Get To Know Philly’s Kid-Friendly Museums

There’s no disputing that Philadelphia is a museum city. But sometimes, it can be difficult to find a spot that can appeal to the whole family.

If you’re trying to plan a fun and educational day in the city for your children (or if you’ve got kids in tow while you’re in a get-out-of-the-house mood), we’ve got a place for you to start. These Philly museums have exhibits and programming that appeal to children — and in many cases, adults too.

🦕 The Academy of Natural Sciences

Is your kid obsessed with dinos, or just generally animals? If so, this is the place to be. The education-oriented museum — which is also fun for adults — is home to fossils, dioramas, a hands-on paleontology exhibit, and exhibits on topics like the food chain and mollusks. A special exhibit on rainforest animals, called “Under the Canopy,” opens this weekend and runs through Sept. 2.

📍1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Center City

🎟️ $22 for ages 13–64; $19 for ages 65+; $18 for ages 2–12. $2 off each if purchased online.

🚒 Fireman’s Hall Museum

This free, somewhat hidden gem in Old City may be great for your kiddo who’s in their firefighter phase. Take them to see artifacts like ladders, hydrants, unit patches, and old-timey fire engines. They can learn all about Philly’s firefighting history, as well as some useful lessons about fire safety and when to call 911.

📍 147 N 2nd St., Old City

🎟️ Free for all ages

🫀 The Franklin Institute

This science museum, which is celebrating its bicentennial this year, has kid-friendly exhibits centering around topics like the human brain, outer space, and the physics of sports.

It’s often a landing pad for buzzy traveling exhibitions, as well. Starting this Saturday through Sept. 2, the museum will be showing “The Art of the Brick,” an exhibition that features replicas of famous artwork, sculptures of endangered animals, representations of the human condition, and more — all crafted out of LEGO bricks.

📍 222 N 20th St., Center City

🎟️ $25 for ages 12 and up; $21 for ages 3–11. Special exhibitions cost extra.

😵‍💫 Museum of Illusions

You can visit here with the kids for some ooooos and ahs. Test their (and your) perception with optical illusions, holograms, and more — and take some cute photos, of course.

📍 401 Market St., Old City

🎟️ $27 for ages 13 and up; $22 for ages 5–12. $2 off if purchased online.

🎨 Philadelphia Museum of Art

Kids get in for free at Philly’s premiere art museum. Child-oriented tours on weekends can offer a more digestible and interactive experience at the PMA, which is the ninth-largest art museum in the country. There are also some drop-in opportunities for kids and families to make art on Friday nights, Saturdays, and Sundays.

To save on tickets for the whole family, come by during the first Sunday of the month or on Friday evenings between 5 and 8:45 p.m for pay-what-you-wish admission.

📍 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Fairmount

🎟️ $30 for ages 19–64; $28 for ages 65 and up; free for ages 18 and under

👉 Please Touch Museum

If you Google “Philadelphia children’s museum,” this is the number one result. Located in a building originally built for Philly’s 1876 Centennial Exposition, it’s full of interactive exhibits where kids can learn about topics from money to rockets. The museum is geared toward kids between 6 months and 8 years old.

Pro-tip: For cheaper tickets, take your kids on the first Wednesday of the month, when evening (4–7 p.m.) tickets cost just $2.

📍 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Fairmount Park

🎟️ $22 for all ages

What’s your child’s favorite museum in the city? Send us an email and let us know.