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Favorite Museums to Visit With the Grandkids in Every State

Make the most of trips to these attractions


spinner image grandmother with her grandsons outside the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana
Kathy Wankel, who discovered the Wankel T. rex in 1988, chats with students beneath the shade of a bronze replica named Big Mike outside the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana.
The Washington Post via Getty Im

With around 20,000 museums across the United States, it can be overwhelming to pick the right one. Still, it’s a worthwhile endeavor as children who visit museums can exhibit higher achievement in reading, math and science, according to the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

As a teacher with more than 20 years in education, from elementary to high school, who has visited many museums with my 12-year-old daughter, I have had extensive firsthand experience with children and museums. This helps me recognize what qualities make museums appealing to children. 

According to the 2023 U.S. Family Travel Survey, 28 percent of grandparents said they planned to take a multigenerational trip to a museum in the next year. In the survey from the Family Travel Association, 63 percent of grandparents said they enjoyed spending extended time with their grandchildren.

“We create environments that complement the formal learning kids experience in their schools,” says Monica Ramsey, vice president of experience development and family learning for the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.

“Museums are a great way to give children a learning experience without sitting in a classroom,” says Helen Stiles, former senior acquisitions and cataloging specialist for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. Stiles, who retired after 37 years at the museum, says children get to experience the exhibits firsthand.

This list of museums was selected based on parent and grandparent recommendations and by consulting more than two dozen experts and site directors, including Keith Darcey, the senior director of communications at the National WWII Museum; Mary Ellen Engman, marketing and communications manager at KidsQuest Children’s Museum; Angel Johnston, communications manager at Jamestown Rediscovery; and Jonathan Pishney, head of communications at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Time spent with grandchildren is precious, and with proper selection, visiting a museum is a great way to bring families together. This list is a starting point of favorite museums to encourage grandparents to get out and explore, and maybe learn a thing or two themselves.​

spinner image U.S. Space & Rocket Center; the Alaska Aviation Museum and the Pima Air & Space Museum
From left, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama; the Alaska Aviation Museum in Anchorage; and the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
U.S Space and Rocket Center; Alaska Aviation Museum; Pima Air & Space Museum

Alabama

U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville

At the home of the world-famous Space Camp, see the full-scale replica of the Saturn V rocket and the real-deal Saturn V. Visit Spark!Lab, a hands-on invention center, and the VR Explorer motion-based simulator. Tickets: $30 for those 13-plus; $20 for children 5-12; free for 4 and younger.

Alaska

Alaska Aviation Museum, Anchorage

Visit the world’s largest seaplane base with four hangars and more than 25 vintage aircraft, including the Stearman C2B, built in 1928. Interactive displays for kids include a virtual reality flight simulator. Tickets: $18 for adults; $15 for 65-plus, $11 for 3-13; free for 3 and under.

Arizona

Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson

With some 400 historic aircraft from civil, commercial, military and experimental flight, this museum brings out everyone’s inner aviator. See an SR-71 Blackbird, the world’s smallest biplane and a 747 jumbo jet. Press buttons, flip switches and pull levers just like a pilot. Tickets: $19.50 for adults; $16.75 for 65-plus; $13 for children 5-12; free for 4 and younger.

spinner image Scott Family Amazeum, the Exploratorium and Manitou Cliff Dwellings
From left, the Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville, Arkansas; the Exploratorium in San Francisco; and Manitou Cliff Dwellings in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
Alamy; Exploratorium; Ryan Kost

Arkansas

Scott Family Amazeum, Bentonville

Creating immersive learning experiences that integrate science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM), the Amazeum fosters curiosity and creativity. The 3M Tinkering Hub, Walmart Market and Pampers Studio Grow cater to children of all ages. Tickets: $14 in person or $12 online for those older than 2; free for 2 and younger.

California

Exploratorium, San Francisco

Named one of the coolest museums in the world by The New York Times for Kids, this attraction has more than 650 hands-on, interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to not only look but play. Touch a tornado, break light apart and even stop time. Tickets: $39.95 for adults; $29.95 for 65-plus, children 4-17, teachers, college students and people with disabilities; free for 3 and younger.

