Reviews of Gilbert House Children's Museum (Museum)

Josh Jordan

3 to 4 different experiences were broken without notices of them being out of order. Had to speak to staff 2 to 3 times to see if they could get an experience working and the response was less than enthusiastic or encouraging that they would be fixed anytime soon.

Courtney Lopez

What I like the most about Gilbert House is that even though it is a mess of kids, things feel CLEAN. My 4 year old had fun all day and wasn't ready to leave.

Katie Mayer

We love the Gilbert house.

Victor Diaz

Dont have kids, but i here its good times

dana trout

So, so, so, so much fun says the 5 year old!

Rohan Thomas

Great place for kids too chill. We got free entry because we had membership at kids quest. The outside areas is very cool where my kids had enough running around to tire them out. Inside place is pretty cozy work an activity area. Overall - quite well done

Kristi Hilton

We love this place. Both houses have a variety of options. I love the new STEM activities in the studio. So many possibilities! Outside is a child's dream. From large play structures, to slides, to a sand area to dig for dinosaur bones. So much to explore inside and out. Great for any weather.

Sharon Hau

Better than I unexpected! The playground is amazing. My 4 and 2 year olds had a great time exploring each room.

Shania Wilcox

This was a great thing to do with kids.

Melody kerber

My kids always have a great time when we go to the Gilbert house. They are ages 2 and 6.

Jennifer Waldroup

Small but accessible hands on childrens museum always a hit with market play area, covered outdoor spaces, actors theater and vet room are our faves. Great location near Salem waterfront with more play areas and carousel in walking distance.

Caitlin White

Not so great for under 1, but my 2 year old had a great time

Jeremy V

I had my kids' birthday party here. It's a great place for them to play and burn off some energy. They had tons of fun and were exhausted at the end of the day.

Denise Jones

Great family fun.

Achlee White

The most amazing place in Salem for kids! Our daughter also attended preschool here and it was the best experience for her that we could have asked for. We LOVE the Gilbert House! ❤

Anita Bender

Enjoyed every minute of our time here! Great exhibits and wonderful play ground. ❤ Made great memories.

dd donnelly

Very enjoyable and entertaining. My granddaughters didn't want to leave.

Stephanie Krier

This is a great place for the kindergarten and under set. It's enormous with tons of play areas. My 6 and 9 year olds were not so interested - they enjoyed the outdoor area, engineering workshop (ESPECIALLY the workshop), and dancing area. The others they kind of just walked through without stopping. Helpful employees.

Diane Lorenzen

Took granddaughter here. Very fun for her. Lots of things to do for little ones. Great and caring customer service!

Andrea Bolaños

Great children's museum and awesome playground. So fun!

Serena Harris

Great place for kids to play and use their imagination. My grandson loves playing here.

Van Tran

An interactive children's museum for all ages. Best feature for getting your little kiddos' energy well spent is the outdoor playground. Yes there is sand. Yes, there are climbing poles. Yes there is a super tall slide that takes mini flights of walking but produces many squeals of delight. Pack your kids' favorite snacks and plan to spend at least a couple of hours exploring the different rooms which showcase a variety of themes (agriculture, airplanes, trains, veterinary care, etc.) with tactile objects for young ones to explore.

Myka Almazan

Took our 3 little ones today, ages 1, 4 & 9 and they all had a blast. So much fun and a great family experience. We loved it and will definitely be back!

Chris Urdahl

Amazing. Not much for parents to do, but if you like old architecture, you will love looking at the amazing historical houses here. There is a ton for kids to do and enough "big kid" things for parents and older siblings to participate in. You can build using g large clocks, pretend play various occupations, and the outdoor playground is spectacular. Way more worth the time and money than the one in Portland.

Jeffrey Goodwin

Amazing outdoor play place, bring your own food. Can't wait til they bring the bubbles back.

Cell Karstashian

This is one of my kids favorite place to go. It is a historic house that turn into a kids museum. It has 3 houses and it’s pretty cool because there were different things that your kids can do like pretend bakery shop, hardware store, fruit store, they can be a animals vet, a doctor and so much more to see. They have big playground with big slides. I highly recommend this place because your kids will love it and it will benefits for a parents too. If your kids have so much energy that place will tired them up.

adam foss

Great place to take ur kids

Halo Moon

Friendly staff , clean and just all around amazing place !!! Cant wait to go back ! Happiest I've felt in so long , me and kids had a blast !

