are seeing and how it works? Or, like, basic instructions? Not at the Playground of Natural Placcardless Curiosity! It leaves it up to you to push, pull, twirl and figure out what the heck is going on. Is it an example of the laws of motion? Is it just a tube full of glitter you twirl for a while? Is it broken? Thats up to you to figure out. Again, we had fun but thats it. If you go, go early in the morning so the crowds are low. Apparently after lunch the place turns into the Museum of pushy, shovey mothers. Sorry. The Playground of pushy, shovey mothers. For a better day, buy the flex pass. Spend a few hours playing in this playground then go go the nearby Museum of Ancient Life for one of the best museum experiences in the country.

linda mitchell

We have been a few times to the curiosity museum this year. My kids enjoy it when it is not crowded and they dont have to wait for that one kid who is hogging something and the parents dont seem to care if their kid takes all day when ten other kids are waiting. At any rate, there are plenty of things to do, so you can usually find something else to sidetrack your kids with if that happens. Also, I would just like to say how impressed I am with their team members in case of a lost child. It so happens the last time we were there, I had to go to the bathroom and had my husband take my 3 kids to the rainforest section and I was to meet them there after. Well, with someone cleaning the bathroom, finally going to a different bathroom, and lines, I was gone for a good 10 minutes. During that time, I noticed a loud beeping every minute or so. When I made it to my husband, I was informed that my one year old had wondered off (hence the alarms sounding). My husband and employees had been looking everywhere for the past five minutes with no success, so I started looking too, obviously. I had no idea where to look, it was the busiest day ever Im sure, and I felt like I was running back and forth like a chicken with its head cut off. Along the way I would see employees check one area at a time and report on their walkie talkie. Their search seamed way more organized than I could even imagine in my frazzled state. After about ten minutes of my little guy missing, an employee found him back in the waterworks section just having a blast in the water. I cannot thank them enough for all of their efforts and quick thinking and I will gladly take the mean stares the next time we go with a monkey leash on my boy :)

Robert Smith

Horrible experience dont know if I will ever come back and I will let everyone I know how bad it was. It was a "2 dollar Tuesday" it was so packed that my son was not able to learn or play with anything. It became a glorified McDonalds playground, because it was so crowded that you could not walk with out bumping a into kids let alone learn. no place for my pregnant wife to be able to sit. They did not have everything out for example the theater play area had no costumes from my understanding they normaly do. employees were not even trying to protect there equipment that was out. I keep trying to fix things so they would work and it would not last 60 seconds my son was not even able to play with it before it was broke again because of the hoards of kids. We tried going to multiple areas and was the same problem. I told the employee I think they were over the fire code for the building. She stated."I know but its so more kids can come and learn that normaly would not be able to". All my son was learning was that you have to fight to even be in there. I told the lady we were going to the living aquarium because it too crowed. She just told us to come back again And did not care. I understand trying to get people to come who normal can not afford it but they need to sale tickets in advance or regulate how many people are in there so kids can learn. I was tring to help an autistict kid and he keep geeting pushed around the staff and other parnets other than the boys did not care.This was a first experience here and I think the last.

Elizabeth Lucas

Your kids will be able to spend a whole day here, be they 2 or 10. Plenty of activities, but on busy days it can be difficult to find a place to sit. Staff is very helpful, and if you need to find a lost child let them know, as there is no PA system. You arent allowed outside food, but discreet water bottles are tolerated. The curiosity cafe kids meals are good, but cost abt $6, so if you have a brood to feed, eat first, bring a cooler and go eat out front then re-enter, or go to one of the many nearby eateries (within 5m drive). Ive successfully had a do-it-yourself birthday party in this way, having cake & presents etc on grass outside then bringing kids in to play. I have an individual membership (approx $70 annually) which lets me take my under 3 toddler in free, and pay half price for all others. So I can get kids in for abt $6.50 & adults for $7.50. Consider this strategy unless you have a lot of kids you bring with you every time and/or your spouse always accompanies you (in which case a family membership at around $250/yr might make sense). The waterworks is a huge hit with kids, but despite provided aprons & boots, kids usually get wet. If weather is cold or kids mind being wet, bring spare outfit. Parking is free & plentiful. Only on extremely busy days, when field trips are there, will you have to look for a spot.

Jacob Zonts

Im taking my family here a few times and they have loved it every time. They asked for us to go constantly. I know a lot of people have made comments about how crowded it is, but there are so many nooks and crannies for the kids to go into that the crowdedness just doesnt bother them. It does seem to bother some parents but not me. I just hop in and play with them it makes the whole experience much more fun. My girls are 4 years old and 6 years old and their favorite area is kid opolis. They love all the little areas that they can go into especially the bank and the trains and the blocks. They added something new recently, a shadow maker in which the kids stand against the wall and a bright light flashes and then the wall shows their shadow even after they move away, its quite interesting. I will have to get back on here later to edit my post after we have gone a few more times. We have a pass for Thanksgiving Point and we expect to go many times this year. So far weve only gone during two but Tuesday in August and on New Years Eve. Also if you lose your child most areas have only one exit so I would recommend just standing in a central location near the exit and wait for them to emerge. This strategy has allowed us to find our children within a matter of minutes every time, no need to worry.