The kids absolutely loved this place. Best money I've ever spent for an outing with the kiddos. The planetarium started the tour and the kids were amazed! Very interactive with even the youngest. There's tons of exhibits, the place just keeps on going and going. It honestly took the better part of 4 hours. Then the outdoor educational section with live animals. Pigs, goats, chickens, roosters, etc, etc. Even dinosaur fossils to check out. Many many live creatures in tanks as well. Owls, snakes, softshell turtles And a native American section that's very large in itself. We will definitely not hesitate to come back every time we pass through this area. Finally been satisfied with what we get for the cause when it comes to entertaining four kids ages 2,4,6, and 8. Absolutely had a great time as an adult too.

This museum is amazing! So many artifacts to read on. I’m a huge nerd for anything remotely related to history and this museum is after my own heart. I easily lost track of time there because I was so enthralled with stopping to read everything. Great way to pass some time in Gastonia for a little day trip.

Pretty nice museum but oddly shaped. We kept circling the same thing over and over. Unfortunately we missed the planetarium. I think the worst thing was the farm. Those animals looked like they were in terrible shape. I’m not sure if they were rescues or something but they looked so poorly taken care of it was saddening. Just dirty, hungry, unhealthy, and sad looking. If they aren’t rescues, I feel bad having paid money to support the farm area.

The museum had some really nice exhibits an dinosaurs, and 'Creepy Nature' as well as a good permanent exhibit area. The 'farm' area was a little disappointing, but that was probably due to it being November. There were no staff around to answer questions or monitor the area that we could see. The planetarium was small, but did a neat little show on the night sky. Some of the non-sky images were blurry, and the show was definitely geared toward a younger audience than my just turned teenager, but we still enjoyed it. Overall, I think it was well worth the $ and the time to make the stop while we traveled through the area!

Took the girls here for a little trip. Loved the nature exhibits and the dinosaurs. The planetarium was by far the best of the experience. Took the nature trail for a picnic to close out the day. You can go further up past the pond and there is a covered area with tables there if you need a lot of room.

We loved this museum, it has too much to offer! The main building is not super big but it has many interesting exhibitions and information, this is definitely the first stop; but then you have a beautiful farm (outdoor) with an old cabins and many other stations and animals that your kids will love. In addition to it you can also walk-hike trough a small forrest that is also beautiful and a perfect opportunity to enjoy nature. There is a lot to do 👍 💯% recommended

This was such a cool place to learn about so many different things. Local history, habitats, and animals beginning in the Prehistoric Era. Informative and well maintained exhibits. The planetarium show was really interesting to watch about the Artemis Mission. Outside there is a wonderful shady trail that it a half mile that circles the property. There are really awesome exhibits outside as well as a play area for the kids, a pond, an old mill, a stone age heritage site and a Catawba Indian Village. There is also a small farm that you can enjoy with live animals. The cost to enter is $3/pp but we ran out of time today. This museum could be an all day place to take the kids, pack a lunch and sit at one of the inside tables to eat or at one of the many picnic tables outside.

Wonderful museum. The staff really cares for the animals and the farm has a cute farm cat that watches over the animals and members. Loved visiting this museum and will hope to come back again!

Great natural, geologic, earth and indigenous American exhibits. The live birds and reptiles were particularly intriguing. That copperhead was ginormous! Arrived too late to explore much of the trails, the farm and the stone age areas but plan to revisit very soon!

This place was great! Great for kids an adults. We really enjoyed the whole experience. Two people, we did the trail. Petting zoo, mining for gems an the museum.. $30.. very worth it...

Upon visiting Charlotte, I found myself a bit disappointed with the apparent slim variety in museums. That's why I was so happy to find this quaint little place out in Gastonia. I'm easy to please. I see a well put together museum of natural history with informative infographics and I'm happy.