Dorothy Winslow

First time there, loved it and so did my grandchildren. We were there with the Chahalem Park And Recreation PreK, they loved it to.Thanks

Kathy Chapman

It was closed but looked really cute.

Margarito Sumoza

very good because here you find everything

theo

I went here on a school trip back in the second or third grade, and this last year memories of it kept coming back to me, prompting me to google things like "place in Oregon where you can milk a fake cow" and "house in Salem with paper mache room" (as a kid I clearly didn't think to remember the name of the place we were going). I finally found it ("house in Salem Oregon with bubble room") and I'm so glad I did. A truly great place, with lots of things to keep all ages occupied and happy.

Brecca Lamas

We really enjoyed it. It was our first time and next time we will have more fun. You want to bring your own snacks there ia so much to do your tiny will need a break

Jennifer Brodigan

Fun place to spend an afternoon with the kids in your life.

jkmerlin

The kids loved it, the activities inside were pretty good, but I loved the outside area. It was a a, ing for my daughter and even I at 6ft could do most of it with her without ducking.

Brayden Ferguson

Very fun place to take your children. The staff there make it a safe, fun and educational experience. Very good place to bond with your children. Very safe and big play structure. You and your children will be entertained and intrigued all day long.

Daniel Birch

This was such an awesome experience. You could go rain or shine. There is so much to do indoor that but the time we wanted to go outside, it was already time to go. The employees engaged with the kids in the painting area and our kids absolutely loved the green screen room. Definitely going back again to play outside but on a sunny day. We did get a taste of the outside while it was sprinkling in the short but of time we had left, and the kids loved the maze structure. Highly encouraged to go, you won’t regret it. But i will say, it is much more fun when you put your phone away and play with the kids. Facebook and Snapchat checkins can wait, your kids will love you for it:-) anyways, great place to go!

Jaime MacNamara-Loflin

Such a great place for children. One of the best in salem!

Tay-Dor

Visited with the children of my cousin. They seemed to enjoy it. It had a lot of interesting activities for kids.

Kristina Kimmel

The kids and I love it here.

katyberry

This place is amazing and so much fun for kids if all ages!

Jeffrey Stewart

Great, fun place to spend many hours with the kids. Plan to stay for a couple hours, you don't want to rush your stay bc theres so much to do. Definitely take your kids. I would say 3 & up would be best.

James Wood

Lots of kid friendly exhibits. The play structure in the middle is really cool.

Delores Shelton

This is a great place to take your kids or grandchildren, or even just kids you know. The yearly membership may seem costly but well worth it. Not only do you have unlimited admission there but also access to many other children's museums not only in Oregon but across the country.

Stephanie Gonzales

Nice place for children. In the same parking general area as the waterfront park. Easily accessible and friendly people. You do have to pay to park in the lot next to them however if you want to avoid this simply park in the main parks lot and walk over. It isn't very far. The Gilbert house is always doing upkeep on their structures and it is kept clean and virtually debris free. Safe place to take kids and it always has activities to keep the attention span of young children

Justin Engle

Not a bad theater, however beware that your regal card deals have changed, the free movie comes with a 1.50 charge, and free drink points only give you a 0.50 cents off. Times are changing but it's still a good place

JKT

This place is awesome for kids! Science and innovation museum.

Rebecca McCaulley

So much to explore! Plan a couple of hours for activities, both indoor and outdoor. We love it so much we finally bought an annual membership. Great for kiddos 2yo+

Jack Sung

There are four main buildings, each with its own interactive media. There is also an awesomely large playground here with sandpits and slides. Kids are going to love it here.

Amanda Motley

The Gilbert House is a wonderful place! They do a nice job of changing the rooms to keep things fresh and interesting. I enjoy it as much as my children do! Great for all ages. Even my teenagers enjoy messing around in the exhibits when we bring their smaller cousins to explore.

Linda Ray

Had two kids three and four who are full of energy and it gave them a place to run and explore.

July Teal

Very fun place for younger kids to go. Typically best for kids under 10. Though it can be a little pricey if you're on a budget. There are also plenty of areas that children under 5 would enjoy.

Brian Johnson

A bit spendy at $8 per person. But the kids have fun.

