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Museums

🎨 Museums for Kids in Arlington, MA

14 children's museums, science centers, and interactive exhibits rated and reviewed by families.

Activities & Venues in Arlington

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston art museum in Salem, NH🎨 Museum
Photo: Ariel Wang
4.8(19,358)$6 mi away

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston transforms art appreciation into an adventure for young minds with thoughtfully designed family galleries, interactive stations, and engaging programs that make world culture accessible to children. With masterpieces spanning ancient Egyptian artifacts to contemporary installations, the MFA offers dedicated family guides and hands-on activities that keep kids curious and entertained while exploring one of America's premier art collections.

🕑 2 to 3 hours

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Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University botanical garden in Boston, MA🌳 Park
Photo: Yvette Weigold
4.8(4,551)Free8 mi away

The Arnold Arboretum offers 281 acres of wide-open spaces where kids can run free while exploring one of North America's most diverse tree collections. With gently rolling hills perfect for sledding in winter, winding paths for family bike rides, and meadows ideal for picnicking, this Harvard-managed botanical garden provides a perfect blend of education and outdoor adventure without the admission fee.

🕑 2-4 hours

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Museum of Science tourist attraction in Boston, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: Vedang Gaonkar
4.7(22,786)$$5 mi away

The Museum of Science is Boston's premier interactive learning destination where kids can touch, explore, and experiment to their hearts' content. From thrilling lightning shows that'll make their jaws drop to a magical butterfly garden where colorful wings flutter inches from their faces, this isn't your typical 'look but don't touch' museum,it's a hands-on playground for curious minds.

🕑 4-6 hours for a full experience, or 2-3 hours if focusing on specific exhibits

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art museum in Boston, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: XSD
4.7(10,579)$$6 mi away

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum offers a magical art experience for families in a stunning Venetian-style palazzo with a breathtaking indoor courtyard garden at its center. Kids are captivated by the enchanting setting while engaging with specially designed family programs and scavenger hunts that make exploring the impressive art collection interactive and fun.

🕑 1.5-2.5 hours

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Boston Children's Museum tourist attraction in Boston, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: Dave Tran
4.7(6,474)$$7 mi away

The Boston Children's Museum is an interactive wonderland spread across three floors, designed to engage young minds through hands-on play and discovery. With activities ranging from a construction zone where kids can operate real tools to a massive climbing structure and bubble exhibits, this museum transforms learning into pure fun for the whole family.

🕑 2.5 to 4 hours

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Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House tourist attraction in Concord, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: Amitha Pothukuchi
4.7(1,197)$10 mi · Concord

Step into the pages of 'Little Women' at Louisa May Alcott's actual home where the beloved classic was written. Guided tours bring the March family's world to life with original furnishings, personal artifacts, and engaging storytelling that helps kids connect with 19th-century life in a way that feels magical rather than stuffy.

🕑 45 minutes to 1 hour for the house tour, plus time to explore the grounds and gift shop

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John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum library in Boston, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: William Wu

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum offers an engaging journey through American history that brings the 1960s to life for families. Kids are captivated by the replica Oval Office, interactive exhibits about the Space Race, and the dramatic glass pavilion overlooking Boston Harbor, making presidential history accessible and exciting for young learners.

🕑 2-3 hours

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Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum museum in Boston, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: Tony's Lists
4.6(9,213)$$7 mi away

The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum transforms American history into an unforgettable interactive adventure where kids become patriots themselves. Children get to throw actual tea chests overboard into Boston Harbor, explore authentically restored 18th-century tall ships, and interact with live colonial actors who bring the Revolutionary War era to life through engaging storytelling and period costumes.

🕑 1.5-2 hours (including the 60-minute guided tour and time in the tea room and gift shop)

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Concord Museum tourist attraction in Concord, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: Concord Museum
4.6(518)$$10 mi · Concord

The Concord Museum brings American history to life for young learners through hands-on exhibits and fascinating artifacts from the Revolutionary War and Concord's famous literary residents like Thoreau and Emerson. Kids can see Paul Revere's lantern, explore period rooms, and engage with interactive displays that make history feel real and exciting rather than just facts in a textbook.

🕑 1.5-2 hours

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Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation museum in Waltham, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: Michael Orlinski

The Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation offers a refreshing hands-on approach to learning about industrial history that captivates curious minds. Kids can touch, tinker, and explore interactive exhibits showcasing everything from early manufacturing to modern innovation, with workshops and programs designed to spark interest in science and technology through play and discovery.

🕑 1.5-2.5 hours

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Armenian Museum of America museum in Watertown, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: Joshua Setow
4.7(44)$4 mi · Watertown

The Armenian Museum of America offers families a wonderful opportunity to explore a rich cultural heritage through engaging exhibits and interactive educational programs. Located in a charming Watertown setting, this highly-rated museum provides a welcoming environment where children can discover Armenian art, history, and traditions through hands-on activities and special family events that make learning about different cultures both fun and meaningful.

🕑 1-2 hours

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Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library history museum in Lexington, MA🎨 Museum
Photo: Kita Thompson
4.6(144)$3 mi · Lexington

The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library offers an intimate, hands-on introduction to Revolutionary War history that's perfect for young learners. With interactive exhibits designed specifically for children and engaging family programs, this small museum makes early American history come alive without overwhelming little ones,a refreshing alternative to larger, crowded Boston-area museums.

🕑 45 minutes to 1.5 hours

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