museums with kids - Pitstops for Kids

A Visit To St. Louis’ City Museum

December 16, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

When you hear the words “City Museum,” you might picture a building devoted to recording and educating the public about the history of a city—in this case, St. Louis, Missouri. You would be wrong. The building does contain bas-reliefs and barrels, retired safe deposit boxes and a vault—pieces of the city’s history. But you won’t find a single interpretive sign, because the City Museum is a three-story indoor-outdoor adventure playground built from salvage items.

Inside City Museum, you will find:

a three-story tree house with spiderweb netting and tunnels around the roots
hidey-holes, under-the-floor tunnels, behind-the-walls mazes, and wire mesh tube passages linking lower floors to upper floors, and from one play area to the next
a ‘circus’ with trapeze performances
a kiddie train and art area
a skateboard-like park (without skateboards)
the ‘enchanted caves’ featuring a pipe organ played by a live musician as well as a central shaft with spiral staircases to access the 5-and 10-story slides

The outdoor courtyard offers:

Two suspended airplanes, with wire-mesh cage-ladders and staircases leading to them
a castle tower with dungeon
slides
ball pits

On the roof (open weather permitting; requires an additional fee):

a Ferris wheel
more slides
a school bus protruding from the corner
a three-story dome with a cage fitted to the underside for climbing

The City Museum is an explorer’s paradise. Tunnels, hidey-holes and mazes are packed into every nook and cranny. Your kids (and you!) can spend all day exploring and not see everything.

Safety at City Museum:

About now, readers are probably wondering about safety. Rest assured, the museum is exceptionally well-designed. Yes, you will be very high off the ground. Yes, the cage-ladders are wire mesh. But they are very sturdy. The only two mishaps in our day involved head bumps at ground level; both times, staff members had ice packs on hand.

Getting the most out of your visit:

Adults: Come with an openness to adventure! Most pathways are big enough for adults (though they’re definitely a better size for kids). It’s a big place, and virtually everything is connected to everything else via tunnel or hidey hole. You can’t sit in one place and see every possible exit point, so plan to explore alongside your kids.
If you or your kids have severe issues with heights or enclosed spaces, this place might not be your cup of tea.
Lose the jewelry and wear long pants and sneakers. You’ll be on your knees a lot, and sandals will get caught on the wire mesh. In the winter, make use of the coat check to travel light.
In certain areas, even teens must have an adult on hand for entry.
Identify a meeting place in case someone gets lost.
Use the sharpies at the front desk to write your phone number on the admission wristbands, so if a child does get lost, s/he can ask an adult to call you. (Keep your phone in your pocket on vibrate. You’ll never hear it ring.)
Plan to spend as much time as you possibly can. My crew and I spent six hours there. My four-year-old had his fill after about four, but the older kids would have stayed until the museum closed.
There ARE some height restrictions. Check them out here.
There are no maps, because there is no point. The matrix is fabulously complex. It’s a place to be explored, not navigated.
Explore the website before going; it has lots of useful information.

Accessibility:

A few areas can accommodate a wheelchair/stroller, but in general, expect to be on foot. We didn’t bring our daughter, who wears knee-high orthotics; she would have had trouble getting around. During our visit, however, I did see a family with a visually impaired child navigating the outdoor matrix with the help of a touch cane.

Shopping/Food:

The gift shop offers souvenirs and clothing. Parents—one particularly useful item offered is knee pads! Those wire meshes can be rough on grownups! Also check out the Shoelace Factory for brightly-colored laces made using vintage factory machines.
Five eating establishments run the gamut from “circus fare” (popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs) to sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and doughnuts. One even offers alcoholic beverages. Some are only open seasonally, so check the website.

Hours/Admission:

The City Museum is open Wednesday and Thursday from 9-5, Friday and Saturday 9 to midnight, and Sunday 11-5. Admission is $12 for ages 3 and up, with an extra $5 fee to visit the roof. Admission is discounted after 5 on Friday or Saturday, and annual memberships are available. The outdoor areas are open only in good weather. There’s lots to explore indoors, but if you can, plan around the weather.

Getting there:

The City Museum is at 750 North 16th Street, St. Louis, MO. Two parking lots are available adjacent to the building for $5.

My family and I visited as guests of the City Museum; our opinions are our own.

