This review needed to be updated! Since becoming a parent I have a new found respect for the children's museum. For as many times as my kids have been here they never get bored of it. As toddlers there enjoyed the small kids space but as bigger kids they just love exploring the whole building. We had been coming for years and just discovered the downstairs area!!! You can build all kinds of stuff down there. It truly is the best place in Houston you can go with kids! read more

Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

Very crowded and underwhelming Children's Museum, especially when compared to the Thinkery in Austin or the Doseum in San Antonio, both of which are leaps & bounds better, cleaner, more engaging and interesting. Kidtropolis was jam packed with people & it was utter chaos. There is no way everyone can enjoy it if they don't control traffic flow through that area. The downstairs level is dingy and dark with some Lego related activities but not a whole lot else. The upstairs level for tots was nice but again poorly managed. I'm glad we visited on a free night because it would not have been worth the money if we had paid for it. read more

This place is full of fun, but also full of people. I would say it was overcrowded. Compare to The Thinkery in Austin and Doseum in San Antonio this place will be the last, and I would not go back. The vibes, the atmosphere is not something we enjoyed there. The most memorable place inside of the building was library, very bright, clean and peaceful. And maybe outdoor activities. Parking is available on the street and they have parking garage on site. read more

Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

Impressive! This is the best and most is the immersive Children's Museum I've been to. The interactive options across multiple floors of dynamic exhibits allow children to safely explore ( but yes you still need to watch your kiddos). They have simple task like make your own airplane and experiment with aerodynamics through wind tunnels and airflow. Hands on gravity, motion and momentum zones, and innovative activities like designing your own game controller! Climbing structures integrated throughout encourage physical play (and yes some energy burn)! Outdoors children manipulate the direction and flow of water in interactive water tables and engineering principles. Beyond exhibits, there are amenities like food court, bookstore, and gift shop. My only critique is in the ticket purchase. If you buy at the kiosk and not counter (24" away) you save $2 BUT then the kiosk charges you $1.62 processing fee so big whoop on the .38 cent savings. The kiosk only makes sense when purchasing multiple tickets but is still something for the business to take a look at. Overall, awesome space! Plan to stay several hours to enjoy all the offerings. read more

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Amazing place for kids! My daughter loved the hands on exhibits and interactive games. Everything was clean and super engaging. It was a bit crowded, but still worth it. Tip: Thursdays are free for families just reserve tickets on their website! read more

Children's Museum - exploring a hands-on game station at the museum. - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

Every Thursday is family Free Day!!! This was my first time to the museum and I had a great time. They also had the Fire Marshall present and gave the kids deputy hats. I love the open space in the toddler area and the little kitchen, tables for them. We had a great time exploring and they also make sure it's clean as possible by supplying wipes, sanitizer and shoe booties. I will definitely come back. The little HEB store was super cute and Nikos Nikos. The staff were friendly and helpful. read more

Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

Yelp Photo#1000 My wife and I took our child to the Children's Museum. This place honestly is close to the equivalent of a smaller Disneyland without the price. Before I get started though, my only gripe was that, it's free admission for children 1 and under but that ends after your child is 13 months! It's all good, but I wish it was for them up until 2! They have a self serve kiosk for admission or you can go to the front desk to do that as well. Literally right when you walk in it's something for the kids to touch and explore with. Definitely a great selection! It had me feeling that way to be honest. I was "oohingg" & "awwinggg". Parents let your inner child come out too! I would say this place is geared for 3-5 year olds though rather than children 2 and under. My son was still running around like he knew where everything was at! The 2 and under tots have a dedicated huge area upstairs where they can run free! Let me tell you those kids were running free fasho! It's safe and a lot of sensory things for them. Rule: you have to take your shoes off or put those cloth thingys on them, just so you keep those shoe germs out. Keep a pair of wipes on you just to make sure your little one doesn't The customer service was on point as well! Especially where kids are you gotta match that energy and it was matched fasho! Very nice and helpful. Cheat Code in which I looked up prior to coming: FREE ADMISSIONS ON THURSDAYS AFTER 5PM free admission. Burn your kids energy, not your wallet! Tap in! read more

