Children's Museums in MD

The Oldest Collection of Railroad Artifacts in the World!
Got kids who adore Thomas the Tank Engine, or all trains for that matter? If so, you must absolutely take them to the B&O Railroad Museum! Touted as the "birthplace of American railroading," the B&O Railroad's legacy is celebrated at this Maryland children's museum. Learn about its rich history dating as far back as the 19th century, when the first commercial long-distance railroad began right within its 40-acre property.

Your kids will surely be in awe of the museum's impressive collection, which is the oldest and most comprehensive in the world! This Maryland railroad museum has a section just for kids. Children ages 2-8 will love to learn in the new Choo Choo Blue Kid Zone. Kids will love to ride on the classic B&O carousel, which features images of historic B&O locomotives and logos. The Happy Train carnival ride is another fun attraction at this children's museum. Best of all, members get in for free!

Where Wilbur Wright Once Walked!
Walk the grounds where Wilbur Wright once gave flight lessons to military personnel! Housed within the property of the world's oldest and still-running airport, the College Park Aviation Museum has a collection that includes aircraft and aviation artifacts dating as far back as World War I.

This aviation museum in Maryland features exhibits as well as hands-on activities that kids will surely enjoy. When the weather's good, visitors can even have a picnic on the balcony overlooking the runway! Visit this Maryland aviation children's museum any day of the week, except on major holidays. It is open from 10 am to 5 pm, and tickets cost $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, and $2 for children. Those under two get in for free!

Get Fired Up with this Collection!
Is your child fascinated by firefighters? If so, indulge their passion and inspire their dream by taking them to the Fire Museum of Maryland. With its extensive collection of antique equipment, memorabilia and photos, it is the third largest firefighting-related collection in the world! This children's fire museum in Maryland will surely be an exciting stop on your itinerary! Let your kid play dress-up and help them climb on an engine.

Kids will remember this visit for years! The Fire Museum of Maryland offers exciting educational programs for grades K-8. Students can learn about the Great Baltimore Fire, participate in an electricity lab and understand fire safety. The Fire Museum of Maryland is also available for birthday parties!

The Wonders of the Chesapeake Bay Area
Children can explore the wonders of the Chesapeake Bay by visiting the Chesapeake Children's Museum. This children's museum in Maryland has both indoor and outdoor exhibits your kids will surely love. They can view live animals, climb aboard a boat, tend a real garden and even go on a nature walk! From science to art to history, there are lots of things here that will amaze and excite them!

The Chesapeake Children's Museum is committed to creating an environment of discovery about oneself, the peoples, the technologies and the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay area. The Chesapeake Children's Museum regularly offers workshops for toddlers, elementary school students and scouts. This museum is perfect for children- and the children in us all!

Great Field Trip Destination!
With the rich maritime heritage of Maryland, you can be sure that the Annapolis Maritime Museum has a lot to offer. Whether you're looking to learn about maritime history, experience the life of an oyster shucker, or just enjoy a spectacular view of the Chesapeake Bay, this museum is an interactive place for families.

Its educational programs have made the Annapolis Maritime Museum a popular field trip destination for school children in the area. This museum offers on-site field trips for PreK-12 students. Young learners will learn how to identify marine life, while older students get to incorporate boating, marine biology and history into their lessons. All programs are designed to meet MD's STEM and environmental literacy standards.

Learning Through Play
What better way to teach your kids than through play? That's what the National Children's Museum is all about! Designed for kids eight and under, this children's museum in Maryland aims to educate and inspire young learners. It is the only national museum focused on children, and aims to inspire its young visitors in the areas of the arts, civic engagement, the environment, global citizenship, health and well-being, and play.

National Children’s Museum  is a nationally-recognized cultural and educational institution serving children and families onsite and through national partners and programs. The Museum’s exhibits and innovative educational programs spark the imagination and celebrate the true power of children, motivating them to become people who make a difference in the world.

Learning the Fun Way!
Learn while having fun at the same time at Discovery Station! This children's museum in Maryland has lots of cool exhibits. They have everything from dinosaurs to outer space to Civil War trains! This museum's two floors are packed with exciting things to learn.

Discovery Station at Hagerstown also offers classes and programs that kids will find both educational and entertaining. Check out their Saturday Plus programs that feature the best educational entertainment. Learn about science, robotics, dinosaurs, nature and more! Come by every Wednesday at 11 AM for storytime with Earl the Squirrel. For even more fun, Discovery Station also has a Discovery Party Room available for small private events. Don't forget to stop by the gift shop for some souvenirs, too!

Travel Back in Time
Have a passion for horse-drawn carriages? Then visit the Thrasher Carriage Museum! This children's museum in Maryland will excite you with its collection of antique carriages. They own an extensive collection of old-fashioned vehicles, from funeral wagons to sleighs to carts and many others. Learn about the early days of transportation and see their collection of artifacts.

Let the experiened docents of the Thrasher Carriage Museum guide you through your historical journey. Museum attendants wearing period costumes will show you around the exhibits and answer any questions. Guides and interpretive signs offer a glimpse into the world of the elegant traveler. Stories of the clothing, activities, and lifestyles of Victorian Americans are interspersed with the fascinating details of these remarkable vehicles.

A Fun-Filled Day at the Museum!
Treat your little ones to a fun- and adventure-filled day at Port Discovery Children's Museum in MD. With 80,000 square feet of ground to cover, your kids will never run out of things to do! In 2012, this Maryland children's museum was honored by Forbes as one of the Top 12 Children's Museums in the United States.

Most exhibits are designed for kids ages two to 10, but even infants and toddlers will have something to play with! This children's museum in Maryland is open year round, although hours vary. With a rotating list of visiting exhibits, there is always something brand new to see at Port Discovery!

Great for Teens, Too!

KID Museum aims to cultivate creativity, curiosity and compassion to build a better world. KID Museum offers unique, interactive experiences for elementary and middle school-aged children that integrate hands-on science, technology, engineering, art and math with an exploration of world cultures and global citizenship. Schools are welcome to plan field trips here.

This children's museum offers Open Explore on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Kids are encouraged to experiment on their own, whether it's through animation, building, coding and more! KID Museum also offers preschool programs, after-school programs and summer camps. Explore the world and invent the future at KID museum.

Historical Museum

The mission of Rose Hill Manor Park and Museums is to preserve and present the living heritage of the property known as Rose Hill from 1746-1950. In a child-friendly, hands-on environment, the museum presents the daily life, as well as the history of agriculture and transportation, of Frederick County, Maryland.

The property features a manor house, ice house, log cabin, blacksmith shop, carriage collection and two barns. There is so much for kids to explore here! The organization regularly hosts historical and seasonal events throughout the year. Children can experience life in colonial America by learning how to card wool, grate spices and play with toys from the past. This interactive museum is great for field trips and scouting events.

Great Place for Interactive Play

Be With Me is a children's new & used book store in the design of a kid-size city, with hands-on fun! Their goal is to bring family and community together under one roof in a great atmosphere, so parents and children can come in feeling good and leave feeling great. Kids are encouraged to explore, play and use their imaginations. The Playseum is the ultimate place for kids to create and parents to relate!

Kids use Playseum dollars to participate in the activities and buy things within the museum. Children can make a pretend pizza, shop for groceries, or pet an animal at the pet shop...there is so much to see! Plan an amazing birthday party or preschool field trip at this interactive learning museum for kids in Maryland.

Uncover the Past!

Unearth the prehistory of Prince George’s County at Dinosaur Park. The park is a unique site in Laurel, MD that preserves a rare deposit of fossils from the early Cretaceous period, about 115 million years ago. From the bones and teeth of the Maryland State Dinosaur Astrodon johnstoni, to the remains of early flowering plants, the fossils found at Dinosaur Park help scientists reconstruct the region’s ancient history.

On the first and third Saturdays of the month, visitors can join paleontologists on 41 acres of land to dig up and interpret fossils. Museum guests will learn what the Mid-Atlantic US was like when dinosaurs roamed the earth. They will also learn about where fossils come from and how to identify them.