Nebraska travel: Omaha museums to visit with kids

August 1, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

Omaha, Nebraska is a thriving metropolis offering lots of attractions to families for a vacation close to home, including arts, sports, outdoors activities, and a number of quality museums. Our family recommends two Omaha museums to visit with kids: the Durham and the Omaha Children’s Museum.

Visiting the Durham Museum with kids

The Durham Museum, housed in Union Station, honors Omaha’s history as the eastern terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad.

The highlights for kids are the hands-on teepee and mud lodge, the stage coach, and of course, the trains: a steam engine, coal car and caboose; a streetcar; and a passenger train where you can walk through a private dining car, seating car, a club car, and sleeper cars. There’s also a big model train.

The rest of the permanent exhibits are interesting and educational, but most are static rather than interactive. Your best bet is to take turns supervising kids in the areas of most interest to them so the adults can peruse the rest at their leisure.

When we visited, there was a temporary exhibit called “Pirates and Shipwrecks.” Everyone in our family enjoyed the hands-on displays, from a n “experience hurricane winds” tube to operating a remote robotic arm to retrieve gold coins from the bottom of the “ocean.”

Dining/Shopping:

The museum gift shop is housed in the former ticket counter. There is also a soda fountain offering ice cream sundaes, shakes and candy as well as brats and hot dogs.

Hours/Admission/Location/Parking:

Plan to spend 2-3 hours at the Durham Museum, which is located at 801 South 10th Street in downtown Omaha. There is a dedicated free parking lot, and also free parking on surrounding streets. Admission is $11 for adults, $7 for kids 3-11. It is open 1-5 on Sundays, and 10-5 Mon.-Sat., with evening hours on Tuesday.

Visiting the Omaha Children’s Museum

The Omaha Children’s Museum was, as you might expect, a highlight of the trip for our younger kids. It was a little young for the eleven-year-old, but he eventually found the ball matrix and kept himself entertained for the rest of the visit.

Housed on two floors, the museum is dedicated to play-focused learning and simple fun. There are party rooms and a nursing room, and the museum offers stroller parking in several locations. The Imagination Playground has a grocery store fire house, bank, and so on; the creative arts center offers places to build and paint. The ball matrix uses mechanical, pneumatic, and ballistic power to move the balls.

All this is pretty standard for children’s museums. To me, what set this place apart were the presentations and the temporary display called “Pirates and Mermaids.”

At the Star Wars-themed science presentation, the young woman centered her experiments around examples from the movies: Luke’s land speeder (a hovercraft made of particle board and a leaf blower), the swinging log on Endor (to demonstrate momentum and force), and Cloud City (making clouds in a plastic bottle using water and forced air).

My daughter loved the presentations in the fairy tale area. Nothing educational here, just lots of scope for the imagination!

The Pirates and Mermaids area housed a pirate ship with cannons to shoot balls and a rope playground with a menacing shark to hover above it. (There was a height limit.)

Outdoors there is a small spray park, a covered patio with a small fire truck, and a playground, with signs around encouraging families to run, play, and picnic.

Shopping/Dining:

There is a cafe upstairs as well as vending machines. You can also go outside and picnic near the playground.

Admission/Audience:

Admission is $12 for kids and adults alike ($11 for seniors). This price reflects an intention for the parents to be hands on with their kids, rather than sitting off to the side while the kids play. Note: as indicated above, older kids are not the target audience; plan accordingly. Give yourself at least three hours, and prepare for the little ones to want to spend the entire day.

Hours, admission, Location, Parking:

Omaha Children’s Museum is located at 500 S. 20th St, Omaha. The museum has a free parking lot, and if school is not in session, the elementary school across the street serves as overflow. There is also metered parking on the street.

Our family visited the Durham Museum and the Omaha Children’s Museum as guests of Visit Omaha, in exchange for an impartial review.

Washington DC with kids: When you have an hour or less

October 1, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

There’s so much to do in Washington DC with kids, families cannot possibly do it all in one visit. However, sometimes, you may find yourself with an hour or so free on our around the Mall. Here’s what we recommend:

National Archives:

Unless you plan to do some serious research on your family tree or a historical event, the main attraction in the National Archives is the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, all located in the Rotunda. Tickets are free, but run with timed entry, and should be reserved in advance. Reserve your time here. Be advised there is a $1.50 service charge, and no refunds. If you’re rather skip the charge, you can get timed tickets at the archives on the day of your visit (but may need to wait).

