Madison Children's Museum

Exploration Station: Pet Rocks
2024-05-19 10:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Create a custom a pet rock to bring home and care for! Fill out an “adoption certificate” with their name, birthday, and personality traits.

This event is free with the price of general admission.

Let's Make! with Lexie
2024-05-19 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-05-26 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-06-02 13:00 - 15:00
Explore new materials and creative techniques through facilitated art activities and bring home hand-made treasures. Projects vary each week and may include sculpture, painting, comics, printmaking, and more!

This event is free with general museum admission.

Early Explorers Playgroup
2024-05-22 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-05-29 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-06-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Social time for babies and their grown-ups!

This playgroup is thoughtfully designed for our earliest visitors. We will provide a space for infants and toddlers (2 years and under) and their caregivers to explore and play together, and engage in activities that support various aspects of child development. Parents and caregivers will have the opportunity to connect with one another over a variety of topics. Come meet other families and make new friends!

This event will be held in the Celebrations Room and is free with general museum admission.

Music Time with Tim: Game Day!
2024-05-22 11:00 - 11:30
Explore the world of music and rhythm! Join Tim in the Celebrations room each week to enjoy play-based songs, games, and stories. Today we’ll play games that include music and movement.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Playdough Party with Junko
2024-05-22 13:30 - 14:30
Join Junko each Wednesday to create your own scented playdough that’s a squishy, smush-able sensory delight.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Tales with Teresa
2024-05-23 09:30 - 10:00, 2024-05-30 09:30 - 10:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
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.

Messy Art with Laurie: Dinosaur Printing
2024-05-23 11:00 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join Laurie and our Art Studio staff for a weekly drop-in art experience designed for MCM’s youngest 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 create fiercely adorable dino prints.

This event is free with general museum admission. Image credit: Veronika of Toddler at Play

Sensory Worlds with Junko
2024-05-23 13:30 - 14:30 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join Junko in the Urb Garden as we explore different sensory materials every week!

This event is free with general museum admission.

Music with Junebug (Morning)
2024-05-24 10:30 - 11:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join us for Music with Junebug led by Junko Yamauchi.

This program gives toddlers and preschoolers the opportunity to sing, dance, explore instruments, and play! Music and movement activities promote brain development and connect us to our family and community.

Music with Junebug takes place in our Celebrations room, and is free with general museum admission.

STEAM Time: Marvelous Magnets
2024-05-24 11:00 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Experiment with magnets to see how they stick together and repel. Test them on a variety of objects and make your own magnet to bring home.

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 ways for kids to explore the world around them.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Music with Junebug (Afternoon)
2024-05-24 13:00 - 13:30 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States

Clay Day: Modeling Clay Pictures
2024-05-24 13:00 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Explore the squishy, smudgy, sculptable world of clay! Today we’ll “make and take” images made with modeling clay.

Each Friday, join us for a different drop-in clay experience in the Art Studio. We’ll work with a variety of media–ceramic clay, dough, paper clay, polymer clay, and more. This event is free with general museum admission.

Exploration Station: Bubble Science
2024-05-25 10:30 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
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.

Saturday Art Adventures: Handmade Books
2024-05-25 13:00 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
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, let’s make custom handmade books.

This event is free with general museum admission. Image credit: Cassi Griffin (Crafty Crow)

Music Time with Tim: Kids' Choice!
2024-05-29 11:00 - 11:30
Explore the world of music and rhythm! Join Tim in the Celebrations room each week to enjoy play-based songs, games, and stories. Today we’ll choose your very favorite songs to sing.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Messy Art with Laurie: Spin Art Flowers
2024-05-30 11:00 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join Laurie and our Art Studio staff for a weekly drop-in art experience designed for MCM’s youngest 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 use the spin art technique to create nature-inspired pieces.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Wild Wonders: Spring Planting
2024-05-30 17:00 - 19:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Start your own mini-garden by planting seeds to take home, and decorate your own one-of-a-kind plant cup!

This event is free with the price of general admission.

Clay Day: Polymer Clay Mini Foods
2024-05-31 13:00 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Explore the squishy, smudgy, sculptable world of clay! Today we’ll “make and take” your very own miniature foods created with polymer clay. Please note: these clay creations are NOT edible!

Each Friday, join us for a different drop-in clay experience in the Art Studio. We’ll work with a variety of media–ceramic clay, dough, paper clay, polymer clay, and more. This event is free with general museum admission.

