Louisiana Children's Museum

Children's museum · City Park

Louisiana Children's Museum

Children's museum · City Park

4

15 Henry Thomas Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124

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Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null
Louisiana Children's Museum by null

Highlights

Interactive exhibits, art studio, mock cafe, and play areas.  

Featured in Conde Nast Traveler
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15 Henry Thomas Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124 Get directions

lcm.org
@louisianakids

Information

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15 Henry Thomas Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124 Get directions

+1 504 523 1357
lcm.org
@louisianakids

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wifi

Last updated

Aug 8, 2025

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@cntraveler

The 23 Best Things to Do in New Orleans

"After three decades in downtown New Orleans, the LCM opened its doors in its new, much larger City Park location in 2019. The Museum has been thoughtfully designed to be a learning resource for families and children of all ages, with resources that focus on social and cultural learning. It’s very hands-on as you might expect, with a comprehensive program of exhibits, installations and activities. It’s a fun way to stimulate learning in all manner of subjects, from literacy to health and wellbeing, and from arts and local culture to science and environmental education. The seasonal events calendar is jam packed with special presentations. These include live performances as part of the Children's Museum's Play Soirée, the enjoyably messy Mud Fest where building and burrowing are encouraged, or parent and toddler-focused groups such as Kindergarten Kickoff, which has caregivers and experienced staff talk about their experiences to smooth the transition from home to kindergarten for everyone involved." - Paul Oswell

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-things-to-do-in-new-orleans
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@goop

"A climbing wall, eye exhibit (where kids can see what it would feel like to see the world through the eyes of a honeybee, rabbit, or hawk), and a mock grocery store are just a few of the exhibits here, which is a great place to let a little one run wild on a rainy afternoon. There's a lot on display that's specific to the region, too, ensuring a mini history lesson."

The New Orleans Guide
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@cntraveler

12 Things to Do in New Orleans With Kids (That Are Fun for You, Too)

"Slated to open at the end of summer 2019 in City Park, the new Louisiana Children's Museum—a campus for kids, really—will focus on hands-on, interactive, and educational activities. (Until then, the museum’s original Julia Street location is open.) The 8.5-acre property has interactive and sensory experiences at every turn. Inside are spaces such as the Play With Me room, designed for babies and toddlers, which includes a puppet theater and reading nook. There’s also the Follow that Food space, where kids can shop for veggies, weigh and count fruit, and "cook" in a Creole kitchen. Outside, there’s a sensory garden, a lawn with toddler toys, and a lagoon." - Stirling Kelso

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/things-to-do-in-new-orleans-with-kids-that-are-fun-for-you-too
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@hannahgoldfield
Spring Break New Orleans
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Abigail Rosewood

Google
This place was amazing. We went as soon as they opened on a Saturday morning and the kids were able to do everything they wanted to do. They had sunblock dispensers at the entrance and hand sanitizer placed throughout. Indoor areas are amazing, awesome toddler area, the outdoor spots were clean and fun, the art station and water stations were easily the best. The staff was all fantastic as well. I could go on and on, this was a definite hit. It felt amazing to be somewhere designed for kids, not just accommodating or tolerate of them.

Selifa Lopes

Google
This was our first time visiting the museum and our 5-year-old absolutely loved all the activities—his favorites were the pretend play kitchen and water play. They have a beautiful outdoor space where parents can relax while the kids play. He didn’t want to leave and is already asking to come back! This place was a highlight of our NOLA trip. You can easily spend a whole day here—explore the museum, take a stroll through the nearby sculpture garden, stop by cafe du Monde and soak in the beauty of the oak trees.

Ealice Haley

Google
They have indoor and outdoor activities. That can keep the children very busy. They have different activities. They have music, food, arts etc. Outside, they have activities on the patio, an artificial turf green space. The children can water the plants, a huge sitting area with chairs and a fire pit etc

Brittany Atkinson

Google
Loved the outdoor nature area! Inside was cool. Worth the money and the kids loved the water area upstairs as well as…who am I kidding, they loved the whole place!