Once inside (past security) at the time of your visit, there will—depending on the season—be a wait to see the Charters of Independence (the documents listed above). We waited about 25 minutes for our turn. Was it worth it? Yes, absolutely. Adjacent to the charters is a small museum that shows how the archives work to store so much information, and includes some fun exhibits like letters to the president that have been archived. The museum is worth about 20 more minutes of your time.
Location: The archives are located at Constitution Ave between 7th and 9th streets, and open from 10 am to 5:30 pm.

Ford Theater:

Ford Theater, where Lincoln was shot, and the adjacent home where he died, take about an hour to tour, depending on the season. It requires a free timed ticket, but even in peak season, we were able to get one the day-of, at the time we wanted, without a problem. Once you have your ticket, you go right in at the time designated, and sit in the theater, looking directly at Lincoln’s presidential box. Tip: for the best view, sit on the left-hand side. A park ranger gives a 15 minute presentation, describing what happened that night—John Wilkes Booth’s plan, how he accessed the box, and the timeline of the president’s evening. It’s very interesting.

Afterward, your ticket also allows entry to the house across the street where Lincoln died. Unlike in the theater, where every ticket-holder is allowed in en masse, ticket-holders are allowed into the home in smaller numbers. This means waiting in line outside. During our visit, we decided to skip this stop, because of the heat. If you wait to do it, allow closer to two hours to tour the whole Ford Theater site. There’s also a small but good museum to tour (also free, and included in some timed tickets…if you want it, your times are more limited.)
Location: Ford Theater is located at 511 10th Street NW, about three blocks up from the Mall.

Festivals on the Mall:

During most times of the year, the National Mall hosts ongoing outdoor festivals and street fairs. The Smithsonian institute runs several, including the Folk Festival in June and July. These festivals are free, educational, and colorful. They make for a good break from museum touring while in the area. During our most recent visit, we explored booths and checked out artisans from China and Kenya.

We were told the National Park Service has begun to limit permits for Mall festivals, so catch one while you can!

What’s your favorite pit stop in Washington DC?

Wondering where to stay in DC? Check out our review of Grand Hyatt Washington.

Get more Washington DC itinerary picks.

Washington DC with kids: Touring the US Capitol

September 24, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

I always promise honest reviews here at Pit Stops for Kids, but this one will be brutally honest…and maybe a tad unpatriotic. While vacationing in Washington DC with kids, it’s hard to skip a tour of the Capitol Building. It’s iconic, right? It’s full of history. It’s the site of our ongoing democracy. But in my opinion, touring the US Capitol is mediocre at best and most the stops along it are boring to kids.

washington-dc-with-kids

I’ve toured the Capitol twice, and both times, I’ve been disappointed. Not by the building itself: if I’ve been impressed walking up to it (and I always am), I’m doubly impressed looking up from the floor of the cavernous Rotunda. However, both times I’ve visited, our guide has been uninspired and many of the points-of-interest offered have not been what I’d select. Still, if I had my itinerary to do over again, I’d book a Capitol tour yet again. Why? It’s the Capitol, and it does have things I want my kids to see. I just wish they were presented differently.

us-capitol-tour

On our most recent visit, the Rotunda was actually closed, due to an unnamed emergency. This didn’t help matters, of course, as the Rotunda is the most dramatic stop on the tour. And the omission of it left our guide scrambling to fill the 30 minute tour time. He was good with kids, but seemed a bit at a loss as to what to show us.

Confined to the first floor, we toured the crypt and talked extensively about the statues erected by each state. (We didn’t discuss the statue subjects, per se, but only that the statues existed, and why.) We saw the bust of Lincoln missing his ear (a mistake of the sculptor), and historic court chambers. And that was about it.

Because the Rotunda was closed, our guide presented us with admission passes to the House of Representatives floor. This proved to be the most interesting part of our tour. (To my recollection, this was included in the standard tour in past, but perhaps it’s not now.) Congress was not in session, but we were still able to sit at the top of the gallery and observe where everyone sits and votes, and check out the C-SPAN cameras. This stop required an extra security checkpoint, and we had to check our backpacks, but was well-worth doing. I’d ask the tour guide for admission at the end of any tour.

