Washington State is home to some of the best children’s museums, science centers, and interactive family attractions in the Pacific Northwest. Whether your little ones want a hands-on art experience or the chance to get up close and personal with insects, you’ll find plenty of kid-friendly museums in Washington.
Here are just a few options that provide fun for all ages.
Kid-Friendly Museums in Washington
KidsQuest Children’s Museum, Bellevue
Great for: toddlers to early elementary, creative play, STEM learning
Unleash creativity through hands-on exhibits and guided activities that focus on science, technology, engineering, art, and math at KidsQuest in Bellevue. With more than 25 innovative exhibits designed for children 0-10, families are sure to find plenty of fun. Explore the Atrium Climber, Learning Lab, train tables, a story tree, the Sticks + Stones Outdoor Gallery, and so much more.
Also see: Things to do with kids in Washington
Bug & Reptile Museum, Bremerton
Great for: all ages, insect and animal lovers
Get up close to creepy crawlies at the Bremerton Bug & Reptile Museum. You’ll find live bugs and reptiles on display—from tarantulas to pythons. View the giant ant farm, peek at bugs under a microscope, or don a pair of special glasses that give you bug vision.
Children’s Museum of Tacoma, Tacoma
Great for: toddlers to early grade school, imaginative play, STEM learning
With five different playscapes, little ones will have plenty to explore at the Children’s Museum of Tacoma. They can use their imagination and curiosity for fort building in the Woods area, controlling the flow of a waterfall in the Water area, or creating works of art in Becka’s Studio. Afterward, families can explore other nearby museums, like the Museum of Glass or LeMay – America’s Car Museum.
Mobius Discovery Center, Spokane
Great for: school-age kids, budding scientists and artists
Nurture your child’s curiosity with several hands-on exhibits at the Mobius Discovery Center. From bubbles to bottle rockets, there are plenty of activities to keep little ones entertained. Explore LAUNCH IT and discover the science behind flinging, throwing, and launching, or create a masterpiece in the art studio.
Columbia Gorge Museum, Stevenson
Great for: School-age kids, history and nature explorers
Learn about the natural forces and human history that shaped the Columbia River Gorge. The museum features hands-on exhibits, massive logging equipment, and stories of early explorers and Indigenous peoples. This makes a great stop on a family-friendly road trip.
Rocky Reach Discovery Center, Wenatchee
Great for: School-age kids, fish-ladder viewing, hands-on science outdoors
Located at Rocky Reach Dam, this family-friendly center explores hydropower, salmon migration, and local ecology. Kids can watch salmon pass through the fish ladder or try hands-on energy exhibits. Outdoor picnic spots and river views make it a fun educational outing.
Museum of Flight, Seattle
Great for: school-age kids, aviation buffs
You don’t have to be an aviation geek to enjoy spending time at the Museum of Flight. Kids can explore a collection of historic air and spacecraft, including an out-of-service Air Force One jet, WWII planes, and a full-size replica of the International Space Station’s research lab. Aspiring pilots can jump into the cockpit of a real reconnaissance plane or the mock-up of a fighter jet. Additionally, the Kids’ Flight Zone exhibit tailors the experience to children of all ages.
Imagine Children’s Museum, Everett
Great for: all ages, sensory and play-based learning
Everett’s Imagine Children’s Museum features 66,000 square feet of indoor play space thanks to a $25 million expansion that opened in 2022. The expansion added new floors and interactive exhibits, including a woodland climbing structure, a make-believe wildlife veterinary clinic, a hands-on engineering gallery, a tinker shop where kids can learn to use real tools, an aquarium, and more. These complement the museum’s original exhibits, which include captivating playscapes and a waterworks area. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
Spark Museum of Electrical Invention, Bellingham
Great for: school-age kids, curious minds, science and history fans
Discover the magic of electricity with a visit to the Spark Museum in Bellingham. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to engage with the many buttons, switches, and gadgets featured throughout the galleries. Draw lightning to your fingers with plasma globes, explore friction in the static electricity lab, or catch the famous MegaZapper show.
Hands On Children’s Museum, Olympia
Great for: all ages, interactive play, nature connection
Not far from the Capitol campus, the Hands On Children’s Museum includes 150 interactive exhibits spread out over two floors and a half-acre of outdoor play space. Whether your child loves to build, climb, or craft, the activities here won’t disappoint. Kids can learn about forests, build and launch paper rockets, and more. The Tide to Trees Climber is a great way for kids to explore and burn off some energy.
World Kite Museum, Long Beach
Great for: elementary and up, kids curious about culture and art
Dive into the fascinating 2,500-year-old history of kite flying at the World Kite Museum. Located along the sandy shore of the Long Beach Peninsula, the museum is home to more than 1,500 kites from 26 countries, ranging in uses from scientific experimentation to entertainment.
Seattle Children’s Museum, Seattle
Great for: toddlers through early grade school, imaginative play, early learning
Let your kids learn through play at the Seattle Children’s Museum. Little ones can explore multiple hands-on exhibits as well as enjoy programming that changes throughout the year. Explore the power of air, learn about nutrition at the child-sized Market, craft a masterpiece in the Corner Workshop, discover the stories and art of Washington’s many tribal communities, and so much more.
Nutcracker Museum, Leavenworth
Great for: school age and up, art and culture lovers
Located in scenic Leavenworth, the Nutcracker Museum is a fascinating experience for all ages. Adults and kids can marvel at more than 9,000 nutcrackers crafted in more than 50 countries and made from many different materials. Kids will love the nutcrackers based on Disney characters, heroes, and more. For even more fun, roam the museum in search of specific items as part of a nutcracker scavenger hunt.
The Whale Museum, Friday Harbor
Great for: school age and up, animal lovers, natural history enthusiasts
Travel to San Juan Island for a better understanding of the surrounding waters’ inhabitants at the Whale Museum. The Gallery of Whales takes on the natural history of marine mammals—particularly the area’s orcas—through exhibits, models, and artifacts such as real whale skeletons.
Northwest Carriage Museum, Raymond
Great for: school-age kids, history lovers
Experience the primary mode of transportation of the 19th Century through an extensive collection of horse-drawn carriages, buggies, and wagons at the Northwest Carriage Museum. Other highlights include an 1890 schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and period clothing
Pacific Science Center, Seattle
Great for: school-age kids, science lovers, an all-day museum experience
Delve into innovative science-, math- and technology-related exhibits that encourage interaction at the Pacific Science Center. See how an electric motor works in the Science Playground, let little ones experiment with water at the Just for Tots stream table or catch an IMAX movie.
Railroad Depot Museum, Ritzville
Great for: elementary and older, kids who love trains and history
Bring your train-loving kid to this museum to revisit the railroad era that was an integral part of Ritzville’s history. You’ll see a restored Northern Pacific cupola caboose, a ticket office, a baggage room with an original scale, and other memorabilia.