Reviews of Chicago Children's Museum. (Museum) in Chicago (Illinois).
Chicago Children's Museum
700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
Description
Information of Chicago Children's Museum, Museum in Chicago (Illinois)
Discover the opening times, the location, contact, popular times, photos and real reviews by internet users.
We still haven't received any review on this business.
Map
Open hours of Chicago Children's Museum
Sunday
10 am–5 pm
Monday
10 am–2 pm
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
10 am–2 pm
Friday
10 am–5 pm
Saturday
10 am–5 pm
Popular times
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Reviews of Chicago Children's Museum
LOVE this place! It’s an amazing indoor place for kids. Specially on winter when the outdoor playgrounds it’s not an option. This place is perfect for the kids. It’s like a little town. It’s giant, has tons of activities, games and things to do. Also, the staff people is always friendly, nice and helpful.
We always have a great time there with the kids.
We had so much fun here, Us adults, and so as our 3 year old nephew, and 6 year old niece! There are tons of safe super fun games from cognitive development games, physical interactive games, and mind development games that your kids (and adults) will surely enjoy! There's also tons of calming comfortable chair for the adults to sit on. I saw 3 to 5 people fell asleep here while watching their kids. Lol.
The staff were all polite and nice. There are sanitizers every corner. Staff will remind you to sanitize your hands before you go inside of each play room. Entrance fee was less than $20.00 dollars and totally worth it! I suggest to get tickets in advance.
Our kids love the children's museum, as there are so many different areas for them to explore and play in. I suggest going to the top level and start all the way in back first, as there is a lot back there that we seem to always run out of time for and the kids enjoy the most. Food and drink is not allowed while viewing the exhibits, but there are a couple of snack areas where you can eat a lunch you pack.
Our almost 2 year old loved it! So many things to do that we could have spent more hours there but we needed to get home for nap time.
There is even an attended room for under 5 year olds with busy board kind activities.
The museum itself is excellent, it is very interesting for children there and every child will find what he likes: climbing, building, studying, twisting, dancing, searching, etc.
As for the price - tickets and parking are expensive, a trip with the whole family will not be cheap.
Masks for everyone over 2 years old - unpleasant, but this is temporary, I hope.
Located at the Navy Pier. They have plenty of activities for kids. If you're a veteran don't forget to bring your ID and make sure you have your parking ticket with you when you're buying your ticket. They will give you a awesome discount. 👌 …
I'm shocked I never did a review for Chicago Children Museum. This was my go to place every every weekend. Also on Thursday it was Target Family Day not sure if they still have it but please take your babies to Navy Pier Children's Museum. There are tonssss of activities to keep your children entertained and full of energy. It's 3 level of fun and learning. Staff is very attentive which I love. visit the website for free museum days and the calendar will show you any upcoming events to look forward too.
I'm also a parent to a gifted child with Autism and this is truly a go to place when your child is small. Helps them develop better social skills. Check the website for early access Saturday. Parents with gifted children can arrive one hour early so the kids can enjoy the space when it's less crowded. My son is 16 now and he loves all museums. He enjoy seeing new exhibits. I'm beyond grateful for The Children's Museum.
It is a great place for kids they have a lot of hands on stuff, i do recommended going on weekdays because weekends can be really busy. Here is a tip if your are from Chicago, if you have a Chicago public library card you can use it to obtain a pass for most Chicago museums and aquarium, for free, this pass is available at every public library in Chicago, just have in mind it is a returnable pass so it is available only when they return it on a basis of first come first serve, there is 1 individual pass for each major museum in Chicago, so if children's museum pass is out you can ask wich one is available at the time. It is a great option to visit Chicago museum without spending tons of money on tickets.
So much fun for my 5 year old. So many activities to do with the kids my two favorite were the video message you can make at the booth by the dinasour fossil digging station and obviously the dinasour fossil station. My son seriously could of stayed here for hours but we were only in town for a bit and only stayed for about 1.5 hours. Also super bonus is that it's free for a active duty military foe up to 4 tickets. The normal price is $19 for one adult and child. Take your kids here they will love it.
My kids could play in here for hours! It is so fun and interactive that we will be going back monthly! The location is perfect because once you get those little ones good and tired you can walk out and there are plenty of food options, by the time you get to the parking garage they are out for nap/bedtime. <3
AWESOME PLACE!!! My whole family was excited with the museum, we were all quite intrigued as we progressed to the next room. It was really an unforgettable and funny experience, completely recommended for both children and adults.
Great for kids. Tons of activities for all ages. Ages 4-12 will have a blast
Great little place to get the kiddos of all ages to interact and play with different workshops or play areas.
Don't know better place in Chicago to keep children busy and happy for hours. They have a lot of different activities to choose from, Besides, the place is clean, safe and friendly. Highly recommend!
Abundant space and staff who keep maintaining the area. My family went on Sunday after 1pm and found it less busy.
Nice place to bring kids to play and let loose. If you're a veteran, it's free for you, but you still have to pay for your child(ren). My son's ticket was $19, and you can come and go as much as you please -- they'll give you a wristband for the day. Active military has free admission for you and your party (up to 4 people). My son is 10yo and there wasn't much for him to do. He climbed the jungle gym, played some chess, played in the Dino exhibit, and did this movie thing -- but outside of that the rest it's mainly for little kids. I think this museum is good for kids 0-8; we've definitely been to better children museums that better accommodate older kids. Customer service is great!! We went on a Sunday and it was at a nice capacity, and not crowded at all.
Excellent place for the whole family🥰🥰🥰🧸🧸🐸🐸hours of fun .
Really nice spot for kids in the middle of Navy Pier. It’s a bit expensive with kids and adults costing the same. However our son had a blast with the many diverse play spaces and areas to explore.
I appreciate that they also allow in and out visits so you could take a break and go back if kids need a bit of down time before continuing to play further.
Wonderful place to take your kids and have a adventure
Its expensive day but worth almost every penny. Kids and adults pay and parking at Navy Pier is high, but we expected all of this.
We definitely need to go back and spend more time. We wanted to see the pier and this museum is a day on its own. So much to do.
Its huge! So bring your comfy shoes.
Lunch is easy to eat at the pier. You can come in and out of the museum as you wish, just keep your wristband on.
Enjoy your day
The museum itself is very fun and great for a large age range. My only reason for not giving 5 stars are the limited weekday hours. I didn’t realize there were seasonal changes in hours when we signed up for membership, and it is effectively only useful for us Fridays and weekends when it tends to be busy (currently closed Tuesday and Wednesday, limited hours Mondays and Thursdays).
It's great for kids! So many fun and interactive things to do. We were there on a Sunday morning and it was not too busy. There are a bunch of play areas across multiple floors. Some areas have time slots, so be aware. There are even areas for toddlers. You could definitely spend hours here with your kid entertained. 👍👍
Ita a great place for kids, if you are visiting down town and you need a place to entertain kids this is the place. Also for rainy days. Didactical activities, clean and safe environment, kids are always under supervising beside they have to come with an adult. Ticket value is absolutely worthy for what you get. 5 🌟
This place is cool as hell. I remember coming here when I was a small child, and I had such a great flipping time. They're a really cool museum to check out for your small kid
A perfect place for kids to know about different professions and experience how they work, through playful means. Also, as it is located in Navy pier, you have the chance to know about this historic place.
After all the fun, don’t forget to eat Giordano’s famous pizza(Located in Navy Pier), food signature of Chicago.
Kids love this place which equals me loving this place as well. We come here on a yearly basis and we always injoy all the activities. When done enjoying there is so much to do on the walk back to the car. Good times, everytime, all the time...
Too early for crawling babies (under 1). She can play only infant area but adults have to pay $19. Maybe we will come back when she is enough old.
Unique experience for children, learning games, training, knowledge, a place where you can learn by doing with your children.
i have 9 years old kid. She really had great time in cloud buster and tinkerlab. it was like mini gym in cloudbuster with climbing and hiking. The rest of the area in the museum was actually for younger kids
Lots of things for the little ones to get into play with and experience.
Hello me & my son Allen has been coming to this location since he’s was 1 years old , and now he is 3 1/2 years old . Today’s as I write this will be our 52nd visit to this museum. With that being said that should explain my 5 star visit.
A really great space for kids from 2 - 8 yrs of age. If you are local this is a wonderful winter destination to engage in creative and active play. Some of the permanent exhibits are: 1. the mini city great for younger kids that includes a bus, car wash, grocery store, etc. 2. The outdoor adventure area also great for little kids that has play fishing, camping and climbing 3. A simulated archaeological dig where kids clear the simulated dirt (rubber) from the fossilized remains of a dinosaur and 4. a building space where kids can hone their engineering skills, the last two for slightly older kids. There are also lots of opportunities to climb. A permanent pirate ship crow's nest and and currently a newer aerial climbing adventure inspired by particle acceleration at Fermi Labs. Tucked away in the corner of one floor is a fantastic water table area that is quite popular as well.
This was a great day. There is so much for toddlers and children of all ages! My 8 year old is a huge Moe Willams fan so that was the highlight of her visit. Also the climbing structure that’s in the pictures was great! We spent over an hour in there. My 2 year old loved the car wash part and the fire fighter displays. Hours of fun. I recommend bringing a change of clothes for the water room. I used to bring my adult children here 20+ years ago. So much has changed yet so much is still the same. The Dino dig is pretty much exactly how it was years ago! We also visited the stores and got Build a bears!
An absolutely enchanting place for children. All the rooms have something exciting to uncover and explore for the whole family. Kids enter free on Sundays FYI and if you love it, you can explore several membership options. Definitely take kids here. It's a top memory Making spot!
Took the family this past weekend. We loved it. So many things to do for our little one. Even our 11 yr old enjoyed himself. But our 4yr old was in heaven, especially in the water area. They even provide rain coats for the kids so they stay dry. Tons of activities for the kids.
Pretty decent children's museum inside of Navy Pier. Kids had a good time and there is a good amount of places for adults to sit near the activities.
Great place. Our kids love it. Lots of things to keep their interests.
Nice beautiful place for children ❤️
We are regular visitors since we live in downtown area. It is cool to have children’s museum in the area but it is kinda hard to say I recommend this museum 100%.