Colorado

Manitou Cliff Dwellings, Manitou Springs

Explore Native American architecture in hands-on experiences. Children can climb into rooms of replica Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, with a ladder to access one area. Browse cultural displays including tools, pottery and weapons, and even grind corn. Tickets: $12.75 for adults; $10 for 60-plus; $8 for children 4-11; free for 3 and younger.

spinner image Mystic Seaport Museum, the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science and the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum
From left, the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut; the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science in Wilmington; and the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida.
Getty Images; Delaware Museum of Nature and Science

Connecticut

Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic

Swab the deck, cook in the galley, move cargo and dress in sailors’ garb. Older kids can visit the lighthouse drawing station and a puppet playhouse. Staff guide children in building toy boats; kids can explore a sailing ship, tugboat or fishing dragger model on their own. Tickets: $31 for adults; $29 for 65-plus; $27 for 13-17; $21 for 4-12; free for 3 and younger.

Delaware

Delaware Museum of Nature & Science, Wilmington

Delve into deciduous forests to bald cypress swamps, and see the dinosaurs in the PaleoZone. Staff members Miss Ofelia in the Nature Nook and Robbie in the Discovery Gallery are favorites, and don’t miss Dude, the museum cat, who went viral on The Dodo. Tickets: $14.50 for 3 and older; $4.25 for children 1-2; free for younger than 12 months. Note: There’s a 5 percent discount if visitors pay with cash.

Florida

Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, Palm Beach

A scavenger hunt throughout the house engages young visitors, and the Railcar 91 Tea Room, available November through April, is a “must do” experience with kids. Enjoy savory sandwiches, scones and sweets at the Gilded Age–style tea, then explore Henry Flagler’s original train car, which overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway. Tickets: $28 for 13 and up; $14 for children 6-12; free for children 5 and younger.

spinner image World of Coca-Cola; the Bishop Museum and the National Oregon/California Trail Center
From left, the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta; the Bishop Museum in Honolulu; and the National Oregon/California Trail Center in Montpelier, Idaho.
World of Coca-Cola; Bishop Museum; Oregon Trail Center

Georgia

World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta

Meet the lovable Coca-Cola Polar Bear, and discover the connection between scent and memory. Explore the history and intrigue of the secret formula for Coca-Cola. Sample more than 100 drinks from around the world. Tickets: $21 for 13-64; $19 for 65-plus; $17 for 3-12; free for 2 and younger.

Hawai‘i

Bishop Museum, Honolulu

Among 25 million historical, cultural and natural treasures, such as model canoes and woven mats, the Science Adventure Center has something for everyone, including animal lovers and those curious about how Hawaiʻi was formed. The J. Watumull Planetarium offers showings of “The Stars Tonight” and “Navigating By the Stars.” Tickets: $33.95 for adults; $30.95 for 65-plus; $25.95 for 4-17; free for 3 and younger; online discounts available.

Idaho

National Oregon/California Trail Center, Montpelier

Head west on the 1850s Oregon Trail, stopping by a gun shop and mercantile. The simulated Wagon Trail Adventure allows visitors to feel, touch and experience the journey, guided by a cast of pioneers whose dialogue and stories will make history come alive. Tickets: $12 for 18 and older; $11 for 60-plus; $9 for 8-17; $5 for 4-7; free for 3 and younger.

spinner image the Field Museum, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
From left, the Field Museum in Chicago; the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis; and the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.
Field Museum; Shutterstock; National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Illinois

Field Museum, Chicago

Inspiring curiosity in young scientists involves engaging their sense of wonder. Travel through time in the “Evolving Planet” exhibit, shrink down to ant size in “Underground Adventure,” or connect with scientists in the Grainger Science Hub and the Crown Family PlayLab. Take a journey back millions of years in the 3D movie Dinosaurs of Antarctica, and enter a polar winter. Tickets: $30 for adults; $27 for students 12 and older; $23 for children 3-11; free for children under 3.

Indiana

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis

Kids and grandparents can search for archaeological treasures at the “National Geographic Treasures of Earth” exhibit and climb aboard an actual tool car from the late 1800s at the “All Aboard!” exhibit at the world’s largest children’s museum (nearly 500,000 square feet). Step into the past with Dinosphere’s real fossils, launch into the future with “Beyond Spaceship Earth,” and hop aboard a more than 100-year-old Dentzel carousel with hand-carved animals. Tickets: Purchase online for best price. $31 for 18- to 59-year-olds; $29.50 for adults 60-plus; $26 for 2-17; free for 1 and younger.

