Families that relocate around the world open their children up to many new wonders: foreign cultures, new foods, different languages and personal interactions, distinct clothes, unique toys and games, sometimes a drastically different climate to what they knew at home.
Amid all that growth and acclimation, sometimes kids just want to be kids. When summer heat becomes oppressive here in the U.S., there are many children’s museums to provide expat families with entertainment while keeping cool.
While by no means exhaustive, here is a selection of children’s museums, from east to west across the country:
Boston Children’s Museum
The second oldest children’s museum in the world aims to engage children and families in joyful discovery experiences, and includes a play space specifically for 0-3-year-olds.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Dating from 1899, this is the world’s oldest children’s museum, featuring a range of hands-on experiences and a rotation of visiting exhibits.
Please Touch Museum (Philadelphia, PA)
Located in Philly’s beautiful historic Beaux-Arts Memorial Hall, the museum is dedicated to learning through hands-on play.
Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Exhibits, programs and community outreach focus on informal learning for the whole child, geared toward age 8 and younger.
Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
A 29-acre campus with exhibits, daily activities, and special events, this the largest children’s museum in the world.
Chicago Children’s Museum
Housed in Chicago’s Navy Pier, CCM offers arts programs, STEM experiments, and imaginative play for children of all ages.
Children’s Museum of Houston
In addition to 14 exhibition areas for a wide range of interactive play, the museum also hosts 6 Sensory Friendly days for neurodivergent children, at the main location as well as at its Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center.
Children’s Museum of Denver
Creative exhibits allow children (ideally up to age 8) to investigate, imagine, explore, and create through science, play, art, gardening, and more.
¡Explora! (Albuquerque, NM)
Children of all ages can enjoy 250 exhibit activities with very hands-on involvement in science, technology, and art. They also host Science Nights for local schools.
Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Geared toward children from birth to age 10, the museum offers 300 play experiences in an historic Neoclassical school building downtown.
The New Children’s Museum (San Diego, CA)
This dynamically designed green museum is itself part of the art experience, with transparent, flexible spaces that expose the building’s construction and design. Sensory-friendly spaces and programs are available.
The Exploratorium (San Francisco, CA)
The 700+ interactive exhibits across six galleries at Pier 15 include the Tactile Dome, a sculpture that encourages visitors to use their non-visual senses to find their way.
For more, the Association of Children’s Museums has members in all 50 U.S. states and 11 countries, and a Find a Children’s Museum search tool.
Living Abroad’s International Relocation Center includes destination reports on 91 U.S. cities in 41 states. Find these museum listings and much more — for both families and individuals – relocating to or around the United States.
Written by Ellen Harris, GMS, Product Manager, Content Group
