Attractions

Northwoods Children's Museum

Children’s museums are often located in big cities, but once in a while we find a small-town gem.  Such is the case with the Northwoods Children’s Museum in Eagle River, Wisconsin.

Eagle River, with its population of 1600, is located in the heart of Wisconsin’s northwoods area.  Outdoor activities abound in the summertime, and it’s known for its snowmobile races in the winter.  But if you’re in the northwoods and it’s too wet or cold to play outside, take the kids to the Northwoods Children’s Museum.

The museum is located in an unassuming building, but don’t let its basic exterior fool you: inside are many quality and unique children’s exhibits.  Fishing in the river and using the ranger tower were favorites with my children, as were the musical instruments, the dress-up room, and the ambulance/hospital area.  Since everything’s in one room, children of various ages can enjoy their favorites while their siblings check out something else, all under the eye of a parent. Read More »

Manitoba Children's Museum

Once upon a time, we had four preschoolers and decided that a vacation to Canada (Winnipeg, to be exact) was a good way to spend some family time together, not too far away from home.

Our first stop upon arriving in the fair city was the Manitoba Children’s Museum.  With four kids, how could it not be at the top of our list?  It was the first children’s museum we’d visited beyond the walls of the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul, and we had a grand time there.

The Manitoba Children’s Museum is located in The Forks area of Winnipeg.  The Forks is a gathering place at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, and has a visitor center, restaurants, and shops as well as the children’s museum and outdoor activities. Read More »

It appears that I’ve begun a series on museums that combine history and nostalgia with a separately-themed children’s exhibit in the same building.  In Easton, PA, there’s the combination of the Crayola Factory and the National Canal Museum; in Grand Rapids, MN, you’ll find the Judy Garland Museum and the Children’s Discovery Museum.

Read More »

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

Established in 1904, the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History has collected over 100 years of Santa Cruz history. In displays designed to educate, the Museum demonstrates the diversity of Santa Cruz, including examples of flora and fauna.

We discovered this small gem as we walked back from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The life-sized grey whale outside caught my kid’s attention immediately and they enjoyed climbing and exploring for the next 20 minutes.

Whale Tail

Inside the museum, we looked through many of the permanent exhibits, including the Ohlone Peoples display, which was timely for us, as my son had just finished studying the Ohlone in school. My daughter loved the touch pool filled with marine animals from the Monterey Bay. And, as you might expect, I was drawn to the observation beehives!

During the summer, the museum offers weekly events and programs, as well as camps for kids age 7-12.

Museum displays

Plan Your Visit:

Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
Closed Monday

Admission:
$2.50/adult;
$1.50/seniors (60+);
Youth under 18: FREE

Address:
1305 East Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Tel: (831) 420-6115

Junior Museum and Zoo

by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl

A recent visit to this Palo Alto landmark reminded me again what a great attraction this is for families with young children.

When my kids were toddlers and still in playgroups, our friends used to meet there often, especially in the winter, when the weather was unpredictable. Inside the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo we would find activities to keep our kids entertained for hours.

As I rediscovered recently, the Jr. Museum offers hands-on science exhibits in a contained space that offers several vantage points. You can park yourself in the middle of the room and watch as your kids explore, or get in there with them and experience the exhibits yourself.

Science exhibit

Outside the museum, in the back of the facility, is the zoo part of the Palo Alto Jr. Museum and Zoo. The best part of the zoo is the smell from the Bobcat habitat. I know that sounds strange, but I remember that smell from when I was a kid!

Resting raccoon

Gander at the goose

The Jr. Museum also offers special programs throughout the year, including Dads & Donuts and Moms & Muffins.

Plan Your Visit:

Hours:

Monday: closed
Tuesday through Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Please call the City of Palo Alto (650) 329-2111 for current hours and holiday schedules.

Admission is FREE, although a small donation is requested.

Address

Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo
1451 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto, CA 94301 Tel: (650) 329-2111

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

The Duluth Children’s Museum has been around for quite a while; I remember stopping there as a child, perhaps the only children’s museum I went to before I had children of my own.  What I remember most vividly was the treehouse that was perfect for climbing from one level to another.  As a child, there was something memorable about that treehouse.

We took our own kids to the Duluth Children’s Museum, and the tree house is still there.  As an adult, it’s not as magical as from a child’s viewpoint.  As a parent, I realized that the treehouse is great fun for kids to go up and down in, and therefore it makes it hard to keep track of multiple children on the two levels of the museum.

Other than this little detail, we enjoyed our trip to the museum.  It’s not as big or showy as some children’s museums we’ve been to, but it has several exhibits that are interesting for kids.

Exhibit at Duluth Children

A bonus is that admission to the Duluth Children’s Museum includes admission to other venues in the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center, including the train museum, a local history museum, and art exhibit.

We spent the morning there, but we were glad to finish our museum tour before lunch because there really wasn’t anywhere nearby to eat.

This is a good stop with kids, especially on cold winter days; they’ll enjoy the children’s museum as well as the trains next door.  And maybe, just maybe, they’ll find the treehouse to be as magical as I did when I was a child.

