Learn all about children's museums—where fun and learning go hand in hand!

Open the doors of a children's museum and you won't find intimidating guards and silent halls for reflection on the wonders of fine art or scientific endeavors. What you will find is fun—hands on, get involved, running, playing, giggling, and learning fun! Trips to children's museums are a memorable event not only for the children, but also for the parents. As the American Association of Children's Museums (ACM) notes, "for almost 100 years, children's museums have succeeded in their mission of stimulating curiosity and motivating learning in young children. These museums complement efforts in schools, child care centers, and homes to enrich the lives and education of children." Children learn by playing, and children's museums encourage that process.

The Brooklyn Children's Museum was the first children's museum—founded over a hundred years ago—and is still in operation today. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of museums specially designed for children. According to the ACM, there were 38 children's museums in 1978; today there are 215 and more are in the planning stages. ACM Executive Director Janet Rice Elman emphasizes the unique experience of children's museums as "neutral ground, where parents gather, where the focus is on the kids, and where children may meet and play with other children they might not normally meet in the course of their daily lives."

Size
Children's museums range in size from a few hundred to a several hundred thousand square feet. Some have budgets in the millions, others squeak by on less. What they all have in common is the goal of bringing children into an environment where they are encouraged to explore, to learn, to play, to create, to think, and best of all, to have fun.

If you've never been—go! Our BabyZone guides and friends share some of their favorite children's museums. If you know have thoughts about a children's museum you have visited or know well, please share your thoughts with your neighbors in the regions message boards and with your BabyZone regional guide.

Finding a Children's Museum

If none of these museums are near you, check your local BabyZone region to find one that is. Be sure to remember to check regions when you are planning vacations and setting trip itineraries as well! You can also check out the Association of Children's Museum's website at for a list of and links to children's museums around the country and around the world.

Age Appropriateness

Different museums will be more popular with different age groups. Check with the museum you want to visit to see what they recommend as age appropriate. Most museums we spoke to set the age appropriateness of their exhibits at birth to age 8, though several were appropriate into the teenage years. Generally, the age concern is, "Is my child too old?" rather than "Is my child too young?" Most children's museums these days have a special area for very young children. The museums separate or enclose a special play place geared to pre-walkers and toddlers. A rule of thumb is that children should be able to sit up and possibly crawl to enjoy these play areas, but check with the specific museum. These play spaces afford a wide variety of age appropriate exploratory items, located at floor level. Older, more rambunctious children are generally discouraged from playing in these areas.

Germs!
One of the running jokes about Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum is its less-flattering nickname—the Please Cough Museum. Especially in cold and flu season, parents may worry about exposure to germs in a place where large groups of children are playing, touching, and interacting. Children's museums are aware of this and have extensive cleaning procedures in place. Of course, it doesn't hurt to bring along some hand sanitizer (the gel version is excellent) and some anti-bacterial wipes to take to any toy your child may have mouthed or may be in danger of mouthing. The truth is that children, unless kept in a sterile bubble, are going to be exposed to germs—you simply do your best to minimize exposure.