Madison Children's Museum

Explore the world of poetry through creative art and writing projects. Learn about poetry devices and while working with a variety of mediums including bookmaking, cartooning, collage, and sculpture.Recommended for school-age kids through adult visitors, with modifications available for younger children.

More time for play! The museum is open Tuesdays in August. Regular hours for the month of August are Tuesday through Sunday, 9 am - 4 pm; Thursdays until 8 pm.

Spend sunny summer mornings in the Wonderground and learn to play games from around the world. This program is free with general admission and runs every day MCM is open, Tuesday through Sunday.

Spend sunny summer mornings in the Wonderground and learn to play games from around the world. This program is free with general admission and runs every day MCM is open, Tuesday through Sunday.

Join us in the Art Studio for a playdough party! Engage in tactile play with colorful dough, tools, and cookie cutters that'll delight all ages. Dip deep into your imagination and see what you can shape and squish into existence. This event is free with museum admission.

Join MCM Roadshow at Teresa Terrace/Hammersley Park for an outdoor community screening of Soul. Movie begins at 6:30. Parks Alive! builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, music and free food.  

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.

Spend sunny summer mornings in the Wonderground and learn to play games from around the world. This program is free with general admission and runs every day MCM is open, Tuesday through Sunday.

Let's make art together! Embrace the soft, squishy, smudgy, squelchy, spectacular sensory experiences of making art. Explore your creativity with activities centering texture, form, basic shapes, and colors. This program's designed for the needs of our youngest artists, but is open to creative minds of all ages. 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 us in the Art Studio for a playdough party! Engage in tactile play with colorful dough, tools, and cookie cutters that'll delight all ages. Dip deep into your imagination and see what you can shape and squish into existence. This event is free with museum admission.

The whole museum is open until 8 pm on Thursdays. Twilight Thursday evening hours are included free, with general museum admission. See admission prices and get tickets. Special events: On December 8 We welcome Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin for a family night gathering. Families affected by autism may register for free tickets at Autism […]

Explore plants and animals on the rooftop with drop-in, seasonal, hands-on activities! This event is free with museum admission.

Spend sunny summer mornings in the Wonderground and learn to play games from around the world. This program is free with general admission and runs every day MCM is open, Tuesday through Sunday.

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 the Down Under area of the Wonderground, and is […]

3... 2... 1... Launch! Make your own catapult and see how far pom poms and other projectiles can fly. Learn about the physics of force and motion while launching objects of different weights and sizes. This event is free with general museum admission.

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 MCM for a night of music, dancing, food, and drink for all ages in the Wonderground. Bask in bold and brassy tunes from Hirt Alpert, a local Al Hirt and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass tribute band. Catch the Drop in the Bucket mini-set from Active Percussion Duo, staged in our Giant Bucket.  […]

Member Mornings provide exclusive time for museum members to access the museum outside of public operating hours. 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.

Spend sunny summer mornings in the Wonderground and learn to play games from around the world. This program is free with general admission and runs every day MCM is open, Tuesday through Sunday.

Who speaks for the trees? You do! Make a tree slice necklace and discover the hidden meaning of tree rings. Can you figure out how old your tree slice is? This event is free with museum admission.

Join MCM Roadshow at Sugar Maple Music Festival! Our friends at the family-friendly festival are offering MCM members $5 off tickets when you buy on EventBrite and use the code SMMCM23. Located in the kid-friendly environment of William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park, Sugar Maple Music Festival offers exceptional, diverse musical acts—including Americana, bluegrass, […]

Art meets craft on Saturday afternoons at MCM. Uncover the practice of 'making' through new themed projects every week. Learn alongside Art Studio Manager Laurie and her staff to use new tools, discover crafts from around the world, and create an art project to take home. This event is free with general museum admission.