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.
The Museum is Currently Closed
Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota is temporarily closed.
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 on birthday party celebrations and programs, 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. If you renew your membership before it expires, you get an additional month of play! Contact Museum staff for 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
STEAM in the Loft
Baby Cafe
STEAM in the Loft
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
Caring for Living Things Cultivates Empathy in Children
Has your child ever watered plants in the gardens or talked to animals in the Farmyard? Perhaps they have visited the Ag and Nature Lab to care for cows in the dairy barn, release a monarch, or build like a beaver? Experiences like these help cultivate empathy, an important skill that requires children to imagine
The Creation of Energy: Powered by Play Exhibit
If you’ve played at the Museum, you’ve experienced how special the awe-inspiring environment is. The giggles and shouts of “Oh, cool! Look at this!” soon lead to curiosity; where do all the exhibits come from? Nearing completion of the Energy: Powered by Play exhibit installation The EV gets a new paint job! Early sketches of
Access for ALL at CMSM
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota (CMSM) has become a favorite destination for families from across our region. From the very beginning, the founding Board and community stakeholders envisioned a beautiful gathering place that would be welcoming and accessible for all. This group made a commitment that holds true through today: to ensure all children