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We came here the Friday before 4th of July and they were open, praise be! Since it was a holiday, street parking was also free. They've recently gone through a make over of their 2nd floor and it's a blast! I think it was very thoughtfully done and all kids under the age of 5 can enter. It's sectioned off into toddler and infant zones and even conveniently has a bag hang area so you can chase after your little ones. If you go to a Houston public library and complete a "Flip Kit" you can get a coupon to take 6 individuals in the museum for free! I highly recommend it! read more

As always the Children's Museum in Houston is world class. You have definitely got to check out the Maker's Lab. It is spacious and allows for multiple age groups to craft, invent, and engineer to their heart's content. The Toddler Center on Floor 2 is massive as well and provides several points of interest and physical play. Staff are courteous and helpful. Don't forget Thursday's free admission evening. Such a great value. A bonus is if you stay until 8:00pm the ice cream truck rolls around to the back exit door just as you are leaving. read more

We had a great time at the Children's Museum Houston, especially checking out the Rube Goldberg exhibit, which was creative, hands-on, and fun for both kids and adults. The holiday features were a big plus -- the snow playground was a fun seasonal surprise, and seeing Elsa, Anna, and Olaf with a Frozen sing-along and meet-and-greet made the visit extra special for younger kids. That said, the experience would have been much better with stronger upkeep. Many of the electronic exhibits were not working, unplugged, or appeared damaged, which was disappointing for kids who were eager to interact. The museum was also very crowded, making it hard to spend quality time at some of the most popular exhibits. Overall, it's a solid outing and we still enjoyed ourselves, but improved maintenance and functionality of the interactive exhibits would really elevate the experience. read more

We had a lot of fun tonight. I especially enjoyed the small children's area upstairs. It had a cozy and safe vibe with lots of visual stimulation for my little one. My big kid was pleased also. He says he wants to go back after he hesitated to join us tonight. I'm excited for next time! I'll ditch the free night to see if we can avoid such a big crowd. I don't mind paying after seeing what the museum has to offer. read more

This place is awesome for your kids. I took my son here for a play date. I absolutely love how they have so many different things that the kids can be involved with whether it's indoors or outdoors this place serves as the number one place for kids in Houston to visit. You're more than welcome to bring a lunch, but they do have like a little café. I highly recommend to bring hand sanitizer baby wipes, or anything that disinfectant to make sure that your kid doesn't take home any germs! The staff is always super friendly in the energy inside the place is great . This is also recommended for all ages as long as you were accompanied by an adult. The cost of this can range from $25-$50 and if you are a lone star user you're more than welcome to come and bring your card for free or discounted entry up to six people . Parking is different differentiated by the hour the most I paid was 12 bucks and it can go up to $17 . You're more than welcome to find parking on the street if you can find some. read more

Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

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So much fun! We spent 5 hours here and it was definitely a great time with the kids! I highly recommend this children's museum to anyone looking for a great time! They had a selection of different rooms for the kids. The cost wasn't bad for the hours spent here, it was definitely worth it. We will definitely come back. read more

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Ooh buddy. So busy when we used to go. If you go at 9am on a Sunday you have a great chance of getting to do everything and getting street parking (for free on Sundays). Lots of interactive activities and free things inside for the kid to do. The only hold up is the line after ten even if you've pre paid for tickets. read more

Looking for a place to get your child's imagination running and to blow off some energy? Visit the Children's Museum of Houston. $17 per person over the age of 1. There were several groups of kids on field trips the morning of our visit so some areas were more congregated than others. Stopped by the toddlers section upstairs for kids 2 and under. To keep the space clean, adults and children can enter wearing only socks. Adults also have the options to wear a shoe cover. The area was nicely spaced out with different sensory stations. The museum was sectioned off in different areas - there was a water play station outside, ecosystem which we saw baby chicks/frogs, library, gift shop, and my favorite, Kidtropolis - so much fun with pretend Bank of America, Niko Niko diner, Grocery Store, City Hall, Newsroom, etc. Parking is located across the street. It was a bit of a bummer to find out there was a parking fee on top of the admission. $10 for the first two hours. read more