The other attraction open to the public in the Capitol is the Capitol Museum, located in an underground section attached to the Capitol. Again, uninspired. Compared the the Smithsonian museums or even the various historical museums we toured throughout our trip on the East Coast, the Capitol Museum was downright drab. There’s a replica of the Rotunda (but you’ll be seeing that anyway, at least in theory) and explanations for various bills made into law, but the best thing about it during our trip was definitely the free air conditioning. Harsh? Yes, but fair.

us-capitol-tour

Date last visited:

July 2014

Admission:

Admission is free. You do need a timed ticket, which can be obtained when you arrive, or in advance online. We reserved online, as recommended for a summer visit. We brought our printed receipt to the ticket agent who issued us tickets. Easy-peasy.

Directions:

The Capitol is located at the far end of the Mall, off Constitution Ave. To access the Visitor’s Center (where you get tickets and start your tour, and where the museum is located), proceed to the back of the building (or rather, the side not facing the Mall), and go down the stairs.

Wondering where to stay in DC? Check out our review of Grand Hyatt Washington.

Get more Washington DC itinerary picks.

Things to do in Sitka Alaska with kids: three not-to-miss attractions

August 26, 2013 By Amy Hagstrom

Whether you’re embarking upon an Alaska cruise from Sitka or charting a fishing excursion, there are multiple things to do in Sitka Alaska with kids. The town is rich in Russian and Tlingit (Alaska Native) history, and is a bustling fishing port to this day. Be sure to schedule at least one extra day in town to explore the natural, historical, and cultural sights. Sitka boasts 8,500 residents, but the central downtown area is entirely walkable; no need for a car. The three attractions for kids in Sitka below are all within a few blocks of one another, and all walkable from Sitka hotels.

Alaska Raptor Center:

Spend a few hours at the Alaska Raptor Center, located just outside of town just past Sitka National Historic Park (walk through the trails to get there!). This rehabilitation center for as many as 30 Alaskan birds of prey includes permanent housing for raptors who cannot be reintroduced back into the wild, as well as ‘rehab’ exercise and observation rooms for those who are recovering from injuries. The staff is well-educated on the goings on at the center, and can answer any questions about the rescue process.

Start at the birds of prey presentation to ‘meet’ some bald eagle friends and get an overview of the center, then tour the rehab area and the outside viewing areas. The kids loved the owls best–especially the very animated snowy owl–and the ravens. There’s a nice walking path where wild bald eagles can be spotted (and perhaps a bear or two) and a gift shop, of course. The good news: proceeds help the raptors.

Located at 1000 Raptor Way, off Lincoln Street. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for kids, and the center is open May through September 8 am to 4 pm.

Sitka National Historic Park:

En route to the Raptor Center is Sitka National Historic Park, which we were told is the smallest national park in the nation. Don’t judge it by its size, however: Sitka’s historic park has enough to do to keep a family busy for several hours. Start at the small but well-designed visitor’s center: view the short film which gives a good overview of the history of the area, then take a walk through the coastal rain forested trails to see the site of the Russian-Tlingit battle of the late 17th century and many authentic totem poles. Better yet: take one of the park’s guided walks to learn the most about the significance of each totem.

The walk deposits visitors near the beach, where great tide pool and intertidal viewing is possible at low tide. Either way, stop to take a photo of beautiful Sitka Sound and see if you can spot any large cruise ships anchored off-shore (the harbor cannot accommodate them). Back in the visitor’s center, check out the indoor totem poles and pick up a Junior Ranger booklet to complete in Sitka.

The park is free to visit and open 8 am to 5 pm. Located on Lincoln Street (a main thoroughfare), the park is a 10 minute walk from another historical site, the Russian Bishop’s House (also on Lincoln, toward town). Download a walking map.

Sitka Sound Science Center:

The Sitka Sound Science Center is easy to overlook, located in a set of warehouses by the bay, but we found it to be a hidden gem of Sitka. Locals enjoy the center’s educational day programs and camps, and there’s plenty to see as a visitor as well. Plan to spend at least one hour to tour the outside salmon hatchery (where you can learn about the process of tagging and tracking Alaskan Wild Salmon) and explore the indoor touch tanks. These tanks are extensive, showcasing the abundance of wildlife in the intertidal zone. Kids and adults can touch everything in the tanks (with one finger to ensure nothing gets accidentally pinched or squished), and we had a great time learning what all these critters felt like! The water in the touch tanks is very cold, so be prepared for a numb hand after a while!