Parking is not cheap, tickets are not cheap for all family members.
It is always crowded no matter what. I personally get tired of being around so many people so when I find a chance to leave, we leave.
No Snacks No Drinksfor kids. Mask policy for kids is harsh. I get it there is whole Pandemic going on but my kid just turned 2 and he is still struggling with all those policies. My son had hard time without putting anything in his mouth. There is snack area but it’s not easy to go to the area in the middle of play time.
Staffs walked up to me every 3 mins in every rooms and asked me to cover the whole face for my kid. I even feel like being harassed. Like super. They are doing their jobs but they need to be little easy on toddlers.
That’s why I don’t plan on going to Children’s museum in the near future. Maybe after pandemic. Therefore, overall, I am not sure if everything is worth that much money.
Such a beautiful place to go ! Everyone enjoyed their time kids and parents ! There is many things to explore . Very clean , there is staff to help in each station .
if you are in town take your kids there you won't regret it!
You get parking discount for visiting the museum as well, and you get to visit Navy peir .
We brought our son here and he absolutely loved it. This is an excellent place to visit for an educational and fun experience. There is a dinosaur dig site, a mini town, engineering and woodworking areas where kids can actually build things, a very cool water area where kids can manipulate the flow, areas for young toddlers and crawling kids and a souvenir shop. Multiple floors of fun for kids!
Outside of the museum, but withing the building are many restaurants, an imax movie theater, and of course, the rest of the Navy pier. An excellent adventure.
Active military families can get up to 6 people in for free one time a year if I remember correctly.
A great learning experience for kids and families. One can spend a good 4 hours.
I had heard about this place for years, and I finally got around to going. I’m so glad I did. This place was amazing! There was so much to do, we ran out of time. My son was 2 at the time, and was able to do almost everything. He loved having everything at his level. The only thing we had a problem with, was there was not enough employees to keep things under control. This just turns into parents letting their kids run wild and ruining it for the other kids. I couldn’t believe how many times my son was pushed out of the way, told he could touch something, had things taken out of his hand, and was just cut in front of if he was waiting in line for something. It got old really fast.
This place is awesome. The only drawback, almost NO ONE IS MASKED. I can say every single employee had a mask on. There was a visibly ill toddler, coughing(wet cough, in fits that lasted 5min at a time) I don't understand why parents insist on bringing sick children to a CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. I just wish they could enforce masking. We cut our trip short due to the risk. But this museum is amazing for kids. 3 levels of pure fun. Fire person room, art, construction, this cool course, boats, Dino took, little things room.. and so much more.
By far, one of my son's favorite places to visit. I am excited that they have finally reopened because they were closed for some time due to the pandemic. When I told my son we would be going to the Children's Museum, he literally jumped with pure happiness.
As soon as we walked in, he was intrigued in every room and was looking forward to the next adventure. You can easily spend the whole day at the museum. There are multiple floors, rooms, and activities available. Be on the look out for scheduled programs in the Tinkering Lab, the Art Studio, and Pritzker Playspace. You will need a ticket which is provided at the designated rooms for the specific time slots. They are not an additional charge as it is included with entry.
Check out the Zoom Room, there's more than 40 tracks to play with and plenty of toy cars to use. There is even a Dinosaur Expedition, where children can "dig" for fossils. Don't miss out on the new exhibition, the Cloud Buster showcases 37 climbable feet of FUN. It is inspired by Chicago apartments and the design is magnificent. My son zoomed through it without any fear and wanted to keep going. I had trouble keeping up!
Throughout the whole experience, attentive staff members were cleaning and ensuring everything was in order. Clearly, there is attention to detail and great organization. Plenty of hand sanitizers available and restrooms as well. There is a stroller/coat room available at the front entrance to store your things. There are lockers throughout Navy Pier that be used, however, you will have to pay for them. Food and beverages are not allowed in. Since the snack area is closed temporarily, it is best to eat before or after your visit at the food court. Try to pack your own food and drinks to avoid the long lines.
We parked elsewhere and took the Grand Bus. Otherwise, if you don't mind paying for parking, there is a parking garage right next to the museum. If you are a Chicago resident, you can find a museum pass at your local library for free admission. If you're tourists, please visit the museum especially if you have younger children, it is worth every penny!
Awesome place to take your young child. Tons of activities that will keep them engaged. My 2 year old highly recommends it!
I really enjoyed this children's museum the tickets are $19.00 kids and adults . Children 2 and under get in free parking was $36.00 for 2-6 hours was not that packed seeing as we went on a Sunday this museum is located in Navy Pier there are plenty of exhibits for the kids to attend and they will run their self's tiresome. You can leave and come back as long as the museum isn't packed there are plenty of places to eat inside of the navy pair food is a little bit on the pricey side or you can opt to bring a lunch to off set the cost they even have dessert and coffee shops there is so much to see and do at the children's museum and navy pier itself it's family fun for sure.
My 12 yr old and I stopped in, we both still love to discover and play! It's a great little museum!! We enjoyed playing with all the hot wheel ramps. The tree house room was fun. And of course we both had to get in the cloud gate climbing structure and get our workout done for the day.
A very nice children museum. Building the tallest skyscraper is a great group activity that we always enjoy. You can also get a 10% discount on your parking at Navy Pier when you buy the tickets.
It's reasonably priced, and pretty clean considering the traffic. We did this muesem in about 2 hours. My son is 5 and he was done with the exhibits in about 10 to 20 minutes for each one. When he was younger we'd spend more time at each one. We went on a Thursday afternoon and it wasn't too crowded.
The best Children’s Museum I’ve ever been too and I loved the emphasis on building so cool!
Honestly wish I could experience something like this as a kid but as an adult it is just as amazing. My niece had a wonderful time playing and any children would have a blast here. Would definitely recommend to anyone with children.
Definitely geared towards the younger kids, for being set up right on the Navy Pier it's pretty nice. We did the city pass so it was included, I'm not sure if I would feel a strongly about it if I would have paid full price for a family of four. The location can't be beat though, mixing that with the activities of the Navy Pier really makes for a full day.
Such a wonderful place to hang out. Let's if great things to see and do.
Not a very special place. Ordinary activities are offered, but those are old-fashioned so my children got easily bored after three hour playing. I will not likely to visit here again, but I think it is a fair choice if you don't have any other option for your children on holidays, weekends, or vacation days.
Great museum!! My kids love the cloud climbing area and climbing up the boat rope path. Definitely would recommend!!!
Lots of fun for my 6 year old. Kids of all ages were having fun. Exhibits include a fire truck and fire safety teaching, boats with “fishing”, dinosaur dig, tinker lab and a small neighborhood.
Great place to take the kids.
Would be even greater if parking was discounted for going to the museum.
AMAZING facility ! My family has a WIC card , we all got in for FREE ! we will definitely be returning . They have activities for ALL ages .** some of the exhibits are not open but the rest of it makes up for it !
Kids had a stellar time here. Engaged all senses and allowed kids to elaborate on them. Many different areas of stimulation. Much fun and clean facilities. Staff helpful.
Our 22 month old daughter had a lot of fun. Of course, not all attractions are adapted for her age, but everyone will find something for their age. Prices could be more affordable, especially for adults who often sit on benches and just watch their children play. The whole trip cost about 70 $ for a family of three with parking.
Lots of fun for my 3yo. Good hands on activities, some dress up, good balance of learn and play. Good half day for you and the kids.
So much fun for kiddos. So many things from them do do and see.
My 2 year old had a great time! Tons of things to do!! Recommend if you have your kids with you! His favorite was the digging for dinosaur bones.
We had an amazing time. Our 3 year old loved it. There's alot to do from firetruck to climb in to building woods or mecanical structure and so much more. There's alot of place to sit for parents. There's even few place to plug in your phone if needed. The staff is so nice.
Really alot of different themes to browse. Strollers are aloud everywere if you absolutely need it, if not you can leave in a disignated area. The museum location is realy nice because you can go see the Pier before or after. Important : You need to reseve a time frame.
We went from 2 - 4 but they left us stay until closing time since. Look on their website for special events happening.
Awesome! As a link recipient I was able to go in with a party of 6 on a huge discounted price. The place is outstanding with many areas for kids of different ages to enjoy. It is worth bringing your kids to explore, educate and have fun. Would definitely recommend and visit again.
Awesome place for kids to learn and be part of positive activity. They have wonderful themes including Dino search to fire dept. one thing I would say is it is expensive to go there. However, when I came out with kids they were happy so worth it in the end. The video section is really cool and my kids loved to share their experience.
We had an amazing time here! This place is perfect for little ones who love to explore using all five of their senses. It tired out our little one until she ended up napping for hours after. And I love how they handle hyperventilating helicopter types like Fire Marshal Mary, who seemed to panic at the thought that maybe there were too many kids in the Children's Museum...😆. Instead of letting one person spoil the fun, they let her have her say and gently reassured her that all was well. Yay for playtime!
This is a great place to bring your kids and then then have the craziest safest fun with other kids and by themselves. Parents playing like kids with the kids is the best experience for growing kids.
Wonderful experience with our 5 year old! 2 climbing experiences were her favorite. The rope one was a challenge for her at first but great coaching and support from us and the lady working the station made a successful experience! Great areas of learning through play makes this teacher/mama heart happy!
We had a great time. Lots of hands on things to do. If you are parked at Navy Pier they also validate your ticket and you get parking discounted.
Great job and I’ll recommend Nc drywall and painting inc for you next project
Such a fun hands on place. Very creative, look forward to coming back. I was truly impressed with all the different things for kids to do. Worth the money!
There are features for every age group. The 10 year old girls I brought really liked the art room and were sad that we didn't spend more time in the tinker room using real tools. That was the part that reminded me of the woodshop I used to hang out in as a kid.
