Top 50 Best Children's Museums in the USA You Must Visit

One of the qualifiers for best children's museums in the US should always include dinosaurs trying to break into the museum. Of course, they aren't real dinosaurs, but the aesthetic is pretty impressive, to say the least. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis also happens to be the largest children's museum in America.

The museum has five floors and is filled to the brim with activities, challenges, and even some fun for the adults. There is a lot for children to tinker with, but adults are also not forgotten. There are things that you will enjoy, like the permanent Dale Chihuly exhibit, an antique carousel, and a two-story high water clock.

It also includes the dinosphere, one of the most impressive dinosaur displays in the world. The sphere itself contains several exciting shows and exhibits as well.

The Dinosphere is one of the museum's biggest draws, and the museum covers over 473,000 square feet of real estate—a gigantic entertainment and learning center almost entirely dedicated to kids.

Kids like to put their hands on everything in the store, so why not take them to a place where touching and picking up everything is perfectly fine? The number of hands-on displays at the Please Touch Museum is incredible.

While kids of all ages can enjoy the museum, the exhibits and interactive activities are primarily geared toward children 5 and under. Most exhibits are fully interactive and designed for parent/child participation. The best part is the museum's close location to the Philadelphia Zoo.

Kids can put together, schedule, and maneuver their own trains in Centennial Exploration or excavate balls and unload them with a front-end digger in City Capers. There are numerous fun places to explore. There are arts and crafts and painting classes, a toy supermarket, and even an Alice in Wonderland display.

The best part is the museum is open Monday through Saturday, so you can only miss it if you happen to be in the area on a Sunday. They stay open from 9 am to 5 pm; admission is $19.

Another one of the biggest museums in the world, the Boston Children's Museum, features a three-story climbing activity and 50,000 permanent, museum-owned artifacts for kids to learn about.

The museum also features immersive videos and rotating exhibits. For the most part, the museum caters to kids aged 9 and under, although kids slightly above that age can probably find something to entertain themselves as well.

There is a KEVA planks building area, a construction zone, golf balls going down a swirly trail in Raceways, a school bus, and of course, some trains. The museum provides a fantastic mix of calm activities and places to be rambunctious.

If you're not sure where to go, the museum features a guided tour, and there are plenty of places to stop and eat along the way. The museum was founded in 1913, so it's no stranger to entertaining children after over 100 years of doing just that. Locals say the crowds are never too intense, and the age range ranges from infant to nine.

Out of the four on the list so far, this is the most colorful museum from an exterior aesthetic standpoint. According to the locals, the staff at the Children's Museum of Houston is outstanding, and the museum itself is enormous, covering 90,000 square feet.

Admission is $15, and, in return, you get a full day of interactive activities, the Kid's Hall, and over 20 major exhibits throughout the building. Some exhibits include STEM learning, which imparts much-needed skills for the future. There's also a library for the kids who love to spend time with a good book.

The Kid's Hall is the heart and soul of the museum, and it's the first thing you encounter when you walk in the doors.

With a wealth of games and hands-on activities such as a Bubble Lab, they feature an exciting Matter Factory for the young scientists, an inventor’s workshop, an Eco Station, a visit to a mountain village in Mexico, or a place for kids to play different roles such as a policeman, a nurse, and a doctor.

The best news is there are no two things alike in the entire facility. There's something new and fascinating to explore around every corner.

Kohl Children's Museum is located in the northern suburb of Glenview and is often considered one of the best children's museums in the US. Providing a hands-on learning laboratory for kids ages birth to 8, the Kohl Children's Museum offers interesting and educational workshops that are a lot of fun.

Kids will always find something to suit their interests, such as Cooperation Station, Habitat Park, Nature Explorers, Ravina Festival Music Makers, Pet Vet or Play Café are just a few of their many permanent exhibits.

There's also a "pediatrician" activity center that gives children the opportunity to play doctor, something just about every toddler plays at one time or another.

The first thing you see when you walk into the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey is a strange ballroom ball that expands and contracts while you look at it. It certainly makes your brain feel a little weird, but that's only the first of many incredible things.

