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    Boston Children's Museum

    4.1 (323 reviews)
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    Elisa C.

    Great place for the whole family. Really enjoyed the Winnie the Pooh Exhibit that is traveling. There were displays and interactive sections of this section. Lots of things for my 4yo niece to do. She really liked the bubble room and the energy sections of the museum.

    My daughter went to a park afterwards and was traumatized
    Allegra

    My daughter got stuck in the rope thing! Staff had to help her find a way out! We then went to the park afterwards and my poor daughter was traumatized!

    Julie F.

    I have been coming here since before I was married with a kid. My friends and I would come as unaccompanied adults where you would leave your ID at the front. Now I bring my 5 year old. The climbing structure is my favorite. We have a great time here. We usually walk from South Station.

    Charmaine D.

    We spent a weekend in Cape Cod but had a flight leaving from Boston at 5:45pm so we decided to check out this museum before our flight. We arrived there at 12:40pm and the kind cashiers told us if we waited another 5 minutes we could all get in for only a $1 a person. I mean....$3 vs. $66? Um...yes! I didn't see this Sunday afternoon special advertised online but it was definitely a pleasant surprise! The place was amazing! It was definitely crowded on the first floor but as you go up to the other floors you'll find plenty more room. So many things to do and see. Everything is interactive. My 5 year old son had a blast and was sad we had to go after only 2.5 hours in the place; he could have definitely spent another hour or two if we didnt have to catch a plane. Highly recommend for kids 6 and younger.

    Signage
    Travis C.

    This is such an amazing place for kids and adults! I can tell you I had a blast with my 2 year old and family. Parking wasn't even bad for being in Boston, went on the website ahead of time and parked in one of the parking garages that they validate. It was only $9 for 5+ hours which to me is super cheap for parking in Boston. Btw, you have to purchase tickets online which was super easy as well. Now lets talk about what they have... They have soo many different rooms. They have a room to make bubbles, at the entrance they have huge squares on the ground that you can step on and changes colors. The only downfall for me was my daughter got overstimulated and was pretty nervous and shy but after an hour she got into her normal groove and wanted to check out everything. Her favorite area and mine was the Reserve Play Space, which was a nice chill area for the kids and adults. You can practically take a nap in that area but be sure to reserve your tickets with this as well. It's no the same ticket as the entrance fee but it is free. Overall, we loved all 3 floors of this museum and will be back again. Be sure to check it out if you have a little one.

    Beautiful and fun three story climbing structure!
    John H.

    Wow what a great place to spend a rainy day! The space is huge and there are multiple rooms for hours of entertainment. I had just as much fun as my kid with the water stations and the toddler playroom which was full of little structures and space to run. Note the playroom requires a reservation but you can also try your luck with the waitlist. There is lots of stroller parking on each floor and thoughtful little touches that make it easy on parents. The multistory climbing structure was beautiful as it is fun. Oh I wish I could be a kid again to experience it! This is a must see for anyone with a kid!

    Playing with trucks
    Tabitha M.

    My kids absolutely loved the museum. So many fun stations. I especially liked the dinosaur area personally. It seemed there was so much interactive activities there: between dressing Dino's, put magnetic beads onto the magnet dinosaurs, moving fluorescent strings around, getting in the star dome, making magnet words. All the areas were fun. We also really liked the construction zone, there was so many options everywhere you looked to do something different and fun. The water features were fun however my kids got super wet even with the smock on. Would recommend to have kids in short sleeve shirt or bring change of clothes. Also have an exit game plan as you will have trouble getting your kids out. The lunch room only had vending machines so it would be a good idea to have your own food and snacks.

    Taina R.

    This is a great place! My 3 year old had so much fun! It does get super crowded! But they had so many hands on things. Painting, building, coloring etc! Definitely would come here again when I'm the state .

    Bubble room!
    Vanessa M.