Iowa

The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Dubuque

Indoor and outdoor exhibits welcome nearly 200,000 guests per year. Be sure to stop to see the otter habitat, the stingray touch tank and the tide pool touch tank in “Rivers to the Sea” for a truly unique experience. Tickets: $24.95 for adults; $22.95 for 65-plus; $18.95 for 3-17; free for 2 and younger.

spinner image Boot Hill Museum, the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory and the National WWII Museum
From left, the Boot Hill Museum in Dodge City, Kansas; the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory in Kentucky; and the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.
Alamy; Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory; The National WWII Museum

Kansas

Boot Hill Museum, Dodge City

On the original site of Boot Hill Cemetery — where, according to legend, gunfighters were buried with their boots on — cowboy fans young and old are whisked away to the days when Dodge City was wild. Stroll along Front Street’s restored buildings, witness gunfights and drink a sarsaparilla at the Long Branch Saloon, home of the longest-running seasonal theatrical show in the country. Tickets: For summer: $18 for adults; $16 for 62-plus and veterans; $12 for 5-12; free for younger than 5.

Kentucky

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Louisville

From the moment you see the 120-foot Big Bat, there is no shortage of fun exhibits. Hold game-used bats from some of baseball’s biggest names such as Willie Mays, Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron in the “Hold a Piece of History” exhibit. See bat production, and take home a Louisville Slugger mini-bat. Tickets: For online purchase, $23 for adults; $22 for 60-plus; $15 for children 6-12; free for 5 and younger.

Louisiana

The National WWII Museum, New Orleans

Experience real-time interactions with veterans, home front workers and Holocaust survivors from the greatest generation with video displays, artificial intelligence technology and prerecorded answers. The George H.W. Bush Aviation Gallery features six World War II warbirds, including a General Motors TBM Avenger like Bush flew as a young Navy pilot. Tickets: $35 for adults; $32 for 65-plus; $25 for students in kindergarten through 12th grade; free for younger than 5.

spinner image Maine Maritime Museum, the B&O Railroad Museum and the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
From left, the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath; the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore; and the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum in Massachusetts.
Amanda Pleau/Maine Maritime Museum; Alamy; Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

Maine

Maine Maritime Museum, Bath

Visit the museum in the summer, when the historic shipyard is open and cruises are running, or during the offseason, and watch staff restore and preserve vessels at the Watercraft Restoration Center. Don’t miss Snow Squall, the last remaining example of an American clipper ship, launched in Portland in 1851. Tickets: $20 for adults; $18 for 65-plus; free for children 17 and younger.

Maryland

B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore

Train lovers can visit E. Francis Baldwin’s iconic Roundhouse, explore locomotives, rolling stock and historic buildings at one of the oldest and most comprehensive railroad collections in the world. Don’t miss the 20-minute Mile One Express Train Ride along the nation’s first mile of commercial railroad. Tickets: $20 for adults; $17 for 60-plus; $12 for children 2-12; free for under 2.

Massachusetts

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, Boston

Take on the role of a participant in the Boston Tea Party with live actors. Throw tea crates overboard, yell “Huzzah!” and learn about the events leading up to the 1773 event through holographs and talking portraits. Taste the five tea blends that were thrown overboard in Abigail’s Tea Room. Tickets: From $35 for adults; from $26 for children 3-12; free for 2 and younger.

spinner image Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation,  the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Grammy Museum Mississippi
From left, the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan; the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul; and the Grammy Museum Mississippi in Cleveland, Mississippi.
Alamy; Science Museum of Minnesota; GRAMMY Museum Mississippi

Michigan

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Dearborn

Follow the greatest works of America’s greatest makers, thinkers and doers. See Rosa Parks’ restored bus from 1955, the rocking chair that Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when shot, and the limousine from JFK’s assassination. (Tip: Visitors can take a tour of the Ford factory but must purchase a separate ticket.) Museum tickets: $38 for adults; $34.25 for 62-plus; $28.50 for children 5-11; free for 4 and younger; discounts for purchasing online.

Minnesota

Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul

Multigenerational visitors marvel at the Dinosaurs & Fossils Gallery featuring the mighty allosaurus and the 80-foot diplodocus. Check out Collectors’ Corner, where visitors bring in rocks, bones and leaves to earn points to trade for other objects. Tickets: $29.95 for adults; $19.95 for children 4-17; free for 3 and younger.

