TLDR: This place is unfriendly, rude, inaccessible. Was blocked at the door and told to go elsewhere! Their website at the very bottom says that their "museum" is designed for 4- 9 year olds. What it doesn't mention is that if you bring a 2 year old, you will be turned away. I drove 30 min to come this run down building as I wanted to patronize more south side businesses. This was a mistake as the owners are rude and condescending. A 501c3 is not supposed to act as some weird club that can turn away kids because you assume 2 year olds don't have the capacity to do arts and crafts - which is so stupid. This place has been in the neighborhood for years and yet it is always empty and no I know has ever gone inside. This place could and should be more accessible instead of telling people to call around and go to another museum. They had the audacity to try and explain how children's museums work. Maybe take better notes. Oh and they told me to try the children's museum at navy pier - considering it's closer to me and you clearly don't want any customers - I will and so should other people. read more

My 4 yr. grandson and I spent the morning and will return again. We both learned so much! This is a Wonderful fun & educational jewel for all! Thank you Bronzeville Childrens Museum we appreciate you!! read more

Its museum filled full of fictional claims, such as Dr. Daniel Hale Williams being the first American to perform open heart surgery. This is factually false and this would be correctly attributed to Henry Dalton who did so years prior to Williams, and if you're counting people other than Americans, it would be Francisco Romero nearly 90 years prior to Williams. read more

While this museum is nice, the staff should not be allowed to work with kids. I recently went to chaperone a field trip for my sons class and the lady leading the visit super short tempered and rude to the children. She must have missed the memo that 5 year olds get antsy when you try to teach them lessons via lecture. There was also a craft activity where a little girl took more that four (4) pipe cleaners to decorate a picture and the guide basically scolded her saying "you did not follow directions! You were only supposed to take 4 how is this fair to the other children" in front of her whole class! Heaven forbid she actually try to have FUN while doing the project. Our visit became more about me trying to protect the children and less about enjoying the experience. Perhaps they need more training in working with and engaging young children. Needless to say, I won't be going back. read more

What a joy to have a place like this in my neighborhood? Formerly housed in Evergreen Plaza before its recent close this museum has been around for 18 yrs. They cater to children 3-9yrs old and really organize a learning experience for children related to the AA experience and noteworthy AA people throughout our country's history. The staff were soooo nice and gave us a tour even though they had an event going on at the time. There were so many visually interesting things here and my son loved more of the tactile elements. I cant wait until he is a little older so we can come back and really get the most out of this place. Not so humbly submitted, King Michael C. read more

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This was a wonderful visit for our 4 year old. So much information provided and engaging activities. The museum was empty on a spring morning, which was nice for us but I hope more people check it out. It's a great activity. Highly recommend. read more

The staff was warm, friendly and very accommodating. Miss Margaret gave a great tour, it was thorough and filled with knowledge. The tour included some instruction, crafts, videos and free play time. As I parent of three young kids, I appreciated the structure, it gave me a chance to "breathe" and observe my kids in action. As an adult, I also enjoyed learning more about the many African Americans who were inventors. I highly recommend this museum, which was also very clean and organized. read more

My children love Bronzeville Children's Museum. It is not the typical museum. If you are looking for free play and the ability to roam around at your leisure, this is not the place for you. I think it's structured more for school tours than for families or individuals. The museum has a set tour schedule. The staff leads the tour of the exhibits within the museum. There was a brief lecture, video and then hands on activities for the girls in each exhibit. My girls loved it all especially the nutrition and fitness exhibit. I will agree with the previous reviewer on one point - you do have to ring the bell and wait for someone to open the door for admission. However, I did not have a problem with this and actually felt safer because I knew that not just anyone could walk in or out. read more

Tours are not given to adults. The signage said the tours are suitable for those at least three years of age, but there was no indication that anyone else would be turned away at the door. This is not typical of children's museums. It's shameful that the other woman who commented on here, who brought her child younger than 3, was turned away. Bad customer service. read more

I tried to take my child here on a Tuesday of last week during what was listed as their hours of business. They unfortunately were closed. We decided to return today and were turned away by the owner because my child is not yet three years old-- she will be three 10/16. After expressing that I'd tried to visit the museum the week prior, and it was unexpectedly closed, I asked the owner to allow us a minute or two to walk around as my child had their heart set on attending. The owner replied "you cannot simply walk around museums". Not only was she rude, her reply expressed the exact opposite of how museums function. I have an extensive museum background and it's incredibly disheartening with so few institutions in our neighborhoods, this one decides to turn away interested youth and potential patrons. Not exactly sure how this place will keep the doors open if they continue to refuse visitors entry. Visit at your own risk. read more

While the website indicates that the tours are designed for children over 3, it does not indicate that children under 3 will be turned away at the door. Please update your website so parents do not make a long drive and are disappointed at the entrance. read more

My partner and I had a bad experience at the museum,they are not people oriented,the older lady appeared arrogant and not wanting us there,she kept stating (this is an African-American museum) o.k we got that,my partner asked is this a place for us or not because she was so cold,she said she meaning our grandchild couldn't run around and play,then she said when she's older recommended 3-9 or something like that,that is not a place where anyone should take their kids,unless they want to be treated cold or was it because my partner is Caucasian,my partner seems to think so. read more

