About

Our Mission

The mission of the Museum is to “Change a child’s life as they discover the power of learning through play.”

More than ever, research shows the necessity of play in the social, emotional and cognitive development of children. The work of the Museum is to ensure that we are delivering outstanding experiences in a welcoming environment, which encourages learning through play.

Our Vision

Our vision is of “a world where all children are creative, compassionate, confident and curious.”

We understand the boldness of this vision, which is why we work to create experiences that cultivate curiosity, create community and are defined by excellence.

Curiosity

We believe in the inherent value of curiosity and encourage children and their families to discover, imagine and learn through play.

Engagement

We create unique learning experiences that are transformational and have lasting impact for our visitors, our community and beyond.

Community

We embrace diversity in everything we do, and we encourage our visitors to think differently and open their minds to the world around them.

Excellence

We invest in our employees, programs and exhibits to provide unparalleled experiences for every visitor.

Our DEIBA Commitment

We embrace the power of learning to build an inclusive museum where every child, family, employee, and partner feels that they belong and are respected. Together, we are committed to lifelong learning and embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility principles into our workplace, museum experience, and community collaboration.

Approaching 50 Years of Play

Our History

A pilot program in a small room in the Academy of Natural Sciences has turned into a nationally-recognized leader in children’s museums, consistently ranking as a Top 10 children’s museum in the country.

LEARN OUR HISTORY OF PLAY

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