Photo credit:  minnemom

by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl

The forecast for the rest of the week is rain, rain, rain! And, when I find myself at home with the kids on a rainy day, I itch to get out and explore. Here are my top 5 recommendations for (indoor) family activities in San Francisco Bay Area on a rainy day:

Zeum, Yerba Buena Park

Zeum

Located in the middle of Yerba Buena Park, in the South of Market area of San Francisco, Zeum focuses the experience on technology and hands-on time with Animation, Video Production, Sound Production, Performance, and Visual Arts. Follow Zeum on Twitter to keep up with the latest news.

Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo

This local attraction, which has served Palo Alto for 70 years, is definitely a fun place to go on a rainy day – out back, there is a small zoo with bugs, bats, geese, turtles, ferrets, hedgehogs and bobcats. Inside, loads of hands-on science activities keep kids busy and out of your hair.

Bay Area Discovery Museum

This hands-on children’s museum at Fort Baker in Sausilito has tons of fun things to explore on a rainy day. And they have a blog! Check out the Bay Area Discovery Museum Blog for up-to-date and insider information on their programs and projects.

California Academy of Sciences

California Academy of Sciences

I profiled this San Francisco attraction back in November – still a great place to take kids on a rainy day. If you really want to maximize your experience, get there early, pick up your Planetarium tickets right after you arrive, and hit the Rainforest before the crowds descend.

Children’s Discovery Museum

San Jose has its own children’s museum, a wonderful attraction for a rainy day. The “main street” of the museum teaches kids about traffic lights and stop signs, while exhibits through out the 3 floors introduce concepts about light, air and shape. Definitely worth a visit to the Children’s Discovery Museum!

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

DuPage Children

With four young children, a lot of our outings involve children’s museums.  Whether close to home or on vacation, we usually find at least one or two children’s museums along the way.

When in Chicago, we explored the DuPage Children’s Museum in the western suburb of Naperville.  This sprawling hands-on museum has three floors of activities.  Instead of being divided into separate galleries, the exhibit areas are grouped into more fluid “neighborhoods,” allowing siblings from one family to do different activities while remaining under the eye of one parent.  Even the toddler areas are adjacent to bigger-kid activities rather than being in a separate room, and offer a variety of activities that are fun for little tots, including scaled-down versions of some of the regular exhibits.

Our kids especially enjoyed the kinetic sculpture, the building workshop, the music area, the ball blast, and the water tables.  We ran out of time during our visit, so we didn’t even get to explore the second and third floors.

The museum is brightly colored and fun throughout.  Windows allow natural light in many areas.

Clear directions for reaching the museum are given on its website, and there’s a Metra train station just across the parking lot.

We’d love to return to the DuPage Children’s Museum and explore some more.

by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl

In the middle of San Francisco’s South of Market area is Yerba Buena Gardens, with enough activities to keep families, adults and visitors happy for days.

Looking toward YBCA and SF MOMA

Divided up in two main areas, the lower area is surrounded by Metreon, an entertainment and technology marketplace and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. At the YBCA, take in one of the ODC shows or participate in a join-along on the outdoor stage. At the Metreon, take time to explore the various exhibits and shops, or take in a movie at the Century Theaters upstairs.

During the warmer months, grab a seat on the grass and enjoy a picnic or relax in the sun. Don’t miss the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial at the end of the grass area – be sure to take a meditative walk through the waterfalls, stopping to read the inspiring messages.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

Across the bridge, as you walk over Harrison Street, marvel at the traffic and excitement of the road below you. On the other side awaits a wonderland of things to do, including Zeum, the museum devoted to technology and creativity, a carousel, bowling alley and ice-skating rink.

Oracle Wishing Tree

Outdoors, kids and families also enjoy the Yerba Buena Gardens Children’s Playground, complete with sky-high slides, climbing structures, and a hedge maze. In the warmer months, the water and sand area is popular – bring a change of clothes just in case.

Children's Playground

If hunger strikes while you are visiting, check out Samavor for lunch or afternoon tea, or try one of the many restaurants inside the Metreon food court.

by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl

Searching for a low-key, community museum for a family adventure? Want to learn more about the Bay Area ecological systems? Looking for a mix of plants and animals in a hands-on environment? Check out the Coyote Point Museum for all this and more.

Located inside Coyote Point Park, the Coyote Point Museum has been around since 1954, featuring an outdoor area with wildlife habitats, as well as different garden areas highlighting Bay Area wildflowers and plants. There is a small picnic area outside, if you bring your own snacks (there is no café or restaurant on site).

Inside, as you enter the museum, exhibits beckon you to stop and touch. My kids enjoyed Take Flight, the wind tubes – we spent a good 30 minutes there, with the two of them pushing all sorts of shapes into the chambers to watch them fly up to the ceiling. Shortly after we arrived, one of the rangers brought out a special visitor for a Keeper Talk – a regular feature of the museum, along with River Otter Feeding, offered each day.

Upstairs, visitors walk through several exhibits designed to demonstrate the 6 different areas of Bay Area ecosystems, including Chapparal and Baylands. My son had just finished a unit about this topic school and was eager to demonstrate his new knowledge! At the very end was my favorite part – a whole display devoted to honey bees with a very cool hive display; the bees have a special in and out of the museum and build their hive with pollen collected from nearby fields.

Open Tuesday – Sunday, tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children. Teachers are always free!