Fun for All at NC Children’s Museums

Discovery Place Nature

1658 Sterling Rd., Charlotte
nature.discoveryplace.org
Insect Alley, adjacent butterfly pavilion (live insects), Naturalist Lab with scopes for close-up specimen viewing, Creature Cavern, Paw Paw Nature Trail to explore. Fort Wild has logs, boulders and wheelbarrows so kids can build forts. For kids of all ages.

Discovery Place Kids

105 Gilead Rd., Huntersville
kids.discoveryplace.org/huntersville
Lots of hands-on exhibits and role play activities: vet’s clinic, full sized fire truck, race car and car repair shop and more. Best suited to kids age 8 and younger.

Discovery Place - Rockingham

Discovery Place Kids

233 E. Washington St., Rockingham
kids.discoveryplace.org/rockingham
Artists’ studio, water table and air tubes for learning basic science, treehouse. For kids age 8 and under.

Museum of Life and Science

433 W. Murray Ave., Durham
lifeandscience.org

Located within an 84-acre park. Trail with life-sized dinosaur models; live animals include black bears, red wolves, lemurs; amazing butterfly conservatory; two-acre hideaway woods with treehouses; wind exhibit with model sailboats, and much more. For all ages.

Children’s Museum of Wilmington

116 Orange St., Wilmington
playwilmington.org
The climb-on pirate ship and cargo ship exhibit reflect Wilmington’s history as a port city. Separate toddler and baby tree house exhibit. Visitors activate engaging exhibits on the human body. Hands-on artists’ studio, grocery store, scientist’s lab. Best for younger kids.

Marble Kids Museum

Marbles Kids Museum

201 East Hargett St., Raleigh
marbleskidsmuseum.org
Sprawling “around town” play area, money exhibit with large piggy bank, hands-on workshop and craft center, ice hockey-themed play area, and electric power station exhibits.

Kaleideum North

400 West Hanes Mill Rd., Winston-Salem
north.kaleideum.org
Outdoor environmental park with live animals and gardens, hands-on exhibits allow kids to build and create while learning science. Best for toddlers to age 10.

Kaleideum Downtown

390 S Liberty St., Winston-Salem
kaleideum.org
Hands-on exhibits of folk (non-battery) toys demonstrating science, doughnut factory, theater prop shop, artists’ studio, climbing lobby. Best for toddlers to age 10.

Exploration Station Children’s Museum

210 E. 2nd St., Lumberton
robesonpartnership.org
Hands-on exhibits and play areas to develop creativity and interest in science and math. Best for infants to 5-year-olds.

Fascinate-U Children’s Museum

116 Green St., Fayetteville
fascinate-u.com
Set up as a mini-city, hands-on exhibits allow kids to role play at the diner, TV station, farmers’ market and grocery store. Best for kids age 8 and younger.

Catawba Science Center

243 Third Ave. NE, Hickory
catawbascience.org
Salt and freshwater aquarium galleries, digital planetarium, treehouse of four seasons for kids under 5, hands-on exhibits demonstrate physics principles, nanotechnology, sustainable farming and more for older kids and young teens. Special butterfly habitat.

NC Museum of Natural Sciences

11 West Jones St., Raleigh
naturalsciences.org
Interactive exhibits for all ages in nature research and nature exploration centers, living conservatory with plants and animals from a tropical forest. Website has links to branches at Whiteville, Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Greenville and Contentnea Creek.