Our almost 2 year old loved it here! A good variety of things to do. The staff were helpful and friendly (and very busy constantly cleaning up/picking up toys!). We came Thurs evening when it was free - crowded but not as crowded as we thought it would be. Can get a bit chaotic depending on which room you were in and number of kids but there were rooms available that werent crowded as well. Water play room was a big hit as was the firetruck exhibit). Loved that they had nursing chairs (that werent tucked away in bathrooms) available for mamas. We got in for free, so we obviously felt it was worth it but at $15pp, it still would have been worth it. We spent approx 1.5 hrs there and could have stayed longer but needed to get hom for bedtime. Overall, lots of fun for our toddler.
Great for my one year old. Kim the art teacher was so sweet and helped my kid paint on his terms. They had actives planned for his age in the great hall.
Great place for kids. A lot of activities that also are interesting for adults. It's not very big but sure has a lot of activities for the youngest.
Great for kids, even BETTER for adults who are still kids at heart! Plus ART class!
Lots of fun for my kid 4 year old. We didn't get through all of the activities
great place for kids ages 2 - 13 to learn and play. prepare to spend 3 to 5hrs there. take a break grab some food or save some money pack a lunch. parking at navy pier is $24.
Had a fantastic time. It was a wonderful experience for the kids.
If you have kiddos and need to keep them busy for a few hours this is fantastic place to go. There's multiple play areas for kids of all ages; we had a 1 year old, twin 2 year olds and a 4 year old who all stayed busy for an afternoon and had a blast. There are two different sections on the third floor that are gated off so the kids can run free and explore (my favorite). The sound room on the second floor was a big hit with our crew too.
Great kids museum with a lot of activities: water, fire station, racing cars, building blocks, rope climbing. Also, there are a lot of food places in this building.
My kids always have a good time here, but I think my oldest (10 y/o) is starting to age out of it here. He still has a good time playing with his younger brother, but it seems more geared to the Pre-K thru 3rd grade crowd.
The staff is always attentive, kind, and patient. Also, apparently kids under 15 are free on the first Sunday of every month.
Lots of fun for the little ones. My wife and I took our 4 year old son and he had a blast. There is plenty to do. The activities and exhibits can certainly keep a young one occupied for many hours. The pricing was fair especially considering it's in Navy Pier. There are activities that the whole family can participate in. They also host various events/workshops at different times of the day. My son had a blast. He fell asleep for a hard long nap on our way home. You your little ones will not he disappointed. I would plan to spend at least 2 to 3hours in the museum to get the most out of it but you could probably spend an entire day in there.
It was my 10-year-old grandson's first experience for sure It won't be his last he enjoyed him self staff was awesome and available always close by Grandma my have needed assistance he was scared at times yet staff was close Mrs. Rose De Jesus
Great place for kids aged 2-5 I took my nephew (2) and he loved it. Not much for adults, but good place to spend about 3 to 4 hours and let the kids run around.
It is a great place for kids under 5 but now for kids 5 to 7. Not much in the museum for them to do.
It's many full days of interactivity, play, fun, and exploration for all ages. Just remember to pack light and relax your way through tons of activity, laughs, and events. Personally, I'm packing my own vittles for snacks because this is a full day affair.
Our family has a membership to children's museums so we visit them regularly. You would think this would be a flagship location with substantially more things to do than all of the other Chicagoland locations, and it somewhat meets that expectation. I recommend visiting from 4-8pm on Thursdays, where they currently offer half off.
I love this place number one place to take your child
My grandkids love going there, we spend over 4 hours each time we go, I love building with them, AMAZING PLACE 🏩 …
My kids thoroughly enjoyed their time. We went around 3pm, but stayed until closing. I'm sure they would have wanted to be there longer. Everything is very interactive and there is plenty to do. Plenty of seating for parents which is a major plus.
I took four of my grandchildren ages 3 to 12. There was something for all of them to enjoy. We had a fun filled day
A pretty good experience. We are a military family that came from out of town with our 6 year old to visit for the day.
Oscar was in the tinker lab and he was fantastic! Got down on my son's level and asked about the project he made and seemed genuinely interested. He was helpful and attentive. Great job Oscar! Awesome staff!!
The experience held his attention but only for about an hour and a half (expensive if we would have had to pay to get in). It was neat to experience something new. They definitely have enough staff, very pleased to see that part. However, I am not sure we would visit again as a planned trip.
Overall a good experience. The staff was amazing, we got in free for military families, and they still required vaccine records and masks (thank you!) Thank you for supporting military families like mine.
Loved this museum and so did the kids. My kids enjoy climbing so this was right up their alley
Great little museum hidden in Navy Pier! My little had an awesome time pretending to be a fireman, playing in water and digging for dinosaur bones! Great stop that was very worth the price!
Great place for kids during Chicago winters, plenty to do, our daughter who is 2.5, loves this place
Place is huge and there are tons of activities for kids of all ages and abilities.
Or daughter had a lot of fun, we were definitely tuckered out afterwards!
The rooms with the cars and water were her favorites and kept her the most engaged and active.
There is plenty to keep kids busy and thinking... She was never bored.
I only reviewed as 4/5 because I thought it would be a little larger than it is. (We have a pretty large one in STL)
Was a nice time with our 8 and 11 year old. It's busy, but manageable.
Awesome place for my 3 year old and 6 year old. Could've stayed all day long.
My kids had so much fun they didn't want to leave. We didn't leave until closing time. Everything is hands on fun. Nice place to go if it's cold out.
Great place for kids. Food choices available if desired and tables to eat at.
Great place for kids. One of the most Innovative museums for kids I've seen. Tons of climbing, interactive displays, space for kids to explore, dress up and play. Would strongly recommend especially for kids 4 to 9ish
A great variety of activities: big movement imaginative spaces, engineering/tinker space, exciting race car tracks, and arts and crafts.
Long line when it opens on weekends, but it moves quickly. Don't be discouraged.
Best for kids under 8.
This museum is phenomenal! You can be anything you want to be if you just believe! Dress up, water play, chess, build the list goes on! Every Thursday from 5-8 the museum has family night sponsored by Target and it is FREE for EVERYONE. During the summer you can get soaked at the fountain located in front of it and once it gets dark the fountain lights. The museum is also attached to Navy pier which has rides and food!
So many amazing interactive and educational activities for kids, the perfect place to tire kids out!
Spent a good 3 hours here. The kids loved it!
Good place for kids.
My kids enjoyed it.
The kids had lots of fun! Favorites were the Cloud Buster, the Zoom Room, the Art Studio and building a party hat. The staff was very friendly, and attentive to the safety and needs of the children there. It was a great time!
Enjoyed the time spent with the family at lake Michigan/navy pier. Went on a boat ride for the fireworks...worth it! Pricing is somewhat reasonable overall. View of the city and lake make it special.
My son loves this hands on museum. So much to do and keep yr family busy having fun. Plenty of seating ares for parents to chill out while watching yr kids enjoy
We had a blast coming here!! The price is worth it!! We took a lunch break and came back to finish the museum.
Really nice place and amazing collections. See this mini @coca-cola bottles
I love it however it was pretty stressful the fact that my husband who happens to be a active duty marine who just came back from deployment and was spending time with us at the the museum almost got kicked out for wearing an "offensive" shirt (the bullet club) which has nothing to do with guns in fact it's a WRESTLING SHIRT
We felt discriminated...
My niece had fun, but I was a bit bored as a grown man. Until we found a WOODSHOP. They straight up let kids play with saws, hammers, screws...We had a blast and I made a cool bird.
Less a museum, more a childrens play land. Little one absolutely loved it. Prices are steep when you consider same prices for a over 1 year old and adult!
Nice museum. Dinosaur, fire station, and water areas where our favorite. Right outside of the museum their is a water area that kids can play in as long as weather permits.
It’s a nice place for kids
This was a really fun place for the kids
Great place for kids. They will surely enjoy it here. Lots of fun activities like arts clubs. Plan to spend a minimum of 4 hours here.
Cool place to take the kids during the winter time. Different kinds of activities with water dinosaurs construction etc...
I love the level of interactivity here, especially for younger children. There are a wide variety of spaces to explore, and many of them are designed to engage both the children and the adults, too. The staff is friendly and helpful, and do a good job of keeping things clean. It's not cheap, especially if you park onsite, but there are hours of fun to be had, and there are adjoining areas to relax, eat and see the rest of the Chicago shoreline.
Key activity areas include: Cloud Buster climbing structure, castle, firefighting, camping, kids town (grocery store, car/bus and construction), digging, experiment lab and toddler space. Unfortunately the water area is still closed until 2023.
Excellent experience. Great employees. My grandson had a Ball!
Great place for kids to spend 2-3 hours. Closes a little early though like 4p or 5p.
Great place to bring your kids or grandchildren it's been a while since we were there last. But my kids would enjoy going there.
We came early on Friday so we waited outside and hand to line up to be checked in. IDs and vaccination cards need not just boosters. Children 2+ masked..
Once inside it was great. The staff was friendly to parents and the children. Certain spaces did get pretty crowded so be mindful of taking your children in. Ours ran a few kids over. Our favorite space was the tree house area and the infant/toddler space. Our son loved the lights and the push brooms.
It is also a part of the museums for all program.
Top notch Kids museum. Plenty to do and both of our kids (1&3) both loved it and could have stayed all day. Tons of cool exhibits!
Great place for entire family. So many play areas.
I could have spent 2 whole days here and still wanted more. An educational, exciting and visually stunning place for both kids and adults.
Great his friendly museum. Exhibits are small but perhaps for the attention span of 2-8 yr old.
Love this museum!!! It has SO much stuff to do here for the kids. Not a place u get tired of,]
Very nice place kids had a huge fun
I love how they continue to switch things up and give children a place to explore and be free!
Great place for children. You can be here all day.
The kids will enjoy this place. Lots to play with/on/in. Kids sized exhibits, adult sized with kids in mind. You can spend a whole day here.
April 2018, first time going here and the kids had fun. It's a bit pricy but it's worth the money. Don't forget extra clothes for the kids if yours like to play with the waters.
My son did NOT want to leave. We are members of the Children's Museum of Memphis, and were once members of the Phoenix Children's Museum. If we lived in Chicago, we would be here all the time.
My son Oliver made a friend here, named Mason. Mason if you or your parents are reading this. Feel free to look us up. Oliver misses you.
