Madison Children's Museum

Use recycled materials and native prairie seeds to craft handmade seed paper. Once the paper dries, spread the joy by creating special greeting cards or start your own pollinator garden at home. This event is free with the price of general admission.

Join Art Studio staff and your fellow crafters for a collaborative art experience! Help generate large-scale puppets and costumes for use at special MCM festivities (Summerpalooza and beyond!) This event is free with general museum admission. Image credit: Eleanor Ford

Join us for movement games and activities! From obstacle courses to dances, group games and balance activities, we'll enjoy different opportunities to move our bodies every day. Program location is subject to change, depending on the weather. Please check our Welcome Wall for the most up-to-date location information.This event is free with general museum 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 story time and hear Teresa read some of her favorite books using her DynaVox. With this speech-generating device, Teresa shares stories that help us build listening skills, develop early literacy, and celebrate each other’s differences. This event is free with general museum admission.

Join us for movement games and activities! From obstacle courses to dances, group games and balance activities, we'll enjoy different opportunities to move our bodies every day. Program location is subject to change, depending on the weather. Please check our Welcome Wall for the most up-to-date location information.This event is free with general museum admission.

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 […]

Join MCM for a free celebration featuring performances from Beni Daiko, Mukula Dance, and the Zhong Yi Lion Dancers, hands-on activities with UW student groups HASA, SEASA, and CHASA, refreshments from Halo Halo, and more!Support for MCM cultural heritage celebrations provided by Dane Arts and Madison Arts Commission.

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 us for movement games and activities! From obstacle courses to dances, group games and balance activities, we'll enjoy different opportunities to move our bodies every day. Program location is subject to change, depending on the weather. Please check our Welcome Wall for the most up-to-date location information.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 admissions desk or check the […]

 Join Junko 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.

Every month this summer, enjoy free concerts at MCM featuring an eclectic mix of Madison bands. Adults get to dance and chat, kids climb and play, and caregivers enjoy low-stress social time in an outdoor play space like no other!  Tonight we're welcoming Christo's Novelty Combo, an ensemble led by award-winning instrumentalist Christo Ruppenthal. Christo's […]

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.

Enjoy a full hour of exclusive, members-only playtime in the museum before things get busy! Indulge in complimentary coffee and free treats to accompany the lovely spring morning (while supplies last.) Not a member yet? Become one today! Membership starts immediately, so you can visit for free anytime the museum is open. Learn more about membership.

Join us for movement games and activities! From obstacle courses to dances, group games and balance activities, we'll enjoy different opportunities to move our bodies every day. Today we'll train to be space cadets in the Wonderground! Join us as we ride rocket ships through the space and enjoy fun movement training.Program location is subject […]

3... 2... 1... Blast off with some out-of-this-world rocket science during Outer Space Weekend! Launch your very own air-propelled rocket from the Rooftop Ramble. How many fins fly the farthest? Does your rocket need a nose cone? Test out different features and see how high your designs can fly. This event is free with general […]