What makes the Liberty Science Center one of the best kid's museums in the US is its focus on massive interactive activities, such as the Infinity Climber, a wholly suspended climbing space that's as fun to watch as it is to participate in. The center also includes films, exhibitions, and a big, sneezing nose in the contagion center.

If you visit New Jersey or just moved there, the Liberty Science Center should be the top spot on your to-do list. It's a phenomenal place to take your kids, and you'll probably find yourself eager for a return visit shortly.

Port Discovery Children's Museum’s motto is to educate children and inspire enduring inquisitiveness. As with most children's museums, Port Discovery is a massive, interactive center with a ton of fun activities for kids to take part in.

With exhibits such as Kick it up!- an indoor soccer stadium, and when not in use, it turns into an arena where kids can skate, snowboard and surf through tricky paths. You can show your moves in i-Danceoff, or solve a perplexing case of the Baffle family in Miss Perception’s Mystery House.

What separates this museum from many others is the encouragement for parent involvement as well. It includes a narrow footbridge, the Wonders of Water exhibit, a jungle gym with futuristic themes, and a place for kids to cook called Tiny's Diner.

Port Discovery is one of the top children's museums in the world for many good reasons, but primarily because of its parent-child interactive possibilities.

Though it may sound like a government building, the Center of Science and Industry is one of the best museums for kids in the US. Out of the museums on this list so far, this museum contains elements of both children's and adult exhibits. For the most part, however, it's geared toward kids.

The Planetarium is probably the best exhibit in the entire building and is easily one of the most popular attractions. Kids can ride in a space shuttle, see the planets, stars, and universe, and learn more about our oceans.

The Minnesota Children's Museum is all about "learning by doing." Kids will be able to learn how paper is made, make giant bubbles, see the science behind it, build a castle, and run a restaurant.

There is something to entertain children from toddlers down to crawling preschoolers with outdoor, interactive exhibits and learning to make dance videos. The three major exhibitions include the Earth World with Minnesota Habitats, Our World, and World Works.

The Minnesota Children's Museum put together one of the most stunning and incredible water displays, combined with light, color, and shadow. It's truly impressive, and you should put it down on your to-do list when you visit with the kiddos.

Not only the Madison Children's Museum is known for being one of the best children's museums in the US, but it's also a fantastic place for wedding receptions. This is especially true for wedding receptions where many kids will be present.

This museum is one of the most colorful museums on the list, and it's packed to the brim with unique and entertaining activities and exhibits. These include the Giant Bluegill, the Wilderness Bone Bridge, Rooftop Chickens (chickens are always endlessly fun), and the Rooftop Ramble.

Madison Children's Museum is an award-winning museum because of its extensive, massive, and safe activities and exhibits throughout. The place even includes its own interior village known as the Wildernest. The entire village is constructed of natural materials brought in from the local area.

The Strong National Museum of Play contains the world’s largest collection of toys. Alone, that’s pretty impressive since there are a lot of toys in this world. Babies, infants, toddlers, and young children will all find something to do here and some way to fascinate themselves.

The Strong Museum covers a massive 285,000 square feet of real estate, and it's all packed with things to do. For modern kids, there are loads of video games and arcade machines to hit up, and some of the exhibits include massive collections of classic toys that even adults will find nostalgic, at the very least.

The residents of Denver, Colorado, will be the first to tell you that the Children’s Museum of Denver is one of the best children's museums in the US. They may be right. The Museum at Marisco Campus contains a 2,300 square foot art studio, which kids are always, instantly attracted to.

A life-size marble run, a massive climbing structure, water activities, digging activities, and a hundred other things that cater to most children's age groups are found here. It's one of those things where you should set aside your entire day. This is not a museum that can be fully appreciated in just a couple of hours.

If the word ends with "atorium," it's a good bet that something seriously impressive awaits you. The Exploratorium is a hands-on, scientific endeavor aimed at teaching kids. For that reason alone, it's one of the best children's museums in the US, whether listed as such or not.

The facilities within are massive and never cease to impress. Not only you'll find tons of activities for both children and adults, but the Exploratorium also offers the Seaglass Restaurant and the Seismic Joint Cafe.

