USA TODAY 10Best
Best Children's Museum? Readers select The DoSeum.
Best Children's Museum (2022)
It can be a challenge to keep kids entertained while traveling, especially on days when the weather doesn't cooperate. Luckily these 10 museums, chosen as the best for families in North America, offer interactive and engaging experiences for kids and adults alike.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Children's Museum are as follows:
- Children's Museum of Houston - Houston
- Please Touch Museum - Philadelphia
- Children's Museum of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh
- Children's Museum of Phoenix - Phoenix
- Kohl Children's Museum - Chicago
- The Strong Museum - Rochester, N.Y.
- The Magic House - St. Louis
- The Children's Museum of Indianapolis - Indianapolis
- City Museum - St. Louis
- The DoSeum - San Antonio, TX
Photo courtesy of Children's Museum of Houston
No. 10:
Aimed at kids under the age of 12, the Children’s Museum of Houston features over a dozen interactive galleries where kids can learn about the culture and traditions of the Gullah, construct their own inventions in the Maker Annex, learn about the environment at EcoStation, test their bodies in PowerPlay or explore a pint-sized city known as Kidtropolis. Every Thursday evening, the museum hosts a Free Family Night where admission is free.
Photo courtesy of J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA
No. 9:
Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum offers two floors of exhibits that kids are actively encouraged to touch. Little ones can safely play in a construction zone or go down the rabbit hole to a Wonderland-inspired play station. A historic and recently refurbished carousel is a great way to end a visit on a high note. The museum also hosts a variety of family-friendly programs, so there's always something new to explore.
Photo courtesy of Children's Museum of Pittsburgh
No. 8:
Inside the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, visitors can explore numerous hands-on, interactive exhibit areas meant to spark curiosity. The Attic explores illusions, perception and phenomena; the Garage is the place to explore things that drive, roll and fly; the Studio allows kids to express their creativity through various art forms and at the Children’s Museum’s new MuseumLab, kids 10 and older can have cutting edge experiences in art, technology and making.
Photo courtesy of Sandra Tenuto Photography
No. 7:
Designed for children from birth to 10 years old, the Children's Museum of Phoenix has more than 48,000 square feet of exhibit space spread across three floors of the historic Monroe School building. Kids get hands on with 300 experiences, including an art studio, larger-than-life building blocks, fort building area, reading nook and a noodle forest.
Photo courtesy of Kohl Children's Museum
No. 6:
With a special emphasis on early childhood learning, the Kohl Children's Museum just outside Chicago features 17 interactive exhibits. Kids get creative at Adventures in Art, practice social skills at Cooperation Station, make a splash at Water Works and connect with nature in the outdoor Habitat Park. The museum is designed for children under eight years of age.
Photo courtesy of The Strong, Rochester, New York
No. 5:
The Strong Museum, a highly interactive museum in Rochester, houses the world’s largest collection of artifacts related to play, a collection that can be explored in the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame and the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Kid favorites include the Pinball Playfields, Wegmans Super Kids Market, Reading Adventureland and Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden.
Photo courtesy of The Magic House
No. 4:
The Magic House, St. Louis’s children’s museum, helps visiting kids explore their curiosity, enhance their creativity and develop their problem solving skills. Housed within a Victorian mansion, the museum’s lineup of interactive exhibits include Children’s Village, STEAM Center, Art Studio, Math Path, Bubble Room, Kids Construction Zone and the Waterfall Patio.
Photo courtesy of The Children's Museum of indianapolis
No. 3:
A favorite Indy attraction, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis is the largest museum of its kind in the world, encompassing 29 acres of fun-filled exhibits. Kids can snap a selfie with a T-rex, explore outer space through the lens of NASA’s Project Mercury, travel overseas without a passport in Take Me There: Greece, and play one of 12 sports outdoors in a fabulous interactive sports park with health in mind.
Photo courtesy of Zakary Littrell
No. 2:
Housed in the 600,000-square-foot former warehouse of the International Shoe Company, the St. Louis City Museum has a bit of everything — the world's largest jungle gym, a 10-story spiral slide and a rooftop garden with stellar views of the city.
Photo courtesy of The DoSeum
No. 1:
Opened in 2015 in San Antonio, The DoSeum is much more than a children’s museum – it’s a place where “minds are always at play.” Each guest is inspired to cultivate their curiosity and explore the joy of learning through STEM, the arts, and literacy. Exhibits, programs, camps, classes, and field trips are offered for all ages. DIY activities to do at home, such as fairy garden terrariums and coffee ground fossils, encourage learning after leaving the museum.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning children's museums!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Chez Chesak
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor... Read More
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.
Chez Chesak
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.
Kyle McCarthy
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of... Read More
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations and The Family Vacationist e-newsletter provide destination reviews, tips and seasonal roundups for all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravelforum.
Kyle McCarthy
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations and The Family Vacationist e-newsletter provide destination reviews, tips and seasonal roundups for all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravelforum.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
