Best Children's Museums in California
6 children's museums in California
Hands-on museums designed for kids.
Editorial oversight by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards
Children's Museums in California: what to expect
California has 6 children's museums we would happily take our own kids to. Bay Area Discovery Museum is the one most families start with. Play-based exhibits at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge let young kids climb, build, and imagine. Children's Creativity Museum is the other name that comes up again and again. Two floors of multimedia art, design, and innovation activities build creative confidence in San Francisco. Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose rounds out the pick of the bunch. Indoor and outdoor play zones, plus artists-in-residence, let young visitors learn through open-ended discovery. Also worth your time: Kidspace Children's Museum, Pretend City Children's Museum and The New Children's Museum.
Published prices run from $15.50 at Kidspace Children's Museum up to $20 at Children's Creativity Museum. 2 of the 6 listed here quote a starting price. The others vary by season or by what you add on, so check before you travel. Age guidance is worth reading first at Bay Area Discovery Museum (ages 0-8) and Kidspace Children's Museum (ages 1-10).
The children's museums on this page are spread across Sausalito (1), San Francisco (1), San Jose (1) and Pasadena (1), so it is easy to pair two into one trip.
Childrens Museums
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Sausalito, California
Play-based exhibits at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge let young kids climb, build, and imagine.
Childrens Museums
Children's Creativity Museum
San Francisco, California
Two floors of multimedia art, design, and innovation activities build creative confidence in San Francisco.
Childrens Museums
Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
San Jose, California
Indoor and outdoor play zones, plus artists-in-residence, let young visitors learn through open-ended discovery.
Childrens Museums
Kidspace Children's Museum
Pasadena, California
A 3.5-acre outdoor playground of climbing, water play, and a real working farm near the Rose Bowl.
Childrens Museums
Pretend City Children's Museum
Irvine, California
A pint-sized city where kids run the grocery store, gas station, and more through play.
Childrens Museums
The New Children's Museum
San Diego, California
A San Diego museum where kids make art inside ever-changing, artist-designed installations.