Cacey Hebert

Google
I was pretty disappointed in the children’s museum. We visited on a Sunday, very excited to see what all had changed since we were younger and brought our one year old for his first visit. The building is huge but the exhibits seemed small. We did see a lot of kids that enjoyed it while there, but they were much older. This may be a good place to bring your 3-8 year old, but under or over that age they probably won’t have much interest in it. A lot of the exhibits were just large groups of toys. The only thing really interactive/educational is the water tables and the music room. Especially if your child is shy or gets overwhelmed easily I would not recommend going here. It was very chaotic trying to walk through to get to each one. They did have one room specifically for babies 2 or 3 and under. All of the babies in that room enjoyed themselves and there was a lot of soft things for them to play with and explore in a safe environment without the fear of getting stepped on. Our little one did enjoy that room somewhat, but it’s not worth the price of admission for that one room in my opinion. I was also pretty surprised that the bathroom by the front entrance did not have a changing table in it. It’s possible I overlooked it, but I checked the largest stall and all down the wall past the sink and did not see one. I’m not sure about the other bathrooms, we just went to that one on our way out to try and change him before leaving assuming it would have one. This was just not the place for us and I do not see us returning when our child is older.

Courtney Luckhardt

Google
Truly excellent local museum- active learning exhibits for kids on native plants and animals, culture and foodways - the water play area about the Mississippi River is always a hit! Don’t forget to go into the cafe with a quarter to get some pellet food for the turtles that live in the bayou outside- you might get a gator sighting too!

Jess Bost

Google
Amazing place to bring the kiddos. It has a huge variety of activities for them to do with 2 floors and an outside area for fun. Definitely recommend bringing the kids here for a fun day out. Also, there's a cafe that's got great food.

Ed Doyle

Google
We Brought our 10 & 7 year old grandsons this past week. We were in and out in a little less than 30 minutes. Why you might ask? Because there is virtually nothing to entertain them. The museum is geared to 4 and under and even then there’s not much. Why not put that on your website? Lastly I’ll say charging adults to walk around with the children is beyond ridiculous. $75 for 25 minutes 🤦‍♂️. Both our grandsons and my wife and I would have been more entertained watching 75 dollar bills burn.
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Sarah W.

Yelp
Great children's museum! We went with 8 & 10 year olds, and while I think the museum is more targeted at the 3-7 year old range, our kids were extremely happy there and we had to drag them away at the end. If you're in NOLA on a trip with kids, would highly recommend this museum as a change of pace and a chance for them to do something super kid-centric. Note: If you have a membership to a children's museum or science museum in your home city, bring your proof of membership for discounted or even free admission!
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Reggie M.

Yelp
Children's Museum needs to find a better point of contact than Evan Broussard. Fire alarm evacuation with no refund or future admission

Maggie F.

Yelp
Our family was here celebrating a big b'day & Father's Day, 6/2025. Our 20 month old grandchild had so much fun as did us adults. We can't wait to return &/or go to other Children's Museums in the U.S.
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Rae B.

Yelp
Friendly faces and polite employees working the counter. I took my sister here during her spring break and she really enjoyed it, however I would say this museum in particular caters more towards the enrichment of younger children. My sister is 10 and didn't find too much to rave for, she did love the wave maker, the microscope exhibit, and the exhibit with the beads. It is extremely clean here and since there is soft and hands on play they take handwashing and hygiene pretty seriously, and as they should! If i had younger children I would 100% buy the membership! The restaurant attached is fairly priced, clean, environmentally aware, and everything tasted delicious!

Joy C.

Yelp
We had much fun for our son's birthday today we wanted to buy a membership. A sweet worker told us how today's visit could go towards the cost of a membership. The woman at the front desk told me she wasn't going to look up my receipt because it was a waste of her time.
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Isaac E.

Yelp
This was a great find! We try to stop at Children's Museums wherever we travel in the US. Its just such a wonderful way to get those with a lot of energy out and about while doing things engaging, educational and most importantly, FUN! There were multiple stations and ways for the kids to engage and play. It's one of the more impressive children's museums my family has been to. My only 2 critiques were: 1) It's hard to get to from downtown New Orleans if you don't have a car. Yes you can take a street car but it's still a pretty sizeable walk from the closest stop 2) You need to be aware of the days it is open. It's only open from Wednesday to Sunday, which is great, but something to be aware of when planning.
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Lindsey B.