Little guy had lots of fun! Highly recommend for little kids
I always bring my little brother here! He always has a fun time and I love how often they switch the exhibits! We can easily spend 3 hours here, usually we are there for 5 hours!
Went for the first time with my 4 & 2 yr olds during new Thursday hours. Not crowded at all. Loved it! I enjoyed how activities were separated into distinct rooms/sections so kids were not overwhelmed. They did one area at a time and each area was so engaging. 4 yr old loved the climbing activities and 2 yr old's favorite was the Tree House area and just sitting in all the trucks. Water play area was closed in May.
Compliments to staff for being so engaging and caring. When daughter was climbing, they gave encouragements and helped her feel comfortable to go back again and again.
Really appreciated the snack break areas around the museum. Stroller friendly and there is a stroller parking area on the 1st floor as well as throughout the museum. I also saw them regularly cleaning areas.
After the museum, it's also fun to just walk the pier and watch the boats.
Compared to Kohls Childrens Museum in Glenview, CCM seems to have more updated and newer materials. It's a larger space so things are more spread out.
Parking garage is around $22 which is expensive if the max amount of time you can spend with little ones is around 2-3 hours. There are cheaper parking garages in the area (within 10 minute walk) by using ParkWhiz.
Lastly, appreciate vaccination checks and mask rule. Since the space is geared towards younger children who are currently not vaccinated, felt appropriate they were using guidelines geared towards safety of young kids. Masks are uncomfortable - especially when I'm sweaty trying to keep up and climb on the Cloudbuster, but the trade-off to keep kids safe makes it worth it.
The price is crazy for a 1 to 2 yr old who can't appreciate the experience as much as a kid that's 3 to 5. Military friendly, active duty gets extra ticket but not vets
What a wonderful place to take your kiddo(s) to explore!
Good museum, not too huge, but better suited for children 3+. With the Pritzker area closed, as well as the water area, it felt like the options for my 1 year old were limited. We preferred the Kohls children's museum for this reason. However, the location on Navy Pier is excellent and there is lots to explore for adults nearby as well so that's a win.
Our kids loved this place. Every stop was so much fun, the zoom room, the cloud climb, the dinosaur expedition and especially the room where they get to build a skyscrapers or whatever they wanted with all the pieces provided. Great experience, great price. Parking is expensive and not fun, but still worth it.
Update June 2022: the water table is being renovated, hopefully it will be awesome when complete. Hours are pretty severely restricted, though they have increased hours for summer. Masks are required for everyone, but at least they're no longer asking for kids to be vaccinated to entered and they're allowing food. I think 4 stars still describes the experience pretty well.
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Original review:
There are some really wonderful aspects of this children's museum and there are some things that are big letdowns.
Starting with the disappointing things: many of the exhibits are old, run down and in need of repair or redesign. It's a children's museum, so I understand that things get a lot of abuse, but it seems like poor planning to put in place an exhibit that you can't maintain. The water table is awful and needs to be ripped out and redone. There is almost no playability or educational value in it. The mini museum is a waste of space and almost always devoid of children.
The positives are many: the employees are wonderful and almost all of them seem happy to be at work. The rotating exhibit is usually really good. The pirate ship and Cloudbuster are awesome climbing areas. The construction area (while usually packed) is fun. The entrance fee is reasonable and the location on the pier is great. We had a two year membership and have come to the museum frequently.
Overall it is a really good children's museum and I strongly recommend a visit.
My six year old son enjoyed his time. He loved the race car tracks and the climbing tower, although he wished that the climbing tower had a slide. You must be vaccinated and wear a mask.
$15 per kid(bit pricey), they had a blast, but they close at 5.
This place would be recommended for age 8 or younger.
My son is 9 years old and he enjoyed the museum a lot, but some sections seems to be not attractive to him because of age gap.
However, the museum has many great choices of exhibits there.
Around the museum, we can see stunning view of the lake Michigan and the skyscrapers of the downtown Chicago.
Awesome place for kids.. but pricey though
My grandkids thought this place "was amazing " with two floors and several different play areas designed to fascinate several different age groups. Hands on activities certainly kept them focused and entertained building shapes and racing match cars. Had a hard time pulling them away to go home.
Great place to bring your kids to play and learn. If you have kids ages 7 -12 years old and they enjoy creating things, Tinkering Lab and Art Studio are the best options.
Snacks and sodas machines are not working bring your own water bottle.
It was amazing! My daughter and I enjoyed it so much!
We stumbled across this by accident on a Saturday afternoon. We walked right up to the ticket counter and were able to buy tickets. We stayed until closing and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed herself.
I really like this museum . This is one of the best place in Chicago. If you go there you will get freshness of your mind. I hope I will go again soon.
Amazing exhibits and play areas for a variety of ages and energy levels.
Some of the play areas have gates so parents can sit down for a second for God's sake without worrying their kid(s) will run off.
It was a last minute stop for us as visitors from Ohio for the day. They had reciprocity with our local children's museum and we're very helpful getting tickets. The museum is super fun and was very engaging for my active 4.5 year old. We spent 4 hours there and definitely could have been there longer. Masks were enforced in a positive way and I saw staff cleaning constantly. I'd highly recommend!
Great way to spend an afternoon and let your kids run around. We enjoy coming here as often as we can .
My daughter's love this place. There are a ton of activities to do and they are opening a new water exhibit in the future. In terms of value buying a family plus parking pass pays for itself if you visit navy pier and the museum 3 times within a year. Navy pier has redone a lot lately and is a much more enjoyable experience now than just bringing out of state friends once every couple of year.
There is so much for children of all ages to do here! The staff is very kind, helpful, patient, and knowledgable! Highly recommend!
My grandson enjoyed his visit with mommy & Nana ❤
My 3.5 year old daughter had an amazing time at the Children's Museum. She enjoyed the arts and crafts studio the most. The teacher was helpful and fun. You could tell she really cares and loves her job. The museum has loads of fun little rooms that keep them entertained and engaged for a solid two hours+. I definitely recommend it has a change in pace from the outdoor site seeing in Downtown Chicago.
You won't regret spending the money for this place. Kids are entertained every step of the way.
Perfect for toddlers & kids.. they'll learn a lot from this place
Nice but seems to be for younger children. 10yo daughter was too tall and had to kneel down. Bummer it was not really for all ages other than the tinker lab.
This place has so much fun for kids!
The museum is a great spot on the pier! There's a lot to do for kids of all ages...the only downside is the staff-some are amazing and clearly care about their work....others taint the experience.
Great place for kids! Enjoy it
My family lives in South Florida but we travel to Chicago often for my husbands job. We are members at the Children’s Museum and my daughter always has such a great time here when we come to visit!
One of the most beautiful places in Chicago. It must be allocated as time, at least half a day.
A wonderful experience for kids aging from toddler to big school. Lots of fun, learning activities to part take of
According to my daughter and wife. They had a great time and easily occupied 2.5 hrs of time. Good place to just be a kid
Bring your child to Navy Pier to the children’s museum. They will be entertained and have a good time.
This is a great spot for kids to explore their creativity. Three levels of fun and excitement. My 2.5 year old had a blast of a time!
Entertaining mix of the usual suspects, e.g. dinosaurs, pretend play kitchen/grocery, with sections highlighting architecture and Eric Carle.
Awesome day trip for anyone with kids and willing to combat the traffic.
This is a perfect place for your kids. I went with my kids and they super enjoyed all the activities of the museum. You will also learn a lot from this place.
Well, let's just say anyone who is 10 and younger will have a great time. But is it's a waste of time for someone who is 10 and up.
It’s a great space to have your child run and play with other children but it’s a bit dated and slightly disappointing.
Was the first time I've ever been to the children's museum we took her granddaughter and she loved it she had so much fun.
A wonderful place for children 🙂 We spent about 5 hours in this Children's Museum.
Really interesting for young and old. BYO food as the choices there were limited and $$$. Didn't like that you had to pay additional fees for the "special/feature" exhibits.
Kid always has a blast here and doesn't want to leave. Place is clean and well kept. We all enjoy our visits except the wallet
Better for older children, but fun and engaging for most!
Great for 12 and under even really little ines. Thursday nights are free entry
My son had lots of fun playing around
I probably enjoy our visit here more than my son and he enjoyed it a lot
Good location, multiple choises of activities: fast, interesting, multimedia and wet. Just watch out for fast food - it is better to grab snack of some home made meals.
Great place for all ages. My toddler is 20 months and there's more than enough for him to do here.
Went on a free day with a 20 month old. Lots of hands on exhibits, spent 2 hrs and could have spent more lots of workshops need tickets, on the 30 minutes, 10:30,11:30, etc.
Good size with many different activities spread out over 3 floors
Great place to bring the kids and spend the day at Museum. Beautiful place 😍
We have been the second time here. Last time a lot of possibilities were under construction. Highly recommend this kids museum to every family.
Awesome place for the little nugget in your life. Could def use a bar though for the adult that you are. Just saying. Still five stars.
Much better than I thought it would be. My son enjoyed it so much and we didn’t know how time was flying by in this place.
A good place to take the kids, for a time of continuous fun,,
KIds had fun everything was clean and somewhat organized the shopping experience area was a mess, but the best section was the makers workshop!
Kiddos loved spending time there, lot of smart toys and idea.
My kids have tons of fun
Yesterday was our second visit here and we were not disappointed. The cloud burst climbing area suspended over the Navy Pier atrium was exciting and a favorite of my son. There are several themed areas for kids to explore and there is something for kids of every age. There is even an area dedicated to infants and non- walkers. If you buy tickets online, you get a $1 discount and they offer a discounted parking rate. We have been to several different children's museums and this is one of the best.
Lots of Exhibits but small. Kids where ready to move on to the next one after 10 minutes of play. Overall good place to spend time with kids.
Perfect place for kids any age! All day long fun and happiness.
Great place to check out
So fun—perfect for a 4 yr old. Everything is stimulating and satisfying!
It was a great place for my 9 year old to use his imagination for hours on end.
I absolutely love this museum! The museum is totally children friendly that kids of all ages would love! Therew are so many activites, including arts and crafts! The staff was so polite, and there are even employees that go around scanning everything for germs. There is sanitizer throughout the building, and the museum is taking the necessary COVID precautions. I totally reccomend! Thank you for making my chickens experience memorable! I will be back to visit!