This museum is a great way to learn about important African American facts, but it's quite a shame that they are able to refuse service to underserved pre-k students due to "form of payment". Our black and brown students were extremely excited to see all that this museum had to offer, but instead, they were turned away by the OWNER with a rude "I said no", all because she had an issue with the school's payment timeline. This is NOT the meaning of community! read more

They will not let you in unless your child is exactly 3 even if you want to attend. This is not listed anywhere on their website and seems like an arbitrarily enforced policy. It does not seem like an inclusive environment. read more

The Bronzeville Children's Museum is such a unique and special place. The exhibits are amazing - I love the STEM exhibit in particular! When you first walk in, you're dazzled by the rainbow of amazing colors in the museum and the reading room is a real gem. You have to take your kids there to see it in person! Highly recommended. read more

I visited the Bronzeville children's museum yesterday and I liked it and dislikes it for the same reason. They operate with guided tours only and the entire visit is very structured. This means they have a mini "class" for the children followed by a movie and then free play. There are 4 rooms and you visit all with the same model, class, movie, free play. It's the only African American themed children's museum in the country so historically it's pretty neat but it's definitely not a place where you go let the kids loose like other children's museums. In the beginning you could tell my six year old was anxious to run around and play but she had to endure the lesson and movie. After she got the hang of things she was very happy and wanted to go back. It's definitely not a place for children under 3 or older than 9 as stated on the website. I'm Latina and felt very comfortable being there. I had a great experience but if you're used to other children's museums it will be a bit of a shock to you when you first get there because of the structure. read more

Bronzeville Children's Museum - At the museum. - Children's Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Unfortunately the 1 star that I am offering is only for the ease of location and the brand new looking facility from the outside. Now for "My" personal issues, I was excited to take my 2yr old son to the museum especially since the signage stated "building children's minds." As I entered the parking lot I noticed that my car and only 1 other occupied the lot. I was totally fine with this seeing that it was 1pm on a Wednesday and most were at school or work. I find this to be a prime opportunity to enjoy an educational outing with my son. As we approached the door, I read a sign that offered the museum's hours, which were compliant with and then an age requirement of 3yrs-9 for "Tours" with the tour times outlined. So, I figured since me and the little guy were not interested in a tour that we would be just fine to enter and explore. Boy was I WRONG. We had to ring a bell to have someone open the door and an older woman came to greet us. She stuck her head out of the door and from the reception I was sure she was going to say they were closed or something. She seemed more of a "gatekeeper" than anything and waited for me to ASK if we could enter. She then proceeded to ask my Son's age in which I replied, "'he is 2." She instantly told us that he was too young and that he would not be interested in the tour. I instantly replied, " no problem, we weren't looking for a guided tour," and asked if it truly was an interactive museum. Long story short, we were turned away and I was completely turned OFF. I have enjoyed days at the museum of Science and Industry, sat with my son during a 10minute planet exhibit and all. To Assume that my son would not be interested in the museum or even tour at age 2 versus 3 is insane and disrespectful. Is there truly a huge difference in the two ages? Building children's minds? Who determines at what is age appropriate for that mind to begin building? I wonder if the Children's museum at Navy Pier has the same doorbell, gatekeeper, ages, and emptiness? I'll surely update you as I explore other areas to help build my Son's mind and understanding of his community and the world. I believe leaders start early, and maybe we limit ourselves with age restrictions when it comes to learning. This wasn't the a Six Flags ride we were attempting to get on or an exclusive Chicago nightclub. Not happy as you can see. read more

We took a tour of the museum it was unique, different than any other museum that I had visited before. It was very informative. The history was rich and the staff were very passionate about their job! I wish all children in the Chicagoland area could have access to this information! read more

We took our kindergarten class there today. Not very much to do and lots of rules like only take 10 groceries for your cart. Really? Our children were so well mannered and polite but one child was called rude to his face in front of the entire class because he answered a question without raising his hand. I would never take anyone there again. It was more like attending school than a children's museum. How many movies and speeches do you expect 5 and 6 year old children to sit through? They got to play on the meager amount of toys for probably 20 minutes of our entire time there. Very unimpressed indeed. read more

I am impressed by the BCM's commitment to providing such a great learning experience for young kids. Also, everyone I have talked to said their kids have had a great time at the museum. I would recommend going! read more

Had a fantastic time at the museum with my children. This is a different kind of children's museum that is educational as well as fun and exciting. When it was time to go, my son cried because he did not want to leave. I highly recommend it for kids up to 9. I even learned a few things myself. I think we will have my son's birthday party there. read more

My daughter spent a wonderful fourth birthday at the Bronzeville Children's Museum. This is an incredible resource for young children in Chicago. We went there not realizing that the programs would be structured, and at first, I wondered how my daughter would respond. It turned out to be a wonderful challenge for her, and I was delighted to see her rise to the occasion. She followed the lead of older children and responded very well to the educator, so we ended up spending the entire day at the museum - right through lunch. Ten days later, my daughter is still singing the STEM song and talking about how nice Ms. Margaret was. Ms. Margaret was very engaging and adept at balancing the abilities of differently aged students all at once. We were really enjoyed learning about African-American inventors and trying out a green screen. My daughter loved the art projects. I especially liked the thoughtful presentations; along with my daughter, I learned things I didn't know about how African-American history has enriched Chicago and our daily lives. read more