Madison Children's Museum

Create a miniature nature scene and make it into a recycled bottle cap magnet! This event is free with general museum admission.

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.

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.

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 […]

Join MCM staff and friends from Willy Street Co-op to get creative with food in the Lunchbox cafe! Today, we'll see how Chef Mike puts together our creamy, dreamy mac & cheese entrees. This event is free with general admission.

Join us for a story and circle time that connects children to kindness and nature. Sing songs, interact with puppets, listen to a story, and move your body in this interactive weekly program. This event will be held in the Nice Age Trail exhibit and is free with general museum admission.

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

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.

Join Ms. 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! This event is free with general […]

Visit MCM for free every Thursday evening, 4–8 pm! Enjoy extended hours each Thursday, completely free of charge. Please check in at the admissions desk when you visit during free hours. Looking for more affordable ways to visit? During the rest of the week, MCM offers reduced cost admission and memberships every day to families […]

Get your creativity flowing with Lexie in the Idea Lab! Practice different methods for generating new art projects and storytelling concepts with guidance from the Idea Machine. This event is part of our free admission Thursday evenings, 4 pm-8 pm every week.

Become a nature detective! Dissect owl pellets to find out what our nocturnal feathered friends like to eat. Identify animal bones in the mix and examine these dinnertime discards more closely under a microscope.  This event is free as part of our weekly Free Thursday Evenings from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Join our friends from UW Neuroscience for brain-building activities and interact with REAL neurological specimens. Come learn how we think!This program is part of our Free Thursday Evenings! Play in the museum for free every Thursday night, 4 pm to 8 pm each week.

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.

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. For today's Music with Junebug location, please ask at the desk! This event is free […]

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities foster children’s creativity, ignite curiosity, encourage divergent thinking, and increase problem-solving skills as children explore the world around them. Today, we'll taste fried potatoes grown in the Rooftop garden and make colorful potato prints! 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 Junko in the Celebrations Room as we explore different sensory materials every week!Please note, this program location may vary. Check at the admissions desk for the most up-to-date information. This event is free with general museum admission.

Join Madison Children’s Museum with PFLAG and GSAFE for a FREE evening of community-building, entertainment, local food, and fun for our LGBTQ+ families and community members!Engage in theatrical storytelling with Cass Marie Domino, sample pastries from The Baked Lab, and enjoy interactive programming from the Wisconsin Historical Museum, UW LGBTQ+ Archives, Madison Public Library, Madison […]

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.

Create your own one-of-a-kind bookmark with dried blooms plucked from the museum's rooftop garden. This event is free with the price of general admission.

Dive into an exciting drop-in art experience each week with Laurie and our Art Studio team. We'll offer projects in a wide variety of art media and art processes for all ages and abilities. Today, we'll create our own decorated paper using a marbled painting technique.This event is free with general museum admission.