    This is such an awesome place for kids and my 18 month old couldn't have loved it more! The spaces are well thought out with something for every kid. It was clean, lots of space to run around and the workers were friendly. You need to buy tickets online ahead of time (I did not know this so thank goodness I looked the night before). For kids under 3, they have a play space. It was my 18 month old's favorite spot as he could climb, sit in a fake car and play with trains/balls. You have to make a reservation for this space, so do it in advance (I didn't know this prior). They do have a few walk-in slots available, so if you can't get a spot online, head there first right at 9:15 when the play space opens. The museum closes from 12-1:30, so I suggest getting there right at 9 a.m. or right at 1:30 because you will need the full time. My one complaint is that it is not enough time as we ended up rushing a little to try to see all of the rooms - but I'm guessing they close for cleaning and that's a perk. When we got there at 9 it was not busy at all and we enjoyed that, it kept getting busier throughout the day and at 11 it was packed. The cafe is fine - has pb&j, bagels, mac and cheese, soups and a few other snack options. Good coffee and nice little cafeteria to sit. Would highly recommend if you're in Boston or want to take a vacation with kid friendly options!

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    9 months ago

    So fun Lots to do! Really glad we made time on our trip to visit the museum. Would recommend.

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    2 years ago

    Clean and amazing facility with sooo much for our two year old to do! Great staff. We'll definitely be back.

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    Page 1 of 9

    Boston Children's Museum Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Boston Children's Museum

    How is the walk from South station to the museum? Reasonable to do with a two year old and stroller? Is there a pedestrian bridge? Thanks!

    Totally walkable with a stroller! There is a pedestrian bridge and sidewalks etc for the entire quarter mile. It's really a nice walk (if the weather is nice).

    With and 1 and 4 year old, if we went for the $1 Friday nights for only 2-3 hours, is that enough time to explore a satisfying amount of the museum?

    The museum is huge! I would say 2-3 hrs is good for that age but you would want to come back to see things that may be missed

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Boston Children's Museum

    The climbing structure is improved, but just as freaky for parents whose younger children are inside!

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Museum of Illusions - Boston - Counter where we checked in

    Museum of Illusions - Boston

    3.5(49 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    WOW, what FUN!!! Son wanted to celebrate his bday in Bean town. Let me chose some things to do and…read morewe landed here. I've seen pictures and a video marketing promo and it looked like a good time. Purchased tickets on line for three adults took a screen shot of my receipt and Boston bound we went. Arrived earlier than anticipated so walked Fanuiel Hall and the area. Too early so many things were not open at 9a on a Saturday. The doors opened at 10a. While waiting I attempted to open the app needed to get your tickets and lo and behold the app crashes before we even get through the door. Thank God I took a screen shot of the receipt. Doors open and three families ahead of us go I and get checked in. Then it was our turn we were an hour early, no problem. The app crashed and I can't get my tickets, no problem reservations under our name! Done! Got our hands stamped and off we went. First exhibit was the moving eyes, then the crooked room then the hotel plunge. That closed when it was our turn, they needed to wash the floor. No problem we've got so much more ahead of us. The exhibits are for all ages although I think younger minds might not fully what is going on. A woman with her three children had a three year old who hated it. Then liked the more hands on wooden puzzles. There are optical illusions you simply spin or slide. Illusions where staff help you create an illusion to bring home. There was one exhibit that had both my guys, grown adults, saying let's do it again, let's do it again!! I cannot recommend this venue enough. Not local? Plan a trip here, located in Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. Come early because the longer it is open the more people come through. Every hour on the hour.

    Total rip off for what you get. Waaaay over priced. Took us 30 min with kids. More of a tourist…read moretrap than anything. Just thought for a minute and adjusted down to one star -$40 are you crazy? I want my money back.

    Photos
    Museum of Illusions - Boston - Sons feet my upper body

    Sons feet my upper body

    Museum of Illusions - Boston - BOOM! Slam dunkin!

    BOOM! Slam dunkin!

    Museum of Illusions - Boston - Right in Quincy Squate!

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    Right in Quincy Squate!

    Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

    Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

    4.5(670 reviews)
    0.1 miWaterfront, South Boston
    Takes reservations
    Private events

    We were so lucky to be in Boston for the 252nd anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. They were…read moreallowing people to experience it for free so we did. I'm so glad we did because it was a fun and interesting experience. The actors are in character and passionate about their roles which makes it fun. They also ask people from the audience to have a speaking part which makes it interactive. It was neat going on one of the ships and kids threw tea over the side. It was interesting to hear the story of the day, what happened to some of the people who participated and how they kept the story alive for so long. Loved seeing one of the crates that was thrown over and how families kept it and some tea safe. Everyone in our group had fun and enjoyed the experience. It's definitely worth it. Abby's Tea Room at the end is nice too.

    This was unexpectedly fun. We happened to be walking passed the museum on our way to another event…read moreand found out they were offering free entry for the 252nd anniversary. Who could say no to that? It starts out in a meeting room where everyone is given a profile card of a real person from the period. My wife even got a speaking role. Then thy take you out to one of the two ships where you get to tour the ship as well as throw tea boxes and loose leaf tea overboard. You then move inside again for some video presentations as well as a chance to see actual artifacts from the tea party like an actual tea crate. Had no idea that even still existed. And you finish off with a gift ship and cafe with some darn good cookies. Overall a fun and educational experience.

    Photos
    Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum - Interior

    Interior

    Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum - On the boat

    On the boat

    Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum - Abigail herself

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    Abigail herself

    Museum of Ice Cream - Cotton Candy

    Museum of Ice Cream

    2.5(113 reviews)
    0.3 miWaterfront, South Boston

    We found some street parking nearby for 4 hours but there is also some garages around the area as…read morewell. We purchased the VIP tickets after contacting them ahead of time to inquire about Military Discounts which they do offer. We also added drink tokens for $15/each. The VIP tickets help you avoid booking a specific time slot and skipping the line. We showed up Monday afternoon around 1:30. There was no line at all so if you're coming on a weekend and don't want to wait in line, maybe the VIP ticket would be more beneficial. They provide you a wrist band if you did purchase that ticket. Someone immediately greets you at the entrance with "Hey scoops!" And you wait in an area before the doors open to a room. Someone greets you there and tells you that you can pick your ice cream name before being released into the museum for your own self guided tour. We were given ice cream drumsticks, we were able to choose between the cookies and cream and strawberry options. The first trivia and information room had some interesting facts. Entering next into the aircraft room where you got to sit in a seat and are offered more ice cream - ourselves was an orange sherbet type while the "plane windows" showed a video simulation of pink clouds and ice cream etc. The fridge room was next where you could open doors and see interesting facts, short games or little small areas for children and this led into another family room with a big tv. There was a small kids walkway where you could go to show up on the tv as well. In this room, the shelves had some bells where you could ring for a sweet treat and there was also a "hidden" room with books. Funway Park was also neat and a cool game area that we enjoyed which we ended with a scoop of Caramel Apple Ice Cream and that ended the tour with a Deconstructed Ice Cream Lobster Roll and then into the bar area. Here you could get additional scoops of ice cream and drinks which we used our tokens for. I definitely recommend the Raspberry Espresso Martini - that was our favorite out of the 4 drinks we ordered in total (Guava Paloma, Breezy Shirley & Cherry on Top). To get to the Sprinkle Pool, you could either go down the slide or in an elevator. If you want to get into the sprinkle pool, shoes do need to come off. The gift shop had some small items and you get some pins for the VIP Ticket (we did have to ask if there was anything additional) Overall, I don't think the VIP ticket was worth the price and would have been fine with the general admission or flex ticket. Cool concept and definitely loved all the ice cream flavors and the unlimited ice creams. They also keep this museum very clean which is tough with ice cream and littles.

    My niece and I had a really enjoyable time at this unique museum. Very fun, very interactive. Lots…read moreof pink everywhere you turn (even the men's restroom had pink walls ‍). Tickets for us were $41/each plus taxes. We went at 12pm on 4/22/26. It was busy but not too crowded where you couldn't even move. As soon as you go in you are offered ice cream. Then you go to the main room and they have an ice cream bar with regular ice cream, milkshakes, cocktails, mocktails, and more. They have some cool rooms to learn all about the history of ice cream. Interactive games and more ice cream treats await. I even rode the slide down to the exit area! The only ice cream that I tried that I didn't like was the lobster ice cream on the conveyor belt. The bread that came with it was great though! Will definitely do this again.

