Our Mission:
Ignite the natural curiosity of every child through the power of play in a dynamic, awe-inspiring environment
PLAY. It's what we do.
MUSEUM HOURS
Daily Admission: $13/person
ADMISSION: $13/PERSON over 12 months
A membership to the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota includes unlimited access to the Museum’s galleries during regular business hours, special discounts in the Museum gift shop, and invitations to exclusive members-only events for less than $13 a month! The Museum offers a variety of membership packages to suit the needs of individuals, families, and groups.
Browse the Museum’s membership packages to find an option that works best for you. Contact Museum staff for further details.
Free Museum Admission All Day
Ag Education Day
Join us for the first Ag Education Day at the Children‘s Museum of Southern Minnesota. This is a free and fun filled day to get up close and hands-on with the Agriculture industry! Learn about the progress of a soybean or kernel of corn from seed to the meat found in grocery coolers and all of the steps along the way. Many Greater Mankato Businesses will be represented along with BIG equipment from each step of the process.
More sessions now available
CMSM’s Curiosity Camps: Early Experience is an early learning experience inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach which believes in children’s innate capacity to wonder, hypothesize, investigate, and ignite their own learning journey. Facilitators will observe and provoke thoughtful investigations to follow the emergent interests of children within the Museum and carefully design play-based experiences that support children’s exploration of materials, environments, relationships and ideas. This is also an opportunity to practice caregiver separation time.
Proudly Presented By: Xcel Energy Foundation
Gateway to Baby Play Memberships are available to families of newborns and first-time parents up to their child’s first birthday. This Membership includes free admission for two parents and their baby until their first birthday. To obtain a Gateway to Baby Play Museum Membership, simply fill out the application here and return to CMSM.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Young Explorers
Outdoor Explorers
Bookmobile
Art Explorers
Literacy Explorers
Baby Play
Art Explorers
Young Explorers
Outdoor Explorers
Early Out Camps
Exhibits
At the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota, each exhibit is intentionally designed as a robust educational resource that contributes to the well-being of children and the community. Our exhibits are created with an understanding of children’s development and based on local settings and landmarks with play potential for children, their parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers to explore, think, discover, learn, and enjoy.
Explore
Children learn best through hands-on play.
Discover
The Museum environment captivates children with a wide variety of interactive exhibits.
Think
Young minds need challenges and experiences to grow!
Learn
Exhibits are thoughtfully designed to spark curiosity and imagination.
Enjoy
Not only is play an incredible source of fun, but it is also crucial to children’s well-being.
Impact Stories
"A Place for Everyone"
“The Children’s Museum is a place where everyone can and be welcome and find some thing that they’re interested in. If you’ve never been here, I’d say get down here right away!”
"I can’t explain how grateful I am for the Children's Museum"
“I love that my kids can come to the Children’s Museum, be creative and imaginative and make friends in the process. We visit weekly and every time we leave each of my four kids has made a new friend.”