Located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the Discovery Museum is a hands-on science museum that was originally founded in 1958. For those visiting Connecticut with their family, this is a great museum to spend the day at, as the exhibits and attractions here will appeal to people of just about every age.
The Adventure Park
For many visitors to the Discovery Museum, the Adventure Park is one of the main highlights, as this is where you will find the best zip lining and climbing in all of Connecticut. There are 11 different treetop trails here, containing around 180 platforms in total, and these are connected in a number of different ways, with everything from zip lines to wood and rope. The trails are laid out in a way that makes it easy for visitors to explore them on their own, meaning that lessons and tours are not necessary. They are also color coded in order of difficulty, similar to the way in which ski trails are, and visitors can start at the easiest trail before working their way up to the more challenging ones. However, in order to ensure that all visitors are kept safe at the Adventure Park, everyone must undergo a thorough orientation first, and there are also harnesses provided that visitors need to wear.
The Labyrinth
For those who are visiting the Discovery Museum with young children, The Labyrinth is a great way to introduce them to climbing. This structure features over 40 different elements of varying difficulty, and is scaled down so that it is perfect for children between the ages of five and nine. While the Labyrinth may be primarily designed for children, it is still accessible to adults, meaning that the whole family can explore it together.
The Monkey Grove
The Monkey Grove is a relatively new addition to the Discovery Museum’s Adventure Park, and consists of 10 trees that offer a range of unique climbing challenges. While the Monkey Grove may be somewhat similar to an indoor climbing wall, the outdoor experience, and the fact that you are right in the middle of nature, makes it so much better. Again, this is a part of the Adventure Park that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
Night Climbing
While the majority of visitors tend to explore the Adventure Park in the daytime, the park also offers a night climbing event on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, which is the perfect way to round up your family fun day. In order for people to be able to see what they are doing, the park has been decked out with twinkling LED lights. These light up the trails, but in quite a dim way, so that you can still enjoy the full experience of climbing under the stars.
As mentioned above, the Adventure Park is one of the most popular parts of the Discovery Museum, and while tickets can be purchased on the day at the door, it is always advisable to make a reservation in advance, to ensure that there is space for your family. Even if your family is not particularly active, the trails can be taken at your own pace, meaning that you do not need to be exceptionally fit to enjoy the park.