    Photos
    Museum of Ice Cream - The Creamliner

    The Creamliner

    Museum of Ice Cream - Museum of Ice Cream 5/2025

    Museum of Ice Cream 5/2025

    Museum of Ice Cream - Cream liner

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    Cream liner

    Providence Children's Museum

    Providence Children's Museum

    4.3(111 reviews)
    41.3 miDownCity
    Kid friendly
    Not-for-profit

    We had a wonderful visit to the Museum and would definitely recommend it for families with young…read morekids. There are tons of interactive exhibits including water play, climbing structures, pretend play areas, and building activities--that kept my toddler engaged the entire time. One of the highlights for us was the special area just for ages 0-4. It's such a thoughtful addition because it gives younger children their own safe space to crawl, climb, and play without being overwhelmed by the bigger kids. My toddler loved it, and as a parent, I appreciated that it was clean, well-designed, and developmentally appropriate. The superspace jumbo magnets were another hit amongst kids and adults alike. The parents got so invested into it and were building tunnels for the kiddos. Great fun for us too! Overall the space is very thoughtfully designed, and you can tell the staff really care about creating an engaging environment. They have a new craft activity everyday as well. Everything felt safe, clean, and inviting. It's easy to spend a few hours here without the kids getting bored. Another bonus is that the museum is in a great spot--there are a few restaurants within a block or two, which made it perfect to grab lunch right after all the fun.

    What a great place! Friends recommended to us and was a great way to spend a few hours getting out…read moreof the house! My son loved the water play area especially. Highly recommend getting library or discounted passes where available though as it cut tge cost of admission in half

    Photos
    Providence Children's Museum
    Providence Children's Museum
    Providence Children's Museum

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    Discovery Museum - Leonardo da Vinci workshop

    Discovery Museum

    3.7(102 reviews)
    22.1 mi

    I don't have kids but I went with my mom, sister and nephew. It was so cool to see what kinds of…read morebusinesses and opportunities there are for kids to receive enrichment beyond the home & classroom (e.g. daycare). It sounds like this is a popular place in the winter given its wide range of indoor activities. It's organized very well and provides different types of stimuli for children to choose from. The staff inside support and encourage parents & guardians to utilize the Discovery Museum's facilities to the best their kids are able to. The outdoor areas & trails seemed fun, as well as the giant chair and swing set.

    The Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum for families that opened in Acton, Massachusetts in 1982…read more It was founded by math teacher and naturalist Donald B. Verger. The museum blends science, natural and play. A second museum building opened in 1987. After an $8.8M expansion and renovation, the museum reopened as a single-building museum in March 2018. A 550 -square-foot tree house and accessible nature playscape were also added to the campus in July 2016. The current museum now has twice the exhibit space of the original museum and includes significant galleries for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) experiences including water, air, tinkering, design, engineering, early brain development, math, light and color, and sound. My family and I recently visited the Discovery Museum while we were visiting the area. We visited a local brewery for lunch and my wife and I were interested to see if there was a place nearby that we could take our sons. The museum came highly recommended. We're glad that we heard about it because we all had a blast. The whole campus was beautiful! There are a variety of different interactive exhibits devoted to topics such as math, airplay, water, music & sound, illusions, simple machines, light & color, and Leonardo da Vinci. My sons never wanted to leave. After exploring the museum, we all headed outside to explore the Discovery Woods. My sons really liked checking out the tree house, the nature playscape, Adventure Hill, the slap-a-phone, the outdoor da Vinci exhibits, and Bessie the Dinosaur. Overall we had an excellent experience at the Discovery Museum and we highly recommend it to families who are visiting the area!

