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Exterior of Boston Children's Museum on Congress Street beside Fort Point Channel, Boston

Boston Children's Museum

ChildrenArtScienceOpen until 4pmFrom $24South Station (Red Line, Silver Line SL1/SL2/SL3, Commuter Rail) — short walk across Fort Point Channel

Founded in 1913, Boston Children's Museum is the second-oldest children's museum in the United States, and has occupied its waterfront home on Children's Wharf beside Fort Point Channel since 1979. Out on the plaza stands the Hood Milk Bottle, a 40-foot, 15,000-pound wooden ice-cream stand built in Taunton in 1933 and installed here in 1977 — one of Boston's more improbable landmarks. Inside, three floors of hands-on exhibits run from the New Balance Foundation Climb, a three-storey Luckey Climber sculpture first built for the Museum in 1985, to Kyo-no-Machiya, an authentic two-storey Kyoto silk merchant's house given by Boston's sister city and reassembled in Boston by Japanese carpenters. Exhibits span science and engineering, art, culture, health and early-years play, with dedicated spaces for children under three.

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Trees Make Happiness 2 installation: dozens of small paintings and drawings by Japanese student artists hung on a brick wall in the Japanese House Gallery

Trees Make Happiness 2

Paintings and drawings by Japanese student artists on trees, happiness and resilience, marking 15 years of the Arts Friends Tohoku Project. Shown in the gallery beside the Japanese House.

Now showingUntil 31 Mar 2027$24

Permanent Collections

Entrance to the Dinos in Space exhibit at Boston Children's Museum, a space dome with a dinosaur in a spacesuit

Dinos in Space

A space dome on the third floor where kids build a landscape for dinosaurs, design a new constellation, send an inter-galactic message and dress a dinosaur for a space flight.

Permanent collection$24
A smiling child holding onto the rope netting of the New Balance Foundation Climb at Boston Children's Museum

New Balance Foundation Climb

A three-storey climbing sculpture at the Museum entrance. Built in 1985 as the first Luckey Climber and reimagined in 2007, its netted platforms let children pick their own route upwards.

Permanent collection$24
A young child pulling a rope on a yellow-framed rig in the Construction Zone exhibit at Boston Children's Museum

Construction Zone

A child-sized building site on the third floor: drive a real Bobcat, work a jackhammer, dispatch a team of trucks, then build and tear down again with blocks and construction toys.

Permanent collection$24
The You, Me, We! exhibit space at Boston Children's Museum

You, Me, We!

An exhibition space where families explore identity and fairness together, with prompts and tools that help adults talk with children about stereotyping, bias and discrimination.

Permanent collection$24
Interior of the Japanese House at Boston Children's Museum, a two-storey wooden Kyoto townhouse with tatami rooms, a hanging kimono and a bicycle in the street outside

Japanese House

Take off your shoes and step into Kyo-no-Machiya, a two-storey Kyoto silk merchant's house rebuilt inside the Museum by Japanese carpenters — a gift from Boston's sister city.

Permanent collection$24
Children building at the Dream it! Build it! exhibit at Boston Children's Museum

Dream it! Build it!

A third-floor maker space where kids dream up, design and build things that make the world better, using real tools and materials with a focus on architecture and design.

Permanent collection$24

Plan Your Visit

Getting there

308 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210, USA

Nearest station: South Station (Red Line, Silver Line SL1/SL2/SL3, Commuter Rail) — short walk across Fort Point Channel and Courthouse (Silver Line SL1/SL2/SL3)

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Hours

First Saturday of the month - opens at 10:00am 7 November, 10:00–16:00

Closed 26 November

Closed Thanksgiving

Mon09:00–16:00
TueClosed
Wed09:00–16:00
Thu09:00–16:00
Fri09:00–16:00
SatToday09:00–16:00
Sun09:00–16:00

Admission

From $24

Adults $24; children aged 1–15 $24; infants under 12 months and members free. $1 admission for all visitors in the Sunday 1:00pm–4:00pm timeslot (online reservation required). Half-price for up to four people with a public library coupon; $3 per person (up to four) with an EBT, WIC or Wonderfund Access card.

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Nearby

The cantilevered glass and steel Institute of Contemporary Art building by Diller Scofidio + Renfro on the Boston Harbor waterfront

Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston

Architecture7 min walk
The brick facade and entrance of the 1713 Old State House on Washington Street in downtown Boston, framed by modern office towers

Old State House

Architecture12 min walk
The sandstone Beacon Street facade of the Boston Athenæum at 10½ Beacon Street

Boston Athenæum

Art15 min walk
Exterior of the Paul Revere House, a two-storey timber-framed dwelling with overhanging upper floor, at 19 North Square in Boston's North End

Paul Revere House

Architecture16 min walk

Visitor Information

How much does Boston Children's Museum cost?
Standard adult admission to Boston Children's Museum is $24. Adults $24; children aged 1–15 $24; infants under 12 months and members free. $1 admission for all visitors in the Sunday 1:00pm–4:00pm timeslot (online reservation required). Half-price for up to four people with a public library coupon; $3 per person (up to four) with an EBT, WIC or Wonderfund Access card.. Prices for special exhibitions and timed-entry slots may differ.
What are the opening hours of Boston Children's Museum?
Boston Children's Museum is open Wednesday–Monday 9:00am–4:00pm; closed Tuesdays. On the first Saturday of each month the Museum opens at 10:00am. Closed for annual maintenance from Tuesday 8 September to Thursday 17 September 2026, reopening Friday 18 September. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
Where is Boston Children's Museum?
Boston Children's Museum is located at 308 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210, USA, in the Fort Point / Seaport area of Boston. The nearest stations are South Station (Red Line, Silver Line SL1/SL2/SL3, Commuter Rail) — short walk across Fort Point Channel and Courthouse (Silver Line SL1/SL2/SL3).
What can I see at Boston Children's Museum?
Three floors of hands-on play on Fort Point Channel: a real Kyoto townhouse, a three-storey climbing maze and a giant milk bottle out front. Current highlights include Trees Make Happiness 2, Dinos in Space and New Balance Foundation Climb.
Do I need to book Boston Children's Museum in advance?
Booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekends, school holidays, and special exhibitions. Tickets are normally on the museum's website, and a pre-booked timed slot helps you avoid queues at the entrance.
When is the best time to visit Boston Children's Museum?
Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.

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