No “Please Don’t Touch” Signs in Sight
Vote for Your Favorite Children’s Museums
Vote for your favorite children’s museums until polls close on March 25 at noon ET. We’ll share the winners publicly on April 3 at noon EST. For any questions, see our Motherhood Loves Community Awards terms and conditions.
Motherhood Loves Community Awards nominees have been carefully chosen by our team. We may earn a commission if you buy something through links on our site.
As moms, we all know the joy comes from watching your little one safely explore a new environment designed with them in mind, which is why we’ve created a list of some of the best children’s museums across the country. Keep reading to discover hands-on activities your little one can enjoy side-by-side with their older siblings, convenient parent-friendly features like private nursing nooks, and dedicated soft-play spaces for babies and toddlers. A few exhibits even wowed us (hello, real snow sledding on an outdoor playground), so we know your kids will be thrilled! See your family’s favorite museum on the list? Be sure to give it a vote!
Favorite Children’s Museums of 2025 Nominees
Bay Area Discovery Museum | Sausalito, California
Positioned just steps from the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Area Discovery Museum provides an experience unlike any other. This interactive, child-focused center weaves through a repurposed military fort and offers opportunities to see how a toilet works, climb aboard a real fishing boat, and get messy in an art studio. There’s even a dedicated learning space for babies and toddlers.
Boston Children’s Museum | Boston, MA
Spend your day creating memories at the second oldest children’s museum in the world: the Boston Children’s Museum. Since 1913, this institution has enthralled children with cultural exhibits like the Japanese House, where they can walk through the 100-year-old home of a silk merchant. Little ones aren’t left out either; PlaySpace is an area for infants and toddlers with cushioned surfaces and pretend play options.
Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus | Denver, CO
When families visit the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, moms of toddlers rave about Bloom, a whimsical indoor garden featuring a dedicated space for private nursing with bottle warmers and a sink. Of course, older kids love the 500-foot-long adventure course during warmer months. Cold weather visitors can still get in on the fun since this outdoor space has sledding with real snow during the winter.
Children’s Museum Houston | Houston, TX
Watch your kids become mini adults as they choose from over two dozen jobs, learn how to use ATMs, and vote on important issues while exploring Kidtropolis, USA at Children’s Museum Houston. Outside, the museum’s interactive water exhibit, FlowWorks, is a popular way to escape the Houston heat. If you’re also trying to escape admission fees for your multiple kids, check out Free Family Night Thursday.
Children’s Museum of Indianapolis | Indianapolis, IN
As the largest museum of its kind in the world, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis offers endless fun on its 482,950-square-foot campus. If the giant dinosaurs breaking into the building didn’t tip you off, there is a spectacular, immersive dino exhibit for your mini paleontologist. In fact, no matter what interests your kid, this museum has it all: live performances, a sports complex, and even a food court.
Children’s Museum of Phoenix | Phoenix, AZ
The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is dedicated to keeping everyone engaged, no matter their age. Its “Baby Zones,” which you’ll find across all three floors, allow tots and older siblings to play and learn simultaneously. Other features parents love are the toddler-sized bathroom fixtures, the Nursing Nook, and a café that features yummy baked goods from Noble Bread.
Exploration Place | Wichita, KS
With its distinct architectural style on the scenic Arkansas River, the Exploration Place excites even its oldest guests from the moment they walk through the doors. The amazing three-story castle invites kids into a world of imaginative medieval play, and when they’re worn out, a short film in the Dome offers the perfect opportunity to recharge. Don’t miss the five-and-under Kansas Kids Connect area if you’re bringing little ones.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History | Atlanta, GA
While not a typical children’s museum, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History is ideal for families who gravitate to outdoor educational experiences. Toddlers to teens enjoy the museum’s WildWoods, which starts with an elevated walking path that twists and turns across 10 acres, stopping for interactive experiences and play areas. Even if it’s raining, the NatureQuest exhibit brings the outdoors inside with immersive ecosystems and live animals.
Kidspace Children’s Museum | Pasadena, CA
If your kids are happiest outside with a few activities to keep them busy, you’ll both love the 3.5-acre outdoor campus at Kidspace Children’s Museum. Kids can experiment with water flow in a man-made creek or plant their own garden at Muddy Boot Farm. There’s also a dedicated play area for babies and early walkers so they also have the chance to safely explore Kidspace.
McWane Science Center | Birmingham, AL
The McWane Science Center is designed for all ages, from one to 100. The whole family will find themselves gathering around a touch tank with sharks, digging for dino bones at a fossil site, and chasing all kinds of uniquely shaped suds in the Bubble Room. Itty Bitty Magic City is ideal for the youngest visitors, and there is a sensory room if anyone needs a break from the noise.
Minnesota Children’s Museum | St Paul, MN
While your big kids are exploring a 20-foot-long decaying ship hull or climbing a four-story play structure, you’ll discover fun side quests wired specifically for the youngest tots at the Minnesota Children’s Museum. If you decide to divide and conquer with your partner, the Sprouts sensory play area is perfect for babies and toddlers. Tip: For complimentary admission, plan your visit on a Free First Sunday.
Please Touch Museum | Philadelphia, PA
Let your inner child out to play with your kids at the Please Touch Museum. In the 3,650-square-foot Food & Family exhibit, you’ll work together to shop for groceries, make meals for neighbors, and clean up a kitchen as a team. You can also pretend to camp, explore an enchanted garden, and escape from a maze. Save time to ride the 100-year-old working carousel before you leave.
Scott Family Amazeum | Bentonville, AR
Perks like free entry for kids two and under and complimentary parking make the Scott Family Amazeum an affordable family outing. Parents report having just as much fun as their kids as they watch experiments unfold in the Hershey’s Lab and as they follow behind their curious toddlers in the 1,000-foot Studio Grow exhibit, an open-ended play area just for little ones.
The Museum of Life and Science | Durham, NC
Start your tour of the Museum of Life and Science with a cup of locally roasted coffee before setting out to see the 84 acres of interactive nature experiences. You can let your kids burn through their energy on the two-acre playground that has big and little treehouses, appealing to all ages, and then treat them to a train ride around the museum’s grounds before heading home.
The Strong National Museum of Play | Rochester, NY
At the Strong National Museum of Play, everyone in the family has a chance to have fun! Challenge each other to a game of Chutes and Ladders on a board 15 feet in the air, play retro arcade games, and dance together to popular hits. The indoor train and carousel are the biggest hits with the youngest crowd, and rides cost only $1 per person.
About Motherhood Loves Community Awards
Our nominees are researched and selected as the top products in their category. You can vote once per category, per day. Motherhood independently selects the products and services we cover and recommend. We do not exchange currency, goods or services to be listed.
