Kids can spend hours with hands-on activities at Westchester Children’s Museum.
The best museums for kids in Westchester are vibrant, hands-on, interactive venues that can inspire, delight and amuse. Just don’t tell the kids they are learning too!
Especially for Kids
Westchester Children’s Museum
Westchester County finally has its very own Children’s Museum! It’s one of the very best museums for Westchester kids. Exhibits allow visitors to create a roller coaster. After that, kids can explore the interactive Construction Zone. Then, they can have fun with wind tunnels and sand. There’s also a cozy, quiet area to enjoy books and share stories. Spaces for creating works of art or engineering inventions are scattered throughout the Museum. There’s also a special Toddler Beach for pre-walkers and little ones under age 3. Learn more about the special Museum programs. There are programs such as Museum Minis, and Drop-In Art Workshops. There’s also the Makers & Shakers Afterschool program.
Westchester Children’s Museum, Rye Playland, Rye. 421-5050. discoverWCM.org
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
One of the best museums for Westchster kids is just beyond the Westchester border. Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk, Conn. is another great museum for kids. No parent will ever have to say, “don’t touch,” because this museum encourages hands-on exploration. The museum is specially designed for children ages 10 and under. You’ll find more than 100 hands-on activities. There are also family programs and special events. Be sure to see the landmark exhibit “Energy Lab.” Here kids learn all about science and energy in a wet and wild environment. Then try the popular water play table. Infants and toddlers can enjoy Tot Town. This soft play space for infants and toddlers has a gated entrance. Babies interact with toys, games, sounds and each other.
Stepping Stones Museum for Children, 303 West Ave., Norwalk, Conn. 203-899-0606. steppingstonesmuseum.org
Other Great Museums
Hudson River Museum
Here’s another museum ideal for Westchester kids. This cultural complex consists of galleries, an education center, the Andrus Planetarium, and the historic Glenview, a Victorian Hudson River home. Changing exhibits link 19th- and 20th-century American art, science, and history. Weekend family programs, tours, and activities make this a wonderful museum for youngsters. Make sure to visit the Planetarium! There are shows for every age and interest.
Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers. 963-4550. hrm.org
Katonah Museum of Art
Sometimes small makes a museum the best museum for Westchester kids. This non-collecting museum features 10 to 12 new exhibitions annually. Amble through the two galleries. After that, go outdoors to the sculpture garden and let the kids burn off some steam. Next, it’s time for art in The Learning Center. Here children to participate in hands-on art projects. There are also concerts, lectures and art programs for all ages. The Stroller Tours program allows parents to take a tour of the museum with babies in strollers.
Katonah Museum of Art, 134 Jay St., Rte. 22, Katonah. 232-9555. katonahmuseum.org
Neuberger Museum of Art
This Museum contains modern, contemporary and African art. There are permanent collections, and more than a dozen changing exhibits each year. What makes this museum great for Westchester kids is the hands-on workshops, concerts, family festivals, and dance performances.
Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase. 251-6100. neuberger.org
Psst … Here are some other great places for indoor fun.
