CMSM
Special events
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is all about hands-on play and unique programs and events. Read below to learn more about what is happening in the Museum. If you would like the Museum’s upcoming events delivered to your inbox, click the button below to join our mailing list!
Special events at the Children's Museum
19 March 2026
Lions Club KidSight Screening
The Mankato Lions Club will visit the Children’s Museum on November 20, 2025 from 4:00-6:00pm for FREE vision screenings for Museum members or paid admission guests. Lions KidSight USA is a nationwide program bringing Lions clubs across the country together to ensure our children receive eye screenings and follow-up care when needed. …
STEAM Explorers
STEAM brings together a powerful combination of skills, techniques, and experiments! Join us weekly on Friday mornings to explore a variety of STEAM related child-led play activities! …
Baby Play
Join us on the Infant and Toddler Play Porch! With a goal to support first-time parents or those who are caring for an infant, the Museum staff – who have a background in and a passion for early childhood development, will offer content specific to our birth to two age range. Although topics such as […] …
Imagineering Hour
Head to the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota for the after-school Imagineering Hour, a dedicated time for children to explore their creativity and discover the possibilities of innovation. Held in Cecil’s Imagineering Loft, Imagineering Hour offers a range of open-ended STEAM activities facilitated by our educators. Children might encounter building challenges, cardboard engineering, simple machines, […] …
Young Explorers | February 2026
Tiny Humans, Big Discoveries! We’re excited to for our quarterly Young Explorers program, where curiosity meets care — with help from some pretty awesome Mayo Clinic Residents! Each session is packed with movement, laughter, questions, and “aha!” moments — plus the chance to meet real doctors-in-training who are passionate about kids’ health and wellness…big learning […] …
Bookmobile
The North Mankato Taylor Library Bookmobile makes weekly stops at the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota on Wednesday afternoons from 2-3pm. Join us for story time on the Lauri Kuch Memorial Stage each week! …
Imagineering Hour
Head to the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota for the after-school Imagineering Hour, a dedicated time for children to explore their creativity and discover the possibilities of innovation. Held in Cecil’s Imagineering Loft, Imagineering Hour offers a range of open-ended STEAM activities facilitated by our educators. Children might encounter building challenges, cardboard engineering, simple machines, […] …
Tales with Tasha
Join us on the Lauri Kuch Memorial Stage for a lively 30-minute interactive story time designed to spark imagination, creativity, and early learning. Guests are invited to actively participate through storytelling, puppet play, and hands-on small world activities that bring stories to life. What you can expect during the program. Shared reading, expressive puppets, songs […] …
Outdoor Explorers | Winter Playdate
Bundle up and join us for an Outdoor Winter Playdate at the Museum! This playful, hands-on program invites both children and their caregivers to explore, create, and adventure in the snowy outdoors together. We will cook up imaginative recipes in the Nature Kitchen, strap on snowshoes for a winter wander, and enjoy plenty of free […] …
All My Relatives | Mini Workshop Series
Join us for 14 weeks of hands-on Indigenous learning at the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota! Each Thursday from 4:00–6:00 pm, children ages 7–12 explore a new cultural theme through artmaking, storytelling, games, traditional knowledge, and guided activities. Co-sponsored by MSU’s Elementary Education program and Mahkato Okawitaya, these mini-workshops celebrate Dakota and Ojibwe traditions while […] …
STEAM Explorers
STEAM brings together a powerful combination of skills, techniques, and experiments! Join us weekly on Friday mornings to explore a variety of STEAM related child-led play activities! …
Imagineering Hour
Head to the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota for the after-school Imagineering Hour, a dedicated time for children to explore their creativity and discover the possibilities of innovation. Held in Cecil’s Imagineering Loft, Imagineering Hour offers a range of open-ended STEAM activities facilitated by our educators. Children might encounter building challenges, cardboard engineering, simple machines, […] …