Winter Wonder Weeks

November 16 — January 5

Celebrate the holidays in a winter wonderland at Madison Children’s Museum!

By popular request, Madison Children’s Museum is expanding on our holiday season programming to bring you eight weeks of holiday magic. Explore cold weather, ice and snow, folklore, tastes, and unique festivities of wintertime.

All of our Winter Wonder Weeks programs are included with museum admission (Free for members, $9 for non-member adults and children ages 1+, see our registration pages for information on discounts or to buy admission tickets).

Holiday Magic Every Day:

Many of our regularly scheduled education programs get a holiday twist, including themed crafts in the Art Studio, holiday songs from cultures around the world, and more. New weekly programs include:

• Ornament Making in the Art Studio, Craft keepsake ornaments in the art studio, perfect for decorating your home or gifting to relatives. Come back every week for a new ornament design.
• Winter Break Wonders, December 26–January 5, Keep your school-aged kids active and engaged over winter break with special activities designed with grade-school kids in mind.

Special Events at Madison Children’s Museum:

By sleigh, skis, or sled join us for special events celebrating winter merriment and all of the holidays celebrated by members of our community.

• Shine On Madison, Saturday, November 16, 5–8 p.m., The museum stays open late for the Madison Winter Night Market and accompanying holiday illumination. Featuring special light-themed crafts.
• Winter Magic Day, Saturday, November 23, all day, For the first time in forever, the museum hosts a celebration of the magical power of winter with ice-themed activities, sing-alongs, and a special visit from the cast of Verona Area Community Theater’s production of Frozen Jr. Dressing up as your favorite character or reindeer is encouraged.
• Viv Ncaus Hmong Dance Performance, Sunday, November 24, 1–1:30 p.m., Enjoy a performance of traditional Hmong dance and learn about Madison’s Hmong New Year celebration taking place November 29–30.
• Gingerbread Day, Saturday, December 7, all day, Celebrate the long history of gingerbread as a dessert and art, with a day of gingerbread inspired activities including popup performances from the Nutcracker ballet by Dance Wisconsin. Add-on activity: sign up for a deluxe cookie decorating workshop.
• Yid Vicious Hanukkah Concert, Saturday, December 21, 10–10:30 a.m., Dance to klezmer—Yiddish folk music—as we celebrate Hanukkah and all the wonders of winter.
• New Year’s Eve (Afternoon) Dance Party, Tuesday, December 31, 2:30–4:30 p.m., Are your little ones not quite ready to stay up until midnight? Shake, rattle, roll, and bid farewell to 2019 at the earliest New Year’s Eve party in Madison.
• New Year’s Day at the Museum, Wednesday, January 1, 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m., New this year! Madison Children will be OPEN for regular business hours 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. on New Year’s Day. And as it’s also the first Wednesday of the month, we will be open for free from 5–8 p.m. for Free Family Night.

Tea & Trains at the Madison Club:

• Tea & Trains, Saturday, December 7, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Madison Club, For over 30 years, Tea & Trains has been a special holiday tradition, benefiting Madison Children’s Museum. Featuring a holiday high tea, model trains, storybook reading, silent auctions, and more.

Just for Grown-Ups:

• Adult Swim: Wizard Academy Yule Ball, Friday, December 13, 6–10 p.m. Madison Children’s Museum’s popular adults-only evening is back, bringing a holiday twist to our most popular theme ever: Wizard Academy! We’re channeling the festivity and drama of the Hogwarts Yule Ball with live music, potions crafting, New Year’s divinations, our mandrake nursery, and more. Tickets are on sale now. Ages 21+.

Holiday Hours:

Madison Children’s Museum will be closed:

• Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28
• December 23, 24 & 25

Madison Children’s Museum will remain open on these special days:

• Saturday, November 16, 5–8 p.m. for Shine On Madison
• Monday, December 30, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. for Winter Break Wonders
• Tuesday, December 31, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. for New Year’s Eve
• Wednesday, January 1, 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m., for New Year’s Day, free from 5–8 p.m.

Winter Wonder Weeks are generously sponsored by: