Water, a fire station with real sirens, a three-story climber, and a quiet room called The Nest. The museum rates every room for noise. Here is the quiet way through it, in its own words.
Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
2121 Children's Museum Dr, Denver 80211 · 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, 7 days a week. Closed Thanksgiving, Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1. No adults without a child, no children without an adult.
“The atmosphere and noise-level is different for each exhibit and can vary depending on time of day. If your child is sensitive to noise, avoid areas that indicate high levels of noise, or borrow a pair of headphones from the front desk.”
The Nest “is designed to support individuals with autism spectrum disorder, as well as individuals who experience sensory processing differences” and is “meant for any guest who would benefit from taking a break from a busier environment.”
Our note The museum publishes no busy-by-day or busy-by-hour guidance. The only free night in the window is Sat Nov 7 (Night at the Museums, 5 to 10 pm); $12 Tuesday Nights (Nov 3, Dec 1, Jan 5) run until 7 pm. We'd expect both to be fuller.
Our note The museum's own Museum for All guide (English and Spanish PDF) is a first-person story with a noise number for every room and both floor maps. Read it the night before; this page links to it rather than replacing it.
Parking is free during museum hours. Accessible parking and drop-off: not stated.
At the front desk, free to borrow: noise-cancelling headphones, weighted lap pads and neck wraps, wheelchairs. Weighted pads and wraps are also in The Nest.
Tickets at the door only; nothing sells online. Under 1 free, age 1 $17.75, ages 2 to 59 $19.75, 60 and over $17.75, members free. SNAP $3 per person. Staff may limit entry to control occupancy.
More: the quiet room, strollers, food, nursing, a tour before you visit
The museum's own Museum for All guide, 1 (quiet) to 5 (loud)
Louder, by the museum's own rating
Fire Station No. 1 (sirens)
Water
Assembly Plant
Kinetics (siren and flashing lights when the ball bin fills)
My Market
Art Studio, Bubbles, Campsite, Energy
Altitude, Box Canyon, Joy Park, Snow Days, Ready Vet Go, Teaching Kitchen
Quieter
The Nest, sensory-friendly studio (1st floor, by Water and Box Canyon)quiet zone
The Book Nook (2nd floor)quiet zone
Bloom (rated 2)quiet zone
The Nest is on the first floor next to Water and Box Canyon. The Book Nook is upstairs. Both are rated 1 (quiet) by the museum.
Strollers: the museum recommends a stroller-free visit; stroller parking is limited and there are no rentals.
Outside food and drinks are allowed; no food in the exhibits (Bloom allows water only). Not an allergen-free environment.
Nursing: a private nursing station on the 2nd floor near Energy; Bloom has private nursing areas and bottle warmers; most restrooms have changing tables.
Tour Before You Visit: email CommunityPrograms@cmdenver.org at least one week ahead; depends on staff availability.
Staff wear black lanyards and black, green or grey shirts.
Every exhibit is wheelchair accessible except the climbing structures (Altitude, Adventure Forest).
This season: Snow Days (outdoor, sock skating and sledding) opens Nov 18; Noon Year's Eve Dec 31 with a ball drop every hour 10 am to 3 pm; Adventure Forest closes for the season Oct 31.
What the museum doesn't say
not stated a last-entry time
not stated a re-entry rule
not stated where first aid is
not stated coat check or lockers
not stated accessible parking and drop-off
not stated whether lights are adjusted on Low-sensory Evenings
Tickets at the door only (nothing online), a staff member checks you in, then two floors of hands-on rooms. The museum rates each one for noise: the fire station, water, assembly plant, kinetics and market are the loudest; the Book Nook and The Nest are the quietest. Headphones and weighted lap pads are at the front desk. Change anything.
One tip from a dad who's been there
Read the museum's own Museum for All guide the night before; it is written in your kid's voice and shows a noise number for every room. Find The Nest on the map first, then play. Leaving early still counts as a museum day.
Common questions
What if my child won't look at the schedule or story?
That is common at first. Leave it where the moment happens, point to one picture at a time, and keep it low-pressure. Many kids warm up to it after a few calm tries, in their own time.
Can I make this in Spanish?
Yes. Every tool and this page exist in Spanish, and the printed page comes out in the language you choose. Use the language switch at the top.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no signup, and we don’t keep what you type; anything you save stays on your device. Make it, print it, done.
