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.
Museum is Closed!
11/18/2020 COVID-19 UPDATE: In adherence with the Governor's orders, the Museum is closing effective immediately.
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NEW HOURS ARE:
Face Masks Required
All visitors ages 5 and up will be required to wear a face mask.
ADMISSION: $9/PERSON, AGES 1+
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
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
CMSM is Reopening on October 1!
We’ve missed you. So. Much. It is with immeasurable joy we announce that the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota will be reopening at 9am on October 1 on a limited schedule and with new safety protocols in place. Before you plan your visit, please read through the full COVID-19 Reopening FAQs here, but I’ll highlight
Teen Volunteer Playworker Program
For the first time in the history of the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota, there is (or at least there was before the global pandemic hit in March) a substantial number of teenagers hanging out at the Museum. However, these teens do not come as guests. They are a part of the Teen Volunteer Playworker
Teaching Children Where Their Food Comes From
Today, most Americans are three generations removed from the farm. While we produce most of our food on farms of one type or another, many consumers lack farm experience. Without that, they will also lack the understanding of how this happens. If you ask them, most children will say that their food comes from a
