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Minnesota Children's Museum
Category: Arts & Entertainment Museums Museums [Edit]
10 7th St WSt. Paul, MN 55102
Neighborhood: Downtown St. Paul
(651) 225-6000
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 9 am - 4 pm
Fri 9 am - 8 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
13 reviews for Minnesota Children's Museum
Review Highlights
"...absolutely loved the bubble making & water play activiites."
(in 3 reviews)
"...programs with snakes and turtles, face painting, Big Fun."
(in 2 reviews)
"I highly, highly recommend taking your kids here."
(in 6 reviews)
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13 reviews in English
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Review from Genieve D.
Minot, ND
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Loved this place! Got a military discount and my kids absolutely had a blast. If recommend making the pit stop during an extended layover on your way to Minot.
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Review from Bert M.
12/16/2011
If you've ever engaged an 18-month-old in conversation, you know they're just too immature to grasp the concept of international politics. They are also too immature to enjoy just about everything in this museum... which is strange only because the museum will charge you the FULL FEE for any child older than one year.
The exhibits are skewed for children much older than toddlers - a surprise for such a large facility. My toddler managed to get himself smacked straight in the face by an 8-year-old gone wild in the Lego area. My poor little dude was just trying to get to the little slide.
After the wailing subsided, we found the designated Toddler Area, which is small with very few toys and some climbing things. Meh. My kid has more fun playing with our kitchen Tupperware than he did here.
Oh, and P.S. The bathroom door says "lock" right on it, but it is lying to you. I can't tell you how I know because I will have an embarrassment flashback. -
Review from Carly M.
2/5/2011
I hate dragging my kids anyplace like this. Hate it. Yet I have fond memories of going to the Children's Museum for nearly every birthday when I was a child (obviously in the old location). So in searching for a venue for my son's 5th birthday (January birthday's are tough) I decided that I was going to be exhausted anyway so I might as well make it at the Children's Museum.
And I'm now furious at myself that I've waited so long to introduce my children to what MCM has to offer. I think the other reviews have made it clear what is available so I'd like to add that as a venue for a child's birthday party the MCM truly earned a 5-star review. 20 admissions included (child or adult), juice, cake, and all the paperware, made for an incredibly easy event. We brought a few snacks (pizza was also available for extra) and then just let the invited families blast off into the museum. We were pleasantly surprised when we had to pay the tab, too. The whole party was about how much we paid for a Chuck-E-Cheese party last year (*shudder* - never again).
My tip - go on the day BEFORE the once-a-month free admission Sunday. The crowds are majorly thinned out. -
Review from Ellen M.
3/15/2006
Not just for children. We remarked that this place would make for a pretty cool bachelor party. It's four or five stories tall, which I believe makes it one of the largest children's museum in the nation (so far, only Indianapolis is the only larger one I've seen). Excellent hands-on play and discovery, and great staff. There are cool things happening in every corner - face painting, crafty projects, all the stuff they never get to do at home with me.
It's in downtown St. Paul, surrounded by many restaurants and coffee shops - you'll have no trouble feasting after burning so many calories chasing those little buggers. -
Review from Kate D.
Minneapolis, MN
7/15/2011 2 photos
I brought my niece (11yrs. old) and nephew (7 yrs. old) here, they loved it. The 11 year old was almost too old for the stuff, but she had a great time with the Lego castle exhibit.
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Review from Kelly R.
San Francisco, CA
6/2/2008
OMG - this is a great museum for toddlers, kids and adults and is a must see if you're visiting or a native.
There's a "tiny town" of sorts where kids can deliver mail, work the kitchen at a korean resto, faux grocery shop and more! My daughter is partial to water play and really enjoyed the water room - playing with bubbles and watching the water push ping pong balls through tubes.
Special for toddlers on the top floor is a great play area for babies and toddlers to run, crawl, and jump around. This area, by far, was my toddler's fave.
If we're ever in the area again, we'll definitely be back for a visit! -
Review from Joyce L.
Fullerton, CA
7/23/2008
This place is amazing! My sister has a membership so she and her 2 kids were free. Since we went with her, we got a discount of $2 per ticket. Park at the designated structure across the way and it's just $3 for 3 hours--make sure to get the validation ticket when you purchase your entrance ticket to the museum.