Kids had a lot of fun. Climbing area was everyone's favorite. Because of COVID-19 you do have to book your spot ahead of time. Parking will be a lil expensive. We parked in the navy pier west garage.
Overall a great experience that kids in our group aged 2-10 years old, all enjoyed.
This place is so fun my sister loves it
So cool and original
We had a lovely visit here with our one year old son. He enjoyed several of the exhibits, primarily the interactive fire truck and the forest trail/camping area - with a canoe, tent and flowing stream. I wish there were a few other activities/areas geared towards toddlers, but we still had lots of fun and plan to come back again with our four year old too!
A great place for a family day..lots of activities for small children
Nice place to take kids they can enjoy & play
I love that they have sections that are designed for different age groups. The main floor doesn't change much which is fine because there are specific activities that my daughter likes to do every time we go. The second floor changes periodically which is nice so that kids can try out something new especially if they come on a regular basis.
Awesome place for kids to learn and have fun at the same time. Dinasour Expedition
Nice place overcrowded weekends..have lockers for jackets..
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Wonderful staff, my little one loves it.
Every child will find many experiences that they will love.
An awesome place to bring kids. If you are in Chicago and have a 1-8 year old, absolutely make a trip here. It's a little pricey, but I found we got our money's worth with a whole day of fun. When I first arrived, I was a little worried because I saw a few school groups and worried it would be crowded, but I hardly noticed once we got in. There are so many different spaces and each themed space has a variety of developmental areas (large motor, fine motor, dramatic play, sensory play, cognitive development, language, etc). Whatever your child's interests, you will find places for them to work on any of the skills they need. They even have an area especially for babies and toddlers that is great for when things get a little crazy around the bigger kids. I also saw an art area that had really involved and new creative activities (not your typical coloring pages and glue sticks), which we didn't go to because my kids are little, but that older children would gain so much from.
Amazing place to bring the kids. So many fun activities.
Tons of things to do here for kids - prepare to be here all day for a complete exploration of all of the activities. There is a small water play area - bring a change of clothes to be prepared. Plenty of restrooms, there's an array of good food options on Navy Pier that are more than McDonald's for lunch. Overall, a great way to spend a rainy or super hot day. Will definitely return!
My family loves the Chicago Children's Museum!
BUT as a longtime member, I've felt letdown this year. They reopened just on the busiest days (weekends and holidays) and did away with their early morning members hours. "Because of covid." How does opening on only the busiest days of the year constitute a covid precaution? It's obviously a financial decision to limit opening to the busiest days, and the opposite of covid safe. As members, we've been able to go less frequently because we do not want to go at peak times when it gets crazy busy there. On top of that they raised membership prices. We've been members for many years now but I don't see us renewing our membership next time if they keep this "covid" schedule.
Its a great place to take the little ones. If you have family or friends in from out of town Navy pier and the museum is a place to go.
We are from Texas with our daughter and our granddaughter who is 3 1/2 yrs old. There was so much space to run around and so many cool activities to do. Alot of kids to play with . We will definitely come back. Very easy to get to. We parked by Navy Pier. Very convenient.
Fun and interesting place to bring the kids.
Top of the line children's museum. Cool multi-floor activities.
We came here for the first time with our two little boys and have been blown away. The layout is fantastic, with offerings for truly every age. Both of my boys had such a fun time. We live in the Northwest suburbs and don't come down to the city very often, so this was such a treat. We're glad to know we have this year-round option at Navy Pier for our kids
So much to do for kids off all ages! Great layout and plenty of space to move from area to area. Multiple attractions on each floor so even when it's busy, there's space for all. Water fountains and restrooms on both levels with kid sized amenities as well. Great place to spend the day! Children under 1 are free.
My 8 year old had a great time with all of the hands on exhibits. We happened to be there Thursday where they have a special admit 4 people for the price of 1 after 4pm. This worked great to break up the day for my son. There weren't a ton of people there, so it wasn't overcrowded. We spent about 2 hours there, but he would have loved to stay longer.
It was fun to be at Nevepier place... Gient wheel and boat tour was special attraction... Kids museum is pretty ok...
Really a good place to let kids play and run and have fun. Lots of activities for them and adults can have some fun as well.
Good place to take your children. They have a hot wheels track. The price was ok $19 for me and my son $38 in all
lots of fun for young kids.
Me and my husband took out 16 Month Old here and we both loved it! There was so many different activities and each one had it’s own themed room! We were there over a few hours and the whole time out daughter was smiling so big! Great place to take small kids. They also treat military very great! We came back home for deployment leave and to our surprise my husband got up to 4 people in for free with his military ID. Can’t wait to go again.
Absolutely amazing. My 16 month old daughter loved it and wait to bring her back again when she is big enough to do everything. Lots of great themed rooms and so many activities for the kids. Definitely recommend and will continue to come back many times more.
What a huge and cool museum! We went on a free Thursday night (5-8pm is free, at least during the summer) so very obviously got our money's worth. Our 6 year old found at least 10 different exhibits that were all very entertaining. He was particularly excited by the ladder climb where he could use a combination of cargo netting and platforms to climb from the first floor to the second, then cross a wooden suspension bridge to emerge. The exhibits were all creative, in good shape, clean, and some even very educational. We spent about 2 hours and perhaps could have spend another hour or so. Great stop, especially for free!
Good museum for kids, plenty of activities to do
I take a group of 10 2-year-olds here several times a year and it's always a great experience. They have set rooms that never change (a fire truck/safety section, a city section with a kid-sized bus and cars to play on, etc.) As well as a room that changes every few months ( we've been to a animal themed room, a castle room, and a super fun winter wonderland set up). The staff is always friendly and they do a great job accommodating our group so we don't have to wait too long to get inside.
Fantastic museum for hands on kids. This was built for the adventurer and tactile kid! Every floor has a variety of activities that engage the imagination of kids. Side note- lost my kid for 30 minutes so put them in bright clothes if you know they're a runner, this place is packed with other kids looking for fun too.
What a great place. They used every bit of it and no matter what age you are you can't help but learn something. If you chance to read about the artistic collection of benches, play with water pressure, or just touch a fire hose you will realize you just learned something. The kids could not be bothered and played with learning. We are hoping to become members for sure.
The place is great for children! They interactive attractions for all ages. You can build a building with your child. You can climb a rope wall. The restaurant is nice, nothing fancy but good. There is a section dedicated to fire fighters, with building, clothes, and more. Your child will have a great time.
Fantastic place to take the kids. There are rotating exhibits to keep things fresh as well as some staples. The layouts are well done and the amount of thought that went into the exhibits is very apparent. A wonderful place to have fun and learn at the same time!
This is an excellent childrens museum! My kids (ages 5 and 7) found the museum to be very interactive, age appropriate, engaging, and fun. There are so many areas to play, we honestly did not even have time to do it all. Highlights include the firetruck/fireman area (always a big hit!), the art studio (where they got to make their own costumes and bring them home), and the building station, where they created their own structures. We purchased discounted entry tickets through the Go City App and saved $4/person. Even without the savings, entry costs would have been worth it. Conveniently located at Navy Pier with so much else to do, and so many food choices. Highly recommend.
It was very pleasant experience for kids
They had very good time and enjoyed a lot!
The art/ crafts section had some workshops and we attended those . Playing with colors was fun for kids and parents too.
Otter sections were also enjoyed by kids . The water play section was really nice and attendant was watching carefully and was trying to keep kids safe .
Not much of food options but some outlets out of museum where you can get your food to food zone.
The nest part was video can be created and shared with friends, I liked this option a lot.
Will visit again for sure !
This place is renovated and the new exhibits are so cool. There is one that has to make music but they have ordinary things to make music like things we use everyday and it's so cool for kids. It is so interactive and yet simple yet intriguing. I love them!
I went on a Thursdays with my wife and my 3 year old son. From 5pm-8pm its "free" to get in. We only ended up paying $4 in total which is better than regular price. I think regular price was somewhere around $15 per person. My personal opinion it was not worth the $15 but totally worth the discounted price on Thrusday night. The activities/ games are very basic.
Fantastic place. Could easily have spent more time there.
My husband and I took our 4 and 5 year olds. They both enjoyed their experience. Many different crafts and activities for the kids to take part in. Bathrooms were very clean and catered to the kids. Most of the staff however were not that helpful. I would recommend this museum.
We definitely do our tours of museums in the city and around the city and I will say that this is a great museum, but if you asked me to rate them all, I would Kohl's as number one and Chicago Children's Museum as number two. Don't get me wrong, we really enjoy this museum, but there are a couple of points I wish were slightly different. For one, it does seem like some of the exhibits are a little bit in need of refreshing as they've been around for some time. Parking at $20 on top of the admission fee stings a bit.
There are tons of activities and most of them are pretty great. We love the bus and camping room. My oldest wasn't into the water room, but I wonder if she needs to be just a little bigger to get it.
Staff working here are very engaging and friendly. The toddler room is wonderful, but the hours are a little unfortunate as it's not necessarily open just because the rest of the museum is. We spent a good four hour here, myself, a three year old and a 15 month old and I can say, a good time was had by all.
I am coming from Sacramento CA, and this Chicago Children's museum is by far the best I have seen. Every dollar you would spend to get in there will be worth your while. You have three floors full of activities for the kids that can keep them busy for a full day! It actually kept me engaged as well, since there are some games that I played with my kids. Was Clean, maintained, organized, and super fun. You can't go wrong going there with the kids.
The Children's Museum is one of the coolest places that will never get old, no matter how old you are!!! First time I have ever been there my kids have all 🐝 a few times before with School and family members and all of us had the best day ever!!! There was so many things to do and the price was so expensive. We rode the South Shore from South Bend National Airport and we had lunch and spent the rest of our time at the Children's Museum, it was a beautiful reasonable and wonderful day to spend with my children and the grandkids ❤️ niece's and nephews we really had a beautiful family fun field day at Navy Piers Children's Museum!!!