Baba W

Fun and secure place to take smaller children. It is well located next to the Waterfront Park. The Museum offers a range of activities but on sunny days the play structure is a blast for kids! There are also fun indoor activities. The place would benefit from offering a small cafe or coffee shop for parents to enjoy a beverage while their kids play.

Amber Backus

Wow! The kids loved it and we got passed free from our local library.

Kassie Brown

I like this place. The big chair...the playground...the exhibits and staff. We rented it for a party. It was awesome. The people really care and it shows. I was delighted to be there. I really can't say enough about this place. They are so nice. They take wonderful care of this place and there is no where like it in Salem. I love going here and taking kids here. I dont like taking kids anywhere else.

Shawna C

This place is great for kids of all ages. Many different types of fun, interactive and educational activities indoors and outside. Every time you go there is something different to do. Staff is very friendly and helpful.

Lauren Joy Harris

Great place to take kiddos. Amazing outdoor playscape. Not too expensive. Be prepared to climb stairs.

Dave Gende

The grandkids love Gilbert House. It kept them going for a couple hours...probably more if we'd had more time!

Ryan Kackley

My kids absolutely love this place and didn't want to leave for lunch. It was large enough space so I could go with them in the giant play structure and slides too.

shar fagersten

The Gilbert House Museum is beautiful and very well maintained. Each room has a different theme with extensive activities and creative props. Large wooden outdoor play structure with slides and eating areas are available between buildings. Entrance fee for kids is reasonable, but know that you will be paying an entrance fee for all supervising adults too. Family and yearly passes are easily worth the investment. I've brought my kids here for several years and it seems that it is most engaging up to about age 10.

Rayna Hobbs

My kid loves this place! Bigger than it looks from the outside and has plenty to keep our 3 year old busy. Lots of parking and right by pretty Salem waterfront.

Tonjia Doeden

Not to be missed if you have kids or grandkids.

Gaudi Salazar

This place is awesome for any age! My 2 yr old and 11 yr old had a great time exploring and playing outside. It's also right next to the waterfront park so it's nice to go do an activity with the kids and then go for a walk. The staff is very friendly and helpful with any questions. I also found out you can have birthday parties here!

Katie Guarin

Love this place! Great place for kids to learn, play and explore.

Justin Metz

Awesome place for kids and adults alike. Comprised of multiple historic houses with every room turned into a fun activity/themed place to play and learn. Outside there's one of the best "jungle gyms" I think I've ever seen outside of a major theme park. Feels like a small fantasy neighborhood, ala seasame street, come to life. Something for everyone!

Paul J Guthrie

Good place for kids. Exhibits and intellectual activities for age 6+ but lots of exploring and physical activity for 2+ Great "Dinosaur Dig" sandbox with large dinosaur"skel

Krister Axel

This is another one of our go-to spots for family fun in Salem. There are a lot of different activities for the children, a really great sandbox, and a fantastic wood structure with different levels, lots of stairs, and slides. Fun for everyone, and a lot of opportunities for learning.

John Boren

Good children's museum option for the Salem area.

Heather Rauh

Great place for kids. Lots to do. Annual pass is really affordable. Indoor and outdoor options.

Margaret Reynolds

Kids really enjoy the variety of things to do

Gina King

With a stop with children! This broke up our long road trip. Fun exhibits for kids and adults. Awesome outdoor "Erector set" playground. We ran around and slid down the crazy slides. Afterwards, walk over and ride the antique carousel by riverfront Park. Beautiful

Alison Hendricks

Magical place. Toddler loved playing in each room. Could have stayed for hours and hours. Outdoor area is so much fun.

Diana Finkenaur

The Gilbert house is a great place to take your kids, rain or shine. There are so many fun rooms to explore and activities to do. The outdoor playground is absolutely amazing, too.

Kameron Blomquist

Always a great place to explore

Ryan Wortman

Over priced for a kids learning center/playhouse. They charge 8$ for every head where as even Portland childrens museum doesnt charge parents. I guess I'm dumbfounded on why a parent would have to pay when obviously there is no way for a child to go on their own... Other then that has fun activities and a large play structure that my kids enjoy.

Rodney Cluff

Very fun place for kids maybe 10 and under. Near a nice park with great view of the river.

william Carroll

The kids seem to have fun here, but it's kind of run down. Seems like it could use some updating.

Daniel Erskine

Wonderful learning experience for all ages, plenty of teaching opportunities for children of all ages. Convenient location near river walk park and walking trails and very reasonable pricing.