The permanent exhibits are so impressive that they bring back the crowds year in and year out. Despite the size and the number of things to do, there are no guided tours on offer. You’re free to come and go as you please and explore the exhibits and activities at your own pace.

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburg is a fantastic destination for families, and the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, having been there since the late 1800s.

The Planetarium used to be next door, but now it's part of the entire museum. Recently, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburg was listed as one of the best children’s museums in the US.

It includes the planetarium, as mentioned above, a Makeshop, a nursery, a tinkering space, a kindness gallery, and an exhibit called Garage and Waterplay. Within these spaces, kids can learn how to put together circuit boards and wood materials, learn how to sew, and discover how tools work.

Of course, they also learn how these things work, not just how to put them together, which is arguably more important and effective.

One of the coolest aspects of the Miami Children’s Museum is the fact that it's located on an island off the coast of Florida. As a children's museum, the Miami Museum does a fantastic job of entertaining and educating the younger crowd.

The museum is loaded with activities and exhibits, the latter of which are also mostly interactive, and the fact that it's air-conditioned is an absolute blessing in South Florida. The cost of admission is a little on the steep side, but it's more than worth the expenditure for a day loaded with activities.

The museum includes a 6-foot piggy bank, a massive sand castle (Castle of Dreams), a Music Makers Studio, and many more.

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum stands out from the reflective glass, grays, browns, and blacks that encompass the majority of New York City’s daylight aesthetic. It's bright orange, yellow, and red, so it's not difficult to locate visually.

The rooftop garden is one of the biggest draws of the museum because the elevation in New York City is the name of the game. There are over 20,000 cultural artifacts throughout the museum, including plant and animal specimens presented in such a way that it interests children.

Not only are they attractive, entertaining, and pervasive throughout the museum, but they are also award-winning exhibitions that are just as impressive to adult visitors as they are to the kids.

One thing that separates the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena from most of the other kid's museums in the country is its equal focus on outdoor activities. You get a bit of both at Kidspace, and it's refreshing to see a lot of outdoor activities as well, especially in the beautiful outdoor environment of Pasadena.

The primary age group for Kidspace is 6 to 10 years old. The museum includes fun activities such as bottle rockets (design and operation), foam blocks, and pulley chairs.

It's not just a matter of watching these things but learning how they operate and having a hand in making them. The outdoor tricycle tracks are also a blast, and there are plenty of opportunities for taking fantastic pictures and developing lifelong memories.

The Children’s Museum of Manhatten is considered one of the top children's museums in the USA, and for a good reason. One of the major attractions at the Manhatten museum is the NYPD (New York Police Department) Mounted Unit.

It offers a full and entertaining breakdown of the mounted unit's long history of operation throughout the city of New York. The City Splash exhibit is always fun, along with the PlayWorks exhibit, the Art Lab programs, and the family-friendly restaurants.

The museum targets a wide swath of age groups, and there is something for 1-year-olds right alongside exhibits with a focus on 13 to 17-year-olds.

What makes the Children’s Museum of Phoenix one of the top children's museums in the USA is its massive 300-plus attractions. It's certainly not the biggest museum on the list, only covering about 48,000 square feet of real estate. However, they do a lot with only a little.

One of the most common themes heard from locals and tourists who visited the museum is its ability to burn off all their kid’s energy for the day. That is something that most parents can come together on. The museum is also strategically located next to the Arizona Science Center.

You can get some adult time with more complicated scientific exhibits while entertaining the kids. Admission is $16, and you'll easily find enough to do here to last the entire day.

There's always something fun to do in Georgia, and now, you can add the Children’s Museum of Atlanta to an already extensive list. The museum is hard to miss, with a streamlined welcome format and a stack of books in the shape of a person doing a hand-stand.

Admission is standard fare and not as expensive as some of the others on the list. The interior is built with space in mind, and there are colorful and entertaining attractions everywhere you turn.

The museum is also located right next to the Centennial Olympic Park, which is entertaining in its own right. There are many activities for kids to engage in here, including old-school bread making, sand art, wood shops, and a children's planetarium. They even have a small grocery store where kids can learn the value of healthy shopping and expenditures.