Mississippi

Grammy Museum Mississippi, Cleveland

Interactive exhibits allow visitors to tap touch screens, listen to music and try out instruments. Dance to the beats of favorite songs, pretend to be a rock star in a studio and maybe discover a passion for music along the way. Tickets: $16 for adults; $12 for 65-plus and military; $8 for children under 18 and college students; free for 4 and under.

spinner image Museum at Gateway Arch National Park, the Museum of the Rockies and the Museum of American Speed
From left, the Museum at Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis; the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana; and the Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Gateway Arch National Park; Getty Images; AP

Missouri

The Museum at Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis

Explore more than 200 years of history in six interactive galleries beneath the tallest monument in the U.S. Just outside the museum, take the tram ride to the top, see the award-winning virtual reality theater and the riverboats at the Gateway Arch. (Tip: Ask about the Junior Ranger Riverboat Explorer program.) Free museum admission, but fees for tram, theater, and riverboats.

Montana

Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman

Meet Big Mike, the T. rex statue, as you enter this museum with a dinosaur fossil collection that rivals any in the country. Learn about the wildlife of Yellowstone, take in a show at the planetarium and be sure to go outside to check out the 1890s homestead. Tickets: $20 adults; $17 for 65-plus; $12 for 5-17; free for 4 and under; planetarium shows $4.

Nebraska

Museum of American Speed, Lincoln

See a chronology of automotive racing engines and speed equipment, from the early Ford Model A to the Shelby Series 1 Roadster. Hot rods, concept cars, dragsters, motorcycles and Indy and NASCAR cars are all on display. (Children must be accompanied by an adult.) Tickets: $15 for adults; $10 for 60-plus, veterans and college students; $5 for 6-17; free for 5 and younger.

spinner image the Neon Museum, McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, Liberty Science Center and Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum
From left, the Neon Museum in Las Vegas; McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, New Hampshire; Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey; and Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Neon Museum Las Vegas; McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center; Getty Images

Nevada

The Neon Museum, Las Vegas

Explore the outdoor Neon Boneyard and more than 800 full and partial signs on 2.27 acres. Learn about the science and history behind neon signs with live demonstrations, such as Brilliant! Jackpot, an immersive audiovisual experience that uses projections to reanimate signs that don’t work. Tim Burton fans will recognize four of his signs, including a replica of the Betelgeuse sign from the 1988 classic Beetlejuice movie. Tickets: $20 for adults; $15 for 65-plus and military, $10 for 7-17; free for 6 and younger; night tickets are $5 more per adult, $2.50 more for 7-17.

New Hampshire

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, Concord

Step into the Mount Washington Shaky Shack to experience wild New England weather, enter a lunar colony set in 2039 and explore the new rocket-inspired science playground featuring outdoor music equipment. Pilot the shuttle simulator lunar lander, and see shows in the state-of-the-art planetarium theater at the museum named for astronauts Christa McAuliffe and Alan Shepard. Tickets: $13 for adults; $12 for 62-plus and students 13 years old through college; $10 for children 3-12; free for 2 and under; $7 additional for each planetarium show.

New Jersey

Liberty Science Center, Jersey City

At America’s biggest planetarium, virtually travel through space. Meet live animals up close in “Wild About Animals,” control model train cars in “The Great Train Set” and create digital art out of germ patterns in “Microbes Rule!” In good weather, explore the outdoor paleontology site, “Dino Dig Adventure,” and find replica fossils buried in 60 tons of sand. Tickets: $36 for adults; $33 for 62-plus; $31 for children 2-12; save $5 with advance tickets; free for 1 and younger.

New Mexico

Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum, Albuquerque

See more than 250 exhibits demonstrating the principles of light, water, solids, air, sound, electricity and the phenomenon of life. Explore color and light, the bubble exhibit and X Studio, an 8,000-square-foot addition designed for teens that provides a center featuring the latest STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) learning. Tickets: $11 for 12-64; $8 for 65-plus, students and military; $7 for children 1-11; free for younger than 1.

spinner image National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the North American Bison Discovery Center
From left, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York; the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh; the North American Bison Discovery Center in Jamestown, North Dakota; and the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio.
National Baseball Hall of Fame; Getty Images; North American Bison Discovery Center; Alamy

New York

National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown

Young and old sports fans will find their generation’s greatest players at the Hall of Fame, and Sandlot Kids’ Clubhouse allows children to explore artifacts. The “Diamond Dreams” exhibit highlights women in baseball, while “Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball,” will educate the younger generation about the history of the sport’s connection with Black people in America. Tickets: $30 for 13-64; $24 for 65-plus; $21 for 7-12; $20 for veterans; free for 6 and younger.

North Carolina

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh

See turtles, fish and salamanders at the “Mountains to the Sea” exhibit, plus the 10,000-gallon aquarium. Watch veterinary staff perform exams and procedures on animals, where kids can ask questions. Children can try on animal costumes, peer through microscopes and locate the queen bee in the Discovery Room. Free general admission.

