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The 10 Best Children's Museums in California, United States
California is a fertile, peaceful place where you’ll find a near-equal balance of vineyards and deserts, beaches and mountains, hippies and traditionalists. Catch an epic wave in Big Sur or swirl a glass in Napa Valley. Be dazzled by the Joshua Tree night sky or just star-gaze in Hollywood. Swish down the slopes of a Tahoe ski resort, or cruise across the Golden Gate Bridge with the top down and the music blasting. Above all, don’t forget to soak up some Golden State sunshine.
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1. Mt. Shasta Sisson Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 67 reviews
DECEMBER 9 TO MARCH 27: CLOSED The Museum is open from early spring to the second weekend in December. Mt. Shasta Sisson Museum is a self-supported, volunteer operated museum with a 501(c)(3) tax status. To fulfill its mission, the museum has exhibits on the history and science related to Mt. Shasta and the surrounding areas. There are many hands-on activities for children and adults. The museum shares the same grounds as a state fish hatchery, where visitors love to view and feed the fish. The Museum consists of three large exhibit halls and an events room for special activities and displays. New exhibits are installed at the museum on a regular basis. A changing array of special installations including quilt shows and art displays are arranged every 6 weeks in the Events Room.
Reviewed By 324rands
This is a well organized, fun museum, which offers a lot to adults, families, and even younger children. The museum has artifacts from native Americans, mostly baskets and pictures; information about the railroad, with a place to sit and drive the locomotive. The gift shop has a nice variety of items, including jewelry made by local artists. Next door is the oldest hatchery west of the Mississippi!
2. Rail Giants Train Museum
3. Bay Area Discovery Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 212 reviews
At BADM, the safety of our visitors and staff is our top priority. Based on the recommendation of the California Department of Public Health, BADM has closed and will remain closed until March 31, 2020. This closure is in response to public health recommendations surrounding COVID-19. We are not aware of any BADM visitor or staff person that has been exposed to the virus. We are continuing to monitor the COVID-19 situation and will be providing regular updates to our community via email, our website, and our social media channels. Thank you for your continued support of the Bay Area Discovery Museum.
Reviewed By D4393BFmicheleb - Rancho Mirage, United States
We have been going there since my grandson could crawl. Now he is exploring all of the park because he is 6. Always a unique activity for all ages and abilities
4. Museum of Flying
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 73 reviews
Originally established in 1974 as the Douglas Museum and Library, the Museum first opened in 1979 at 3200 Airport Avenue. The Museum was founded by Donald Douglas Jr, the second President of the Douglas Aircraft Company. Construction began on the new Museum in early 2010 and the Museum celebrated its grand opening to the public in the new building on February 25, 2012. The Museum collection consists of the many original artifacts related to the Douglas Aircraft Company, a variety of exhibits, aviation art, and features an array of aircraft from a Wright Flyer replica!
5. Children's Discovery Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 169 reviews
An interactive museum with hands-on exhibits allows children to explore and learn.
Reviewed By NYTravelerBD - Larchmont, United States
We visited this wonderful children's museum with a group of children ranging in age from 4 to 8, and they all had a blast. The museum is highly interactive and does a great job of offering activities/exhibits that are geared to younger children as well as kids who are closer to 8 to 10. There isn't a whole lot to do for children in Palm Springs, so this made for a very nice day with our 6-year-old daughter.
6. Travel Town
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 161 reviews
An interactive transportation museum that caters to kids.
Reviewed By Sharonwa - London, United Kingdom
Lovely place! Lots of trains to see and things to explore. The entry is free and it’s a very interesting and visual place for children. My son enjoyed exploring the trains, you can go on board and look around. There is a gift shop and a small stall which sells fruit. Lovely place! Great collection of trains!
7. Children's Discovery Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 453 reviews
Since opening in 1990, Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose has become one of largest and most respected museums of its kind in the nation. With interactive exhibits and programs encompassing science, humanities, performing arts, and health and physical fitness, the award-winning Museum offers new exhibits each year that respond to children's diverse educational needs. With the broad themes of community, connections and creativity, hands-on exhibits invite self-directed, open-ended explorations.
Reviewed By B4Travel2 - San Jose, United States
If you live in the area, this is a great place to bring young kids or toddlers! It would not be a place that you travel to see, but if staying within an hour's distance, and have an active toddler that you want to run off some steam, and give them a creative outlet, or any kids, probably best for 8 years or younger, this is a wonderful place to give them new things to explore. We met up with some family here (mainly adults & 1 two-year-old), and it was a nice way to catch up, while giving the toddler plenty of things to experiment with. There is a Mammoth exhibit, showing where they were in the San Jose area, that is interesting for all ages, a book nook, some crafty projects, a bubble room, where you can make very large bubbles, many little exhibits that show how gravity works, or various interactive displays, an ambulance & fire truck that kids can climb through, etc. There are 2 stories to the building, and many different rooms with various things to do, so you can easily spend several hours here. It is $15/person, so if a local, it is probably worth getting an annual pass, to be able to come back and get best value. Also a great place to go, if it's a rainy day, and your kids are restless.
8. Bowers Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 396 reviews
Take a trip around the globe at the Bowers Museum! Opened in 1936, the Bowers prides itself on showcasing world-class arts and cultures in a warm, inviting space located in the heart of Orange County. Bowers has been voted "Best Museum in Orange County" by OC Register for 26 years and has organized more than 50 special exhibitions in just the past 15 years in partnership with some of the greatest museums in the world. Recent highlights include blockbusters such as Terra Cotta Warriors, Mummies: Treasures from the British Museum, Guo Pei: Couture Beyond, and Inside the Walt Disney Archives. Over 100,000 square feet and surrounded by lush gardens, the Bowers campus includes a 296 seat auditorium, 12,000 square feet of event space, a Patina-owned Tangata Restaurant, a robust Gallery Store, 8 permanent exhibitions, and spectacular featured exhibits on rotation, to ensure a full day of engaging fun with every visit. Bowers Museum, bringing the world to you.
Reviewed By TommyTucker321 - Beverly Hills, United States
Don’t rush through here like somebody trying escape from a burning building. This museum offers much to see and enjoy for all ages. Take your time and immerse yourself in the culture and history of a people and place long forgotten.
9. Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 250 reviews
Located on the water's edge of the Santa Barbara Harbor, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum contains exciting & educational exhibits set inside of nearly 8,000 square feet of Museum space. The Maritime Museum also offers a wide range of educational programs including docent tours, and Tall Ship tours. Admission also includes a series of films shown daily in our large screen, high-definition Munger Theater. Fun for the whole family!
Reviewed By GilB867 - Memphis, United States
This is a great little museum depicting many aspects of the local seafaring culture. It is located on the west end of the marina in a very picturesque area. This area offers a lot of local culture centered around a WWII pier built by the U.S. Navy and still in use today. We were there on a Saturday morning and were able to enjoy the Santa Barbara Saturday Morning Fish Market viewing what the local fishermen were selling, brown crab, rock fish, squid, and others. Quiet interesting and a nice photo opportunity. This area also many local restaurants, shops, and other attractions on that end of the marina. We ended up spending the entire morning there. And on the fourth floor of the Maritime Museum is a small exhibit by the National Park Service of the Channel Islands National Park. They do offer Channel Islands cancellation stamps here.
10. San Luis Obispo Children's Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 88 reviews
Preschool through elementary-age children learn about health, history, safety, science, nature and the arts through a series of innovate hands-on activities and exhibits.
Reviewed By deborabQ4619MG
recommend this place to drop off your kid to play. a good place for the kids to stay entertained while adults recoup their energy lol
