Interesting Children's Museums in the United States

Children's Museum of Indianapolis (Indianapolis - Indiana)

One of the most popular family attractions in this vibrant city, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit organization committed to enriching the lives of children everywhere. And that's true when you consider the millions of artifacts on display.

Certified as the largest children's museum in the world with an area of ​​over 400,000 m², 11 large galleries for children to explore physical and natural sciences, history, world cultures and art.

It can take a day or more to see the entire Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. If you’re short on time, pick up a map at the front desk and decide which areas you want to invest your time in!

• Address: 3000 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Ticket price: 12.75 USD - 27.25 USD (ticket price changes daily and buying early will get cheaper price)

Minnesota Children's Museum (St. Paul, Minnesota)

Opened in Minneapolis from 1981 until 1995, the museum moved to a newly constructed building in downtown St. Paul and then underwent a $30 million renovation in 2017.

The Minnesota Children's Museum is a nonprofit community organization whose mission is to "provide children with fun, hands-on spaces where they can freely explore and grow."

Each year, more than 500,000 visitors come here to enjoy the museum, and the museum also maintains 16,000 family members, including 3,500 free memberships for low-income families.

Uniquely, visitors can also read the word “Hello” in Vietnamese above the museum entrance.

• Address: 10 7th St W, St Paul, Minnesota
• Ticket price: $12.95. Children under 1 year old are free.

City Museum (St. Louis, Missouri)

The “city museum” consists largely of repurposed architectural and industrial objects located in downtown St. Louis.

The Museum building was once a factory and warehouse for the International Shoe Company but was largely vacant until artist Bob Cassilly and his wife purchased it in 1993. Construction began in January 1995 and the Museum opened to the public on October 25, 1997 and has attracted over 1 million visitors annually.

The highest roof is the main highlight where children can climb freely in the air in iron cages. Families can also play on the swing while watching the city from above.

• Address: 750 N 16th St, St. Louis, Missouri
• Ticket price: 16 USD – 22 USD. Children 3 years old and under are free

Science City Museum (Kansas City - Missouri)

Science City at Union Station is a family-friendly, interactive science center, with popular tourist attractions like the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, Planetarium shows, City Extreme Screen theater, and over 120 interactive, hands-on displays for kids.

Children of all ages will experience the world of science firsthand through engaging programs guided by experts here. They will be guided to experience the Demo Science Experiment Zone, excavate dinosaur fossils and learn about paleontology at Dinolab and Digsite, become a producer and be inspired to create cinematic products at Studio Maker or discover the chemical formulas behind the foods people eat every day at the Kitchen Practice Zone...

The Museum's motto is “Start a lifelong love of science, learning and discovery with your children in the City of Science!” and that will not be wrong when bringing children here.

• Address: 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas, Missouri
• Ticket price: From 13.25 USD. Children 3 years and under free

Children's Museum of Utah (Salt Lake City - Utah)

Now known as “Discovery Gateway,” the Museum is an interactive, hands-on children's museum located in downtown Salt Lake City that encompasses more than 6,000 square feet²The exhibition space attracts many families, especially in the summer.

The Children's Museum of Utah was founded in 1978 and opened in 1983 with just eight exhibits. Some of these early exhibits included an elephant dinosaur bone dig, a Western Airlines 737 cockpit, an artificial heart demonstration, a dry ice frozen bubble box, and KSL news radio for kids...

Everything at Discovery Gateway is designed with kids in mind. Exhibits on the museum’s second floor include a music garden where kids can play music together on a giant marimba. Behind it is a miniature “town” where kids can shop at the market, build structures, or feed animals on a Utah family farm, along with an area specifically for kids under three.

The third floor of the museum houses the “Story Factory,” where children can act out a play, draw a comic, or create a slow-motion animation. Also on the third floor is a meeting studio for the worlds of science, invention, and art. Uniquely, the museum’s outdoor terrace features a real Intermountain Health Life helicopter for visitors to learn about rescue operations.

• Address: 444 West 100 South Salt Lake, Utah
• Ticket price: From 12.50 USD. Children under 1 year old free. Seniors over 65 years old 10 USD.

Vinh Phan