Yelp
This place is clean and vibrant with full of colors. The children really like it but I must say there's not much to do. I also really dislike the open concept where the kitchen, grocery and Mr. Okra are all combined into one and there's no grocery carts like the old children's museum. It really ruins the whole LETS GO TO THE GROCERY feeling we had when we were kids. I do love some of the sections, like the big bubble space, the Mississippi River thing and the other water thing with the sand and love the piano! But overall, it's just so big with not a lot of centers. The kids really like the outside too with the bricks to build things and digging in mud. You can easily lose your child here so make sure you have a lot of hands on deck when it's busy.
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Briana E.

Yelp
We had such a great time at the museum as a family! My 3 year old had so much fun playing and being hands on with machines they had for them. There was an up stairs where they had about 8 different areas for activities. And then you head downstairs for about 8 more activities. They even had a section for the babies which I really enjoyed because it's a very relaxing and calming environment. The only really thing I wish was they had more of is more arts and crafts. Or even a teacher there to guide them through something crafty to take home. It's $18 per person and even for your 3+. Online it says it's timed but we were there for 4 hours so idk how true that is lol. But definitely a cool spot to take your kids for the day!
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Crystal P.

Yelp
I feel like the queen of children museum's because we've been to so many by now lol. First it's sort of confusing where the entrance is not that we got lost it was just like where is the entrance as we walked lol but that isn't why I took off a star. Second and this bothers me at any children museum but no WIFI! Give us parents something to do! Ugh. I thought since it had been redone recently (so I heard) that they'd have wifi but nope. Then of course my son wanted to play with this corn thing that was like broken or impossible to do. I mean it was even hard for my hubs and he's strong lol so minus a star for that. Then I mean you're already bound to probably get sick by going to these places let alone a music room where kids all put their mouth on stuff. I mean the idea is a cool idea in theory but come on lol. I took one look inside at all the kids putting their mouths on instruments and was like NOPE! Luckily we got my son passed it without noticing we skipped it lol. So yeah another star just for that weirdness. The water play area was great and kept my son entertained plus the bathrooms were super nice. I also liked the pond/lake outside which was pretty. My son also loved the bean area which seemed to be the highlight kids were going nuts. Never seen anything like that so that was cool. I also was happy this place wasn't to big so we didn't have to spend forever here, which if they had WIFI I wouldn't care lol. If it wasn't raining I would've loved to go check out City park too.
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Jesika H.

Yelp
Fantastic spot to take your kids, those kids, ANY bodies kids!! Rhe have different floors with cool things to see and play with. We however based our play time in the mock grocery store slash kitchen/ everything else that occupied the huge space. Parking was easy and free ( it was a VERY HOT DAY and we came a few hours before closing) You could walk in and out ( they give you wristbands) And they had a few cool installations outside next to the equally cool gift shop AND a dedicated space for the tiny weenie babies and tots!
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Diana N.

Yelp
Our family absolutely loved this museum. Not too big and not too small, so we weren't overwhelmed. Maintained very well with a great outdoor area. My boys loved the bean machine/contraption on the first floor. They spent at least an hour playing with it and it's quite a popular attraction. There's also an area for younger kids and the staff were friendly and engaging. There's also a sand area outside with a garden. The grounds are well kept and beautiful. The kids enjoyed themselves and we would return.
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Kelly B.

Yelp
I wasn't sure if my kids were too old for this place but we were hot and needed to cool down after spending time in City Park. In a word this place is magical. It captured my kids imaginations and we ended up spending a few hours here. They were engrossed with so many of the activities. Good fun!
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Megan B.

Yelp
I'd give it 10 stars if I could. It was so much fun! I love that the decor included so much of the New Orleans culture. It's educational and fun! You can't get get much better than that.
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Jakia N.