It was indeed an experience worth going back. This museum will immerse you from the prehistoric times to the mysteries of our universe. This museum also has a mini zoo (live animals and plants) inside showcasing the different flora and fauna the East coast, and other states have. It also has mini farm that shows farming ways from the old times. A walking trail and a forest park is also part of the museum property. from the I’m a Science teacher so immersing myself in these different places is important. My favorite are the live animals and the hurricane simulation chamber. Note: if you want to experience the planetarium immersion, you need to call the museum because it has schedules so you can plan your trip. There is a show for the kids and a show for high school and adult. Also, the planetary immersion is a separate pay for only 10 dollars.

Found this place through Fb event, they had cookie chemistry class and who doesn’t like cookies. Museum not big but still worth to visit, also they have nature trail and little farm. Farm is 3$ and you most likely paying for animals having something to eat. In summer time I believe there are more activities outdoor.

Live animal exhibits were WAY too small for said animals and the care was very dissapointing. As someone who does reptile rehabilitation it was really sad seeing resident animals live in such conditions. most of the taxidermy pieces in this museum also need to be revived. Most were dry and cracking and alot of the pieces made me laugh because of how unrealistic they looked. Mineral exhibit was pretty cool and the planetarium show was nice.

We have fun when we go, but they really try to squeeze extra money from people for anything interactive and it’s not a great look. Don’t pay extra for the farm, it’s 100% not worth it. Catawba Science Center is such a better deal, everything there is included (including their planetarium show, unlike the Schiele)!

This is an amazing place. It's like a hidden gem. Even though some of the dinosaur exhibit is under construction, they still had dinosaurs to see and my son almost 3 absolutely loved it! The farm is cute too. It was very inexpensive and an hour of fun. We could have definitely stayed longer and plan on revisiting as soon as the new dinosaur exhibit is complete. It wasn't crowded, which was a complete shock! Definitely take your kids.

Was a great field trip and had a good time here. A lot to explore considering its size. Staff were nice, good place to bring kids to.

We went with the school on a field trip and had a blast. It's a beautiful museum, fun place, lots of things to do to keep the kids attention. We loved the planetarium, the trails, and had fun at the farm with the sheep and goats.

Great museum with friendly staff and lots to enjoy with the family. Free Fridays are a plus. Only 4 stars because the animal exhibits inside are set up with plastic plants (specifically turtles, owl, fish, gators and birds). Please update these habitats for their health and well-being. They look sad.

This is a very good price for as much as there is to see in here! There are lots of wildlife and nature exhibits, some live animals but most just stuffed or replicated, info about Native Americans, all different types of cats, and even an exhibit about barbecue. The farm is an extra $3. There are maybe five live animals to see outside and replicated housing and farm equipment from the olden days. I wouldn't do that twice. Not allowed to touch the animals. I learned a lot and we all enjoyed seeing the exhibits.

my perspective was extraordinary! a place with a lot of fun, history. a very pleasant place! for all ages.

Love all the displays especially the big cats. This is fun for both adults and children. The outdoor animal area has changed and some of the animals are no longer here. Maybe they change things frequently? Price is very affordable! Sadly, the T-Rex is no longer here.

The museum right now is going under a lot of renovations. The T-Rex that is in the lobby is gone replaced by pterodactyls. The dinosaur gallery is not to size. And the mammoth is gone. It has a nice nature trail nice farm area The planetarium is amazing. I just wish that whoever runs the shield museum could get more funding because it could be so much more. But my kids love it

Nice museum. Not real big, but had a pretty diverse amount of information. The planetarium was pretty neat, but if you are prone to dizziness, it probably isn't for you. The farm is fairly small. The staff at the entry desk were super nice. There were a couple different things targeted for kids, especially the foam block room, which I think is probably good for even creative parents to help with. Overall, an enjoyable experience. We opted to get the membership, it only comes with a few planetarium tickets, so plan to pay some if you have more than just a couple kids.

Really enjoyed the presentation of poisons at the shield. It was a great experience and I love the presenters. And great displays of all the other parts of the museum. Nice change. Love the specialty cocktail when we walked in. Please do more of them.