13 Coolest Children’s Museums in the US

Children’s museums are the place to be over the summer. With their great indoor and outdoor adventures, there is no limit to what your child can do or learn.

“Places like zoos, safaris, and interactive science museums carry a wealth of stimulation for younger learners…as they learn more about animals, observe animal behavior, and interact with sophisticated gadgetry, respectively,” data scientist Imed Bouchrika, Ph.D. wrote for Research.com about the value of field trips.

Kids-based museums provide a safe space for children to explore and interact with the world. So, start making a short list of museums that you want to visit with your kiddos.

1. Madison Children's Museum (Wisconsin)
The focus is on nature and environmental awareness at this Wisconsin-based kids' museum. Activities include collecting eggs from chicken coops, planting in a garden, and learning about the natural world with a scavenger hunt using a reusable treasure map.

2. Strong National Museum of Play (New York)
Combined with the National Toy Hall of Fame and the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, this collections-based museum is designed for hands-on play. Among the highlights are oversized board games, and a life-size pop-up book.

3. Exploratorium (California)
Located on the waterfront, San Francisco's Exploratorium tackles the mysteries of science with exciting exhibits that help explain how everything — from clouds to the human body — works.

4. Children's Museum Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
The world's largest children's museum sits on 29 acres and is packed with hands-on exhibits. As you wander through the grounds, keep an eye open for scenes from Doc McStuffins, and a chance to go on an adventure in the Scooby Doo Mansion.

5. Please Touch Museum (Philadelphia)
We couldn't have named this two-story building any better if we'd tried. The Rocket Room is perfect for the mini-astronaut in your life, and older kids will enjoy the Makerspace area where they can construct and build.

6. Boston Children's Museum (Boston)
This eco-friendly museum encourages kids to embrace anything that entices their imagination with exhibits dedicated to art, music, science, and more. The Construction Zone is an especially fun area where kids can build to their hearts' content — and even ride in a real Bobcat.

7. Minnesota Children's Museum (Minnesota)
Kids are encouraged to play games in the Creative Jam exhibit. In Shipwrecked Adventures, the little ones enter the deep waters of Lake Superior.

8. Port Discovery Children's Museum (Baltimore)
Combining play with educational opportunities, this museum allows kids to decipher hieroglyphics while searching for Pharaoh's lost tomb, and it has a three-story KidWorks area, which has zip lines, tunnels, and slides.

9. City Museum (Illinois)
The City Museum is unlike any other children's museum you've ever seen and is almost as fun and fascinating for parents as it is for kids. This innovative playspace is a piece of artwork in and of itself made from repurposed objects such as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, and even two abandoned airplanes. Make sure your kids are wearing closed-toe shoes and pants when you visit.

10. Center of Science and Industry (Ohio)
This science center encourages questioning and experimentation with more than 300 hands-on experiments in 10 permanent exhibits about space, oceans, the human body, and more. An on-site planetarium is likely to be of interest to parents as well as children.

11. EdVenture (South Carolina)
Hands-on activities are what EdVenture is all about. It starts with exploring the largest kid ever — a 40-foot-tall child. See how his heart rate beats and listen to his stomach rumble. Then move through the museum to venture into exhibits such as Flight where kids can be inspired to become a pilot while Wags & Whiskers will teach them about caring for animals.

12. KidsSpace (California)
Near Pasadena’s Rose Bowl stadium, this outdoor museum space changes with each new season. Physics is taught through 12 different outdoor exhibits, and kids can jam out with nature-made instruments or ride bicycles on the Trike Tracks.

13. Scott Family Amazeum (Arkansas)
With a Nickelodeon play space and a Hershey’s Lab, kids will not be disappointed in this excursion. Learning ensues as kids explore how things work and see even how math creates motion in the Math in Motion Lab.

Before heading out to a museum with your kids, here are a few tips:

• Avoid busy times: Check the website or call the museum to find out their busier hours.
• Pack a lunch: Food courts are available, but bring your own to avoid the line and the crowd. Also, keep hand sanitizer nearby so that germs won't be passed around.
• Check COVID-related protocols: Museums may ask adults and children to wear masks in certain areas.
• Plan out your time: Know where you want to go. “Figure out which exhibits the family will like best and then what is around those exhibits to see while you are there,” shared mom of two Teresa on her Happy Mom Hacks blog.