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The Minnesota Children’s Museum (“MCM”) in Saint Paul is a large museum geared towards kids. It offers three floors of hands-on fun, free play and self-directed experiences. Created with a goal of helping kids develop social, emotional and cognitive skills through play, it also inspires parents with new ways to play with their kids.  The museum houses both permanent galleries that MCM refers to as “kid-powered play spaces” and a traveling exhibits gallery. The whole museum encourages kids to explore and connect with the world around them.

Articles Featuring the Minnesota Children’s Museum:

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Best Ages for Visiting Minnesota Children’s Museum

In the past, we would have called it the “little kids museum” and suggested families with kids over the age of 7 choose a different museum. However with their 2017 remodel, they have brought in elements for all ages. Families with both young children and bigger kids will find interesting exhibits and amazing displays. Gianna’s family thoroughly tested and approved the updates shortly before the grand reopening.

Smaller kids could spend a full day exploring and not get bored. Most of the exhibits are appropriate for the 10 and under crowd. The Scramble is fun for all ages. With older kids, you may want to keep your trip shorter or combine it with a visit to the nearby Science Museum of Minnesota.

8 Tips for Families Visiting the Minnesota Children’s Museum

1. If you park in the World Trade Center Ramp, bring your ticket for validation and take advantage of skyway access to avoid the elements.
2. Bring socks; they are REQUIRED in The Scramble.
3. Kids might splash and get wet in Forces at Play and Sprouts. You may want to bring a change of clothes, avoid these areas or just be prepared for damp kids.
4. Wear your pedometer! With three floors of fun, interactive exhibits, your afternoon could net you an expressive amount of steps.
5. Bring quarters for a locker. There are a limited number of lockers available, and they currently cost $1.00 in quarters. Not a bad price to avoid carrying extra baggage all day.
6. Bring a lightweight stroller (and maybe you won’t need a locker). There are some elevators for families who need them, but sometimes its easier to just carry a light stroller up the stairs.
7. Got a school birthday party coming up? Hit the gift shop to find unique, educational children’s gifts that encourage wonder and fun play.
8. For a special treat,

*All pictures are our own or used with permission from the Minnesota Children’s Museum.

5 Ways to Save on Minnesota Children’s Museum Tickets

1. Buy Online: Save $4 over the weekend price and $1 on weekday prices by buying online.
2. Go on a weekday. Tickets are $3 less on weekdays than on weekends.
3. All Play Tickets. All Play Tickets are needs based.
4. Membership.  Membership – The No-Clutter Gift of Together Time
5. Free First Sundays. Read more below.

MN Children’s Museum Free Day

Free admission Sundays at MCM are now held on First Sundays (formerly third Sundays). Reservations are required and tickets tend sell out quickly; scroll the bottom for a ticket link. We recommend signing up for the museum’s email list if you want to attend.

If your family is using EBT, WIC or the Free/Reduced Lunch program, you may prefer to purchase $3 tickets through their All Play Program and attend on a less-crowded day. Scroll to the bottom of this article for a link to learn more about qualifications and to purchase tickets.

Birthday Parties at Minnesota Children’s Museum – Currently on Hold

Children’s Museum usually offers staff-directed birthday parties that include set up, clean up and entrance into the galleries. There are two levels, the basic Monster Celebration Party is meant for a smaller, more active group of children that wants to spend their time playing and exploring the museum independent. It includes and ice cream treat and admission for up to 6 guests.

Birthday Parties are still on hold in 2023.  We hope to see them return soon.

Learn more online or by calling 651-225-6000! In the meantime, find other birthday party venues in FFTC’s Ultimate Guide to Birthday Parties in the Twin Cities.

Interactive Exhibits

I guarantee that your kids AND you will have a blast at these exhibits! While we were there on a testing day in 2017, we had the ability to check out some of the newest exhibits. These are some of our favorite permanent exhibits offering plenty of fun for the entire family.

The Scramble

The Scramble is the Minnesota Children’s Museum’s  extreme indoor playground.  It extends from the 1st floor to the 4th floor and is approximately 44 ft tall. Everything is big enough for adults to utilize the space, but extremely safe for the toddliest member of your family.
• Best Feature: A staircase from top to bottom so parents can reach their kids quickly if necessary.
• 2nd Best Feature: In three words: The Funnel Slide.

Super Awesome Adventures

Super Awesome Adventures is the place where creative thinking and large motor skills collide. Build an ultimate balance beam or sneak through the ninja course.
• Best Feature: Strap sliders on your feet, put on a helmet, and swoosh down classic-shaped skatepark obstacles (no half pipes, though).
• 2nd Best Feature: A climbing wall/green screen combination

Creativity Jam

Creativity Jam was once a traveling exhibit that came and went on the whim of the Minnesota Children’s Museum, but now it is a permanent feature that combines sticker joy with face paint joy, music joy, and building/engineering joy for dynamic and new experiences each time you visit.
• Best Feature: It’s so hard to choose, but I think it’s got to be the face paint station with adjustable mirrors on a long table for many kids  to use at the same time (unlike the cart in the past).
• 2nd Best Feature: Building station. The blocks they use are super unique and really fun.

Imaginopolis

Imaginopolis is home to creative play with simple lines and shapes.  It’s a somewhat empty place for your imagination to go wild.  The lights are dimly lit and in one corner is the Noodle Forest.
• Best Feature: The Noodle Forest.  It’s fun to enter and it’s a cozy little space.
• 2nd Best Feature:  The simplicity of the space. I can see my 10 year old loving this place with a couple of friends.  They would create a whole story of a new world.

Forces at Play

This is one of the wet exhibits! Kids can learn a little about physics while using a sprayer in the car wash and engineer and build with ramps, tubes, balls and cars.
• Best Feature: The car wash – as long as you don’t mind getting wet.

Sprouts

Designed for ages 3 and under, this space for toddlers and crawling babies has stairs, bridges and a slide to explore. It also has a water table for splashing. Families with small kids like the fact that there is plenty of space to crawl around in a clean, safe and gated environment. This space tends to be less crowded than traditional indoor playgrounds.
• Best Feature: A quiet break room to take your tot to when they need a break or for caregivers to feed an over-stimulated baby in a calm environment.

Our World

A pretend town where kids can imagine themselves in all sorts of grown up jobs and learn important life skills by playing dress up and pretend play at stations like a post office, fire station, farmers market, hardware store and food stand.
• Best Feature: Dress up. Kids never tire of this and parents can take a break during this time.

Shipwreck Adventures

Kids can go on an undersea escapade based on a real Lake Superior sunken ship and explore  the environment of a North Shore landscape.

• Best Feature: The laser maze.

The Studio/Backyard/Tip Top Terrace

The Studio was updated with more than simple visual arts projects.  Try your hand a sewing or sculpting or painting, etc.  The Backyard is a brand new exhibit that includes a bird’s nest for your little birdies and “earthy” activities.

The New outdoor were created to encourage kids to take ‘healthy risks that challenge both body and mind.” Some new elements include a giant kaleidoscope, a mirror reflection house and a solar-powered sculpture.

The Tip Top Terrace is a seasonal exhibit on the tip top of the museum to view St. Paul, make a little music, or draw.  A shade awning over this space was was created in partnership with the Center for Hmong Arts & Talent.

Useful Links:

• Buy Online Tickets to Save on Admission
• Income-based Tickets for Qualifying Families
• Reservations are Required for Free First Sunday – Learn more and reserve tickets here.
• Following MN Children’s Museum on Facebook is a good way to get a heads up when Free First Saturday tickets are available.
• Visiting Rochester? Stop by the SPARK Children’s Museum.