In the touch tank room are also several exhibits about the intertidal zone, marine wildlife, and eco-conservationism. An orca whale skeleton draws the eye, too. The guides here comprise mostly of scientists and students, and are very knowledgeable about the animals and SE Alaska.

Admission is $5 per person (over age two), which includes the hatchery. The center is located at 834 Lincoln.

While walking Sitka, Castle Hill, the site of the signing of Alaska over to the U.S. from Russia, is also worth a stop. A series of stairs takes visitors to the best views around, with cannons kids enjoy seeing and vistas of both the town and the sound. Find Castle Hill at the end of Lincoln Street, by the Sitka Hotel and Totem Square.

Looking for a place to stay in Sitka? Read our review of Totem Square Inn.

Touring Virginia City, Nevada with kids

December 13, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Located thirty minutes outside of Reno Nevada, Virginia City takes families back in time to an era of unprecedented wealth in silver and gold mining history. The drive to the boomtown from either Reno or Carson City is scenic and dramatic (and kids should be on the look-out for wild horse herds…we were lucky enough to spot one).

Virginia City lies over the crest of a hill; the first thing you see if the pioneer-era graveyard followed by the tall steeples of the Catholic and Protestant churches. The main street of town runs along C Street, complete with false-fronts and boardwalks. Families can park on the street or in one of several lots, and will want to start their day at the Visitor’s Center, located on C Street. During the summer months, you can purchase one of several varieties of Comstock Pass to save on individual attractions, and in the winter, these options are available a la carte for a discount of 50 cents on each ticket for each attraction. Ticket prices for Virginia City tours and museums are very low: most average $5 for adults and many are free for kids as old as 11. The staff at the Visitor’s Center will point you in the direction of the tours that are best for your group: you definitely can’t see everything in one day at Virginia City!

Tours and museums:

As stated, there are more homes, mines, and saloons to tour than you could see in one day, but the following are not to be missed:

Trolley Tour: This twenty minute tour gives a great overview of the town and its operations during the late 1800s. We did this at the start of our day, and are glad we did. It kept everyone interested, and we all agreed we’d have been happy to ride longer. Pick up the trolley tour at the parking area next to the Bucket of Blood Saloon.

Mackay Mansion: Once the home of William Randolph Hearst senior, the Mackay Mansion served as residence and mining office. We found it fascinating to tour the office and dining room as well as the upstairs residence rooms of the Mackay family. This site is in the process of restoration, and the guide is passionate about this project. It was a joy to listen to him, and the tour is partially self-guided, so younger children can move along more quickly if needed.

The Way it Was Museum: There are certainly more sophisticated museums out there, but The Way it Was is a fun stop that will help orient kids to the boomtown era. Outside, mining equipment is on display, including a display explaining how mules were used to grind rock and deposit ore. Inside, artifacts from the town range from newspaper clippings to a dentist chair, and kids can see buggies, household goods, and maps.

The Ponderosa Mine Tour: In the summer months, families can tour one of several mines, but if you’re visiting in the off-season as we were, definitely buy tickets to the Ponderosa Mine. Located at the back of the Ponderosa Saloon (check out the huge safe inside), the Ponderosa tour takes you into a mine shaft. Our guide was enthusiastic about his topic, and we learned about the working conditions in the mines, the pay, and the dangers. We wore hard hats, and the mine shaft did get a bit restricting; this tour only takes about 25 minutes, which makes it ideal for young kids.

There are numerous additional tours of the schoolhouse (seasonal), churches, Washoe Saloon and club (this one is haunted), and Piper’s Opera House. There’s also a Mark Twain museum detailing his life in Virginia City (he got his start here). You can always pay at the door of any tours you didn’t purchase in advance at the Visitor’s Center.

Rides and other attractions:

During the summer months, visitor’s can ride a stagecoach, buggy, or the Virginia and Truckee Railroad. The railroad operates during the end of November and beginning of December as a Candy Cane Express as well, which is perfect for young kids. (Buy tickets in advance.) Walking tours of the town are always available; ask for a map at the Visitor’s Center.

Dining and Saloons:

If you’re planning to picnic, a nice public picnic area with clean bathrooms and great views is located at the start of town (you can’t miss it). Additionally, families are permitted to picnic on the Mackay Mansion grounds by the gazebo. If you want to eat a meal out, Virginia City has an array of options. We ate a family-friendly meal at the Palace Restaurant, located on C Street. Kids will like seeing the authentic saloon bar, and parents will appreciate that there’s no smoking (not the case in all Virginia City establishments). We ordered burgers and sandwiches, and the food was quick and good.

