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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 HOURS

Daily Admission: $13/person

ADMISSION: $13/PERSON over 12 months

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 less than $13 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.

Become a member of Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota and enjoy unlimited family time!
Ignite Your Child's Curiosity With

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 2024

Playdough Workshop

Get ready to embark on an educational journey as we invite you and your young ones to learn the art of Wheat Grinding and Dough Making at the Children’s Museum! The fun doesn’t stop there! After the making adventure, children can play, shape, and explore the dough, encouraging their creativity and sensory development. All ingredients […]
26 Dec
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Read it Again - Why Repetition Matters

Literacy Explorers

A time to foster early literacy skills through play! This program is designed as a come-and-go experience that is child-led based on their interests. Join us Friday mornings from 9-11am to experience early literacy concepts through signing, talking, reading, writing, and playing! Weekly programs are based off of the 5 Early Literacy practices. Weekly Topics […]
27 Dec
9:00 am - 11:00 am

Math Happens

This program is for all age groups visiting the museum. Volunteers with the Math Happens Foundation facilitate a math playground up in Cecil’s Imagineering Loft on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Activities help children and caregivers grow their math literacy through engaging hands-on puzzles, models, and manipulatives.
28 Dec
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Math Happens

This program is for all age groups visiting the museum. Volunteers with the Math Happens Foundation facilitate a math playground up in Cecil’s Imagineering Loft on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Activities help children and caregivers grow their math literacy through engaging hands-on puzzles, models, and manipulatives.
29 Dec
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Noon Year’s Eve 2024

Come celebrate the new year with us during our NOON Years Eve celebration! We will have art, play, a photo backdrop and an opportunity to send your 2025 wishes up the wind tunnel! And just before 12pm we will have a countdown and ball drop followed by a dance party! Sponsored by: Gillette Pepsi Companies & […]
31 Dec
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
January 2025

Art Explorers

Join us in Cecil’s Imagineering Loft for and open studio art experience. We will explore and create with different art mediums each month. Drop in anytime during the program to participate. 2025 Monthly Themes: JANUARY: Big Art FEBRUARY: Recycled Art MARCH: Stamping and Relief APRIL: Sculpture MAY: Painting OCTOBER:  Chalk and Charcoal NOVEMBER:  Clay DECEMBER:  Open […]
02 Jan
9:00 am - 11:00 pm

Art Explorers

Join us in Cecil’s Imagineering Loft for and open studio art experience. We will explore and create with different art mediums each month. Drop in anytime during the program to participate. 2025 Monthly Themes: JANUARY: Big Art FEBRUARY: Recycled Art MARCH: Stamping and Relief APRIL: Sculpture MAY: Painting OCTOBER:  Chalk and Charcoal NOVEMBER:  Clay DECEMBER:  Open […]
02 Jan
9:00 am - 11:00 am

Tales with Tasha

Join us for Tales with Tasha! A magical hour of stories and fun! Each session, we’ll dive into engaging stories and bring the tale to life with hands-on activities and play that connects with the book’s theme! Perfect for young imaginations! This interactive hour will take place right on the Lauri Kuch Memorial Stage, making […]
02 Jan
9:30 am - 10:30 pm
Magnet Wall in Cecils Imagineering Loft at the Children's Museum in Mankato

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! Weekly Topics 1/3: NSD Activities 1/10: Transforming 1/17:Deconstructing 1/24: Trajectory 1/31: Sound
03 Jan
9:00 am - 11:00 am
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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.

Discover

The Museum environment captivates children with a wide variety of interactive exhibits.

Think

Young minds need challenges and experiences to grow!

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.

Explore Exhibits Mankato Clinic Tree of Forts cargo nets climber treehouse Childrens Museum of Southern Minnesota

Impact Stories

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"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!”

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"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 Museum will be Closing at 2pm on
November 16 for a Private Event