A whole day's worth of fun for my four year old and eight year old. Always new exhibits so you can keep going back for something different. Also, so nice that there are shops and places to eat nearby in the building.
LOVED this place. I took my 10yr old and 2yr old. There were things to do for both of them. They had an absolute blast.
Lots of fun for the kids. I'm glad we took them as most of the museum is better for the younger children, but we did from some older activities that they enjoyed. The parking is $28 so just know that before you go, maybe you want to park elsewhere and take a taxi something. But it was fun! They also got to see R2d2.
Very fun attraction for children and it was my children's first time visiting Chicago so they loved it. I would definitely go again whenever I'm in town again.
My daughter loved the Dinosaurs there. The Native american section is really amazing. We walked through ancient South American cultures, and they had so many artifacts on display that it felt you were traveling back in time. The place is very clean, well kept and the workers were very friendly and knowledgeable.
Amazing place to take small children. Lots of interesting exhibits that keep them interested and entertained. I enjoyed having a break and letting my daughter enjoy running around, but there were things that were interesting for adults to join in on the fun. Can get crowded, as you can imagine, but I found getting there early was the way to go.
So much to do, and do, and do... you can spend a week in here and not get to all the interesting exhibits. Be warned though... if you are adults without children wanting to visit... plan to visit after 2PM when the million man bus March begins to spirit away the little darlings from that days field trip. Truly a kids playground for actual kids...and we adult ones (also known as cool nerds).
Great facility at Navy Pier, check if you have a corporate discount. The kids enjoyed it tremendously and it kept them occupied the entire time.
I took my 9 month baby, and we had a blast. Plenty of things to do for all ages, and adults are able to learn a bit too. A must do if you are on Navy Pier! Not expensive at all.
Would have been nice if the staff informed us they were soon to close when we arrived and paid full price for three tickets ($48). Oops! We would have come another day if we had been informed, but still managed to see most of level 3. Our three year old was the right age for most of the exhibits, but I could see that older children were having just as much fun. The tinkering lab was our favorite. Our little guy (almost 1 years old) was a bit left out, as the infants area was shut down with a posted sign stating limited hours. If you have a baby, call ahead to make sure baby areas are available. The nursing room on level 3 was in the kid town, with no door, just a curtain. On this busy day, kids and dads were coming in and out of the nursing room not realizing what it was. Not a calm or private area to nurse, and while there were designated chairs for nursing moms, people were not observing the signs. Not the museum's fault, but there should be better areas for this so mamas can spend time there with their kids in a nurturing, family friendly environment. This appears to be an older museum, but still lots of fun with thought-provoking actitivies. Definitely not the best we have been to, but it was fine.
Our two year old loves it here. There are lots of different themes zones that are awesome like firefighting, fishing, digging for dinosaurs, and even play areas for non-walkers. The membership is totally worth every penny and a great option for indoor activity during bad weather and winter.
We did opt to buy the unlimited parking add on and could not be happier because it saves money after just a couple visits. Make sure to check the calendar for special event days and get there early if you want parking though.
My children just like many thousands before them loved being here. They are able to act out different fantasies of digging for dinosaurs and being fire fighters. Then you have the different tactile "exhibits" where they can work with water to see how a dam functions or build a little car out of different parts and race other kids creations down a ramp. The price is also quite reasonable for the amount of time that can be spent here. For you fellow Active Duty personnel you can get in for free with up to three other people with you. All in all this was a great way to spend several hours.
Great place for younger kids but it is stuck in the middle of Navy Pier which is an overpriced location. This museum will keep your kids busy the entire day with all of the attractions. Bring a lunch if you want to save money and have a better option. Parking is on the North end of the pier and is expensive.
What a wonderful experience! Our kiddos went bonkers upon entering this place and when we dragged them out (not literally, because there were cameras on us), they asked when we could go back when we were pulling out of the parking lot. The top highlights were the huge treehouse, the collections area (think little trinkets) and the area where you can dust off dinosaur bones. When I was a kid we would play with rocks and sticks, specifically a game called stick n' rock. These are the golden years!
We are on our second annual membership and love it. Getting the parking pass was key. It’s so nice to have an easy place to go with little ones on the cold winter days. Being able to do other fun pier activities is also awesome.
We've been coming here for 6 years now and there's literally something for kids of all ages. Each exhibit is self contained (easy to keep busy kids corralled) but also fascinating (they don't usually want to leave anyway because they're so engaged). When the kids were younger, we spent most of our time in the imagination play areas but, now that they're older, most of our time is spent engineering new buildings, inventing toys in the tinker lab, or trying out new dam systems in the water area. Thanks for 6 years of fun, Children's Museum! I'm sure we'll be back for another 2 or three years yet!
We happened to be in town on a Thursday night and were pleasantly surprised when we discovered the museum is open later and FREE on Thursday nights from 5-8p. The museum has lots to do, but it was way too crowded to really participate in much. If you are looking for some educational/fun time with your kids I would recommend going during normal business hours and paying. Otherwise it's just a bunch of kids running around making a mess and difficult to find the pieces to most of the exhibits.
great place to spend the whole day with kids (especially for kids from 1 to 5 years old). There are a lot of things for them to do and learn. Playground and rooms are kept clean although so many people come and go everyday. They can learn and play actively by themselves without the interference of adults.
If you are membership, there is an option to buy a parking fee for the whole year with $80. It is pretty nice given that the daily parking rate in Navy Pier is $28.
If you’re a Chicagoland parent with kiddos under 5 get the membership it pays for itself just in parking alone and gives you a place to play during the long Midwest winter. Exhibits change freq and this lots of space to run around. New cloud buster is pretty neat, it’s a trail suspended in air. Appropriate for kids 10 and under
It gets bigger on the top floor! Happened to be visiting Chicago on a Thursday night, and took advantage of the free hours, which was great! Kids loved playing with all the exhibits, especially the water room. Could definitely have stayed a couple more hours here. Took the free Navy Pier Shuttle back to within a block of our motel, which was a nice perk as it was getting dark.
This place is the children's museum. Don't expect much as an adult. For example:
Real Announcement: "Parents, would you kindly call your children out of the "insert exhibit name here" immediately? We have to clean something up."
If you love children, boogers, nose-picking, screaming, shrieking, sneezing, coughing, crying, laughing, yelling, fighting, and exhausted adults sedated over their cell phones, this is the place for you!
Not sure if kids necessarily learn lifelong lessons in the exhibits, but they will be exhausted and so will your wallet at $19/child or adult.
As an adult, it's not fair for me to assess this place from a kid's standpoint. But I can't say I left here feeling like I got anything out of it. Kids sure did.
I would have preferred the aquarium or the Field museum so everybody could get something out of the experience. I enjoyed both as a youngster very much and again as an adult. But that's why it's the Children's museum and not the adult's museum.
This is a great children's space to explore and play. It seems to be meant for the early elementary school ages, but I had fun playing with my kids in the water play area. Pipes, a lock, boats, things to splash....
I liked that you can leave for lunch and re-enter, unlike some places where you're chained to a high-priced cafeteria.
This children's museum was fantastic. Each activity kept my kids busy playing and learning consistently. They didn't want to leave after we had already been there for 3.5 hours. If we weren't on vacation and a time crunch to go do other things, they could've stayed there all day.
Was disappointed, because the place is not good for toddlers. My 19-month-old was not tall enough for almost all attractions. For example, the cars to sit in and ‘drive’ better suit adults, my son couldn’t reach the steering wheel while seated. The water attractions are too high to reach. There is not enough room to crawl. Besides, everything seemed shabby and not clean enough. May be because the place was overcrowded.
I’d recommend Kohl’s museum instead.
Overall an OKAY place. My 7 year old son had fun but he was on borderline too old for a lot of the exhibits. Any older and I'd probably avoid, take to science and industry museum.
The whole museum is a bit small honestly. And the pricing? $15 for a kid but don't worry, if they are UNDER ONE they're free lol. Cost me $60 to get in and it was not really worth it. Only got about 2 hours out of it. Younger kids will have a blast though.
Grandkids love it here so much to see and do. Parking is expensive for the Pier, make sure ro get small discount from museum. Use military discount for entrance of member and 4 others.
Can't go wrong with a children's museum. This specific one in downtown Chicago has items for all ages. Staff is generally kind. If you visit 2-3 times a year a membership will come in handy. The 2nd floor has a rotating exhibit and the remaining portion are generally fixed. There's a fun art studio as well with varying classes, and on the 3rd floor there is a hands on hardware work shop with tools.
It's a great place for kids to run around and expend some energy. There's something for crawlers (in the kids zone and treehouse) all the way up to early teenagers (construction areas where they can assemble buildings and towers). It's a little small, but the space is extremely well organized and used.
i had to correct my previous review. This place is amazing for baby & kids.
Since my baby is 14 month, I will do detail review for what babies can do here for now;
3rd floor baby/toddler play area: this place has limited hours per day, so please check the website for details. This place is great for any young babies to toddlers. Lots of sensory toys and environment, books. usually opens for 2 hours or so a day
3rd floor backyard: shadow, touching flowers, making your face to bumble bee and butterfly. it is great that baby/toddlers as well.
Tree house: balls, baby pond, fishing catches...etc and you can imagine to fix your own dinner. love it.
first floor - for this year summer 2014, they have circus special area on the left side of the entrance. amazing....kids can make own icecream (of course as imagination only)
Stores by the entrance: they seem to carry good books and toys. must check it out.
My kids, ages 3 and 1, adore this place. And, As a parent, I love our membership here. The free parking (as a member) makes it incredibly convenient to visit frequently for 1-2 hours at a time - and there is enough diversity in the different rooms that we can alter what we visit each time. Plus, the layout makes it an easy place to go while managing 2 kids - each room has somehthing of interest to both of them so they are both entertained and happy. We tend to go during the week - and it is always clean and never too busy (although we avoid CPS school breaks).
Great children's museum with things to do for every age. Its particularly good if you have children in multiple age groups. Its setup so that each age group can having something to do without being spread out too much. Admission is free for active military and veterans.
I went with two 7th graders. They loved it. I feel most of the Children's Museum may be more geared to a younger audience however, the girls enjoyed all the hands on activities available throughout this venue. The Children's museum was a hit!
