The New Children's Museum
200 West Island Ave San Diego, CA 92101
Monday 9am-5pm, TUESDAY CLOSED, Wednesday 9am-5pm, Thursday 9am-3pm, Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-3pm, Sunday 11am-5pm
$$$
indoor-activities, museums, fun-paid-activities, restaurants
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This (not so new) Children's Museum is breathtaking.
Reopening its doors at this downtown location in 2008 has allowed them to truly grow it's branches, and those branches are beautiful! They commission and collaborate with contemporary artists to create their one-of-a-kind installations, they are one of few children's museums in the country doing this - and they are doing it very successfully. From the moment you enter this 3 story creative wonderland you can't help but smile. The building holds a warehouse structure with its center area being completely exposed to the top 2 floors with vaulted windows overhead and surrounding floor to ceiling windows on the entry wall, leaving you feeling like you're actually still outside. Once you've paid the entry fee your little one will be off and running to see just what lies ahead... which is a perfect sensory overload, for you too! Each of their current 14 installation areas are created down to the smallest detail, you feel like the artists were truly passionate about influencing each child that crosses their work.
The Whammock! installation is fascinating. A giant three-dimensonal hammock with multiple laters, swings, and climbable areas with colors so vibrant they jump at you from every angle. If your child is brave enough to climb through to the center they will be rewarded with a fun lounging area where they can take it all in, sorry adults there is an age limit to getting in this one! The Wonder Sound installation is, well, wonderful. This labyrinth of nooks, rooms, ropes and continuous exploration alongside eye catching doodle art will keep you coming back to this area.18,000 hand-cut wooden shapes were used to make The Wonder Sound. Another highlight among the installations is the Sketch Aquarium, they've taken simple interaction and nailed it. Step 1. Color a fish template (they provide). Step 2. Scan in your creation with the touch of a button. Step 3. Watch as your fish comes alive on the giant aquarium wall that steals the rooms attention. You'll follow your fish (and all the others created that day) as it swims all over the aquarium and touching the aquarium is like taping a fish tank glass, all of the fish scatter! A true sensory touch experience, from start to finish.
They offer a gift shop and adorable little cafe with outdoor and indoor seating available. Their creativity spills into their food as well, the menu has a lot to offer children, such as their Grilledzilla sandwich, Do-Re-Fo-Me sandwich and Spaceqadilla, with options for the adults as well. The building has open staircases throughout that adds to the light atmosphere but there is also an elevator. Strollers are allowed, however, not always necessary because your kiddos will be so busy bouncing around you'll end up parking it off to the side. The museum does offer limited parking spots in their underground parking structure that they share with surrounding buildings, on weekends it may be hard to snag a spot but there are also metered parking spots that surround the surrounding blocks along with paid lots. Parking in their garage comes along with a fee, Monday-thursday $10, Fridays + weekends $15.