Blake Siebler

Don't try to rush through it. Give yourself at least four hours and the value will be there. My entire family had a great time!

Frankie Langston

My niece, her 5 year old and I all had fun on the outdoor play area (evening thought it was a bit wet) and all of the many fun and educational rooms in the houses. We especially liked the screen that continually changed and made all movements change. We visited for a short time because it was closing soon. Walking among the toy displays was entertaining and interesting. The children enjoyed the play areas and visiting the toy areas as well. -

Jillian Torassa

Fun local children's museum for kids around 5, maybe 6, and under

Jeremy Phipps

Amazing and a great learning place for my children.

Amanda West

It was interesting enough once. I'm not sure I will be taking our kids again. The exhibits were small, and several rooms were pretty much empty. We only spent maybe 2 hours here and all 3 of our kids had been there long enough. They did love the giant play structure. However for the entry price to get in I can take my kids to a nice park and have pretty much the same experience for free. For me, it won't be worth the drive down from Portland to go again. We actually spent more time at the carousel in the park next to the Gilbert house than we spent at that house.

Nicholas Bassis

Great place for the kids

Wendy Lewis

Loved it, especially the playground. They're were just several things that needed to be fixed or replaced.

Devon Thorson

This is the premiere destination for children in the area until you get up to Portland. It has a bit of an OMSI vibe but it's much more dialed down, which is often great because the crowds are a lot smaller and the kids still love it. The annual membership is only $110 for a whole family for unlimited access. Given how much it rains here, it is a super bargain for having access to indoor play areas.

Thia J

Awesome learning experience; fun activities, and a great place to take your kids/grandkids!!!!

Todd Stewart

Great place to take the kids.

Chris Neider

Awesome place to spend time with your kids!

happy neko

It's a fun place and it's easy to fallow the little ones around but it's definitely pricey and the area where kids can run around most is out side. That's right next to a park so it defeats the point of taking them there to wear them out on a rainy day.

Brenda Ann Leivas

I Love so many things here. My 5yr old Daughter Love's to go all the time. It's a fantastic place to take your kids to learn & explore

Marlyn Dinsmore

I suppose it is fun for children to run around and play in the few rooms that they have available, but it seems like it would be difficult to keep everything disinfected with all of the children touching everything, especially the stuffed toys. Not taking my grand children there AND it's spendy!!

Kate Draper

I really enjoyed bringing my kids here. I hadn't been since I was a child myself, and it was a lot of fun to see the changes and additions, as well as what remained the same. The outdoor area was especially enjoyable, and I appreciated the shady areas with ample seating for parents. The kids loved the wooden tower, slides, climbing rocks, and digging in the sand pit.

Warren Hanson

We got tickets for Christmas and finally got to use them. My son is 2.5 and had a blast taking in all the exhibits. There is a good variety of activities that challenge a little one. The vertical wind tunnel was a big highlight, as well as the Lego ship building. We will definitely return.

Chase Comer

In the winter on a rainy day it's a great place hang on a sunny day you can do even more.

Brian Abel

Great place to let your kids imagination run wild

Michelle Garner

My kids had a great time, and there was a lot to do. Their favorite by far was the outdoor playground.

Nick Rosenthal

Took our boys (4 and 8) here for a visit and they had a great time. There was a lot of variety in the types of activities and hands on experiences the boys could do. The park outside was amazing and we should have gone out sooner to play on the playground.

Becky Gilbert

Very cool, engaging and educational children's museum. There is an outdoor play structure as well. Many things to look and and experience hands on.

Cynthia St Clair

The Gilbert house is amazing. My kids always have a blast. The staff are incredible. And they always come out with new activities. The membership is definitely worth the up front cost.

Nancy Beltran

Great place to take the kids. My daughters and son love this place

Brandon Garner

Great, fun place for young kids!

Brenda Thompson

Great place to take kids big and small for a fun afternoon or birthday.

Ashley Baldwin

So many things to explore! Lots to do inside and out. You can even pack your own lunch! A must do if you're in the area and have children.

Jenna Keith

Love taking my kids here. They could play all day long! Just wish the houses had A/C they get unbearably hot. The play structure is just as fun as I remember growing up!

Sandra Holtry

We love this place. My grandson is 13 now, and he wanted to go back here so he can keep the memory he said.

Marcus Silva

Awesome place to visit. Very interactive.

April Deaver

Great place for all kiddos

Teia De Young

Such a fun place for kids, the colorful houses bring a smile to everyone's face. The playgrounds are really exciting

William Munro

Great place to take the kids. Relatively cheap to get in and has lots of stuff to do and a really nice Play Place.

Pamela Volk

Our favorite place to take our kids in the winter. But take care with the outdoor wooden structure if you are tall. And it's difficult to find your way back out!

Kris Nelson

Fun place for Children especially out back on their huge 'erector set' climbing space.

Carol Cutsforth

Very nice interactive rooms for children.

Dan Tucholsky

Great for kids 7 and under.

Shannon Young

As you walk into the door the fun and learning begin, I have been taking my grandkids here for some time now. The best learning and fun envorment for kids in Salem. Learn how things work, were discovered and have fun doing it. Kids had fun, enjoyed the playground the best. Not really suited for 12+ but the younger kiddos in my group enjoyed the exhibits especially the hoop/ video psychedelic room. My son was really disappointed the big train room was gone. Really hope they bring back the bubble room.

Stephanie Barber

We always love our visits here. I let my daughter lead the way, spending as much time as she likes in each exhibit. It is so nice to be able to play outside or inside. She loves the tunnels and climbing available on the outdoor playground.

Rebecca R

Fun place to visit! Here are a few photos without kids.

Amanda Greene

The Gilbert House is definitely a favorite destination for our family. Our kids could play there all day. Inside there are many unique rooms, each with a theme that encourages play and imagination. Outside there is a big sand area and play structure with many places to explore.

Vincent Martin

I don't know i wasn't there.

Kurt Barnes

Our family loves this place! Lots of activities for busy toddlers and children. By far the best membership value out there for a family.

Desiree Galvez

Its such a great place to take my son to he is only 2 years old and ive been taking him there since he was 6 months old and he has been enjoying it since then. There is enough to do for all ages and he loves it!!

Scott Johnson

First time there with 4 grandkids, very well done.

Alexander Batishchev

Great outdoor playground. Pretty basic inside though, feels empty and dated.

Nichole Looney

We love this place! If you live in the Salem area and have children there is no reason not to have a membership. It has paid for itself in just 3mo.

Katherine Ann

It's really fun for the kiddos and they love the outdoor playground

Judy F

Pay for parking! It's easy to miss the sign that tells you that parking is not free. One, because you have a bunch of excited kids with you and your busy making sure they don't run out into the parking lot. Two, because it's they only parking lot for the place so you would assume they wouldn't charge you to park there. Tickets, that you'll find on your windshield when you come out, are $25. There were many cars with tickets which leads me to believe it's easy to miss the sign. --- Otherwise the place was awesome and they kids had a wonderful time. So many fun activities.

Stacy S

We are huge fans of the Gilbert House!! It is a wonderful, magical place to take your kids that lets them play and imagine and learn and be a kid. The staff are always so friendly and kind. Plus they are always doing different events and changing things up to keep things interesting. If you are thinking about visiting - just do it!

Jennah Wines

My kiddos received a ton of stimulation with the different activities. There is outdoor and indoor play. Very educational and fun!

Race Clark

The best outdoor play structure I’ve ever seen! Maze like structure with big slides. Indoor children’s attractions are very fun and imaginative too. This place is one of Salem’s gems for any parents or grandparents.

Bill Frisbee

Interesting place. Lots to do.

Nick Octiparan

Gilbert House is a delight for children of all ages! They have a veterinary clinic with phone, computer, exam table and accoutrements; a midevil stage with costumes and puppets; an outdoor climbing maze; outdoor camping area; sand pit; and much more!

Travis Chetock

Love this place. We get the annual pass. Sometimes we run through the whole house and other times we just hang out in the play area outside. I have a 4, 7, and 11 year old. All love it for different reasons.

Joey Magallanes

This place is so fun! They incorporate a lot of learning through play too which is great. My kids love it and now we are looking at being regulars.

furryfriendsadventures

Well maintained and up to date. Well managed and a fun place for the kids

Younis Ali

Kids prefer it to the Portland Museum but the Portland Museum has useful programs and events in the morning

Christy B

Family friendly. Inclusive playground. Attended a community event, free admission... very crowded. But volunteers were everywhere. Attentive and helpful.

Virgle Reynolds

Great place for kids to enjoy themselves.