North Dakota

North American Bison Discovery Center, Jamestown

In the Bison Calf Play Area, children can enjoy books, toys and activities that examine the importance of the American bison as a foundational species. View herds from a distance or meet them up close during a guided pasture tour. Interactive exhibits include life-size reproductions of bison bones and organs. There’s even a video showing the bison’s digestive system. Tickets: $8 for adults; $6 for 62-plus, children 5-14 and active military; free for under 5.

Ohio

Center of Science and Industry (COSI), Columbus

Ranked one of the best science museums, according to USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, COSI allows guests to touch a cloud, ride a unicycle 17 feet above ground and climb inside a mini-submarine. Be sure to watch a game of rat basketball and see the impressive dinosaur gallery and planetarium. Tickets: $30 for 13 and older; $28 for 60-plus and military; $25 for youth 2-12; free for children younger than 2 and teachers.

spinner image Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and Please Touch Museum
From left, Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve in Bartlesville, Oklahoma; the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland; Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia; and the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Providence, Rhode Island.
Alamy; Sandal Deen/OMSI; Please Touch Museum; Shutterstock

Oklahoma

Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve, Bartlesville

Formerly a ranch retreat, the 3,700-acre wildlife preserve is home to bison and longhorn cattle, and the animal barn has featured goats, chickens, rabbits and donkeys. The property includes a museum, historic lodge, art gallery and hiking trails. Tickets: $16 for adults; $14 for 65-plus and military; free for 12 and younger.

Oregon

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), Portland

Take in an immersive show in the Kendall Planetarium, and tour a U.S. Navy submarine. OMSI is home to five hands-on lab spaces that explore chemistry, physics, life sciences and paleontology. Visitors can watch paleontologists work with real dinosaur fossils. They also can safely conduct experiments in the first liquid chemistry lab in a museum space. Tickets: $20 for 14 and older; $17 for 63-plus; $15 for 3-13; free for under 3 years old.

Pennsylvania

Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia

Please Touch creates interactive experiences in which children can learn through play. Food & Family, a miniature grocery store, lets kids shop and prepare food. The Rocket Room gives them a chance to wear astronaut helmets, step inside a rocket ship and communicate with friends at Mission Control. Tickets: Reservations required. Generally $22 for 1 and older. Some discounts available; visit website for details.

Rhode Island

Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, Providence

Within the 435-acre Roger Williams Park, the museum (reopening July 22) is home to the state’s only public planetarium. Rotating exhibits include historic daily life such as cooking, clothing and fishing in the area, dinosaurs and animal life. Planetarium show tickets must be purchased online. Tickets: $2 for 4 and older; free for 3 and younger for museum only; $5 for planetarium.

spinner image Children’s Museum of the Upstate, High Plains Western Heritage Center, the Titanic Museum Attraction and the DoSeum
From left, the Children’s Museum of the Upstate in Greenville, South Carolina; High Plains Western Heritage Center in Spearfish, South Dakota; the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; and the DoSeum in San Antonio.
Visit Greenville; Alamy; Titanic Museum Attraction; The Doseum

South Carolina

The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, Greenville

The first children’s museum recognized as a Smithsonian affiliate features a two-story climbing gym and water splash zones that provide hours of fun for kids up to 12 years old. The grocery store exhibit allows children to go shopping and check out at the cash register, practicing life skills and social interaction. Tickets: $19 for children and adults; $10 for 65-plus, educators and military; free for children younger than 1.

South Dakota

High Plains Western Heritage Center, Spearfish

Learn about the late 1800s and early 1900s through Old West pioneer, cowboy and Native American artifacts, including an authentic Ghost Dance shirt. Children and adults can explore the pony express, blacksmith and saloon displays. The 49-acre site includes an outdoor display featuring a one-room schoolhouse, log cabin and a sheepherder’s wagon. Tickets: $12 for adults; $10 for 65-plus; $5 for 6-17; free for under 5.

Tennessee

Titanic Museum Attraction, Pigeon Forge

Receive a boarding pass of an actual Titanic passenger and learn about them as you journey through the museum, then discover the passenger’s fate in the Memorial Room. Kids can shovel “coal” in the ship’s boiler room, send an SOS and experience what it was like to try to stand on the sloping decks as the ship descended. Guests 8 and under can visit Tot-Titanic, an interactive area that has one of the world’s largest Lego Titanic models. Tickets: $35 for 13 and older; $15 for children 5-12; free for children 4 and under. Note: Prices depend on the date; convenience fees may apply.

