Our Mission:
Ignite the natural curiosity of every child through the power of play in a dynamic, awe-inspiring environment
PLAY. It's what we do.
CMSM is open!
The Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota is now open our usual hours. Come play!
MUSEUM HOURS:
Face Mask Update
6/22/21 UPDATE: The CMSM is following the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding masks:
- Fully vaccinated persons can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing.
- Unvaccinated people are at risk of mild or severe illness, death, and risk of spreading the disease to others and are advised to continue to wear masks and socially distance.
Museum staff will continue to maintain a clean and safe environment.
ADMISSION: $9/PERSON, AGES 1+
NOW HIRING:
CMSM is looking for a Director of Development to join us on our mission to ignite the natural curiosity of every child. This new position will help drive the success of CMSM by implementing an effective fundraising strategy. We will begin reviewing applications immediately for this highly flexible position, which will remain open until filled.
A membership to the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota includes unlimited access to the Museum’s galleries during regular business hours, special discounts in the Museum gift shop, and invitations to exclusive members-only events for only $9 a month! The Museum offers a variety of membership packages to suit the needs of individuals, families, and groups.
Browse the Museum’s membership packages to find an option that works best for you. Contact Museum staff for further details.
Our Story
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is a place for all children to play, learn, and grow. Each exhibit and program is specifically designed to facilitate an optimal experience for every child.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Young Explorers
Bookmobile
Beaver Builders
Exhibits
At the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota, each exhibit is intentionally designed as a robust educational resource that contributes to the well-being of children and the community. Our exhibits are created with an understanding of children’s development and based on local settings and landmarks with play potential for children, their parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers to explore, think, discover, learn, and enjoy.
Explore
Children learn best through hands-on play.
Think
Young minds need challenges and experiences to grow!
Discover
The Museum environment captivates children with a wide variety of interactive exhibits.
Learn
Exhibits are thoughtfully designed to spark curiosity and imagination.
Enjoy
Not only is play an incredible source of fun, but it is also crucial to children’s well-being.
Impact Stories
"A Place for Everyone"
“The Children’s Museum is a place where everyone can and be welcome and find some thing that they’re interested in. If you’ve never been here, I’d say get down here right away!”
"I can’t explain how grateful I am for the Children's Museum"
“I love that my kids can come to the Children’s Museum, be creative and imaginative and make friends in the process. We visit weekly and every time we leave each of my four kids has made a new friend.”
What people are saying about CMSM
THE LATEST FROM THE CMSM Blog
Little Farm Hands Program
How much do goats eat? Will those chickens lay eggs? What’s growing in the garden beds? What is the difference between hay and straw? If you enjoy visiting the Alltech Farm Animal Experience and learning about agriculture, The Little Farm Hand Program is for you! Would you like to know where we keep our feed
Help us Develop an Exhibit at CMSM!
Children and parents: we need your help! For both the young and old, the internet has become a vital part of our daily lives. We want to know how you use it. Do you know how it works? This is your opportunity to be involved in the exciting behind-the-scenes process of developing an exhibit! We
November 18, 2020 COVID-19 Update
CMSM Closing for 4 Weeks In adherence with Governor Walz’s latest Stay Safe MN order, the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota temporarily closed, effective November 18. The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota will continue to follow guidelines set by Governor Walz, and will reopen as soon as it is deemed safe and allowable. CMSM remains committed