Discovery Depot at Nature’s Art Village, an indoor hands-on family fun center, lets children experience the hunt for nature’s amazing treasures lying beneath the earth. In Discovery Depot families can explore The Jackpot Mine, a replica silver mine so realistic you’ll feel like you’ve been transported underground! Dig for over 50 varieties of gems, crystals and minerals with your hands and keep everything you find in a souvenir miner’s bucket! Afterwards, learn about all your newfound treasures at our mineral identifying tables.
Children can also experience all the excitement of panning for “gold” in our unique indoor flowing stream called Thunder Creek. Learn about the Forty-Niners and the California Gold Rush as you push back your sleeves and try your luck at panning for pyrite (fool’s gold). Yell "Eureka!" when you strike "gold" and bring home all your riches in a Discovery Depot prospector’s pouch!
As if that wasn’t enough fun... there’s still more adventures awaiting in Discovery Depot! The Craft Center has a variety of artistic crafts.
The Geode Center contains some of the most fascinating "rocks" available at Nature’s Art Village from around the world. Cut your own geode and feel the excitement as the contents of your personally-selected geode are revealed for the very first time in over a million years! Discovery Depot is open every weekend 1pm until 5pm and most school holidays & vacations at Nature's Art Village on Route 85 in Montville, CT.
