5 of the Best Children’s Museums in the US

Children's museums have come a long way from glass cases and “don't touch” signs. Today, some of the best children’s museums in the US feature captivating exhibits and immersive environments that allow kids to learn through play and exploration. Whether you're planning a family road trip or a weekend getaway, these five museums promise memorable moments that spark curiosity in kids and turn learning into adventure.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Best for: All ages

Fresh off celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is not only Indiana’s but the world’s largest children’s museum, with five floors of exhibits and more than 450,000 square feet of interactive learning and play space.

Among the top exhibits, “Dinosphere” welcomes kids to explore an immersive prehistoric world with real fossils to touch and working paleontologists on site. In “Take Me There: Peru,” families can explore Peruvian culture in a hands-on environment, while a thrilling slide whisks visitors from the second floor to the first.

Don’t miss the National Historic Landmark carousel, a beautifully restored 1917 carousel that adds classic charm to your visit. Outdoor fun awaits at the Riley Children’s Sports Legends Experience, a seasonal athletic play complex with activities for all ages. The museum also offers Museum My Way, adaptive experiences designed for visitors with disabilities and sensory sensitivities.

Please Touch Museum
Best for: Ages 6 months to 8 years (with dedicated spaces for infants and toddlers)

True to its name, Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum encourages children to touch, climb, and explore everywhere they go.

One standout is “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” where kids can shrink down to Alice's size and explore whimsical scenes, “paint” the roses red, and sit at the tea party table with the Mad Hatter.

Kids can practice launching their own rocket into space in “Rocket Room,” and the museum’s working 1908 carousel is a beloved classic that all ages enjoy. Hands-on play continues throughout spaces such as “Food & Family,” where kids can learn about nutrition through interactive displays and are invited to “shop” and cook in a kid-size kitchen.

The museum also offers sensory-friendly mornings that guests with autism and sensory sensitivities can preregister for, making visits more comfortable and welcoming.

Boston Children's Museum
Best for: Ages 0 to 10

The Boston Children’s Museum has been engaging children since 1913 as a pioneer of hands-on learning.

Its “New Balance Foundation Climb,” a three-story climbing structure featuring a maze of nets and platforms that winds through the museum lobby, is a fun physical challenge for older children. “PlaySpace” offers exploratory experiences for infants through age 3. The “Japanese House” (Kyo-no-Machiya)—an authentic two-story silk merchant's home from Kyoto—provides a peek into Japanese domestic life.

Kids can also hop on stage with professional actors at the KidStage theater, and the museum’s “STEAM Lab” and other STEM exhibits break down complex concepts from science, technology, engineering, art, and math into playful hands-on activities for little ones.

Budget-friendly admission is available during TJX $1 Sunday Afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m.; reservations are encouraged.

Children's Museum Houston
Best for: Ages 0 to 12, with spaces designed for different developmental stages

The Children’s Museum Houston is a 90,000-square-foot hands-on discovery hub that offers bilingual Spanish/English programming and exhibits.

In “Kidtropolis, USA,” children run their own city, earn paychecks, manage businesses, and make financial decisions in a simulated economy. The “Invention Convention” exhibit challenges kids to design and build contraptions from recycled materials, learn coding basics, and create vehicles to test on dedicated tracks.

Kids can also observe turtles in the pond, identify animal footprints, and conduct ecological studies at the outdoor EcoStation, a solar-powered research pavilion recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
Best for: Ages 0 to 8

The Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus doubles as an adventure playground, highlighted by its “Altitude” exhibit—a 3.5-story indoor climber featuring a retired gondola and a swaying monkey bridge.

“Adventure Forest,” a 500-foot-long seasonal adventure course, offers aerial fun with tunnels and elevated bridges. Inside, ball runs controlled by levers and pumps trigger piano keys in the “Kinetics!” exhibit. Families can cook together in the Teaching Kitchen using ingredients from the rooftop Cornercopia Gardens.

And don’t miss “Snow Days,” where kids can enjoy real snow sledding, or “The Art Studio,” where kids can enjoy daily painting and clay sculpting.

Planning your visit

Most children's museums offer annual memberships that pay for themselves after two or three visits, and many museums participate in reciprocal admission programs, making it easy to explore top children’s museums across the country at a reduced cost.

Before you go, check museum websites for temporary exhibits, seasonal programs, and special offers. Rotating experiences are part of what keeps the best children’s museums in the US fresh, exciting, and worth repeat visits.