Top 10 Children's Museums in Minnesota, United States

Located in historic downtown Mankato, the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is on a mission to ignite the natural curiosity of every child through the power of play in a dynamic, awe-inspiring environment. From the Betsy Tacy-inspired Play Porch to the mind-inspiring attractions of the two-level makers space, and with a towering Mankato Clinic Tree of Forts Climber so tall that it burst through the roof, there’s plenty to do and see for children of all ages — all within a safe, inviting, and comfortable space. The Children's Museum of Minnesota exists thanks to the support of dozens of businesses, hundreds of families, many wonderful volunteers, and the entire Greater Mankato community. Tens of thousands of visitors have already enjoyed the Museum at its previous locations since 2009. With the continued help and enthusiasm of all who have supported us, we can't wait to put smiles on many more faces -- for generations to come.

The Bigger, Better, Bolder Museum is Open! This is our first major renovation since we opened our downtown St. Paul museum in 1995. Children and adults alike delight in our 10 new exhibits and enjoy a variety of new amenities. A glass addition along West Seventh Street houses The Scramble, a four-story climbing adventure. Elsewhere in the new museum, visitors delight in an updated pretend town, get creative in two maker workshops and engineer their own fun in an air-and-water exhibit. Families also enjoy a bigger toddler gallery and step out into a revamped rooftop and backyard. Kids craft their own adventures in a ninja-training course and a carpet skate park. This is play like it’s meant to be. Natural. Joyous. Genuine. Children will explore, experiment, try new things, test their limits, adapt and grow. Each exhibit helps children develop the life skills they need to succeed throughout life — how to think creatively, make plans, analyze problems, tackle challenges, speak and listen, work as part of a team and more.

Children 4 and under FREE! Explore the history of trains in the Twin Cities as well as the hobby of modal railroading through interactive layouts in all scales and sizes! Interpretive panels tell the story of model railroading along with many collections of toy trains. Little engineers will enjoy playing with the Thomas wooden and electric layouts while visitors of all ages will love the incredibly detailed toy train layouts! Regular adult Admission: $10 per person. Night Trains Admission (Saturday nights Nov-Feb): $15 per person. Children 4 and under are free!

We offer a wide variety of hands on activities to spark the young (and not so young's) imaginations. There is a water table complete with locks and leveys, a dinosaur dig, firehall, doctors office, bakery, post office, music room, dress-up area, and a tree-fort. Just to name a few things! We are always adding new activities.

The Duluth Children's Museum offers children, parents and grandparents an experience they can't find anywhere else. With interactive exhibits and special daily programming that invite children and young adults to participate and explore their world, the Duluth Children's Museum has established a framework for science learning that is consistent with STEM education - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The museum hosts a variety of exhibits, such as the Dino Dig and Soaring Satellites, that spark learning in many areas of education-from art to science and technology

Our "pop-up" Museum at Mall of America offer visitors two great metro locations for playful learning! Our vision: "Kids play more. Adults do, too. We thrive as a happier, healthier and more innovative community through the radiant power of play." Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Wheel & Cog was created to help children learn through the best way they know how - Play! Wheel and Cog – A great destination for young families in the McLeod county area. We offer a variety of interactive exhibits and diverse age appropriate programming that encourages interaction and imaginative play. The museum is a safe, indoor learning center that encourages play year round for kids age 0-12

Play is at the core of what we do. Spark invites you to interact with the exhibits – not just watch. It’s an immersive experience aimed at opening the minds of young learners to greater possibilities and learning by doing. What they take away from Spark helps build passions and critical skills and sparks imagination that lasts a lifetime.