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Wonderful museum for kids, it has everything. This museum is full of hands on activities that are educational and entertaining. We spent over 4 hours there, and I'm sure the kids would have loved to spend even more time. The parking garage is across the street, but there are also street parking nearby. Most of the street parking I saw were 2 hrs max though, except for Sunday. Invention Convention has a bunch of fun STEM activities that allows the kids to build all sorts of contraptions. And my other son loved the grocery store and diner in the Kidtropolis. This was a great destination for us to spend a fun filled afternoon. Our kids left with huge smiles on their faces. read more

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Great for kids almost feels like it's time for a new location lots of the stuff is old and broken. My toddler still loves it but it's noticeable how old everything is. read more

After visiting the Thinkery in Austin, I realized how spoiled we are in Houston with this place. It's a lot more space in general and has more emphasis on cultural activities as well as more variety of activities for kids as little as 6 months to as old as 12. It's well organized into different themed play areas and the second floor is focused on under 3 kids. The membership is also cheaper and Thursday nights are free. Only downside is the price of parking ($8-$10 for most membership levels) or you have to compete for street parking. Also if you are not local or won't come more than 3 times a year, the one-time admission fee is a bit steep for adults. read more

This has got to be the best children's museum in Houston. Very fun a lot of hands-on activities even has a food court! And a toy store very fun. Nothing can change my rating. read more

If you have kids under 2: I don't think it's worth it, personally. There is an infant & toddler play area on the second floor BUT it's relatively small and fairly simple. Given the hefty admission fee ($20 per person OVER the age of 1), I don't feel like it's worth it unless your kid can participate in their other exhibits/offerings. It might be a different story if you invest in a membership and are looking for a daily play space involving other toddlers. That being said, the museum has so much to offer older kids, particularly in terms of STEM exhibits and activities. I was blown away by the amount of interactive stations on the first floor as well as the basement. There is also a very large climbing structure and an interactive "kidtropolis" (bank, diner, grocery store, police station, etc.) where kids can play. I'm sure you can guess how crowded this place gets. It's CHAOS. We came on a Saturday to check it out and it was wild. I would assume that weekdays are a bit calmer so aim for that, if you can. There is a parking structure across the street but it's not that big given the museum demand so if you come at a busy time, be prepared to search. Oh and parking isn't free -- it's $10 for up to 2 hours and then it goes up depending on the length of your visit. I believe there are some options for street parking nearby but I'm not sure how fruitful that endeavor is. FYI, smaller strollers are permitted inside the museum. No large strollers or wagons (the exact dimensions are included on their website). I'm not sure how strictly they enforce this part (saw a couple large strollers around). Either way, we brought our small umbrella stroller and it was easier to navigate the tight/crowded spaces. read more

This is a great place to bring your kid for a fun filled day. We came to see Santa Claws and enjoyed all the different attractions. My kid enjoyed digging for fossils the most and building Lego's. You can spend all day here and do many creative activities. There was a science experiment room, skateboarding and a jungle gym on the lower level that everyone enjoyed. read more

Children's Museum - Santa CLAWS - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

The children's museum is the best! My sweet girl is just a year old and they have a perfect toddler area with lots of activities for her age. This was so nice to let her get down and play. Plus they have "used" toy buckets so if your baby chews on a toy you know they will clean it before another kiddo gets it. read more

This place is huge! I also appreciate that they open early so my morning riser have somewhere to go and play before nap time!. If you get there early enough you can find free street parking but it'll be a little bit of a walk so make sure you have A nice canopy on your stroller or wagon and a fan if it's during Houston summer heat. They do have a small dedicated parking space across from the museum. If you find yourself here quite often then a membership will be worth it. Definitely hard to cover the whole place in one visit. Watch out for character pop ups and the shows they have going on in their auditorium. The shows are interactive but you cannot take your strollers in. Be sure to leave them in the stroller area where the lockers are at. There is a cafe area. A little confusing at first because you stand in line to tell them what you want but you don't pay there. You walk to the cash register opposite of the food counter. There is a toddler area that isn't crowded or busy. It's so perfect for that age group to be able to run around safely. There is an outside portion. With tricycle and play houses but definitely wayyy to hot to stay out there long in Houston hit. There are no fans and no circulation. Definitely a great place for your kids and I would visit more if it wasn't so far. read more

