Please note that this post was written in 2014 and may contain some outdated information. Although it will still provide you with a great overview of each destination, please check each venue’s website for the most up to date information about specific details like hours & pricing.
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So Thanksgiving is next week, and of course there are going to be so many fun holiday happenings starting up the following weekend (stay tuned for our holiday events post coming up later this week!). But we thought just in case you aren’t quite ready for the holiday hoopla, or you’re just looking for a new adventure, we’d give you another idea for a fun family outing while you’ve got that extra time off.
A few weeks ago, Mandy wrote a great post summarizing all the children’s museums in Connecticut that we have written about over the past several years. Well, if you haven’t noticed, our site description proclaims “Fun things to do with kids in (and around) Connecticut”. So today I am going to address the “around” part and give you a brief rundown of those fabulous children’s museums we have visited in our neighboring states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York. I’ll also fill you in on all the discounts that may be available via library museum passes and reciprocal museum memberships, plus special times when you can visit for FREE (or pretty much free).
Why cross the border when we have so many great children’s museums right here at home, you may ask? Well, you might be surprised by just how convenient these museums are to Connecticut residents. And ALL of them are well worth the trip!
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Rhode Island
The Providence Children’s Museum
100 South Street, Providence, Rhode Island
Approximate drive time from Hartford: 1.5 hours
Website, Facebook Page, OAAM 2013 Post
SPECIAL FEATURES: A huge water table room, a “time-traveling adventure” tunnel with old-fashioned houses and a sailing ship little ones can explore, fully enclosed toddler play area, building activities, outdoor exhibits and play spaces.
HOURS:
September to March:
- Open Tuesday – Sunday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
- Open select Friday evenings until 8:00 PM.
- Closed Mondays except holidays and public school vacations.
- Closed Thanksgiving Day and December 24 & 25.
- Open daily, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and select Friday evenings until 8:00 PM
PRICING:
- Admission is $9/person (free for babies under 12 months old).
DISCOUNTS:
- ***Reciprocal Membership Program: YES. The Museum admits half-price members from ACM reciprocal museums and free members from ASTC reciprocal museums with a valid membership card and a government issued ID (like your drivers license).
- CT Library Passes: None that we know of (let us know if you do!).
- Visit for FREE: The third Friday of every month from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
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Massachusetts
The Boston Children’s Museum
308 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Approximate drive time from Hartford: 1.5 hours
Website, Facebook Page, OAAM 2012 Post
SPECIAL FEATURES: Giant climbing playscape, sand and water play area, Construction Zone play area, art area, fully enclosed toddler play space including a separate area for babies (and a dedicated space for nursing mothers), onsite restaurant.
HOURS:
- Saturday through Thursday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Fridays 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Closed on Thanksgiving & Christmas)
PRICING:
- Adults and children over 12 months: $14
DISCOUNTS:
- ***Reciprocal Membership Program: YES. The Museum admits half-price members from ACM reciprocal museums and free members from ASTC reciprocal museums with a valid membership card and a government issued ID (like your drivers license).
- CT Library Passes: None that we know of (but let us know if you do!).
- Visit for (practically) FREE: $1 per person every Friday from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
- You can find additional discounts here.
The Children’s Museum at Holyoke
444 Dwight Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts
Approximate drive time from Hartford: 35 minutes
Website, Facebook Page, OAAM 2013 Post
SPECIAL FEATURES: Air tunnel activity, large climbing playscape, pretend play fire station/fire truck and mini main street, giant bubble-blowing, located in Holyoke Heritage State Park, which also has a carousel that operates Tuesday-Sunday all year ’round and a small outdoor playscape.
HOURS:
- Tuesday – Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Sunday: Noon – 4:00 PM
PRICING:
- Children (age 1 and older) & Adults: $7.00
- Seniors: $3.50
DISCOUNTS:
- ***Reciprocal Membership Program: NO.
- Library Passes: YES. Enfield Library; Granby Library.
- Visit for FREE: No days/times that we know of (but let us know if you do!).
- You can find additional discounts here.
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New York
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
145 Brooklyn Avenue Brooklyn, New York
Approximate drive time from Hartford: 2 hours
Website, Facebook Page, OAAM 2014 Post
SPECIAL FEATURES: Founded in 1899 and is the first museum created expressly for children, nature exhibit with water and sand, mini Brooklyn play area, animal exhibit with live animals, totally enclosed play space for kids 5 and under includes water and sand activities, puppet theater & music area, climbing structures, and more.
HOURS:
- Tuesday through Sunday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- The third Thursday of every month, the museum remains open until 7:00 PM
- The Museum is closed on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Labor Day.
- Check here for additional details
PRICING:
- $9 per person; kids under 1 are FREE
DISCOUNTS:
- ***Reciprocal Membership Program: YES. The Museum admits half-price members from ACM reciprocal museums and free members from ASTC reciprocal museums with a valid membership card and a government issued ID (like your drivers license).
- CT Library Passes: None that we know of (but let us know if you do!).
- Visit for FREE: Free every Thursday from 3:00-5:00 PM; Free every third Thursday from 3:00-7:00 PM; see website for details)
***BEFORE YOU VISIT, PLEASE SEE OUR POST ABOUT RECIPROCAL MUSEUM MEMBERSHIPS FOR DETAILS AND RESTRICTIONS***
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So there you have it, our list of children’s museums we’ve visited around our state!
For even more information on our list, head over to the board we set up on Pinterest for Children’s Museums in RI, MA & NY. There you can take advantage of a new mapping feature on the site and find the museum that is closest to you!
- Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT
- Family Dental Practice of Bloomfield offers Family Dental Care, Invisalign, Cosmetic Dentistry, and IV Sedation. Visit their calm, convenient location with a friendly staff and state of the art technology. Kids are welcome!
- The Independent Day School – Located on a rural campus in Middlefield, CT this private pre-school, elementary and middle school serves families from over 20 communities.
- Mandell JCC – The Mandell JCC, Zachs Campus, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT, welcomes and serves families and individuals of all ages, stages, backgrounds and faiths. Our fitness, wellness and recreation, arts and culture, camp, early childhood education programs, classes, clubs and services are open to all. You Belong Here!
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Hi Ladies!
I wanted to plug one of my favorite museums – the Discovery Museums in Acton, CT. It’s actually 2 museums on one campus – an old house with imagination play for little ones, and a separate science museum targeted for school-age kids. It’s the friendliest science museum I’ve ever been to, without any of that hi-tech vibe that seems built-to-impress instead of built-for-play. And the old house is charming. It’s closer than Boston and Louisa May Alcott’s house is down the road.
I can’t resist recommending two more museums which are a slightly longer drive: the Mid-Hudson in Poughkeepsie, NY and the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover, NH (worth the drive!).
Also, I wondered why the CT Children’s Museum in New Haven isn’t on your CT list – I’ve actually never been there and would love to see a review! I know they have limited hours….
Happy Playing!
-Jen from Kidcity
Jen – Thank you so much for the great suggestions. We will definitely add these destinations to our list of places we would like to visit! Oh and concerning the CT Children’s Museum in New Haven, you hit the nail on the head. Their limited hours have made it difficult for us to find a time to visit. Hope to get there at some point, though!