Yelp
I love the children's museum and this was my first visit since they moved to city park. We came here on Halloween weekend. When you walk up it's very modern. There are tilty chairs that my nieces were obsessed with. There were some adults that seemed obsessed with them too lol. We walked in and it's a huge upgrade from the Julia street location. They have an outdoor area now. I went through all the exhibits with my nieces. Their favorite was the Rouses super market. The got to shop and/or be the cashier. Their other favorite was the music area where they got to play drums, the piano, and other instruments. LCM still has the giant bubble that they had at the old museum, which is also one of the exhibits my nieces loved. There was a spooky story time the day we went. It was outside by a bonfire. The girls really enjoyed that. They also have an edible garden where they grow fruit and veggies. They painted pumpkins in the edible garden and really enjoyed that too. Overall the lcm did not disappoint. We love it here.
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Anne L.

Yelp
This is such a great place to take your children!! Has so many activities for kids to do and a great place to learn about so many different things! If we lived in NOLA we would buy annual passes to come here year round for sure.
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Jim D.

Yelp
Another must for anyone in the area with children. On the same grounds is a public playground, paddle boats, an amusement park & story land so be a divided there's enough entertainment in this area to spend an entire day or two or 3 to be honest. In my opinion the majority of the museum is more play than learn but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Also be advised that if you have a membership to another museum that your admission may in fact be free.
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Gloria C.

Yelp
I haven't been to the La Children's museum since I was a kid during my field trip in elementary school, but now I get to bring my toddler here for the first time. I'm very impressed with how many activities were available for him. I went during Labor Day weekend, so it was pretty packed, but still not too bad. My son really liked the water activities and it was nice that there are aprons that kids can wear to prevent their clothes from getting wet. The only thing is that the water can get pretty out of control and get onto the floor. The only protection is the cement textured flooring, but young kids can still slip if not careful. They have a pretty decent sized toddler and baby area equipped with carpet and soft seating and pillows and this really neat water bed. I felt really comfortable having my toddler run around and it's a barefoot area. Another neat area is the outdoor area which has a bunch of seating and shaded trees. It even has supplies for you to build your own tee-pee. If I lived here, I'd definitely get a membership. I'd love to come back.
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Stephanie O.

Yelp
LCM has been our family's go-to spot for a good time since our daughter was 8 months old. Now she is 2 years old, and the museum feels like a second home to her. The purchase of a membership was one of the best decisions we've made as parents. In a world where children's entertainment is dominated by screens and overstimulating gadgets, we appreciate that LCM is low-tech and nature/environmentally focused. We feel comfortable to let our daughter explore the museum at her pace. Aside from the simple yet delightful play/learning spaces, the staff of the museum are wonderful. Everyone has such a gentle way of engaging with families and making everyone feel welcomed. The Play facilitators are great at making sure children are safe while they have fun. If you have a young toddler or infant, Ms. Terri is a wonderful resource and always full of energy to interact with children, especially when she notices a parent who's worn out. The Museum's cafe and gift stores are also worth visiting. Acorn Cafe has delicious food options for everyone and the staff are professional, friendly, and accommodating. For us, no trip to LCM would be complete without a stop in the gift shop. Since we've become members, we've watched the store transform. Store Manager Ms. Danyelle is as warm and welcoming as they come. She's always pleasant and treats every customer with respect, even when they aren't giving her the same. She continues to fill the store with unique and high quality items that are developmentally appropriate and eco-friendly. The store is definitely an extension of the museum in that guests are invited and encouraged to play with the displays to find the perfect gift or take away. We adore Danyelle and the positive vibe she sets in the store everyday. I could go on and on about LCM and why I think it's great place to visit if you're passing through town with children 0-8 yrs old or if you live in the area. If you or your children are use to a bunch of screens, loud music, and excitement, this might not be the place for you. I've heard many families complain that the museum is boring. The things that we value about the space, they can't seem to find the value in. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Weekdays are usually less crowded and more relaxed, outside of field trips. Weekends are usually busy but it's nice to meet the families who visit.
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Faith A.

