Very interesting; very good value I would recommend it to parents 7 grandparents in the Gadsden area or visitors
We took our very young son (<2) and admission was $6 each for adults and free for our son. As far as a cheap thing to do on a rainy day, it's ok. It is set up like a miniature town with a doctor office, train station, construction site, grocery store, etc. The quality of the exhibits is not up to par with other children's museums in Birmingham, Chattanooga, etc. This is more of just a place to let them go and play. Our kid had a blast and didn't want to leave...but we couldn't wait because MAN everything was so dirty!! Also there were a few things I would have done differently safety wise. For example the tots' train set is less than 10 feet from a flight of stairs and there were fake train tracks set into the floor which didn't appear to be much more than a great opportunity to trip and hurt yourself. Overall it was ok for the price and something different to do, but we probably won't be back due to the cleanliness issues.
I had friends visiting from out of town & we thought we would check this out with the kids. No staff at the entrance so we just walked in. It is set up like a little town. Toys in each of the "buildings" were filthy. Smelled musty and we did not see a staff member the entire 45 minutes we were there. So I guess we got what we paid for since no one was there to collect our entrance fee.
We took my three children and their two cousins here today. Their ages range from four to seven. They were so excited when they saw the place, set up like a small town. They spent quite a few hours here and still didn't want to leave. This was a day well spent, and we probably will be coming back!
I'm local to Gadsden, but only recently took my daughters (ages 9, 7, and 6) to Imagination Place. We went on a Sunday around noon and there wasn't another soul in the place besides two very nice employees. The kids would've stayed until closing, they loved it so much! There is currently a "How Gears Work" display available which we all enjoyed. Two areas I was especially impressed with were the doctor's office area with a real light up screen and x ray films, and the construction site area complete with goggles and safety vests. As anything available to the public, it isn't as spic and span as some parents may like, but I didn't notice anything very concerning. Although my children are past the age of licking things and trying to put things in their mouths. There are also a few areas for a parent to sit and relax while the kids play. Well air-conditioned for the hot summer days!
Hello Frances,Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. As a non-profit institution we rely heavily on guests to determine which areas to focus on for improvement as funds become available. We are constantly working to improve our facility and to cultivate a more positive experience for our guests. We're glad the kids liked it and hope you were able to visit our brand new 1,500 square foot exhibit space that housed the TOYS: The Inside Story exhibit. We sincerely hope you visit us again!
This is a great place to bring kids. They will have a blast. I will agree that you do need to bring hand sanitizer. Some parents will let their unruly kids run wild but it is such a fun place. It held my sixteen months twins attention for two hours until they were ready to pass out in the car.
Thank you for your comments. The plexiglass situation has been corrected but mostly we wanted you to know that Madonna and Yoko, our two Russian Tortoises, are both alive and well. Yoko is very shy and I suspect that is who you saw. Thanks again for your feedback, we look forward to your next visit.
Our second grade and then later our kindergarten classes both had field trips to The Imagination Place in Gadsden, AL. They had age appropriate activities for both grades. The staff was very organized and the children had fun! It would also be a great place to take the kiddos for a summer outing, since it's all inside - you can beat the heat for little money and have a fantastic time!There is a restaurant connected - The Courtyard Cafe, which looked amazing....fried green tomatoes, mac & cheese, etc.! When I go back, I'm going to eat there. :-)
With 30 Christmas Trees decorated in the theme of Rock 'n Roll by area elementary schools and the "Let It Snow" exhibit in Imagination Place. This was a morning well spent. After lunch downtown, we returned and played some more. There is also an 80" long train set to watch.At $6 it was a bargain. Lots to do and you can come and go all day long.