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1945 SE Water Ave., 503-797-4000, omsi.edu. 9:30 am–5:30 pm Tuesday–Friday and Sunday, 9:30 am–7 pm Saturday. $14–$19.
If there were a Portland parent starter kit for how to survive the rainy season, it would include Bogs boots and a Muddy Buddy rain suit for the little one, a bottle of pinot, and a family membership to OMSI. To be able to drop in to the science playground upstairs, with its sandbox, water experiment zone and Discovery Lab, is a godsend on those days when the kiddos have lots of energy but the weather is not cooperating. There’s fun stuff for bigger kids and grown-ups at OMSI this summer too, such as an exhibit on view through Sept. 8 that features three life-sized tyrannosaur skeletons and a 30-foot tunnel of images of dinosaurs “exploring” modern-day Portland. Theory Cafe is a solid choice for lunch, with a full slate of burgers, wood-fired pizzas, and fancy salads, though OMSI is also chill about bringing in outside food to the museum, which is a nice plus.
Don’t miss: Laser Taylor Swift show in the Planetarium through June.
Will kids like it? 10 out of 10, an absolute lifesaver for families. The only downside is the inevitable germ share, which resulted in one of our kid testers getting hand, foot and mouth disease in the infant area back in the day.