The only other Children Museum we have been to is the Strong and this one is on par in terms of entertainment value for a 3 year old. It's not as big but has an excellent variety of activities. A toddler could easily hang out here for the full day.
We love the Children's Museum, we've been members since my son was 1. The membership is very worth the price, especially when you include parking. It's a great place on a 0 degree day and the Polk Brothers fountain is a great place to go after the museum in summer.
Great place to bring the kids. Lots for them to see and do. There are many different themed rooms and some that change for different special exhibits. There is always the little town/store. The water room (kids love this one). A big backyard, dinosaur bones.
This was such a lovely experience with my 2 yo. There are many different areas to explore. It's very open ended environment. We went on the Thursday free night. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't overcrowded. We parked on Ohio; there was lots of street parking available at 4/hr. But you can only pay for 2 hrs at a time. It was a 5 minute walk to navy pier from there or it would be if you go faster than a 2 yo.
Tons of fun! Kids loved it! Really loved the B1G1 on a Tuesday!
Really fun for kids, a lot of stuff to do. Also at navy pier. Multiple floors. There is something for everyone
I love taking my family here. The children have a safe space to have fun, learn and experience nee things. They can also discover their own interests. The like children's museum has a free night every week, on Thursday I believe, so that anyone can enjoy this Chicago gem
Great place to take the kids for a couple of hours. They rotate some of the activities every month so it keeps things feeling new. The annual membership is a good deal and gives you discounted parking at Navy Pier.
Awesome place for kids. The cloud buster and climbing schooner are hits
My kids LOVED this place. A toddler, elementary schooler and middle schooler all found interesting things to do. It was a great way to spend a rainy and hot afternoon. The hours passed by quickly. Loved that several of the toddler/preschool rooms had enclosed spaces with doors that shut so the kids could run around more safely. Afterwards, easy to grab a bite and enjoy the rest of the Navy Pier. A highlight of our visit.
Our girls, aged 5 and 8, enjoyed around 2hrs here. The exhibits were super interactive, we especially enjoyed building the skyscrapers with the time lapse video. The price was high, but not much higher than others I've been to.
I took my 2 year old and we just had a blast! As an adult I even thought it was coolest place I have been to in a long time. so many different areas! My son loved seeing the dinosaurs!
Had a great time with the family and friends. The little ones loved checking out all the activities that were available. The small water interaction seemed to be the biggest hit with them. Would recommend.
Five stars for those with kids under 8. They have some pretty amazing exhibits.
It's a very nice and clean place for kids to play. They have many different settings, shopping, fire fighter house, cops and robbers and more. A theater with costumes, play dress up and the kids can go on stage. Also a place for infants. Do bring socks with you, because you can't wear your shoes inside. They have people always walking around and cleaning.
Plenty of things to keep the kids educated and having fun for hours. Great place to go when it's super cold. $15 entry fee. Zoom room (hot wheels) art and crafts and tinker lab to name a few of the attractions. Worth the visit.
Great place for toddlers !!! My kid absolutely loved it :) and like that they had hand sanitizer in every correr, so you feel safe.
This is a great place to take children and allow them to run amuck as children should. There is two floors with rooms and spaces filled with activities including arts and craft. There is also a climbing activity. Everything a kid needs to burn energy. There is space for parent's to relax whims children play.
Love this place, super fun and lots to do for all ages. They do have a pamper machine in the womens bathroom (I forgot my diaper bag in the car which was BLOCKS away) They should sell bottles of water in the 1 vending machine they do have. Friendly staff.
A great place for young children! There are a lot of hands on activites for big and little children. And they also have designated areas to eat whether you buy food there or have your own. It's a very family friendly place. Not to be missed if you are on a family vacation in Chicago!
Cute place in a fun location to visit with a toddler for a couple-hour playful respite on a rainy or wintry day
we have a 3 and 5 years old boy, the 5 years old boy can spend the whole day in it, playing different kinds of things, while the 3 years old one fall into sleep at the last 1 hour. The children museum has a wide variety of things (including waters, games, cars, supermarket, building, camping, fishing, rope climbing, etc.), covers the needs for a wide range of kids. i think from 0-10 years old would have enjoyment in it. It also has some special things occasionally, need to see it's daily schedule. Also, there is an art center, you can so some art in the room, but need to get ticket in advance (no extra cost). The museum admission fee may be quite expensive, but you can go there at free time, and you can also get some free tickets (may be from library), but the parking there is also expensive, but the annual pass would include the parking fee.
We had a ball. My son loves the children’s museum. It’s expensive but they have free days and discounts for vets and link card holders.
Came here on a rainy day with my niece and nephew and they had a blast! There are so many different activities for the kids to do. The water tables were by far their favorite, mine too, but it was a great place to let kids be kids!!
My two year old twins loved it. Spent three hours at the museum. They have a staff that is very good about changing exhibit areas often so that kids don't get bored being in the same space. I felt there were plenty of activities for all ages and the exhibits were very smart and touched on a lot of sensory and developmental areas for toddlers. The only thing was I wished the elevators were not strategically placed in the middle of the museum toy store and the admission is high because there is no discount for a family. The three of us was $42.
Great activities for toddlers through middle school. They have a room for babies and toddlers learning to walk, a very fun water play section with the river and dam set up. The rotating exhibit is fun too.
I think this is a great museum with options for all ages. I like that they offer certain mini classes during the day at specific times that range from arts and crafts, science and music. I have been to children's museums with better exhibits but the kids do still love this one.
Great indoor place to escape the heat after being outdoors for a long time. In the middle of summer it was not overly crowded. Kids could play for several hours. Bathrooms were nice and not crowded. In the main Navy Pier building the bathrooms were way more crowded than up here.
An very good children's museum. Really accessible learning areas. The water area is challenging and fun.
One thing as a Chicago visitor that I enjoyed was access to the restaurants and shops at the Navy Pier. It's all indoors so weather is never an issue.
Enjoy coming here with the kids. I become a kid of my own when I'm here. Helping the kids around when deep inside I'm having fun too. Great place. Take your time when you come. Enjoy each section. My personal favorite is the building section. Lots of space and endless fun. Aways make some good memories coming here.
Great place to take your kids and grandchildren. Very clean and the staff was incredibly helpful !
Fantastic Children's museum, so many different play areas and we always find some fun thing we missed on previous visits. If you are local, the membership is really worth it, especially with parking! Great rainy day or cold weather spot!
Plenty of fun activities for kids to participate in.
The best attraction in Navy pier, in my opinion. A great place to spend the entire day with your little ones. The entire place is built for children and it does not disappoint. Visit the tinker lab, where there are daily challenges to build innovative inventions.
Great place for kids. But why do I have to pay to just supervise my kid is beyond me. I know it's all about the money, just doesn't seem fair pay 2 full admissions for 3 hours of entertainment for my daughter.
I was really surprised by how much the kids loved this place. I thought they might get bored quickly, but that was just my assumption being in a touristy area, i was totally wrong though. They played all day and could have spent the night if they were allowed to! As other said the water feature thing was a big hit
Love this museum! There are plenty of things for my two year old to do and we easily spend all day here. There are different rooms with different themes. There is also a museum worker in each room in case there are questions. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because of parking. Navy Pier parking is not cheap, so you have to take that into consideration when going.
Dropped in on a Saturday afternoon in May with my 3-yr-old and 7-yr-old while my wife saw Hamilton. Was pleasantly surprised at how not busy it was and membership to my local Children's Museum provided a nice discount. The kids loved it and were properly tuckered out afterward. This was a nice escape from the midday sun and madness of the rest of Navy Pier. Next time I would have driven rather than walked, the parking was right nearby too.
If my two girls had a great time I have to give it five stars. Never thought we were going to be there for a long time but the measum has a lot of activities for children to learn and interact. I highly recommend the art workshop and Tinkering Lab where parents and children can create together beautiful memories.
Parking is a bit costly if you don’t eat and valet ( as they validate with $25-$50+ meal) or if you are a member ( as they offer discounted and free parking) so spot hero or another app is a must. We have a code if you need @thechicagomom , It’s a 4-6 hour max visit for me although you can easily make it a full day with all the fun stuff at the pier, but it will cost you a bit ( although it’s truly a great bang for the buck and really well suited for kids 2-10 IMO) plus, ez drop off right in front of navy pier or park at the 1st lot after ya turn. So many fun play areas, with new exhibits coming up all the time and yes a water play area is there as well. There is a enclosed Gated area for lil littles and less open areas as well, sensory friendly, plus Thursday late play is a deal and 1 free monthly dates are reoccurring, they also participate in museums for all and free passes. An be can be check out your local Chicago public library.
Fun place to be with the kids. The different activity rooms are amazing and all the rooms are very close to each other which helps navigate. The best place is the fire station area, kids can wear fire fighters suits and act as fire fighters.
Lots of areas that kids can interact and play in.
One of the better children's museums I've been to. Not on par with something like Indianapolis', but for the Chicago area it's probably the best. An ever rotating exhibit in the front makes repeated visits seem fresh. Added bonus of being able to wonder around Navy Pier gives a nice two for one visit.
Great place for kids! Mostly updated. Decent price imo.
Entrance fee was salty for my 4 kids & me. It had a lot of wonderful interactive areas. All my toddlers loved the fishing, Firehouse, and painting area. My teenager and toddlers liked the modeling clay work area.
An amazing educative museum for children inside the Navy Pier area with 4 storey building consist plenty of children activities, from art to playground area. Not too worry about the food because there is a cafeteria down the lobby. Toilets and parents waiting area also available inside the museum. It is not considered expensive since this is a day pass.
What a cool place. The kids loved it. Totally great place to get those minds churning, let those arms and legs get out the wiggly gigglies, and let us parents sit back and enjoy. Or, if you're more energetic, like my 55 year old father in law, jump in the obstacle course 🤣🤣 …
This place was deceivingly big. It had tons and tons of things to do. Water items in one room, dress up like a fireman in another room, building and construction in another room, sailing and boating in another. It had so much to do we never finished playing and seeing all that was to offer. I look forward to going there with my grandson again if we should ever return to Chicago
Great play to play. The kids really loved it. The price of admission is the terrible part. You will pay a lot of money for your kids to have fun. And even if you have teenagers that are just with you to be with the family and not play on the exhibits you will pay.