(I'm writing this a couple months after our visit so I apologize this isn't as detailed as I'd like.) Our kids LOVE visiting kid's museums so we requested a membership here from the grandparents. It took us a bit to make it here but WOW!! This museum did not disappoint. On our first visit, we totally didn't know our way around. We thought the main hallway you enter after the ticket counter WAS IT. We wandered through the gift shop to discover a WHOLE OTHER SIDE OF THE MUSEUM... multiple floors of fun! Omg!! Our kids loved the 3 store climbing structure. (Smaller kids *might* have difficulty, our 6 year-old got trapped in there and got upset). Other exhibits they really enjoyed was kidtropolis with the mini H‑E‑B, the water play area outside, etc.) We definitely want to get back again soon! read more

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While in the Houston area, I was gifted a couple of tickets to the Children's Museum, and let me just say--this is a *must* if you have kids under 12. I took my 2-year-old son, and he had an absolute blast! The museum was amazing. As soon as we walked in, we stepped into a mini kid-sized world with a bank, a news network, and a grocery store. My son loved playing the role of grocery store employee, and I had so much fun pretend shopping with him. This place is seriously packed with fun. You get pretend money and a pretend card to use, making it even more interactive. Outside, there's an entire water play section where kids can mess around with water gadgets, boats, and more! My son had the time of his life. There's also a stand outside where you can grab popsicles and popcorn, which was perfect in the Houston heat--it really made the experience even better. We headed back inside and discovered the museum has an entire game room, but we didn't have enough time to explore it. I 1000% recommend this place--there's so much to explore! Just come see for yourself! read more

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Would highly recommend obtaining the yearly membership here, which can definitely help you get your money's worth. My son loved coming to the Children's Museum which can get packed during the summer as it's a fun indoor activity that you can use to brave the Houston summer. There are outdoor activities too including Water Works which features moving water and gears, as well as an area to see baby chicks and learn about nature. For younger kids, there's a Tot Spot upstairs that makes things a little safer for the little kids to play. There's a fake HEB to go grocery shopping, Niko-Niko's, veterinarian station, etc. If you want quiet time, there's also a library with story time. Basically can't go wrong. read more

Love love love! For $20 entry you cannot ask for more. The Kidtropolis was super fun for my 7 and 12 yr old. The outdoor area was nice for the littles and so many interactive creation stations and climbing areas. We got there around 1 and my kids stayed until closing at 5 and begged to go back again. Just go! read more

A Must-Visit for Families! The children's museum has been a favorite of ours for years! My daughter has loved it since she was a toddler, and even now at 10, she still has a great time exploring. The special events make each visit even more exciting--our favorite is the Snow Day during winter break. It's always a fun and engaging experience for kids of all ages! read more

Love this place wish we get something like this close to home We come here every time we visit Houston It does Get crowded with kids/parents strollers Definitely worth a visit read more

Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came here with my nephew recently and while he was too young to take advantage of most of the exhibits, the TotSpot was a perfect place for him to crawl around safely with kids close to his own age. I remember coming to this museum as a child and am excited to see the revamped (in the last 30ish years at least) Kidtropolis, something I look forward to my nephew experiencing one day. They also have craft booths set up throughout for some artistic breaks. There is street parking or paid garage parking available. read more

Our first visit made us decide to get an annual membership, this year we decide to not renew. Our child is very young and the city was cute. she was a bit small compare to the older kids so we took her to the toddler area located upstairs. Which seems to be looking run down and toys are either missing or unmatched the more we went. They have a rule if a child put a toy in mouth to bring to clean but i never seen a regular cleaning or wipe down of the area. The outdoor space w the "tree houses" are a nice touch. Maybe something along the walls should be added in the future imo. The downstairs play ground was remodelling and finished, which I also feel fell flat of expectations. The water area function wise is limited to lil ones vs old kids. Maybe they were going more for architect view vs activity for the lil ones or a water park fun which I feel is more beneficial. Although if that's the case then they would need an area to dry the kids or let parents change them. Even the regular displays inside often were stuck or defective or missing something. There are no attendants to maintain the chaos. There's a lot from "dead space" in some exhibits. My child would get a bit sick after going so. I stopped bringing her. Even when they had events that had a small fee, we would encounter an errors multiple times at payment. I emailed them and no response. I just gave up. Almost had my daughters bday party there but they wouldn't allow outside food, and the only options there's were the cafeteria food which isn't her diet of pizza and fried foods unfortunately. It's a great space and idea other wise. I just wish they would maximize the potential for the idea. read more

