Children’s Museums in California
Experience California’s top-rated children’s museums! Explore exciting exhibits, innovative learning zones, and helpful advice for a family-friendly day out.
Ranked in Alphabetical Order
- Bay Area Discovery Museum – Sausalito, CA
- Cayton Children’s Museum – Santa Monica, CA
- Chico Children’s Museum – Chico, CA
- Children’s Creativity Museum – San Francisco, CA
- Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose – San Jose, CA
- Children’s Museum of Sonoma County – Santa Rosa, CA
- Children’s Museum of Stockton – Stockton, CA
- Kidspace Children’s Museum – Pasadena, CA
- Modesto Children’s Museum – Modesto, CA
- MOSAIC Children’s Museum – Woodland, CA
- MY Museum – Monterey County Youth Museum – Monterey, CA
- Paso Robles Volunteer Firehouse – Paso Robles, CA
- Sacramento Children’s Museum – Rancho Cordova, CA
- San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum – Escondido, CA
- Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery – Santa Cruz, CA
- The Lawrence Hall of Science – Berkeley, CA
- The New Children’s Museum – San Diego, CA
#1 Bay Area Discovery Museum
Address: 557 McReynolds Rd, Sausalito, CA 94965
Phone: 415-339-3900
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Interactive exhibits designed for imaginative and educational play, including an expansive outdoor play area
Stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge
Free parking
#2 Cayton Children’s Museum
Address: 395 Santa Monica Pl, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: 323-761-8984
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Over 21,000 sq. ft of interactive exhibits, including a ball pit, community market, and fire station
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Free parking
#3 Chico Children’s Museum
Address: 325 Main St, Chico, CA 95928
Phone: 530-809-1492
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Variety of interactive exhibits simulating real-life environments such as a mini grocery store, camping, and veterinary clinic
Dedicated sensory room and nursing room
Conveniently located in downtown near many food options
#4 Children's Creativity Museum
Phone: 415-820-3320
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Over 16,000 sq. ft of interactive exhibits, including the outdoor play patio
Historic Looff Carousel, children 2 years and under ride for free
Conveniently located in downtown near many food options
#5 Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose
Address: 180 Woz Way, San Jose, CA 95110
Phone: 415-820-3320
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Variety of interactive exhibits designed for imaginative and educational play, including water play, theatre, and farmers market
Expansive outdoor play area with a beehive climbing structure
On-site snack and drink options available for purchase
#6 Children’s Museum of Sonoma County
Address: 1835 W Steele Ln, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: 707-546-4069
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Variety of indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits, including a real John Deere tractor
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Free parking
#7 Children’s Museum of Stockton
Address: 402 W Weber Ave, Stockton, CA 95203
Phone: 209-465-4386
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Variety of interactive exhibits simulating real-life environments such as a fire station, bank, and hospital
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Outside food allowed in the picnic areas located in the outdoor playground
#8 Kidspace Children’s Museum
Address: 480 N Arroyo Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91103
Phone: 626-449-9144
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Diverse range of interactive exhibits, including an extensive outdoor play areas with trike tracks, kid's farm, and water area
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Free parking and on-site café available
#9 Modesto Children’s Museum
Phone: 209-232-6060
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Two floors of hands-on exhibits, including a multi-story climbing structure and water lab
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Street parking around the museum is free, but time-limited
#10 MOSAIC Children’s Museum
Phone: 530-650-6279
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
ariety of interactive exhibits designed for imaginative and educational play
Conveniently located near many food options
Free parking
#11 MY Museum – Monterey County Youth Museum
Address: 425 Washington St, Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: 831-649-6444
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Variety of interactive exhibits for all ages, including a 2-story treehouse
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Conveniently located near many food options and other kid friendly attractions
#12 Paso Robles Children's Museum
Address: 623 13th St, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Phone: 805-238-7432
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Historic firehouse turned into Children's museum
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Outdoor play area with vintage fire engine
#13 Sacramento Children’s Museum
Address: 2701 Prospect Park Dr, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Phone: 916-638-7225
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Lots of interactive exhibits designed for imaginative and educational play
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Free parking
#14 San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
Address: 320 N Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025
Phone: 760-233-7755
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Large variety of indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits, including a tortoise enclosure where 50+ year old Sebastian resides
Dedicated area for infants and toddlers
Free parking
#15 Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery
Address: 1855 41st Ave, Capitola, CA 95010
Phone: 831-234-4014
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Over 5,000 sq. ft of interactive exhibits designed for creative and educational play
Conveniently located near the mall food court
Free parking
#16 The Lawrence Hall of Science
Address: 1 Centennial Dr, Berkeley, CA 94720
Phone: 510-642-5132
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Diverse range of indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits, including life-sized animatronic dinosaurs and live animals
Add-ons include 3D theater and planetarium
On-site snack and drink options available for purchase
#17 The New Children’s Museum
Address: 200 W Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-233-8792
Hours: Current Admission Hours
Cost: Current Admission Prices
Calendar: Upcoming Events
Variety of exhibits that Integrates contemporary art with interactive play, including a large three-dimensional, climbable sculpture
Offers a variety of educational programs and camps
On-site café available