The Delta Saloon is worth a quick visit with older kids to see the infamous Suicide Table, said to be cursed by bad luck. Note: you’ll have to walk through the saloon’s many casino machines and smoky haze to get there. The Bucket of Blood Saloon is famous for the bucket’s worth of blood cleaned up after a barroom fight in the late 1800’s. It’s name is the most ominous part of the building, but it can be fun to peek inside.

Plenty of dessert and candy can be found along C Street, including Grandma’s Fudge, which we recommend. Barrels o’ Candy is located nearby; we found it to be overpriced and the candy less than fresh.

Souvenirs are everywhere, but even these are reasonably-priced. Stop at the Rock Shop for souvenir silver or gold flakes, or to pick out your own gems for just a few dollars. Old-timey photos can be taken, and The Way it Was Museum has a small selection of souvenirs at the counter.

Date last visited: November 2012

Distance from the interstate: 30 miles from Hwy 395 (580).

Directions: From Reno, take Hwy 580 to Hwy 341 (Comstock Highway). Follow signs to Virginia City.

As I disclose whenever applicable, our time in Virginia City was hosted by the Virginia City Visitor’s Center and Palace Restaurant. This generosity came with no expectation of a positive review.

California Academy of Sciences

July 2, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

The California Academy of Sciences is by far one of the best things to do with kids in San Francisco. Ideal for school-aged kids but also entertaining for preschoolers and toddlers, the California Academy of Sciences is a trifecta of scientific fun, featuring a planetarium, aquarium, and life science museum all under one (living) roof, which is an exhibit of its own.

Families will want to devote at least a half-day at the academy: we stayed a full morning, and still never got to the planetarium (next visit!). Be sure to get a schedule of the day’s events when you enter. On the day of our visit, we were able to catch the African penguin feeding and the tropical fish feeding. Both activities included a talk from a marine biologist and lasted about 15 minutes. The docents at the door of the academy are very helpful in alerting families of the daily activities; we were glad to have them!

The academy is set up with two large domes (you’ll spot these from outside). One houses the planetarium, and the other houses the rain forest canopy, a tour along elevated walkways past plants, trees, and many animals (including lots of butterflies and birds). The rain forest canopy will end at the top, where guests can take an elevator down to the ground and basement floor aquarium. (I suppose you could do the various sections of the academy in any order you like, but it flows very well to see the rain forest followed by the aquarium, both in a logistical sense and an educational sense…the exhibits build upon one another.) I think the ‘flooded rain forest floor’ section of the aquarium was my seven-year-old’s favorite spot: he lingered at the rain forest snake section, where he could experience the (simulated) sensation of having his arm constricted by an anaconda.

Tip: it’s warm in the rain forest dome; you’ll want to shed sweaters or coats, so be sure to wear layers!

After experiencing the rain forest dome, we took the elevator to the top floor of the academy, which is actually the roof. We looked out over the ‘living roof’ exhibit, where acres of rooftop has been seeded and serves as an natural habitat to many animals and birds. It’s lovely on a nice day!

Date last visited:

May 2012

Distance from the interstate:

Located in Golden Gate Park, an easy drive past the bridge from Highway 101.

Admission prices:

General admission the the California Academy of Sciences is not cheap at $29.95 for adults, $24.95 for youth ages 12-17, and $19.95 for children 4-11. A much more economical option is to purchase your tickets through a San Francisco CityPASS or Go San Francisco Card.

Hours of operation:

Mon-Sat 9:30 am to 5 pm. Sunday 11 am to 5 pm

Dining options:

There is a cafe on-site, with both indoor and outdoor seating (with play areas in the outdoor space). Instead of trying either option, however, we had brought a picnic lunch, which we enjoyed in the Music Concourse directly outside (while listenening to a free middle school outdoor concert!). On warm-weather days, this is the way to go. (Food trucks also assemble between the Music Concourse and the nearby Japanese Tea Garden.)

Directions:

The academy is located at 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. It’s easily accessible via MUNI bus lines. If you drive, street parking is available, or better yet, try the parking garage near the De Young museum.

Note: California Academy os Sciences has a Kidscore of 92. Learn more about Kidscore.