Museums don’t always offer the most child-friendly environment: Art museums can be stuffy, while history museums might not be every traveler’s taste. Science museums, specifically interactive, kid-friendly spaces, are the best to visit with young children.
For instance, the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia is predicated on the concept of children touching and exploring the exhibits. Another Philadelphia staple, The Franklin Institute offers entire floors designated to let kids learn about science through play.
Other kid-friendly spaces, The Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Exploratorium, in San Francisco and plenty more engage kids through interactive art and science exhibits.
Find the Right Museum
First of all, make sure the museum is age-appropriate for your kids. Some museums are better suited toward certain groups. Of course, kids can have fun walking around the Franklin Institute and playing in a giant heart, but the significance might be lost on younger children.
Exposition in National Museum of Natural Science. Photo: Pablo Hidalgo | Dreamstime.com
Let Them Lose
Many museums catering to kids offer some room for them to play. In some instances, this is a giant heart, in others, a room filled with physics equipment for visitors to explore. Let the kids explore on their own if they are old enough. Some activities may require adult explanations, but exploring uninhibited by parents or guardians is a wonderful feeling.
Plan a Party
Consider taking the kids to museums with a few of their friends. This gives kids a chance to explore and learn together. Check out the local museums to see what kind of facilities and amenities they offer. Some even accommodate birthday parties.
Shop!
Finally, make sure to visit the gift shop before heading home. Museum gift shops let visitors bring home a piece of the experience, and science museums for kids are no different. Letting a child pick their own souvenir could be the start of a lifelong infatuation with science.
Interactive museums run the gamut. It seems like science is the most popular, but natural history, art and history museums can also be interactive, and they can be the catalyst for a lifelong love of the arts, science or history.
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