Texas

The DoSeum, San Antonio

Younger visitors can visit Little Town, featuring a miniature grocery store, food truck, bank, airport, construction site, vet clinic and post office. Older kids can explore Spy Academy, which involves decoding and solving clues to achieve master spy status. During September, the DoSeum offers free admission for grandparents. Tickets: $18 for general admission; free for children younger than 1.

spinner image the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home, Jamestown Rediscover and KidsQuest Children’s Museum
From left, the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum in Vernal; Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, Vermont; Jamestown Rediscovery in Virginia; and KidsQuest Children’s Museum in Bellevue, Washington.
Alamy; Shutterstock; Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation; Kidsquest Children’s Museum

Utah

Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, Vernal

Explore the ancient past, touching rock and fossil specimens, including dinosaur bones. Kids can take part in a mock dig in the play area and view fossils and exhibits devoted to dinosaurs, such as the 90-foot diplodocus skeleton in the museum rotunda. Stop by the outdoor garden of prehistoric full-size replicas for a great family photo op. Tickets: $10 for 13 and older; $8 for 65-plus; $5 for children 6-12; free for 5 and younger.

Vermont

Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home, Manchester

Besides the beautiful house and gardens, Hildene has a network of about 12 miles of nature trails for families to explore, and it’s an official bird and pollinator sanctuary. Visit the farm and meet animals, including goats, sheep, cows, alpacas, bunnies, hens, bees and the beloved pig, Peaches! Tickets: $23 for adults; $6 for 6-16; free for 5 and younger.

Virginia

Jamestown Rediscovery, Jamestown

Experience the moment of discovery alongside archaeologists. Visit the blacksmith’s forge, learn about Powhatan Indian culture or go on a walking tour before exploring the Voorhees Archaearium archaeology museum. On weekends, see blacksmiths and tradesmen make tools for life in the 17th century. Head inside James Fort for accounts of the past from historians or take a walking tour. Tickets: $30 for 16 and older; $5 for children 6-15; free for 5 and younger.

Washington

KidsQuest Children’s Museum, Bellevue

The two-story Atrium Climber encourages safe risks and offers pathway options for different ages. Pretend to drive a real semitruck in the On the Go gallery, and explore the Bellevue Mercantile featuring a historical scene from the early 1900s. The Water gallery provides hours of entertainment, even on rainy days, as kids can let water flow, pump it and dump it. Tickets: $16 for adults and children; free for children younger than 1.

spinner image the Mothman Museum, Discovery World, the Draper Natural History Museum and International Spy Museum
From left, the Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, West Virginia; Discovery World in Milwaukee; the Draper Natural History Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming; and the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.
Mothman Museum; Discovery World; Draper National History Museum; International Spy Museum

West Virginia

Mothman Museum, Point Pleasant

Kids can see mothman costumes and pop art renderings, as well as props from The Mothman Prophecies movie, while grandparents read accounts of the folk legend that captivated the small town from 1966-67. Before leaving, pose for a picture with the metallic Mothman statue. Tickets: $4.99 for adults and children 11 and older; $1.99 for children 10 and younger.

Wisconsin

Discovery World, Milwaukee

Guests take a hands-on approach when exploring the underwater wonders at the home of the Reiman Aquarium, the state’s largest. Visitors can touch stingrays and sturgeon, launch rockets and challenge a robot to a game of tic-tac-toe. Tickets: $24 for adults; $20 for 60-plus and children 3-17; $18 for college students and military; free for children 2 and younger. 

Wyoming

Draper Natural History Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody

The Draper Natural History Museum focuses on the science of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including wildlife of the region, such as grizzly bears and gray wolves. Kids can pick up their Adventure Passport near the naturalist’s cabin and collect stamps throughout the Expedition Trailhead gallery. All guests can take in the up-close birds of prey experience. Tickets: $23 for adults; $22 for 65-plus; $21 for students and veterans; $16 for children 6-17; free for children 5 and younger.

Washington, D.C.

International Spy Museum

See the largest collection of espionage artifacts placed on public display. Undercover Mission, a full RFID (radio frequency identification) experience, enables visitors to take on spy personas. Learn directly from first-person accounts and try the code making and breaking interactive. Advance tickets (prices at the door are higher): $29.63 to $34.93 for adults and children 13 and older; $26.45 to $31.75 for 65-plus, military, law enforcement and college students; $19.03 to $22.21 for children 7-12; free for 6 and younger.

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