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Museum Fun with My Kids: The New Children’s Museum

February 8, 2025

Museum Fun With My Kids Blog
El Más Allá is an immersive experience that will take you to a world beyond anything you’ve seen before! Expanding throughout the Museum’s lower level, this colorful and imaginary world includes a giant 40-foot slide, vibrant, wall-length murals featuring unique characters, foam blocks and geometric sculptures. By interacting with this unknown world “of the beyond,” children will learn to challenge themselves, as well as connect and collaborate with each other in new and inventive ways.

The New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego is a paradise for hands-on play, creativity, and imagination, making it one of my kids’ absolute favorite places to visit. With so many interactive and immersive exhibits, it’s easy to see why we keep coming back!

My 8-year-old son was immediately drawn to the Odyssey installation, where he could build with foam shapes, race through tunnels, and run up a curved wall like a ninja. Meanwhile, my 10-year-old daughter fell in love with Teatro Piñata, a magical caravan theatre where she got to create her own play and perform on stage—what a confidence booster!

Whammock! is an interactive, three-dimensional textile environment of colorful crocheted hexagons, open pockets and hanging pendulums. Children are able to move upwards through one pocket after another until they reach a colorful expanse where they can run, slide, bounce and rest. The rhythmic motion evokes the sensation of floating in a swelling sea, stimulating the deepest part of the brain and engaging the child’s sight, touch, movement and balance.

One of our biggest highlights was exploring The Wonder Sound + Cavern Lights, a mesmerizing labyrinth of rooms, rope climbs, hidden passages, and nooks filled with inspiring quotes and artwork. The surprise moment? Discovering a ceiling full of hanging spoons—so cool! And of course, no visit to the museum is complete without climbing, swinging, and bouncing on the Whammock!, a giant crocheted hammock that had my kids giggling with excitement.

The Children’s Museum is open daily 9am-4pm (except Tuesday). Enjoy art installations, workshops, and toddler time.

Beyond the climbing and play, the museum also encourages hands-on art-making and storytelling. We raced down a giant slide in the El Más Allá exhibit, hopped aboard a pretend bus in the Octavia E. Butler: Seeding Futures exhibit, and explored every corner of all three levels before winding down on the outdoor patio, where we made clay sculptures together.

In this installation, visitors of all ages are immersed in a towering landscape as a massive airship floats mysteriously overhead. Optical devices scattered throughout the space invite us to shift our perspective and imagine new ways to engage with the land. Encouraging thoughtful future dreaming for how we engage with the world around us, this site-specific project is part of an ongoing series by Luger called Future Ancestral Technologies. Combining speculative fiction with an Indigenous lens, Luger’s work provides us a space for futuristic vision in which societies live in true reverence and acknowledgment of the land.

The New Children’s Museum is a place where kids (and grown-ups!) can tap into their creativity, explore new ideas, and experience the joy of hands-on discovery. It’s a must-visit for families looking for an inspiring, art-filled adventure! 🎨✨

The Loving Dragon is more than just a sculpture—it’s a hands-on experience that encourages self-expression, creativity, and exploration through color and texture. Whether you’re adding bold strokes, intricate designs, or playful splashes of paint, every visitor leaves their mark, making the artwork a unique collaboration between the community and the museum.

 

6 Visitor Tips for an Amazing Day at San Diego’s New Children’s Museum!

Planning a visit to the New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego? Here are some handy tips to make your experience even more fun and stress-free!

1️⃣ Park with Ease 🚗 – You can often find parking in the garage under the museum on Front Street. It’s super convenient and keeps your car cool on hot days!

2️⃣ Snack Time 🍎 – No need to pack lunch! The museum café offers fun and kid-friendly food options to keep little ones fueled for all the exploring ahead.

3️⃣ Perfect for Toddlers 👶 – If you have young kids, don’t miss FREE Friday Toddler Time! This special program includes hands-on activities designed just for little learners.

4️⃣ Dress for Play 🎨 – Many exhibits encourage hands-on art-making, climbing, and exploring, so wear comfy clothes that can get messy—it’s all part of the fun!

5️⃣ Bring a Change of Clothes 👕 – Some exhibits, like the clay-making stations, can get a little messy. Having an extra set of clothes handy can be a lifesaver.

6️⃣ Explore All Three Levels 🏛️ – The museum is packed with exhibits spread across multiple floors! Make sure to leave enough time to discover everything, from interactive art installations to creative play areas.

✨ Bonus Tip: End your visit on a relaxing note by heading to the outdoor patio and playground—a great spot to unwind, make art, or grab a snack before heading home!

📅 Plan your visit & learn more at: thinkplaycreate.org

Written by Danielle Deery

Danielle Deery lives in the Encinitas area of San Diego’s North County with her husband, two kids who are 10 and 7 years old, and a dog. One of her favorite things to do is take her kids on museum adventures around San Diego. You may see Danielle at the New Pacific View Arts Center in Encinitas. She is a Freelance Curator, former President of the San Diego Museum Council, and former Director of Exhibitions at Oceanside Museum of Art.
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