Kids love a bouncy tube, and the New Children’s Museum in San Diego has a huge one. Even some adults love these things, so if you do, go for it. To each their own, after all. This museum has a laser-like focus on art, and the kids will have a blast opening all the little creative doors in their minds.

Art doesn't just stop at paints, crayons, and coloring pencils, however. Lights are a huge theme as well, and kids are free to mix light and art until their hearts are content.

The museum is a vast space, so you will never feel crowded, no matter how many show up and what day you go. The New Children's Museum is also one of California's first "green" museums to open a shop offering creative and educational gift items. When your bellies start growling, there is also a lovely cafe inside the museum.

EdVenture, in South Carolina, is one of the best museums for kids in the state and well beyond South Carolina's borders. The museum structure covers 92,000 feet of real estate, and there are many activities to explore within. There are over 300 exhibits to observe, appreciate, and take part in, along with themes for each season—summertime, spring, fall, and winter.

EdVenture includes EDDIE, a 40' tall child structure you can crawl up, and it weighs 35,000 lbs! The museum also includes Autoworks, World of Work, My Backyard, Wags and Whiskers, FLIGHT, a Musical Floor Exhibit, and the Great Outdoors (not associated with the movie of the same name, starring John Candy.

Another of the best kid’s museums in the US that’s located in Florida, Glazer Children’s Museum is an exciting tourist location. The building resembles a gigantic LEGO construction of mostly white LEGOs with a splash of orange, red, yellow, green, and blue. The primary focus is children 12 and under, and the building encompasses 53,000 square feet.

Like many of the best children's museums, Glazer includes a mock grocery store for kids to learn the value of expenditure and healthy foods. There is also an on-site cafe with plenty of deli sandwiches and snacks, along with hundreds of fun and interactive exhibits. After the tour, the kids can cool off at the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park just down the street.

The second museum in San Fransisco, California, the Children’s Creativity Museum, is just as good as the Exploratorium and more of a museum. The fact that the museum sits near the Yerba Buena Gardens only makes the trip better. If you get an opportunity to do both, you certainly should.

You'll also find a historic contraption within the building, known as the 1906 LeRoy King Carousel, which has been under operation for over a century. It's a relic and a joy at the same time.

It's a rain-or-shine museum, with cover provided for its outdoor activities during rainy days. The price of admission is a little steep, but it's well worth an enjoyable trip to one of the best museums for kids in the San Fransisco area and the state of California as a whole.

Here we have another museum for children located in the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois. It sounds a lot like the Center of Science and Industry in Ohio. In many ways, it's very similar but no less of a fantastic trip destination because of it.

The Museum of Science and Industry encompasses 14 acres of property within Hyde Park. That means you will find a lot to do both indoors and outdoors. It includes an incredible Apollo 8 module and even an IMAX theater. This is also a primary destination for field trips from the local schools in the area, so expect to see many kids there, especially during the regular school year.

Mainly a scientific museum, Discover Place in North Carolina is science harnessed and focused on younger, insatiably curious minds. It includes some incredible scientific exhibits and plenty of hands-on interaction with kids.

That includes the KidScience exhibit for young kids, Discovery Place Science, Science Rocks, and an IMAX theater. There are ample activities to explore, and if your kids don't come out with w healthy appreciation for science and an even more curious mind, you're doing something wrong.

Yeah, it's a very long name, but it tells you exactly what this place is, and it's a blast for kids. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art was founded by Eric Carle himself, a renowned illustrator with over 70 books throughout his lifetime. As you can imagine, there are huge studios within the building, entirely focused on art, especially from a drawing standpoint.

There are also a ton of rotating exhibits throughout the building—some including up to 1,200 different illustrations to look at. If your child is showing a propensity for art, regardless of how it is taking form, this is a truly special place and, if you live close, should be on your to-do list.

This gigantic purple building is reminiscent of Barney the Dinosaur, mainly because it's in the same shade of purple. It's also located next to the Tech Museum, so you might be able to fit in two museums on the day.

The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose is loaded with fun activities for children, including the Wonder Cabinet, the WaterWays (a mix of water tube slides and play ball pits), and a fantastic art studio.