Once inside, you have 5 levels! The baby/toddler area is awesome. Pretty safe for crawlers and those just starting to walk (wobbly). The activities are interactive and hands on. So fun! -
Review from Jennifer Y.
Rogers, MN
3/5/2011
I'm not really sure why, but visiting the Children's Museum has never really been at the top of my list of things to do with my son. Had we not received tickets as a Christmas gift, we may never have visited. But boy am I glad we did!!! This place was wonderful! 4 levels of non-stop, hands on activities - great for all ages! My son absolutely loved the bubble making & water play activiites. The 2nd floor was another one of his favorites. He especially liked the mini restaurant where he could cook on a mini stove with mini pots & pans. He also enjoyed the mini grocery store as well as the "recording studio!' I highly, highly recommend taking your kids here!
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Review from Sandy F.
Saint Paul, MN
4/7/2010
This hands-on learning museum is great for kids from infants to almost teens. (I say "almost" because they had a great exhibit in 2009 called "Run! Jump! Fly!" that I saw teenagers having a blast on.) The museum has five floors of fun featuring 65,000 square feet of space housing five permanent exhibits and two rotating exhibits.
We went during their Dinosaurs exhibit and had a blast. They had a pit where the kids could dig for "bones." The "dirt" was made out of bits of rubber - very clever!
There's always something going on there - animal programs with snakes and turtles, face painting, Big Fun! where you can dance or hoola-hoop. The galleries have plenty of space for everyone to run around, and I'm always amazed at what my kids learn every time they go. And I thought they were just having fun!!
Things I've learned:
1. Afternoons are less quiet.
2. The Rooftop ArtPark is only open Memorial Day - Labor Day (bring sunscreen).
3. Park in the World Trade Center lot kitty corner from the museum for $3 for 3 hours is you get a validation at the museum.
4. They do birthday parties!!
5. A family membership is only $89 for mom/dad and ALL your kids - for an entire year! (I give these to my sisters every Christmas!)
6. They actually had extra clothes I could borrow when my son had an "accident." Now THAT'S customer service! -
Review from Nora G.
San Anselmo, CA
Every year I go back to Minnesota, this is a stop we always make. My son has been visiting the Children's Museum and always remembers the fun activities (especially putting on the mail person's uniform and delivering mail). Although everyone pays to get in (unless you are under 1 years of age or over 100 years of age) it is well worth it.
I usually bring my knitting or a book and in each exhibit there are places to sit.
This last visit we really enjoyed the roof exhibit with the sand and water play. The hands-on learning is great.
Block-building, conveyer-belt moving, bubbles, water-flow exhibit, art and drawing, recycled paper-making, anthill, forest play, outside roof play, and much much more... -
Review from Chanstay Y.
Saint Paul, MN
11/12/2009
This is such a fun place to go, especially for toddlers and young kids. I've been here for hours with little one's and they have such a blast. If you truly want to enjoy it, I would recommend that you pass on the free only because and can get too packed especially with older kids that aren't paying attention to the young ones. Only complaint is that it can be a bit pricey.
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Review from Ally K.
Circle Pines, MN
4/9/2010
What a huge disappointment. We went here based on a newspaper advertisement about the Dinosaurs (Land of fire and ice) which states there would be "oozing" lava as well as a "swampy bog." When we walked into the room, my husband and I looked at one another and said this can't be it. The oozing volcano was a painted picture with red paint for lava (not oozing) and the bogs were little wooden bridges with something squishy under green golf course-type grass. I think there were 4 dinosaurs. The rest of the place was a disappointment too. It was dirty and outdated. Won't return until you make some changes.
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Review from MM R.
Seattle, WA
9/23/2005
This is a fabulous Children's Museum and worth a trip if you are visiting the Twin Cities. Great, multi level museum situated on the bluffs of the Mississippi with an IMAX (or Omnidome?) theater. Have to pay a la carte for the movie - check showtimes. Look for a coupon. Parking in the building so make sure you do that on those freezing winter days!
