Whether you are a baby, a toddler, under 5 years or even in school, the Science Center Spectrum is the place for you. In fact, it's not just fun for the kids, it's fun for all the adults too, making it a must-do for a rainy or cold afternoon, or even in the summer months when you'll likely have many of the rooms to yourself whilst all the other families are by the lakes! Here is my full review of Spectrum full of pictures and information showing just why you should give it a visit...
A very short walk from Möckernbrücke U Bahn station, make your way through the car park towards the red brick building, sitting in the shadow of the rather large Technik Museum (the one with the large plane sticking out of the front.) What the Technik Museum lacks in interactivity for the kids, Spectrum more than makes up for. The entrance is via the large steps or ramp to the right of the red building and after buying your tickets, you can head in to a world of experiments. Go to the right, past the little cafe (that serves a mixture of sandwiches, cakes, cookies and drinks) and you will find a small extention to the Technik Museum. A large room full of cars and motorbikes to dream of, this is the only space that isn't quite so interactive for little ones. However, in the middle of the space, you can find this wonderful orange little beast that the children can climb in and 'drive'. We went to the science center on a weekday around midday and had the car to ourselves. Our boys were in bliss and must have spent a good 20 minutes in the car.
As well as the car to play in, there are information pods to be found around the room. These are hung from rope that can be levered up and down (fun for both my boys) and they light up as they reach a readable height. The information is available in both English and German and is really interesting for those with a passion for car design.
This section does include a lot of things that people are not allowed to touch, which may be frustrating for some of the younger children, however, there are wheels to spin, toy cars to discover, along with that fabulous car of course, so there should be enough to keep plenty of children's attention for long enough for the parents to enjoy the room.
Before heading in to the left-hand-side of the center, make sure to drop off your bags and coats in the free cloakroom (opposite the cafe, to the right of the ticket desk). You aren't allowed to take bags in to the center (you can put them in the bottom of your pushchair if you are wheeling one through). The toilets are also next to the cloakroom should you need them.
Then it's time to go to the left and experience Spectrum at it's hands-on best. My tip is to make your way up to the top floor and work your way down. There are lifts for those with pushchairs or wheelchairs. The top floor is full of lots of noise experiments playing with air, movement and the like. My toddler was running around the room, which was taken without problem by the staff members walking around and there is information on how to work each of the experiments. Button pressing opportunities lay everywhere much to the delight of both of my children and they loved to make all the different noises. For those going with older children, there is the opportunity to help them understand the science behind each piece, in a fun and relaxed way.
Then it's time to go to the left and experience Spectrum at it's hands-on best. My tip is to make your way up to the top floor and work your way down. There are lifts for those with pushchairs or wheelchairs. The top floor is full of lots of noise experiments playing with air, movement and the like. My toddler was running around the room, which was taken without problem by the staff members walking around and there is information on how to work each of the experiments. Button pressing opportunities lay everywhere much to the delight of both of my children and they loved to make all the different noises. For those going with older children, there is the opportunity to help them understand the science behind each piece, in a fun and relaxed way.
As you make your way through the center, there are rooms on each side of the central corridor (where the lift and staircase stands) and as you make your way down the floors, you will be faced with a range of experiments to work with. Some of my boy's favourites were a ring that flew up in the air upon the press of a button (my two year old squealed in delight whenever this happened), the swings, a bridge you get to make using large, soft shapes (the destruction of this was a big hit with my five year old and we had to do it a number of times). I loved some of the water experiments and my son's grandparents loved a heat-related experiment. Seriously, there really is so much for everyone.
Because of it's appeal to different age groups, this is the perfect place to take visitors as well as for those looking for something to do with children of different ages as they can equally enjoy it, just in different ways.
Oh and another highlight of this place is the mirrors room. I don't think we have ever laughed as much as a family as in front of those circus-style mirrors. The moving ones are the best and are well worth a photograph as you will see...
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Apart from one member of staff, I found everyone else incredibly friendly, especially one of the guys at the cloakroom who chatted away with us in English and gave us lots of information. The friendliness is a big plus of this place for sure!
Worth knowing, the admission price you pay for Spectrum covers you for the Science Center (although both individually take so long to explore, that i've never managed to get to both in one day). Below are a few more images from our last visit to the center (for our youngest's second birthday) and a map and the full information needed for your visit. If you go, let me know what you think!
Worth knowing, the admission price you pay for Spectrum covers you for the Science Center (although both individually take so long to explore, that i've never managed to get to both in one day). Below are a few more images from our last visit to the center (for our youngest's second birthday) and a map and the full information needed for your visit. If you go, let me know what you think!
Science Center Spectrum
Website: Science Center Spectrum (website in English and German)
Where: Möckernstraße 26, 10963 Berlin
Food & Drinks: Yes (although the food is generally snack food)
Nearest Transport:
U Bahn
U1, U7 Möckernbrücke
U1, U2 Gleisdreieck
S Bahn
S1, S2, S25 Anhalter Bahnhof
Bus
M29 to Schöneberger Brücke
M41 to Willy-Brandt-Haus
248 to Obentrautstraße
Prices:
Admission: €8 / Concessions €4
Family Ticket: 1 adult & 2 children up to 14 €9
Maxi Family Ticket: 2 adults & 3 children up to 14 €17
Children 5 years old and under are free.
Opening Times:
Tuesday - Friday 9am - 5.30pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am - 6pm
Monday closed
Public Holidays 10am - 6pm
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Website: Science Center Spectrum (website in English and German)
Where: Möckernstraße 26, 10963 Berlin
Food & Drinks: Yes (although the food is generally snack food)
Nearest Transport:
U Bahn
U1, U7 Möckernbrücke
U1, U2 Gleisdreieck
S Bahn
S1, S2, S25 Anhalter Bahnhof
Bus
M29 to Schöneberger Brücke
M41 to Willy-Brandt-Haus
248 to Obentrautstraße
Prices:
Admission: €8 / Concessions €4
Family Ticket: 1 adult & 2 children up to 14 €9
Maxi Family Ticket: 2 adults & 3 children up to 14 €17
Children 5 years old and under are free.
Opening Times:
Tuesday - Friday 9am - 5.30pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am - 6pm
Monday closed
Public Holidays 10am - 6pm
Berlin for all the Family can also be found on:
