The New Children’s Museum
About
The New Children's Museum is designed specifically for kids to interact with contemporary art installations that double as elaborate playgrounds. From building forts to creating stop-motion animation, every exhibit invites touching, climbing, and creative expression in ways traditional museums never allow.
Highlights
- ✓The Wonder Sound installation - a two-story structure kids can climb through while making music
- ✓The Sketch Aquarium where children draw sea creatures that come to life on a digital screen
- ✓The Art Lab where kids can participate in hands-on art projects led by teaching artists
Pro Tips
- 1.Arrive right at opening to experience the installations before they get crowded - afternoons can be chaotic
- 2.The third Thursday of every month features free evening admission from 4-7 PM for San Diego County residents
- 3.Bring socks - some installations require shoes off, and socks keep feet clean and provide better grip on climbing structures
Best Time to Visit
Monday, Thursday, or Friday mornings are quietest; closed Tuesdays; avoid Saturday afternoons when it's packed
What to Know
No café on-site, but you can bring snacks; East Village neighborhood has dozens of restaurants within walking distance Limited street parking; best to use the Horton Plaza parking garage (505 K Street) or the Civic Center parking garage, both within 2 blocks Clean family restrooms with changing tables; conveniently located and easy to access Stroller parking available at entrance; you won't need it inside as kids will want to run and explore freely Fully wheelchair accessible with elevators; some installations may be challenging for children with mobility differences
Seasonal Notes
Installations rotate periodically, so returning visitors get new experiences; summer sees increased crowds; the museum partners with local schools during the year, making some weekday mornings busier
Nearby Eats
Petco Park area (2 blocks away) has family-friendly spots like Lolita's Mexican Food and Basic Urban Kitchen. Quartyard, an outdoor dining venue, often has food trucks and live music on weekends.
More Activities Near San Diego
USS Midway Museum
The USS Midway Museum lets kids explore a real aircraft carrier that served for 47 years, with 60+ exhibits and 29 restored aircraft to climb into and around. Children can experience what life was like for sailors at sea, sit in actual cockpits, and try flight simulators that put them in the pilot's seat.
San Diego Air & Space Museum
The San Diego Air & Space Museum showcases over 60 historic aircraft and spacecraft, from WWI biplanes to actual space capsules, in an impressive dome building in Balboa Park. Kids can test their skills in multiple flight simulators (including a 360-degree barrel roll simulator), explore the replica Moon Base San Diego, and even climb into some cockpits.
San Diego Natural History Museum
The San Diego Natural History Museum (affectionately called 'The Nat') brings Southern California's natural world to life with fossil exhibits featuring ancient mega-sharks, a Living Lab with snakes and reptiles, and giant screen 3D nature documentaries. Kids can see real paleontologists at work in the Fossil Lab and touch genuine fossils and minerals in the hands-on Discovery Station.
Fleet Science Center
The Fleet Science Center is a hands-on wonderland where kids can touch, experiment, and explore over 100 interactive exhibits covering everything from physics to biology. The crown jewel is the massive IMAX dome theater that wraps around viewers for an immersive experience that feels like flying through space or diving into the ocean.