Category: Things to do with kids: Museums, Exhibits & Art Galleries

Train rides and fun for the whole family! MN Transportation Museum’s Jackson Street Roundhouse is open year-round. Housing the museum’s classic collection of railroad rolling stock, memorabilia, and exhibits, the roundhouse is also the base of the museum’s railroad restorations. See the “Casey Jones” steam locomotive undergo restoration. Plus, watch one of the nation’s last surviving operational turntables. The roundhouse is open year round for visitors and groups of any size. Experience the Twin Cities only interactive railroad facility that’s been in continuous operation for over 100 years. Today, it houses a fully interactive train museum featuring restored railcars, locomotives, operating signals, model trains and children’s play area. Take a caboose, Rock Island Rocket or turntable ride. Also, check out the web site for all the other train related activities offered by the Minnesota Transportation Museum.

Contact no:(651) 228-0263

Location:193 Pennsylvania Ave E, St Paul, MN 55130

Learn more here.

Como Park is smaller than the Minnesota Zoo, but it’s set in a lovely park with a historic merry-go-round (see Cafesjian’s Carousel), a garden and greenhouse, a lake with paddleboat rentals and an old-time pavilion. Como Park is a great place to visit and have a picnic, see things and play, so head over on the next nice day! The Como Zoo features dozens of animals, including popular new additions like Jenga the baby giraffe, Dash the zebra, a baby monkey, and twin tamarinds; all born at the zoo since Fall 2006! Como Park also regularly stages events for kids (such as Go Diego and Radio Disney) as well as for adults (botanical shows).

Contact no:(651) 487-8200

Location:1225 Estabrook Drive, St. Paul, MN 55103

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You can’t get much hipper than the Walker Art Center. This modern art museum includes the active engagement of audiences in its mission statement and does a great job inspiring creativity in visitors of all ages. The Walker’s super-cool kid and family interactives will get the artistic energy going. They host art-making, storytime, films, playdates, and other fun events, and free first Saturdays (of each month) are always chock-full of activities for kids. Admission to the Walker is always free for those 11 and younger, but for older grandchildren who want to simply look at the art and hang out in a hip atmosphere every Thursday night has open access too, and is thus busier minus the kiddie activities. The Walker is across the street from the Sculpture Garden and Loring Park, so an outing can be combined with some outside playtime, too!

Contact no:(612) 375-7600

Location:1750 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403

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Help your young kin learn that science is fun with a visit to the Science Museum of Minnesota. See dinosaurs, mummies, and a tornado, and play with lights, magnets, sound, and crystals in the Experiment Gallery. In addition to their educational exhibits, the Museum houses an Omnitheater, a 3D theater, occasional live shows and themed hands-on events. While the Science Museum has been in operation for 100 years now, it’s located in a great new building on the riverfront bluffs in downtown St. Paul, and summertime expands the museum into the Big Back Yard, featuring mini-golf (with a science theme), panning for gems and other activities. Related family programs out at the Warner Nature Center in St. Croix are also well worth a trip (just call ahead to register). When visiting the Science Museum, note that parking can be trickier on Minnesota Wild Game (or other big downtown event) days.

Contact no:(651) 221-9444

Location:120 West Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55102

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The new Central branch of the Minneapolis Library is a great stop for both adults and kids of all ages. The stunning architecture by Cesar Pelli is seemingly triangular with walls made of glass, making this five floor building the most sunny, spacious library imaginable. On the second floor, Teen Central welcomes older grandchildren with cool, Urban Outfitters-style décor and a collection specific to teen interests and needs. The first floor’s Children’s Library area was designed for families and ages 0 to 12 to be comfortable and explore the “largest children’s collection in the Upper Midwest,” with books in 30 languages. Saturday mornings feature storytime for babies age 0 to 2, and Wednesdays have a story program for preschoolers (ages 3 to 5). The Central library also presents free Movietime for kids on Saturdays in the library’s Pohland Hall, screening classic and world cinema for young audiences with a morning show for ages 3 and older (preceded by a short activity and snacks) each week, and an afternoon show for ages 8 and older every other week.

Contact no:(612) 630-6000

Location:300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401

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For half a century, Minneapolis was the king of flour milling. Overlooking the Mississippi River, the nation’s largest mill exploded here in 1878 when a flour dust cloud ignited. The remains now serve as an open air courtyard (site of free summer concerts) at the entrance of the Mill City Museum, which presents the history of the flour milling industry. This might sound like a dry topic, but this award-winning museum makes history fun with hands-on exhibits and multimedia presentations, making it a surprisingly popular and enjoyable spot. The aroma of baking bread fills the air in the kids’ baking lab, you’ll get a tour of the old mill via elevator stops, and the nineth floor’s outdoor deck affords a great view. Mill City Museum offers four age-specific, self-guided Scavenger Hunts for kids grades K-12 to make the visit even more engaging. The museum is easily accessible, located along the River Parkway bike path near metered parking, and just blocks from the Gateway (bus) Transit Center and the Metrodome light rail station. Just look for the giant yellow Gold Medal Flour letters!

Contact no:(612) 341-7555

Location:704 South Second Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401

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The colorful Intermedia Arts is easy to spot since its outside walls are painted with remarkably attractive graffiti-style murals that change at least once a year. This edgy, urban exterior hints at Intermedia’s grassroots style, welcoming burgeoning artists from many cultural backgrounds and including modern media styles and art forms, with an emphasis on activism. A variety of causes animate their themed meetings and readings, and they also host occasional multicultural events for families, and instigated the very playful and popular annual Art Car parade in South Minneapolis. Outside of their family-specific activities, this is also good place to introduce teens with countercultural style to a place that will welcome and inspire.

Contact no:(612) 871-4444

Location:2822 Lyndale Avenue, South, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Learn more here.