Enjoyed, but definitely for younger children Ages 2-7 seems perfect. Nothing for adults really and paid full price @ $14 per adult + $25 flat rate parking. Kind of disappointed in the adult fee to get in as the only thing to do is watch your kids play.
If you can get past the fact that it's inside Navy Pier, then it's a pretty fun place to take the little tykes. It's about three floors of fun stations and activities that'll keep them busy for hours and give you a much needed break! It's not cheap but then again, it's still worth taking the kids if you're looking for something different to do.
Check it out!
A nice place to spend a day with kids.
Great spot to take our daughter while visiting family in town for a wedding during a holiday weekend. The staff are friendly and, since we had to commute into town, parking was convenient and easy to find. The building was kept clean.
Plenty of activities for children of all ages. Our 2 year loved the water exhibit, he was soaked. The museum provides rain coats, but bring a change of shoes and socks.
Loved this place and my son had so much fun! There is so much to do and it is very interactive for kids of all ages. We will definitely go back the next time we are in town.
I take my Nanny kids there all the time! it is fun and a great way to spend a rainy day! They always have a blast and want to go back everyday!! WE love it! Even my 16 year old brother loves it!!
In case if you are staying in Chicago with your kids during a rainy or a cold day - Children Muséum is a right place to be. Different areas for ages starting from 10 months to discover, to try yourself as a builder, camper, fireman, bus driver, baker, grocery shop employee. Opportunities to climb, jump, make creative activities. A separate place dedicated to play with water.
Close walking distance from the museum there is a small beach, and a very beautiful alley to walk and enjoy downtown views from the lake without taking a boat.
A perfect space to let children aged 4-10 experiment while having fun! Water, fire brigade, modelling, small village, tinkering, etc.
There are also dedicated pic-nic areas.
Make sure you take tickets for the art workshop early enough (right at the workshop gate).
Parents paying full price is a rip-off….
A great place to let your kid's imagination run wild. Fun and interactive space. Friendly staff. Clean space. If you're a local it's worth the yearly membership + parking at Navy Pier.
Had a great time at the museum especially for the price. We are from Indiana and are used to going to our Huge Children's museum that can sometimes be overwhelming. I enjoyed the size of the museum and the exhibits. The children had a great time and even participated in an art class.
They have a very small infant area that is not manned by staff. And parents would just let their older kids jump in and around my grandbabies who were 7 and 8 Months old. This place hasn't changed at all from when I used to bring My children here.
This is a hidden gem in Chicago. The one place you can escape the winter blues and entertain your child for hours indoors and in the warmth. Really great for children from toddlers to early youth. The great part is Navy Pier has really upped it's food game so you can have a grown up lunch the kids will like too at places like DMK Burger Bar
Kids always love it! They always find something new to explore. Kids town, cars, building, tinkering lab and now art studio. They can easily spend 5-6 hours here! Bring snacks!
So many wonderful, enriching things to do and see. I visited as a tourist, but I could see they do a lot of extra activities that would make being a regular exciting. I have a toddler and a pre-schooler, and many of the areas had a little place for crawlers and cruisers, which was so convenient. The little city has a little maze for crawlers and new walkers that they can't escape from in case you need to take your eyes off of them for a moment. There is also a care area in the little city to nurse a baby or calm down a tantrum.
It's a very special children's museum that seemed to me to have crammed as much entertainment, learning and wonder into their space as possible. Hand sanitizers in the snack areas. Little potties in the restrooms. "Paths" to follow along the walkways. Comfy chairs for the grown-ups to sit in and relax a moment.
I also have to say the other parents I met at the museum were wonderful. Some of them said they were regulars and they were very welcoming.
I took a pair of toddlers here for a birthday and they had loads of fun. My three year old son didn't want to leave the room filled with ramps and hot wheels cars but there are lots of other things to do. As a parent I admit I got pretty bored watching endless ramp play, and most of the parents have that glazed look that you get while observing three year olds endlessly repeating the same game, but all the kids love it.
I'm not generally a germ freak but there are hundreds of toddlers putting their hands and mouths all over everything so if a population destroying super bug is going to evolve this is probably where it will start. There are hand sanitizer stations scattered around but they aren't very prominent so be sure to seek them out or bring your own supply.
The exhibits were very fun for kids and adults! They challenged kids mentally. The exhibits change from time to time to keep things interesting. If you plan on volunteering here I've heard that they treat their volunteers very well.
Wonderful museum that offers everything for children of all ages. There is a lot on interactive displays that engage kids and are also interesting for the adults. The layout is great because it never seems overcrowded even on busy days.
Our kids (and we) absolutely loved it. Especially the building areas where we can get the whole family to build something! Kids can spend whole day in the museum. We spent 3 hours and felt that we had planned so little time.
Entrance is not free! You can get a free pass at any local Chicago public library. Parking is very expensive, you can get it a lot cheaper through a parking app. I used spot hero.
I came here with my brother and his two little ones, my nephew and niece for a little time outside of the usual and home that comes with it. I would have thought of so much more they could have made a place like this into shine but nobody told me they could have used my help and I had to figure it out on my own. Don't get me wrong,the kids are not going to complain about the content this place has for them to play with and on but what does that say? Not much considering most kids are just as happy to get their hands on an empty bottle or unguarded dumpster full of trash...so why not try to shine through j to something so much more which any place of this stature in a town as big as Chicago should have little problem doing...so let's get it do a donde and we can be on to get with our gone and move on.
Really fun museum but jeez it gets so crowded. You have to be super patient to deal with it. No great options for nursing mothers. They have random curtained off areas but kids think it's a part of the museum and walk in on you constantly.
Nice place but almost everything was closed in a Sunday night
Fun time. A bummer that you can't leave and come back in. I came here for my child and he had a blast, so that's all it takes for me to give it a good review.
I wish adults could carry drinks.
Describing this - huge - play center as a "museum" is stretching the truth somewhat, but perhaps it helps with their funding. That said, it makes for a great day out for small children with lots to do, learn, climb and play with. Food and drink options are reasonably varied and the Navy Pier location also has lots more available to extend the day's activities.
First time visiting from out of town. I liked that it wasn't to packed. Easy transitions with the kids. I really like the snack areas for families. On a personal note, the hand soap is to strong. Lol
We had a fantastic time!
May be the most fun all the kids had while we were in Chicago. If we go back we will plan at least one full day here as the kids didn't make it to all the rooms because of the fun they had in each room they did go to. The employees also went out of their way to help all of the children they were near.
We had a great time here and took part in experiencing navy pier as a family. There were exhibits for every child of different ages.My son particularly loved the water works exhibit.
Adults only had limited opportunity to interact with children in various activities, must pay full price. Children 8 years & older will find it challenging to have fun as they may be too old for this museum.
Myself and 26 year old daughter along with my youngest son had a great time.Oh yeah staff was great!
My 15 month old had a great time at the museum. Great activities and awesome customer service. Loved the art class and the way the executer responds to kids i.e with great patience and enthusiasm.
Nice and fun place for kids of all ages. Lot’s of things to do, located in popular tourist attraction. Prices fairly charged considering it is located at Navy Pier near downtown. They also have discounts for EBT/WIC card holders, Active duty members, teachers, and other government employees. Getting a membership can also get you perks. They have free-play days and hours (provided on their website). Can head in and out to visit shops or restaurants at Navy Pier with the entry bands provided at purchase. Lockers and coat/ stroller room provided. You can leave your coats and strollers for free or rent a locker for other valuables. Restrooms located conviently inside museum in every floor. Family- friendly rooms for breaks or diaper changing. The only downsides are parking hard to find nearby on busy days and the museum gets very crowded, being the nearest Children’s Museum in town. Could use more staff supervision for safety since it can get chaotic with children running around. Also I would recommend that if you are visiting with multiple kids, especially younger ones, that you take another person with you to help keep an eye on them since kids tend to run in different directions according to their interest. Overall, I’m glad there is a Children’s Museum near downtown instead of traveling 30 minutes to the other nearest one. Very fun for kids and parents.
Second time here, wished the exhibits changed a bit more, but overall a great time spending a few hours playing with the kids. Kids really love the exhibits as they grow and change.
This place is nice for a rainy day, but it is quite expensive and not all that large. There are activities for every agree group which is nice on one hand (there's something for everyone) but on the other hand makes it that much more limited as to what the kids might be interested in.
We got stuck in Chicago due to a missed flight, so to make the experience more enjoyable for my toddler we spent our time in this children's museum. She had such a good time. And to my surprise, military families were free!
Ahh the only museum that I can safely take my devil kids. Love the attractions just wish the water exhibit was a little more updated. Comes off as a little "industrial" after a while. Not very intuitive but hey it keeps the kids happy so who am I to complain? Some exhibits I feel are missing pieces but like I said the kids don't seem to notice or care and they have a blast anyways. Parking is now 30 bucks at the Navy Pier garage and that's for all day but there's no in and out parking. Can be pricey after admission lunch and parking so plan accordingly.
This is a great place for your young ones I'd say anybody under 10 would really enjoy it but Viola pre-teen kids might not enjoy it so much because they don't have a whole lot for the older kids to do about two toddlers And preschoolers kindergarten to third grade or so would really love to hear parking is expensive we paid $35 to park in the parking lot for 2 to 6 hours and then had a hard time finding where to pay you can't pay down at the gate when you exit but only with a credit card
I had a wonderful experience at Chicago children's museum this year.this place is huge with lots of areas to explore for kids as well as to have full for parents.kids can learn and play at the same time and never get boarded. Food is available inside the mall and we can leave and come back any time of the day.fun fun fun!
Any residents with children should get a pass to this place, it is our family's go-to for rainy days. The exhibits are fun to explore and well designed, the layout makes it exciting to explore, and their special programs are creative and engaging.
We Love this place!!! Definitely recommend if you have children. Alot of good learning experience
It was even interesting and fun for us adults.