Illinois is really on the map when it comes to children’s museums. This one is no less than the others on this list. The DuPage Children’s Museum may be one of the top children’s museums in the USA. DuPage does a phenomenal job of mixing fun and learning in all of its exhibits, something that’s not altogether easy on the best of days.

DuPage has what is called Exhibit Neighborhoods, with each neighborhood presenting a particular focus, with multiple exhibits within. It's one of those places where you can simply let your child walk ahead of you and turn towards whatever strikes their fancy, which will probably be a lot.

The Doseum in San Antonio, Texas, is renowned for capturing your attention the moment you walk in the door. That's because you are instantly greeted by Little Town, which is a huge "kid" city full of buildings, streets, and businesses.

The museum also includes things like the Spy Academy, Dream Tomorrow Today, and the Big Outdoors. All of the exhibits feature some fantastic, interactive activities that can entertain for hours unless you pull your child along in an attempt to see and do everything in a single day.

The Mississippi Children's Museum has won awards for being one of the top children's museums in the country. It boasts a wealth of different exhibits, with one of the highlights being Wonderbox, where children can explore making through robotics, circuits, and even a 3D printer! Other exhibits introduce children to some of the most popular jobs in Mississippi, the state's history, and even a big garden. The museum runs events and programs for children throughout the year.

The Creative Discovery Museum is all about learning through immersion. Children are encouraged to build and play through this children’s museum. It is packed to the brim with awesome exhibits, both permanent and traveling. Highlights include the natural science exhibit, a treehouse adventure, fun in a farmhouse, and the STEM zone. There’s even an exhibit that can teach children how to make marbles, which is unique and always fun.

This children's museum aims to be more than just for children. With over 250 exhibits to play with, it is fun for the whole family. The museum will teach plenty of scientific principles, including gravity, water, math, and electricity. Most of the exhibits are interactable, and there's plenty of staff hanging around to provide more information. The museum is on the smaller side of things, but that doesn't stop it from being one of the best children's museums in the US.

The McWane Science Center in Birmingham, AL, has enough to keep children entertained for hours. It includes four aquariums, including a shark and ray touch tank. There's also a huge theater with big events running throughout the year, a science room where children can learn interactively, and some dinosaurs. In fact, the dinosaur room is one of the best rooms at the museum, with all exhibits dedicated to dinosaurs found in Alabama.

The WOW! Children's Museum has constantly been voted one of the best children's museums in the US. Exhibits here focus on creative play, with plenty of areas for children to show creativity. There are also a few science rooms. However, some of the best exhibits are dedicated to 'real life' play. This includes a bank and a clinic. In both areas, children will get to learn math and science. Our highlight is the pulley chairs, where children can experiment with pulleys as they are hoisted toward the ceiling.

There's so much to do at this top children's museum that it is tough to know where to start! You'll get to explore interactive exhibits, including an area dedicated to aviation. Children can experience what it is like to be in the midst of a hurricane and even dig for fossils in the dinosaur area. There are a few animals here too, including a river otter that is always out and entertaining the guests. If that isn't enough, hop into an FA-18 cockpit simulator and head to Mars! There's a reason why this place gets tons and tons of visitors!

This isn't just a museum for kids! The Tellus Science Museum has plenty of exhibits that will enthrall the older folk, too. These include an area dedicated to minerals and archaeology, vintage motorcycles, model trains, and a discovery center. Science exhibits rotate every six months, so each trip to the museum should be a completely different experience.

Play is the focus at the Treehouse Museum. There are two levels of exhibits here, including a science center, a Walk in the Woods Gallery (which introduces you to the native plants and animals of Utah), a Farmhouse, a fake bar, and even a model World Village where you'll learn about cultures of the world. On top of this, there's an art gallery and plenty of play areas for children to experiment with their creativity.

Exploration Place has had some of the coolest traveling exhibits over the years (a recent exhibit boasted 1,000,000 Lego bricks!). Their permanent exhibits are tremendous, too. They have a medieval castle where children can run around and rule, a place to practice riveting (yes, seriously), a massive version of the board game Operation, a mini model of Kansas, a sensory garden, and more. It is fun for all ages (although mostly children).

