We show it off when realtives come to town.
We love the children's museum of Houston. Ages 4,5,9. It was renovated in March '09. It has a metropolis area with different jobs kids can work at, it also has a physical activity area where kids can climb and jump. We then go to a Cyberchase room for math and scales games. Our favorite room is the inventions room. It has supplies to build paper airplanes and rockets and then wind tunnels and launch pads to test them. Also lego car parts and ramps for testing them. We then typically go outside for the water works. Launch boats and make water go through pipes, etc. Careful, kids can get wet,but not soaked. Also outdoors is a small playground for little kids and then a nature building. Some indoor exhibits change, but are always educational and fun with lots of hands on activities. They currently have a Vietnam village, an architectural exhibit, and one about matter. Most can be played with by the youngest, played with and sort of understood by the kindergartner and the 9 year old can learn things while playing, sometimes by herself, sometimes we have to help explain a little.
The website official says no outside food, but they don't check your bags, I have packed an apple per kid before and just eaten them outside so we don't have to buy the expensive food. You can easily spend three to four hours there so the kids will want a snack. How long you spend depends on your kids attention span. My kids like to actually sit and do the stuff alot. Plus my husband and I love making the rockets.
Lots of staff, the doors in and out are watched. I have had by kid run off before. I told one staff member, they got on the walkie-talkie and had him located quickly. It can get crowded and if your kid runs off from you he can get lost quickly because rooms have multiple openings, but he won't be able to get out of the museum.
You can pay $7 dollars to park in the garage, or use meters that only let you park for two hours. Meter parking is free on the weekend.
It is about $7 for all ages above 1 and below 65. The policy is no kids without and adult or adult without a kid.
We have had a yearly pass for about three years now. We find the pass well worth it. We also drive about 30-40 min to get to it and still find it worth the time and money.