    Photos
    Discovery Museum - Music making

    Music making

    Discovery Museum - Music room

    Music room

    Discovery Museum - Davinci's Workshop

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    Davinci's Workshop

    Harvard Museum of Natural History - Chocolate Tasting

    Harvard Museum of Natural History

    4.4(254 reviews)
    3.8 miHarvard Square

    What a treat it was to be able to see this in my lifetime and to spend some time on the grounds of…read moreHarvard University. So much in this museum I don't think you could possible see the whole place in one day. We spent 4-5 hours here and may have seen 50%. I so wish I lived closer so I could take it all in over several visits. The mineral and rocks area especially drew lots of my attention and I spent way too much time there and slowed us down a good bit. It's was so freaking cool though! Giant wads of gold and precious metals everywhere. Things I have never seen. Wonderful things! Also.... They have dinosaurs and so many cool things. Glass flowers, ancient artifacts, rare finds from around the world all housed in the historic University of Harvard campus. Check out my pics. I even have one where I am the last link in the evolutionary chain, LOL. Totally worth a trip here if you can. So many wonderful things to see!! '26 - 29

    I came for the glass flowers and they did not disappoint! It turns out that access to the glass…read moreflower exhibit also permits you to access the Peabody museum, the taxidermy exhibits, and the glass sea animals. I was most impressed by the glass exhibits and the entomology collection. I only wish they had a little more information on how the glass flowers were maintained and created, I learned a lot from asking a docent but I'd love to see more info! The taxidermy smelled a bit strongly but was very interesting! The Peabody exhibits were interesting... I was most amused by the Fiji mermaid and the "stickball" exhibit (wtf)!

    Photos
    Harvard Museum of Natural History - Dinosaur

    Dinosaur

    Harvard Museum of Natural History - Rock or mineral?

    Rock or mineral?

    Harvard Museum of Natural History - Birds!

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    Birds!

    Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston

    Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston

    3.6(441 reviews)
    0.4 miWaterfront, South Boston

    I rounded up to three stars, but if you are a non-MA tourist paying full price you would be hard…read morepressed to feel like you got any value for your museum money. This is a very small museum and everything in the museum gift shoppe is massively overpriced, considerably more than the typical museum store mark up around the world. When you walk up through Seaport, it is a really cool building from the exterior and it has great views of the water. It is also very close to the Levain, less than 5 minute walk. So far so good, but you have not even gotten indoors yet. Super cool installation in the lobby to welcome you in. So far so good, you haven't paid yet. How much is admission again? Take the elevator up to the 4th floor, there is no art on any of the other floors for you. It takes less than an hour to go through everything in the museum and that is if you go slow, take your time looking out the windows at the view of the water, hit the restroom, check your phone, and look at everything on the 4th floor again. It is a small museum. One review said she could do the entire 4th floor in 15 minutes, which is a real speed run, I at least read the placards and I was out in well under an hour. It is an interesting collection and art is subjective etc etc. If money is no object to you then great, pay the admission fee and the $85+ to get an unsigned, mass produced paper poster (no frame) as a souvenir in the gift shoppe on the way out. But anyone remotely cost conscious is going to feel like they did not get good value here for the full non-MA admission price.

    I don't think contemporary art is really for me, but we'd never been here and I was able to score…read morefree tickets for a Thursday which is my day off. Honestly, the building and location right by the water is beautiful. The portraits exhibit was lovely and interesting, but the rest of the exhibits kind of went over my head (how high the moon and doors). I also was not aware that we needed water shuttle tickets to go to the watershed exhibit which seemed more interesting, and the they had sold out for the day. The gift shop was worth a browse. We also were able to participate in their free event in which we made our own little displays with modeling clay of a place we want to protect. I thought this was really cute and it was mostly children and parents, but we spent a good chunk of time making our pieces and staff were friendly and helpful. I'm not sure I'd return, especially at full price, but I am interested in eventually coming back with water shuttle tickets next time.

    Photos
    Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston - View from dock.  Designed by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

    View from dock. Designed by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

    Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston
    Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston

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    Boston Children's Museum - childrensmuseums - Updated May 2026

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