Five of the Best Children’s Museums in the U.S.

Your kids learned so much over the school year, so don’t let them lose it all over summer break. Instead, take a trip to some of the best children’s museums in the U.S. where your kid can continue learning through fun and exciting exhibits.

Children’s Museum of Indianapolis – Indianapolis, IN

One of the best children’s museums in the U.S., the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, is also the largest children’s museum in the world. The museum spans five floors and over 489,000 square feet. It’s filled to the brim with enriching experiences for children. Kids can get up close and personal with their favorite dinosaurs, unearth the mysteries of an Egyptian tomb, and travel into outer space in a few of the museum’s permanent exhibits. This museum also hosts the Lilly Theater where families can watch some of their favorite stories come to life on stage.

Please Touch Museum – Philadelphia, PA

Children are often told to keep their hands to themselves, especially in museums with priceless artifacts. At the Please Touch Museum, however, those warnings are thrown out the window and kids are encouraged to touch and interact with every exhibit. Take a ride on the indoor carousel, find your way out of the rabbit hole in an Alice in Wonderland themed maze, or launch your very own rocket. Kids can sit in on story time at Wordsworth’s Cottage or step into the museum’s urban garden to put their green thumb to the test.

Children’s Museum of Houston – Houston, TX

Kids who want an action-packed summer should head over to the Children’s Museum of Houston. This top-rated children’s museum has something for everyone and is sure to put your little one’s brain to the test. Children can crack codes and become a secret agent, don a lab coat and learn about atoms, or become mayor for a day in the Kidtropolis exhibit. The museum also has a large indoor rope course perfect for tiring your kids out before nap time.

Madison Children’s Museum – Madison, WI

Many of the exhibits at the Madison Children’s Museum are designed to teach kids all about the beauty of Wisconsin. Children can travel back in time to 1838 and explore what life was like for early settlers of Wisconsin in the outdoor log cabin exhibit. They can also familiarize themselves with the life of Wisconsin native Frank Lloyd Wright. Located on the rooftop of the museum are the Urb Garden and the Rooftop Ramble, two exhibits that allow kids to explore the great outdoors without ever leaving the heart of downtown Madison.

The Strong Museum – Rochester, NY

Also known as the National Museum of Play, The Strong Museum encourages children to explore and learn about the world around them through fun exhibits that promote creativity and critical thinking. Kids can meet their favorite character in the Berenstain Bears exhibit or wander through the most famous neighborhood in America at the Sesame Street exhibit. End your visit with a relaxing stroll through the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden. The museum also offers a special after-hours fundraiser for adults only.