A hands-on children's museum in downtown St. Paul with two small, quiet comfort rooms for breaks, one on the first floor near Shipwreck Adventures and one on the second floor in Sprouts, plus visual timers and noise-reducing headphones to check out at the box office. You can leave and come back the same day as long as you're wearing your admission stickers.
Sensory supports. Comfort rooms, timers and headphones at the box office.
Hours
School year: Tuesday to Thursday 9 am to 4 pm, Friday 9 am to 8 pm, Saturday 9 am to 6 pm, Sunday 9 am to 5 pm, closed Monday. Summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day): Monday to Thursday 9 am to 4 pm, with the same Friday to Sunday hours. Special hours and events are on the museum's Hours and Events calendar.
“Small, quiet comfort rooms with low levels of visual stimulation are located on the first floor near Shipwreck Adventures and on the second floor in Sprouts. These rooms are available to take breaks with your child when needed.”
“The following items are available at the museum box office for visitors to check out during their visit: Visual timers, Noise-reducing headphones, Universal cuffs.”
“Comfort Rooms are private spaces that offer the perfect retreat for guests needing a sensory break.” palexperiences.org
For a quieter visit, try a Tuesday or a weekday afternoon: the museum books no field trips or group visits on Tuesdays. Weekends can be busy all day, and weekend mornings, school breaks, school release days, Free First Sundays and holidays are often popular. Rainy, cold or very hot days tend to be busy too.
The museum is a Pal Place. Its Pal Experiences page has a what-to-expect video and a step-by-step Pal Guide you can go through with your kid before the visit.
Free First Sunday is the first Sunday of each month. Reservations are required, and the museum asks you to arrive within 10 minutes of your scheduled time.
For a full-size copy your child can use, open this page at squaredsteps.com, tap Make it yours, then print.
More about Minnesota Children's Museum
Quieter, in the museum's words
Comfort room, first floor near Shipwreck Adventuresquiet zone
Comfort room, second floor in Sproutsquiet zone
Sprouts, Tip Top Terrace and the reading areasquiet zone
Tickets: $24.95 walk-up; online, $17.95 if you buy more than one week before your visit and $19.95 within a week (advance prices are online only). All Play tickets are $5.00 for qualifying families; bring proof of eligibility (EBT, WIC, National School Lunch Program letter or tribal ID) to check-in.
Personal Care Attendants visit free while accompanying the person they assist; tell the box office when you check in.
If your plans change, call 651-225-6000 to reschedule. You pay any difference if the new date costs more, and there's no refund if it costs less.
Parking: the World Trade Center ramp at Wabasha and West Seventh streets (Wabasha Street entrance, just north of West Seventh). Bring your parking ticket to the museum box office for the discounted rate: $7.50 plus tax for three hours and $1 plus tax for each additional 30 minutes. The ramp is cashless, card only. Take the elevator to the third floor of the ramp and follow the skyway straight to the box office, without going outside or crossing streets. The Green Line's 10th Street Station is a few blocks away.
Tomāto Tomäto Cafe is on the second floor, and you can bring outside food to eat in the common areas; the cafe dining area is for cafe customers.
Lockers near the box office take four quarters per use, first come, first served; the museum has no change machine. Socks to borrow for The Scramble are limited.
Family/single stall and multi-stall restrooms are on every floor. Changing stations are in all restrooms except the single stall restrooms on the first floor.
Lost and found is at the security desk on street level near the West Seventh Street entrance, 651-225-6056. Other questions: 651-225-6000 or mcm@mcm.org.
Call
651-225-6000Minnesota Children's Museum, questions and rescheduling tickets651-225-6056Security desk, lost and found
