Top Children's Museums in the U.S
Kidspace Museum
Kidspace is one of California's best children's museums, offering a range of activities for toddlers to pre-teens. Kidspace is an educational experience for children, while at the same time filled with tons of fun. Classes and programs include early childhood education classes that range in parenting workshops to art and dance classes. The Star Station Planetarium offers floor seating for 25 to explore the stars and learn about the sky. Kidspace also holds an annual inventor's challenge for children and their families.
480 N. Arroyo Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91103
626-449-9144
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
One of the Best Children's Museums in the nation, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis offers a wide range of interactive, high quality educational exhibits.
This museum offers a wide spectrum of exhibits, ranging from the Natural World Domain and the Cultural World Domain to Barbie, Lego Adventures and Cartoon Network learning stations. The Lily Theater offers a full schedule of educational programming and the StarQuest Planetarium has a 130 person capacity. Amenities include a food court with 5 restaurants.
300 N. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46208
317-334-3322
Port Discovery
Baltimore's Old Fish Market building is bustling with retail shops and nightlife, however for a daytime adventure, bring the kids to Port Discovery. One of the best children's museums on the East Coast, Port Discovery is geared toward toddlers to pre-teens. On the first level of KidsWorks there is a sliding and climbing paradise, adjacent to KidsWorks are puppet shows and karaoke. Adventure Expedition is a permanent exhibit of pyramids and tombs that have plenty of interactive mysteries for children to solve. At the simulated diner children can pretend to serve you dinner. Port Discovery does not offer food onsite, however you are allowed to bring in your own lunch.
35 Market Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-727-8120
Brooklyn Children's Museum
Setting the precedent for children's museums, Brooklyn Children's Museum was the first museum founded specifically for children in 1899. Designed for children of toddler age to mid-teens, there are a lot of exhibits to choose from and there is always something new.
Upon arrival you are given a tour guide that takes you through make-believe, full-sized stores and subway cars. Touching everything is encouraged throughout the museum. Afterschool and summer camps are offered and include activities within the museum as well as field trips. Also offered on their website are at home activities that can be played on your home computer.
145 Brooklyn Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11213
718-735-4400
Boston Children's Museum
Children's museum aside, this also offers an amazing playground area with a room full of golf balls and a slide for kids to use all of their energy. The bubble room is, you guessed it, full of bubbles everywhere (smocks are included). Revolving exhibits such as Kitchen Science and Meet the Creatures offer new programs monthly. Also monthly is cultural focus, where the museum takes one country and highlights it in many exhibits. In addition helping kids learn about foreign cultures, these exhibits can also highlight the issue of poverty and how people in many other countries aren't fortunate as we are. One such exhibit prompted a conversation with my children that led to our family donating clothes to a children's charity. Story time and "messy activity" are also daily features. There is a food court or you can dine on your brown bag lunch on the first floor. Enjoy a frozen treat right outside the museum where the big Hood milk bottle sells ice cream. There are things for toddlers, but the Boston Children's Museum is geared more towards 5 and up.
308 Congress St.
Boston, MA 02210
617-426-6500
Top Children's Museums in the U.S
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