SOLD OUT! Nice Age Trail Preview Party
2024-05-31 17:00 - 19:30 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT!

Can’t make the party? Come to Member Morning, on Saturday June 1, 8–9 am

In honor of the opening of the Nice Age Trail, we’re throwing a preview party just for museum members. Enjoy exclusive early access to the Nice Age Trail and engage in nature-themed fun throughout the museum! Create make-and-take pendants using upcycled exhibit components from our “beehive” structure on the Rooftop, enjoy Spanish-language mindfulness activities and storytelling with Samira Álvarez in the Celebrations Room, make one-of-a-kind Nice Age Trail-inspired art in tour Art Studio, embark on a special scavenger hunt, win animal bookmark prizes, and more.

Enjoy samples of our exclusive MCM specialty ice cream flavor from Madison Chocolate Shoppe! At our last member party, this summery Rooftop Rhubarb Ramble flavor won out by a single vote. Free treats and snacks will be available from the fabulous Ugly Apple Cafe.

Museum members only! Registration with MCM member discount is $10 per family or $5 for Family Access members.

THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT!

June Member Morning
2024-06-01 08:00 - 09:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
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 delicious donuts from Ugly Apple Cafe while supplies last.

Not a member yet? Become one today! Membership starts immediately, so you can visit for free on Member Morning or any other time the museum is open. Learn more about membership.

MCM Roadshow: Nature Everywhere Day
2024-06-01 09:00 - 15:00
Join MCM Roadshow for Madison’s Nature Everywhere Day, a celebration with the Children & Nature Network Conference. Embrace the outdoors with free activities from your favorite local organizations across the city, including our creative maker activities outside Monona Terrace.

Madison Children’s Museum Roadshow brings mobile exhibits, maker activities, and more to community events in Madison and the surrounding area.

Nice Age Trail Grand Opening Weekend (Day 1)
2024-06-01 09:00 - 16:00
Come celebrate the grand opening of MCM’s brand-new nature exhibit, the Nice Age Trail! Buzz, slide, hop, flutter, and tromp through a four-season environment as you “walk in the paws” of some of Wisconsin’s most amazing animals. This interactive nature experience encourages imagination, exploration, and practicing kindness — to animals, to nature, to people, and to yourself.

All day throughout the museum, enjoy immersive programs, performances, and special activities centering our connection with nature and community. Participate in an energetic drum circle for all ages with Elmore Lawson, join author of “Así Respiro” Samira Álvarez for Spanish-language story time, make mini nature scenes with found materials, and create a collaborative “kindness tree” sculpture with your fellow visitors!

Saturday Activities Schedule10–11 am – Garden Babies (Urb Garden)10:30–12 pm – Exploration Station: Nature Miniatures (Rooftop) 11–12 pm – Drum Circle with Elmore Lawson (Wonderground)1–3 pm – Así Respiro Mindfulness Journey with Samira Álvarez in Spanish (Celebrations)1–3 pm – Saturday Art Adventures: Kindness Tree (Art Studio)

This event is included with the price of general museum admission.

Nice Age Trail Grand Opening Weekend (Day 2)
2024-06-02 09:00 - 16:00
Come celebrate the grand opening of MCM’s brand-new nature exhibit, the Nice Age Trail! Buzz, slide, hop, flutter, and tromp through a four-season environment as you transform into some of Wisconsin’s most amazing animals. This interactive nature experience encourages imagination, exploration, and practicing kindness — to animals, to nature, to people, and to yourself.

All day throughout the museum, enjoy immersive programs, performances, and special activities centering our connection with nature and community. Participate in an energetic drum circle for all ages with Elmore Lawson, explore the relationships between pollinators and plants in our own Rooftop Ramble garden, and create a lenticular nature scene like the one found in the Trail’s summer section!

Sunday Activity Schedule10:00–12 pm – Exploration Station: Think Like a Bee (Rooftop)11–12 pm – Drum Circle with Elmore Lawson (Wonderground)1–3 pm – Art Adventures: Lenticular Nature Scenes (Art Studio)

This event is included with the price of general museum admission.

Insect Scavenger Hunt
2024-06-05 13:30 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
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.

Cabin Life: Beeswax Candle Making
2024-06-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Illuminate the past and make your own beeswax candle like an early Wisconsin settler.

Cabin Life invites you each week to try crafts and activities from around the time of our historic 1840s log cabin. This event is free with general museum admission.

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