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Summer is all about having fun and there is no better place for fun than The Children’s Museum. Whether you spend your time playing outside in our sports wonderland—the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience®—or playing your way through five floors of fun inside, here are seven tips and tricks to make your visit the best one possible:
1. Plan ahead for your perfect visit
School is out for the summer and The Children’s Museum is the place to be for families and kids of all ages! With fun in high demand, we strongly encourage you to buy your tickets in advance, which will save you both money and the stress of last minute planning. Once you have bought your tickets, start planning the perfect day right away by choosing one of our premade age-specific itineraries or make your own by selecting the programs that most excite your family.
Parking is free and is available in our parking garage or nearby surface lots—additional premium parking options include
- Premium parking spots on Levels 2 and 3 of the parking garage available Thursday–Sunday
- Valet parking Friday–Sunday—follow the signs in front of the museum
2. Be ready for the weather
The Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience® is one of our hottest exhibits in the summer—sometimes very literally. That’s why we encourage you to come hydrated and prepared with sunscreen and refillable non-glass water bottles to stay cool and protected from the sun while you and your family tackle 7.5 acres of "my-sized" sports.
Flip flops and sandals may be a great summer shoe at the beach, but make sure your Indy racers are wearing closed toe shoes if they want to race our pedal cars.
Trust us, they will.
3. Experience our indoor exhibits
With fan-favorite permanent exhibits like Dinosphere® and Carousel Wishes and Dreams, plus our ever-changing temporary exhibit lineup, you're sure to make a ton of memories while exploring our five floors of fun. You can see our current exhibit lineup here.
4. Participate in an interpretive program
We've said it before and we'll say it again—The Children's Museum is such a magical place because of the interpretive programming. It takes our interactive exhibits up another notch. All of our interpretive experiences are included with museum admission. These memorable experiences occour throughout the museum throughout the day. You can find out more about these magical programs on our web calendar.
Don't forget to add them to your personal itenerary so can include them in your plans!
5. Our Concierge can help
We get it. Sometimes you forget a necessary item—like diapers. If you find yourself in a bind because you forgot to pack a necessity, visit our Concierge Desk on Level 1. They are equipped with several items you might need in an urgent situation.
The Concierge Desk also has a collection of lost and found items that have been turned in throughout the day. If you think you have lost something, visit the Concierge Desk. They'll do all they can to help!
6. Make a stop at Rex's Roadside Pop-Up Shop
It’s a spot dedicated to our favorite 3-year-old dinosaur, Rex!
Travelers around the world can get hip to this timely tip—when you explore The Children’s Museum, it’s like you’re taking your own road trip adventure. As you travel from our outdoor sports experience, down through Dinosphere®, ‘round and ‘round on the Carousel, and out of this world in Beyond Spaceship Earth, you’ll want to pull off the highway and take a break in our favorite roadside attraction—Rex's Roadside Pop-Up Shop at The Children’s Museum Store.
7. Get your tickets for Museum by Moonlight and come back kid-free
On Aug. 24, you're invited to step into the fairy tale at Museum by Moonlight: Museum Ever After, an enchanted night full of fairy dust, fantastic creatures, and enchanted discoveries—just for adults 21 and older.
Your all-inclusive ticket to our biggest single-night fundraiser of the year givs you access to all five floors inside the museum, our outdoor sports wonderland, bites from local restaurants, and adult-only beverages.
Tickets will sell out quickly. Buy your tickets now!
A day of magic and memories
Summer is the magical time of year where the sun is warmer, the days are longer, and the memories are sweeter. So come make The Children’s Museum a part of your summer fun and make memories that will last a lifetime!
