Madison Children's Museum

Plant your own wheatgrass buddy to grow at home! When your plant soon sprouts, add wheatgrass cuttings to your smoothies or give them to family pets as a nutritious snack. This event is free with general museum admission.

Enjoy exclusive, members-only time in the museum each Tuesday for Member Appreciation Month! There's no better way to play at MCM, especially for our young visitors who are easily overwhelmed by crowds. Stretch out, enjoy the exhibits at your own pace, and enjoy a chilled-out morning together in the museum. Not a member yet? Become one […]

Choose your own art adventure through exploration of materials. Create robots, cars, houses, and more. Drop by the Art Studio classroom for open-ended creative opportunities, facilitated by our talented staff. This event is free with general museum admission.

Somebody burst your bubble? No worries—we can make new ones! Explore the shiny, pearlescent world of bubble science and learn how these squeaky-clean beauties are formed. This event is free with the price of general admission.

Explore the world of music and rhythm! Join Tim in the Wonderground each week to enjoy play-based songs, games, and stories. This event is free with general museum admission.

Be very, very quiet... we're hunting insects! Join us in the Urb Garden, where we'll sharpen our observation skills and search for bugs hiding in the plants. Gentleness is encouraged—no insects will be harmed in the making of this program. This program is free with general museum admission.

Join Junko in the Art Studio Classroom each Wednesday to create your own scented playdough that's a squishy, smush-able sensory delight. This event is free with general museum admission.

Learn about liquids and solids as you help churn fresh butter at the log cabin. Enjoy a bite of butter and crackers when you're done with this daily chore of early Wisconsin settlers. Cabin Life invites you to try your hand at crafts and activities from around the time our original log cabin was built […]

Join us for story time and hear Teresa read some of her favorite books using her DynaVox. With this speech-generating device, Teresa will share stories and help build listening skills, develop early literacy, and celebrate each other’s differences. This event is free with general museum admission.

Join Laurie and our Art Studio staff for a weekly drop-in art experience designed for MCM's younger visitors and their caregivers. Through open-ended & process-based projects, empower your little artist to freely explore materials and art-making with their senses. And the best part? We take care of cleanup! Today, we'll make colorful no-waste creations with […]

 Join Junko in the Urb Garden as we explore different sensory materials every week!  This event is free with general museum admission.

Be very, very quiet... we're hunting insects! Join us in the Urb Garden, where we'll sharpen our observation skills and search for bugs hiding in the plants. Gentleness is encouraged—no insects will be harmed in the making of this program. This program is free with general museum admission.

Today we'll learn about the way plants get their nutrients, and create art with the verdant green pigment. This event is part of our free admission Thursday evenings, 4 pm-8 pm.

Explore various practical and artful fiber arts projects like embroidery, weaving, mending, and sewing with our friend Lexie in the Art Studio! Today, we'll learn about spool knitting and make our own fuzzy creations. This event is free during our extended Thursday evening hours!

Join us for movement games in the Wonderground! From obstacle courses to dances, group games, balance activities, and yoga, we'll enjoy different opportunities to move our bodies every day. This event is free with general museum admission.

Explore sun-powered art with cyanotype paper, tinker with solar toys, and learn how the sun can be used for renewable energy on our Rooftop Ramble! Join us each week for new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities. These hands-on programs foster creativity, ignite curiosity, encourage divergent thinking, build problem-solving skills, and offer new […]

Our art studio staff will lead visitors in a weekly assortment of creative clay sculpture activities.
We will create all kinds of collaborative projects- plant pots, jewelry, ornaments, tiles and more.
All ages are welcome to join us and experiment with clay.

Join the Wisconsin Institute for Energy to explore wind energy! Become a wind turbine engineer and show off your building skills during this drop-by mini-challenge. You’ll design, build, and test wind turbine blades to see which will work the best to sustainably power our future. This event is part of the Family Climate Festival, and […]

Be very, very quiet... we're hunting insects! Join us in the Urb Garden, where we'll sharpen our observation skills and search for bugs hiding in the plants. Gentleness is encouraged—no insects will be harmed in the making of this program. This program is free with general museum admission.

Enjoy exclusive, members-only time in the museum for a great addition to your Farmers Market family outing. There's no better way to play before the museum gets busy! Enjoy complimentary coffee and treats from our friends at Ugly Apple while supplies last. Not a member yet? Become one today! Membership starts immediately, so you can visit […]

Stomp your feet! Deep down below is where most of Wisconsin’s drinking water comes from. Join our friends from the Madison Water Utility to learn about the water cycle and local water consumption. How does the water get down there in the ground? How do we get it out? What happens to it along the […]

Dive into an exciting drop-in art experience each week with Laurie and our Art Studio team. Embark on projects with a wide variety of art media and processes for all ages and abilities. Materials are included—and the best part? We take care of cleanup! Today, we'll create vibrant blooms with recycled egg cartons. This event is free […]

Be very, very quiet... we're hunting insects! Join us in the Urb Garden, where we'll sharpen our observation skills and search for bugs hiding in the plants. Gentleness is encouraged—no insects will be harmed in the making of this program. This program is free with general museum admission.