Yelp
Me and my 2.5 year old love this place! The new location is awesome and very spacious. I'm writing this during Covid so they have closed temporarily, but will occasionally open on select days. Check their website for updates. They have made visiting during a pandemic as safe as possible. With timed entrances, limited number of guests, enforcing mask wearing for everyone 8 and up and highly encouraging it for kids 2-8, and hand sanitizing stations throughout the facility. They also have additional staff cleaning and wiping down surfaces in between uses. It's very clean! Ok, pandemic things aside let's get into it. The facility is 2 levels of exploring. It has an open floor plan and a very modern design. I think it's ideal for kids ages 2-10. There is a toddler area for kids ages 0 to 4 which was a great place for little ones to play. The nostalgia in me loves the grocery store area and play restaurant. The water table mimics the Mississippi River. It's fun to open the spillway and learn how it works through play. We love the outdoor play area too. There is honestly so many different areas it's hard to write about them all. If you have kids make sure to check it out!
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Phuong N.

Yelp
Place looks bright and clean. Nice clean restrooms and hand sanitizer stationed each area. First floor has the toddlers area, the diner, grocery and etc. Second floor has the water pipe area, play house, science area, music and etc. Younger kids would like it here. My 11 years old niece lost interest within 15 minutes walking around but the younger one had a blast upstairs especially with the water pipe area. There are "wet cover" for the kids to wear but didn't really keeps the boys dry so bring extra clean clothes for them to change into when they are done playing. We were crunching for time so we didn't get to explore what the museum has outdoor. There is a restaurant called Acorn if you want to grab something to eat.
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Michelle Q.

Yelp
We are loving the new museum! There is something to do and experience at every turn. My nephews were enthralled with putting together the gears to make a machine work and also with the conveyer belt system. I couldn't pull them away. I adored the Terrance Osborne house! It was a work of art. The River was so much fun! We enjoyed redirecting the water. It was fun to figure it out. My nephews also loved the parachute outside. We got all the parents that day to partake in the fun. My only concern was that there weren't enough museum staff at each exhibit to help guide the children and to explain what each exhibit was for and why. We will be back though!
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Helen M.

Yelp
I honestly love the revamp of the new location of the Children Museum. However, I Can't help but feel like there should be more exhibitions and things to just make this experience exciting for kids to keep coming back. However I am still giving this spot 5 stars because my son loves this place. He cN come.back everyday if they would allow him and he would just play with the Mississippi water river exhibit alone! Sophisticated was not something that was available at the Julia Location so adding this to the mix was smart on the LCM ! KIDS LOVE WATER!!!! THERE'S also the music Jammin' House exhibit that my kid enjoys playing with too. That's a very cool add on with this new location that kids love too. There's the piano right outside the jammin house that kids can enjoy before going inside the jammin room to make music of different instruments. These specific exhibits are ones where my son enjoys the most. LcM kept the bubble experience and allows the kids to be inside the bubble wand while trying to create a huge bubble There's a block station....and etc ...honestly they still kept many of their different stations from the previous locations but for some odd reason with the current more spacious location those stations seems smaller. There's also the kitchen and play food station downstairs first floor and the science type staion thT allows kids to look at fossils and petri dishes of other things through a microscope lense. Maybe because it's a huge space now and I was so used to the Julia location where everything was soooo clustered and mushed together that I maybe feel they can add more stuff but as I am really thinking things through it's a lot of stuff. You can't go wrong bring a baby to toddler to 9 /10 years old here and just enjoying the various stations.
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Nicole B.

Yelp
It's a pretty nice Children's Museum but they definitely put more thought into the architecture and esthetics of the building itself than into the use of space and ability for many kids to interact with the exhibits. The Mississippi River exhibit takes up the majority of the upstairs space but is difficult for small children to interact with and honestly it's a bit boring (other than splashing which I prefer to avoid). We've never been able to access the herb garden, every time we've gone out there it's been locked or occupied by a class trip. Some of the staff are excellent. There is one young woman in particular who is ALWAYS interacting with children and getting them to interact with the exhibits, sometimes she just reads to kids. I wish I knew her name because she deserves 5 stars!
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Zen S.

Yelp
Absolutely wonderful place to spend time with your children/grandchildren. We will go back again! Epic! As my grandsons say!!
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Cindy L.

Yelp
I'm pretty impressed with this Children's Museum, we've been to quite a few in different states and I grew up going to the one in Boston, which is my all time favorite. However, I think this place is pretty high up there now too for children's museum. There's 3 floors of fun and with lots of hands-on, real life activities, like grocery shopping, raising a farm of animals, being an optician, learn to be an architect, learn how ships and boats work, learn how animals see, you name, it! We spent nearly 4 hours here and the kids even loved slowing down a bit to read on a swing on the front porch of a cute tree house. I'm just thoroughly impressed and it was a good way for our kids to burn some energy, hours of fun here!
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Valerie C.

Yelp
My only regret is that we didn't have more time to spend here. If we lived nearby we would certainly have a membership! I love that there's an enclosed play area for the littles up to age 3! It's a nice safe place to run around with several slides, a play house, many riding toys, and even a light table with magnetic shapes! We also explored other parts of the museum. Our little one really loved the grocery store. She loves to help us with the shopping and having a cart her size was fantastic for her! She didn't understand the concept of only adding four items to her cart, but the workers were kind and didn't enforce that with her. There was an art room with some guided projects to work on. Everyone who worked here was super friendly and helpful. Only children up to age 1 are free. Everyone else is $10. Not bad for what you get. You could definitely spend all day here and the little ones would not be bored.
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Iron T.

Yelp
Great experience but they still stuff it full of kids. You still have to schedule you visit but unlink other children museums in Louisiana they allow a lot more in at a time. It's not that I felt any less safe it's just that it really limited how much my kid could do. Even my son asked if free could go somewhere else because it was too full of kids. I felt bad. But the staff was always engaged with the kids or cleaning behind the kids. I still recommend going if you have kids but I would like to see smaller groups so all kids could be engaged.
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Haley S.

Yelp
I love supporting Children's Museums and was happy to come check out this one on our vacation. It's a cute museum that's two stories and reasonably priced. There are a lot of different stations but none of them are really interactive so it's more like imaginary play. The grocery store is really cute but it was really busy and my daughter wasn't yet 2 so we kept to ourselves. I'm surprised with the large number of kids and the steep stairs that there weren't gates for safety at the top and bottom. There was a birthday party while we were there and they did a really cute parade with umbrellas and music like adults would do on the streets I loved that. This was probably a one time visit for us but we appreciated the fun place to play that morning during our trip!
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Jey R.

Yelp
This place is very multi-functional. I've seen children as well as adults have a blast here. I've taken my son here and of course he had a blast. I've also gone to an adult only event here and we all seemed to be enjoying ourselves just as much if not more. They have quite a range of activities from viewing only to hands on. Science type things and artsy things. They cover it all. They are sure to have entertainment for all age groups.
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Janet N.

Yelp
I came during opening week and it was crowded. My kids loved it but I felt it was too crowded for us to freely roam around and explore the area. I am spoiled by the Houston children museum so I felt this one has too many activity that are crammed into a small section for each. But comparing it to the old children's museum it is a lot better and nicer. I just wished they had more parking spots that are paved. We parked in the grass area and it rained so everyone was walking in mud. We also had lunch at the cafe and it was pricey. They have unsweetened tea and black coffee that tasted bland. Even after adding sugar. They don't have any sodas and everything is healthy eating. We order a little bit of everything but the best was the Brussel sprouts. It was delicious.
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Lynn W.

Yelp
We had a great experience for my daughter's birthday. It was a little difficult to reach someone in the beginning, as I am sure they were preparing for the new transition. Once we did get in touch with someone, the magic happened. I highly recommend the museum for a birthday party. It's better to do it on a day other than a Saturday. The museum was not that crowded on the Sunday we chose. The package we chose came with pizza and water. We brought the cookies and cake in. The kids had ample opportunity to play before and after the party. The museum gave them an activity to do while they were eating pizza and cake. Everyone was extremely helpful. The Acorn restaurant has good food. I tried the impossible whopper and it was delicious. The service is good and activities for kids inside there as well. It is definitely a place to take an active child.
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Will B.

