You'll spot the building from the street: architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown designed it in 1992 to look like a playful take on a grand civic museum. A 2009 expansion doubled it to 83,000 square feet, and more than a million people come through each year. The star is Kidtropolis USA, a kid-sized city where children take on grown-up jobs and run the town. FlowWorks is the splash zone, so pack a change of shirt. Invention Convention and PowerPlay keep older kids busy building and climbing, while Tot*Spot gives babies and toddlers their own safe corner. Seasonal festivals fill the calendar. In late September 2026 alone there is a RenFest day, a Fall Family Festival and a Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival. Plan on a full morning, and expect younger kids to be wiped out by lunchtime.
What to expect
- No outside food; eat at Fresh Café, tables by Kids' Hall or the outdoor picnic tables.
- Strollers up to 31 inches wide can be stored in a locker room; wagons are not allowed.
- Every group must include a child; adults on their own are not admitted.
- The museum's lot is across the street; metered street parking surrounds it.
- All hallways, exhibits and restrooms are wheelchair accessible; wheelchairs are available.
What to do
- Let the kids get a job and run the town in Kidtropolis USA
- Splash through the water play in FlowWorks (bring dry clothes)
- Park toddlers in Tot*Spot while older siblings build at Invention Convention
- 1980Founded
- 1992, by Venturi and Scott BrownBuilding opened
- 83,000 sq ftSize since 2009
- Thursdays 5-8 pmFree night