Discover your inner explorer

Experience unique indoor adventures in Montville, CT and bring those discoveries home with you!

Discover

Enjoy indoor educational fun for kids at Discovery Depot with unique science activities. Check our hand-on attractions: Jackpot Mine Digging for Gems, Thunder Creek Gold Panning and the only Geode Center in New England!

Kids will learn about geodes — “Nature’s Lottery Tickets” (you never know what you will find when you cut them open). Learn the fun technique of panning, and dig for more than 50 different kind of gemstones. And yes, you can keep everything you find!

These family-friendly adventures are available with Standard, Deluxe, and Combinations packages. In addition, Discovery Depot offers other fun activities, so be sure to check it all out!

Discovery Depot tickets are purchased at the door only, NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED!

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Great Value & Parking is always FREE!

Prices

Gold Panning at Thunder Creek: $9.49

Gem Digging at Jackpot Mine: $12.99

Standard Combination Package (Jackpot Mine & Thunder Creek): $20.25

Ages 4+ (potty trained — for sanitary purposes)

Discovery Depot Hours for :

Attraction Hours for :

Geode Center:

Thunder Creek:

Jackpot Mine:

Learn more about each experience below!

kids activities
indoor activities for kids
fun things to do
Thunder Creek
Thunder Creek
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Learn the fun technique of panning and pan for “fools gold” nuggets in our indoor gold sluice. Yes, you can keep everything you find!

Relive the California Gold Rush in Thunder Creek! Here your kids will learn the fun technique of panning and pan for “fools gold” nuggets in our indoor gold sluice. Carry your riches home in a souvenir prospector’s pouch. Yes, you can keep everything you find!

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Jackpot Mine
Jackpot Mine
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Dig for crystals and minerals hidden in our one-of-a-kind replica silver mines! Yes, you get to keep everything you find!

Use your hands to dig for crystals and minerals hidden in our one-of-a-kind replica silver mines!
Dig for gemstones in Southeastern Connecticut’s only replica silver mine. Yes, you get to keep everything you find!

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Geode Center
Geode Center
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Enjoy indoor educational fun with unique science activities in the only Geode Center in New England!

Geodes are “Mother Nature’s Lottery Ticket” — you never know what you’re going to get! Be the first to see inside a geode that is millions of years old. Hand-pick your very own geode from our collection of unique geodes from around the world.

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Geode Center

Geode Center

Visit our Geode Center and select your “nature’s lottery ticket” to expose the unique features of each geode.

Hours:

Thunder Creek

Thunder Creek

Learn the technique of panning and find as many “gold” nuggets as you can!

Hours:

Jackpot Mine

Jackpot Mine

Use your hands to dig for crystals and minerals hidden in our one-of-a-kind replica silver mines!

Hours: