Visit Information

How to make the most of your visit

Events Calendar
Parking & Transit
Plan Your Play
Know Before You Go

Plan Your Play

There’s something for everyone at Minnesota Children’s Museum. Here are some suggestions to get the most out of your visit.

Ages 3 & Under

The museum is packed with possibilities and fun challenges for young children. Try this suggested path:

Start on the second floor

  • Sprouts – Designed especially for kids ages 3 and under, the exhibit has water tables, netted bridge, slide, crawling mats, light tables and reading nook. Older siblings welcome with supervision.
  • Imaginopolis – Soft props, costumes, pretend kitchen and whimsical animals.

Go to the Fourth Floor

  • Our World – Step into a pretend town with fire station, post office, vet clinic and food stand. Look for a park-like Tot Spot with props and mirrors to the right of the entrance.
  • Traveling Exhibit Gallery – Explore new exhibits that change throughout the year.

Finish on the First Floor

  • Shipwreck Adventures – Crawl through a patch of oversized grass and explore a sunken ship hull.
  • Forces at Play – Experiment with ball launchers and scrub with soap and water in the car wash.
  • The Scramble – Look for a tot-sized adventure space under the staircase. The main climbing towers and spiral slide are designed for kids ages 5 and up, but you be the judge of your child’s capabilities.
Ages 4 to 8

Most everything in the museum appeals to this age group. Here are some tips to plan your day:

If You Arrive Early...

  • Consider starting in Our World on the fourth floor. This is a popular gallery and can get busy later in the morning, especially on weekends and holidays.

Physical Play: Get the Wiggles Out

  • Try out the spinning chairs in the atrium (second floor)
  • Climb towers and slide down a spiral slide in The Scramble (first floor)
  • Scale a green screen climbing wall and navigate a laser maze in Shipwreck Adventures (first floor)

Water Play

  • Scrub a wacky vehicle in the car wash in Forces at Play (first floor)

Pretend Play

  • Visit Our World (fourth floor) and take on a new role in a pretend town with fire station, vet clinic, post office and food stand.
  • Find nature-themed props, costumes, pretend kitchen and whimsical animals in Imaginopolis (second floor). Great for creating your own stories.

Arts & Tinkering

  • Bring out your inner artist in The Studio (fourth floor), a makers’ space with changing activities and materials.

Don’t Miss...

About Sprouts (gallery for ages 3 and under)

Sprouts (second floor) is designed for kids ages 3 and under. Older children are welcome in the gallery with supervision.

Ages 9 & Up

Older kids find things to explore all over the museum. Here are some places to get started with older kids:

First Floor

  • The Scramble – Two climbing towers, spiral slide and netted catwalk
  • Shipwreck Adventures – Explore a giant ship hull, climbing wall and laser maze while learning about a real-life Lake Superior shipwreck
  • Forces at Play – Engineer ping pong ball launchers

Fourth Floor

  • The Studio – Tinker, make and create with real tools and authentic materials.
  • Our World – Pretend town with fire station, vet clinic, post office and more. A great place for older kids to play a role in stories with younger siblings.
  • Special Exhibit Gallery – Explore new exhibits that change throughout the year.
Know Before You Go
General Information

Our Exhibits

From the irresistible pretend town in Our World to the delightful toddler play spaces in Sprouts, our experiences spark joy and foster growth through the awesome power of play. Learn more about our 11 unique exhibits.

Re-Entry

Visitors may leave and re-enter the museum the same day as long as they are wearing the admission stickers they received at check-in.

Supervision

All children visiting the museum must be accompanied and supervised by an adult 18 years old or older at all times.

Quieter Times

In general, weekdays and weekend afternoons tend to be less busy. The museum does not book field trips or group visits on Tuesdays, so those days tend to be quieter, too.

Busier Times

Weekend mornings, school breaks, school release days, Securian Financial Free First Sundays and holidays are often popular times to visit. Days with rain, cold or excessive heat tend to be busy as well.

Lost & Found

The lost & found is located at the security desk on street level near the West Seventh Street entrance. The security desk can be reached at 651-225-6056.

Museum Information Sheets

Information sheets are available in English, Hmong, Somali and Spanish.

What to Bring

Extra Clothes & Shoes

While raincoats are available, children often get wet in our Forces at Play and Sprouts exhibits. We recommend bringing an extra pair of shoes and a change of clothing during your visit.

Socks

Socks are required in The Scramble, our four-story climbing adventure. A limited number of socks are available to borrow at the cubbies outside The Scramble.

Strollers

While strollers are allowed in the museum, many galleries have limited space and strollers may need to be left at the gallery’s entrance. When possible, please leave strollers at home or in your vehicle.

Sunscreen

Two of our galleries (open seasonally) are located outside.

Food & Drink

Tomāto Tomäto Cafe

Located on the museum’s 2nd floor, Tomāto Tomäto Cafe is a convenient option for grabbing a quick meal, snack or coffee. Click here to view the cafe menu (menu and prices subject to change).

Outside Food

Visitors are welcome to bring outside food and drink into the museum to be consumed in the common areas. Please do not bring any food or drinks into the gallery spaces. The cafe dining area is reserved for visitors who have made a purchase there.

Amenities

Lockers

Lockers are located near the box office and are available on a first come, first served basis. Lockers require four quarters for each single-time use. Please bring quarters with you, as the museum does not have a change machine available.

Comfort Rooms

There are two comfort rooms available for visitors in need of a quiet space with their child(ren). One is in the Sprouts gallery, and the other is near Shipwreck Adventures.

Restrooms

Family/single stall and multi-stall restrooms can be found on all floors of the museum.

Changing Tables

Changing stations are available in all restrooms throughout the museum, except for the single stall restrooms on the first floor.

Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the museum. Choose MCM-Public as the network name. Ask a staff member for the passcode.

Accessibility

Minnesota Children’s Museum is dedicated to making our space accessible and inclusive to people with a wide range of abilities and preferences. Learn more about some of the resources available to all visitors.

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