Are your children in the mood for a good puppet show? Well, the Center for Puppetry Arts has multiple shows running on most days, and the puppet masters here are some of the best in the world. When you catch a show here, you can also head to the attached puppetry museum, which has plenty of exhibits dedicated to the history of puppetry. There is even an exhibit featuring the creations of one of the most successful puppeteers of all time, Jim Henson (he created The Muppets, Sesame Street, and more).

The Children's Museum of Cleveland is housed in the last place you would expect to see a children's museum – in a historic mansion. They've done a great job with the space, too. Costing over $10 million to build, the Children's Museum features a vast selection of attractions. This includes Adventure City, where children can experiment with working in a city, e.g., as a construction worker, in a market, in a garage, etc. It is a lot of fun. There's also a wonder lab where children can play with water. Children may also want to spend some time making hand puppets while they're here.

There's so much to do in the Fairbanks Children's Museum that they won't know where to start! One particular highlight is the Tree Canopy Climber, where children can test their climbing skills as they climb one of the best climbing frames ever. Other children may love to play with the water table to see how water works, and some may even like to play in the imagineering lab where they can create art to their heart's content. This is also one of only a few museums that have built a special calming room for those who may have sensory processing differences. Finally, children can play about in the faux vet clinic, which looks surprisingly realistic.

Kidcity Children's Museum has been designed for children up to the age of 7. Visitors can enjoy three floors of playful exhibits, including climbing frames, a cornfield to wander through, fake cars, toys, games, and beautiful scenery. It is a feast for the senses. Children will be learning, and they won't even know it!

One of the highlights of the Children's Discovery Center in Honolulu is the Rainforest Adventures, where children can learn about the importance of rainforests. There's water and sensory play here. The Your Town exhibit will let children do real-life jobs (sort of), including a banker, mechanic, fireman, or even an actor. They can be whatever they want. We particularly love the 'Fantastic You' exhibit, where children can learn how the human body works.

As one of the largest children's museums in the United States, there's a lot to see and do here. Children can do art, play with lights, learn about motion, learn about life on a farm, play about in an aircraft-themed area, see curiosities, make music, or just have a go at some real-life jobs. Every exhibit here focuses on teaching children something, whether about life, arts & culture, or STEM.

The Louisiana Children's Museum markets itself as having a bajillion things for children to do and experiment with. While that number isn't entirely accurate, there's still a lot! Children will get close to nature, see where their food comes from, become makers, and learn about the Mississippi River. There are outdoor adventures and even a play area for those under the age of 4, which means children of all ages get to have some fun!

The Lincoln Children's Museum focuses heavily on Nebraska. This includes exhibits that teach children about Nebraska agriculture, exhibits featuring apples and honeybees, and more. There's even a space for children aged 0-3 to play a few games. On top of this, there's a puppet theater (with shows throughout the day) and a large underground tunnel dubbed the prairie dog tunnels for children to run about in. The main level will have children learning and playing, including a fake bank and grocery store. Children can even experiment with a bit of painting or learn about medicine. The upper level will teach the children about space, aircraft, and trains.

It's true! Everything is better in Vegas, and the Discovery Children's Museum is no exception. Highlights include the Discovery Lab, a makerspace where children are encouraged to fail, and learn. This includes interactive computers, CAD software, 3D printers, and a kiln for making ceramics. It is one of the more extensive maker spaces at children's museums in the US. The Summit is a climbable 70-foot tower (12 floors) with different science exhibits along the route. Once at the top, there are stunning views over Downtown Las Vegas. The Eco City floor will have children becoming community members, with a grocery store, bank, and even a mini airport. That's just scratching the surface. Children who visit this museum will be here for hours and hours (and probably want to return).

The Children's Museum of New Hampshire will undergo a series of expansions, so who knows what else will be added? For now, children can enjoy exhibits about nature, world cultures, steam, and messy play. Education and fun are at the forefront of every exhibit here.

The Providence Children's Museum is about play and socialization, with a bit of learning (OK, a whole lot of learning) thrown in for good measure. Children can innovate, make, build, play with water, and learn about what it is like to work in Rhode Island. It is a small museum, but one that you'll struggle to pull your children away from. They'll be having so much fun.