Yelp
I used to come to the Children's Museum all the time when I would come visit my grandparents during the summer and holidays. I always had a blast and there was always so much to see and do. So on a visit to take my kids to visit my mom, we decided a trip was in order since they are just getting old enough to enjoy it. There is still a ton of cool stuff. But I do feel like there were a lot more science-y types of things to do. But that was at least 20 years ago and a lot of things have obviously changed. But even with less of those type of things, there are a ton of cool things for the kids to do. The supermarket is an absolute blast for kids and they also loved getting on the cargo boats. I am very interested to see the set up when they move later this year!
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Alexander W.

Yelp
Great adventure for you & the children. Worth doing at least once. Make sure to do story time at least once. Art room is great, and the toddler area (3 and under) was a smart move.
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Cori V.

Yelp
Amazing place for kids to explore. They have so many hands on interactions and things to explore. I love how they have "career" centers. You can shop at Winn Dixie or be a cashier. They have a restaurant for kids to be chefs, waiters, buss boys, and etc. They have kid sized shot gun houses to explore. Creole architecture. There is an area to learn about the port and how people lived before. They have a reading area hat is amazing. Puppet show area, a place for physical activity and emotion exploration. There is a store with many different toys, games, and puzzles. The store clerk was amazing. He was fun and answered all our kids' questions. He even showed us how some of the toys worked. I just can't say enough good things. If you have small kids... this is a must see while visiting NOLA.
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Angela C.

Yelp
New design creates a visually appealing building externally, but inside seems to be too close for anything less than chaos. After being open a short time, several exhibits had broken pieces and didn't seem to be working properly. Water/sand play exhibits had no way to wipe off hands and move on to next display. Ground floor is large open area with about 4 areas sharing the same space. Older building compartmentalized these things and the separation worked better. Positives: painting studio was easy to gain access and children had space and time to create; river water table was engaging and the raincoats were helpful to stay dry; idea of music room was fun but tiny room (smallest of all exhibits) created the loudest noises! Teepee building under shade trees outside was excellently placed. Negatives: parking was horrible! Only spots at entrance are for special guests, gift shop was completely separate from museum, and didn't have as much variety as older one had, miss some of the older interactive exhibits (3 pullies showing ease of work with more simple machines, grocery store with baskets, shadow/strobe light room). Sand pit outside just seems a horrible idea for all of the sweaty kids. In the heat, there were no available places to get a beverage or cool treat (missed opportunity). If I had never experienced any other Children's museums, this one would have seemed very nice. Glad we decided against a membership.
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Naomi L.

Yelp
Wish I could give the new museum more stars! Right now, during the opening month - they are doing timed ticketing on the weekends, so I'd recommend checking online. Additionally, you can purchase a membership online, which is super easy! There are so many indoor and outdoor areas to explore. The indoor section even has 2 floors. Right now, we're mostly exploring the area for kids 4 and under since the kiddo can't walk. It's going to be really lovely watching her grow up and be able to do more there. I love all of the different books, which also include local ones and representation of all different types of people. Of special note, the facility is totally accessible - which is another very thoughtful touch. Given my work schedule, it would be wonderful if they were open a bit later. However, I'm sure it takes a looonnnggg time to clean up everything. I can't imagine picking up after a child-tornado every day and keeping everything looking so awesome. That being said, the attached restaurant (Acorn) is open before and after the museum. We haven't eaten there yet, but the menu looks great. Might be nice to catch a breakfast there before heading in one weekend (hours/menu also online). Pro-tip: park in the shade along the Roosevelt mall and walk across the bridge over the little lake. The area is pedestrian protected. We've seen many people are parking over by the large field side and walking on the road (and also parked there opening weekend). It looks like they are going to put some more sidewalks in on that side, but there's no true pedestrian path to the museum from that side.

Steve T.

Yelp
Fun place for kids. Plenty to do. Two stories pack of actions. The water interactions on the second floor is my favorite. The cafe downstairs is really good too.
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Lisa H.

Yelp
What a wonderful place for kids! Our toddler can seriously spend the whole day here. We got in around 10am on a Saturday and was able to get in one of the painting classes, then we spent hours in the River and the grocery store. The River is really cool and has license plates of the states it runs through, very nicely designed! It was fun for the adults too as we were trying to figure out how to make the water run and work the turbines, haha. The big bubble pulley was really fun, and the music room. There is a great outside area also and we were there on a beautiful day. We loved it and would definitely visit again!
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Anthony T.

Yelp
Talk about revamped and resized compared to the old location! This place definitely brings back old memories of me growing up going to the old children's museum where there are bubbles to play with, mini shopping center to walk in, and blocks to build. A little bit of nostalgia is left since it is a new location and is not the same layout, but it is definitely more accessible to more, different areas. This place can get pretty hectic on the weekends or on days when children are out of school. On days like that, many things can be out of place, out of order and moderately unsanitary for some if some parents are germaphobes. They also have a small gift shop located on the outside, as well as a cafe when you're ready to grab a bite to eat. Nice place to check out at least once with your child, but definitely pack extra clothes because they can get pretty wet!
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Maria M.

Yelp
My daughter has been coming to the museum for over 5 years, she is now 8 and still has fun here. They have storytimes, crafts, and science stations that change up daily. There is a mini Winn-Dixie complete with shopping carts, foods, and working registers that even print receipts! The cafe has tables and chairs, a kitchen, pots, dishes, foods, etc. I'm pretty sure that the museum has something for every kid and their different interest. One area is set up for 5 and under only. You can bring a lunch to eat in a snack area and they have vending machines as well. We buy the family membership so that we can come over and over throughout the year. Parking is on the street but we never have trouble finding a space. Great place!
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Casey V.

Yelp
My husband and I have taken our daughter to many children's museums and this one was very funny even for us adults...we went on a week day in June and it wasn't crowded, which was nice...there are lots of hands on stations that my four year old loved...I got stuck at the freight train station where you had to try and balance the shipping contains, it was super hard but at least I was entertained...I would recommend this children's museum to any family...
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Robin W.

Yelp
Wonderful place to bring children. Great exhibits that my 3yo and 18m old could enjoy. Had my daughter's birthday party there and had a great experience. Hostesses, kids second line, room decor (provided by LCM) were all fantastic. Joined as a member as will definitely continue to visit at new location.

Kami D.

Yelp
We came with a 5 month old and a 3 year old. A beautiful museum fully centered around children of all ages, indoors and outdoors. The outdoor area is as spectacular as the indoor area. Plenty of seating for parents, accommodating and friendly staff members. A restaurant on site. A great experience for the family.
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April Y.

Yelp
Wonderful place, a lot of different things to do with children. There are several different areas that provide a few hours of entertainment for children. My children really enjoyed the veterinary area, water play, and watering the gardens. We will definitely come back the next time we are in NOLA.
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Mimi S.

Yelp
When I first walked in I said to myself "oh lord I'm gonna hear lots of I wanna go home". But that wasn't the case. There's so much to do we spent 4 hours here (including the birthday party). There's a little pretend Winn Dixie, a restaurant where the kids act like chefs and what not, bubble station, drawing, little houses, boats, the bayou, party rooms, etc etc etc. i saw teenagers having fun all the way to little 2 year olds. Heck, even I had an awesome time and I saw other parents acting like children.
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Patrick Z.

Yelp
My 2.5 year old son had a great time here. He didn't want to leave. The place was well thought out with activities for all the young ages. My son especially liked the wall that had the cascading ball ramps in the three and below section. That was a big hit. Found a good parking spot across the street.
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Jonathan L.

Yelp
Great place to hang out on a hot day. Plenty of activities for all ages. The water table area is huge with plenty of space for a lot of kids that helps kids learn about the Mississippi River. There is an awesome exhibit about how food gets to your table. You can spend most of the day here easily. There is a timed entry because the museum can get crowed so it is good to get your tickets ahead of time.

Wood H.

Yelp
Meh... as someone, who grew up going to the Julia St Children's Museum, I wasn't so impressed. It's kind of small and there aren't so many exhibits. Maybe it was the fact that this was my first time going as a parent, but it just didn't have that wow factor. My kids got bored quickly and it was $70 for us to get in, so not really worth it. The other one was just way cooler.

Lindsey D.

Yelp
We've visited 6 childrens museums from Texas to Georgia. This was the least impressive. What did make it great was the grounds outside are pretty around it and it's near the park and other attractions. The Acorn restaurant has great food.