We had a great time at the museum for my niece's 5th birthday! It was packed but the line going in moved quickly, garage parking right next door. Air condition was working great! She had a blast! Her favorite "business" was the vets office. It is rowdy with all of the super excited kids. The little cafe is nice, bathrooms clean, got some popcorn and a couple of popsicles and a Topo Chico, a few gifts from the gift shop Tickets, plus snacks and gift shop was about $100.00 for 3 of us. However they have free evenings on Thursdays, and I read if you have snap, or a lone star card you can get in free up to 6 tickets which I think is fabulous to allow all to enjoy. read more

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Can you honestly complain about a free museum night... no you can't lol however I will say be prepared to go right at 5pm or be aware of a crowd that will exist. Thursdays between 5-8 is totally free for your kiddo to explore the museum. Per the website, reserve tickets online and it may ensure you get in especially on a busy night. This is museum is super interactive and hands on. Toddlers to kiddos will have plenty to do and explore. On this particular visit, my kiddo got about half way through the museum before the "I'm hungry" and "I'm thirsty" comments started. There is a small cafe outside with snacks and then a larger one inside with more heavier meal options are available. Prices are not terribly high, however I'm a mom who packs snacks and water bottles typically and that would be the plan for next time. A team of volunteers were passing out books for free as well. So my kiddo was able to pick out and take home a new book. This was helpful to bypass the gift shop this time. I hope to return to finish the rest of the museum. I'm definitely interested in becoming a member as well so I would like to look into it when I return. Happy Yelping! read more

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I am extremely impressed by this place. If you are in Houston and have a child, you MUST come here. There is so much to explore and to do both outdoor and indoor. Theres a little pretend city, physics toys, science toys, water area, climbing, bouldering, a library and so much more. Definitely worth a trip here! read more

This certain destination is meant for little little kids. Not somewhere I would take a 9-10 year old.

We took 13 month old grand-daughter today. She had so much fun . We stayed 2+ hrs. Main spots for her age was the tot-spot on 2nd floor. There was so much for her to do and see there. We also "power up, the musical. " playing Jun 10--aug6 in the brown auditorium on the 1st floor opposite the info desk. She was entranced by the 30-minute show. There is plenty for all age children. My only suggestion is better signage, as only a few maps on the wall. No paper maps read more

What a great museum! We took the two year-old grandchild and she had a great time. Highly recommend it!! Also, plan on eating while you are there. The food was fantastic believe it or not!! The two young ladies who run the kitchen are awesome. I had one of the very best salads I've ever had. Go say hello. read more

Fair size compared to other children's museums. A few hands on exhibits didn't work and appears little maintenance/ repairs are done. Nice special for Thursday night, especially if you have multiple kids. Very friendly and engaging employees. Could be better but nice spot to visit for kids. read more

The Children's Museum is a child's world of wonder come to life. There are three floors to explore filled with hands-on activities, a souvenir shop, cafe for snacks and small bites, crafts, an indoor toddler play area, and mini versions of real-life shops and businesses. The shops include a pretend HEB grocery store, Niko Niko's, Bank of America, veterinarian office, and a few more. You get to explore the inside of an ambulance and pretend to be a television broadcaster. Outdoor fun includes a grass-turfed small playground and an outdoor water area. Check their website calendar for special events. We visited during a Día de Los Muertos event when the characters Hector and Imelda from the Disney film "Coco" visited for a meet-and-greet and photo op. I was just as excited to take a photo with them! :) If you have a child, niece, or nephew--take them! Create a memory! read more

Children's Museum - Meeting Imelda and Hector from the Disney film "Coco" - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great visit with my nieces. I really appreciate the staff on how they were cleaning the play areas throughout the day. The snack cafe had great prices for a family with good tasting food . Very nice family outing with decent admission price. Tip: They provide AAA member discount. read more

Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas