Your inner child called—they want a night out! Join us for After Dark, a grown-ups-only night at The Iowa Children’s Museum, presented by Randstad and The Jill Armstrong Team. Play your way through The Iowa Children’s Museum with activities that bring out the kid in everyone. Relive parachute day in gym class, jump around in […]
Let’s ring in the new year ALL DAY LONG! Join us on Wednesday, December 31st as we celebrate 2026 arriving across the world with hourly countdowns. Countdowns will take place at 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM, and shortly before 4 PM. Noisemakers, balloons, and other celebratory items will […]
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2 events,
Join us on the last Sunday of each month for Sensory Friendly Night! This event is designed for families with members who experience sensory sensitivities, are on the autism spectrum, or who have any health needs that would make a quieter visit more enjoyable. Admission is free during Sensory Friendly Night, thanks to our friends […]
Free
Join us for a special Halloween-themed Sensory Friendly Night! This free event offers sensory-friendly activities in a calmer environment and opportunities to collect treats in our museum exhibits. Costumes are encouraged (but not required!) as you look for our “treat stations” throughout the museum. All treats will be small non-food items to avoid allergy concerns. […]
Free
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1 event,
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1 event,
Join us for a week of not-too-scary Halloween activities that kids of all ages will enjoy! Bats, spiders, cave monsters, and more will take over our exhibits during the spooky season, and families can check out special Halloween activities throughout the week of Halloween (closed Mondays). Pete is taking the museum to the MOON for […] |
2 events,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here.
Join us for a week of not-too-scary Halloween activities that kids of all ages will enjoy! Bats, spiders, cave monsters, and more will take over our exhibits during the spooky season, and families can check out special Halloween activities throughout the week of Halloween (closed Mondays). Pete is taking the museum to the MOON for […] |
2 events,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here.
Join us for a week of not-too-scary Halloween activities that kids of all ages will enjoy! Bats, spiders, cave monsters, and more will take over our exhibits during the spooky season, and families can check out special Halloween activities throughout the week of Halloween (closed Mondays). Pete is taking the museum to the MOON for […] |
2 events,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here.
Join us for a week of not-too-scary Halloween activities that kids of all ages will enjoy! Bats, spiders, cave monsters, and more will take over our exhibits during the spooky season, and families can check out special Halloween activities throughout the week of Halloween (closed Mondays). Pete is taking the museum to the MOON for […] |
2 events,
Don’t toss your Jack-O-Lanterns in the garbage—let us toss them from up high instead! This free outdoor event gives your carved creations one last hurrah for the Halloween season, presented by New Pioneer Food Co-op and Urban Acres Realtors (Sean McIntyre, Ben & Whitney Russell, Tundi Brady, Cathy Pugh, and Nicki Thompson). We will be […]
Free
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
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1 event,
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1 event,
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Celebrate Election Day with Use Your VOICE Day at The Iowa Children’s Museum! This special event will introduce children to the many ways they can engage in their community and make their voices heard. From voting in a mock election to hands-on activities in our Art Studio, kids will be introduced to important civic values […] |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
2 events,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. 
Join us on the first Thursday of each month for Afterschool Studio—special activities designed for elementary-aged kids and their families. Each session features a new hands-on challenge that blends science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). Our museum educators will guide kids as they tinker, build, and create—while families learn and explore together. No registration required; […] |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
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1 event,
With school back in session, it’s time to celebrate our littlest learners! Toddler Takeover offers new ways for little ones to learn and play! Throughout the event, caregivers can also discover how young children learn through different styles of play from our museum educators and get helpful tips to make playtime even more meaningful at home. Please […] |
1 event,
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0 events,
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1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
2 events,
Your inner child called—they want a night out! Join us for After Dark, a grown-ups-only night at The Iowa Children’s Museum, presented by Randstad and The Jill Armstrong Team. Play your way through The Iowa Children’s Museum with activities that bring out the kid in everyone. Relive parachute day in gym class, jump around in […]
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
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1 event,
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Meet Pete the Turtle’s cousins—Norman, Normella, and Normina! These playful new pals are here to help everyone have a great time in The Iowa Children’s Museum by showing us how to Be Safe, Be Kind, and Be Gentle while we play. Kids can make their own Norm button, color their favorite turtle, join special sing-alongs, […] |
2 events,
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Join Darcie Yamada, Early Childhood Mental Health Therapist, for a virtual workshop created especially for parents of preschool-aged children. Together, you’ll explore how simple, child-led play can strengthen your relationship, build trust, and support your child’s emotional growth. Darcie will share practical strategies and examples you can use at home to nurture connection and confidence […]
Free
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0 events,
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2 events,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. 
When school is out, it's time to play! This time, you can help us make parade accessories from 9-11:45 a.m. ...then join Pete, George, and other museum puppet friends for a parade through the museum at noon! |
2 events,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. 
In this program, children will learn and play in our one-of-a-kind space while building skills that prepare them for formal learning settings. We offer sensory and art-based activities to help develop your little one’s fine motor skills and confidence. We also use Kindergarten School Readiness checklists and hands-on learning to help your child build skills like sharing, […] |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
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0 events,
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1 event,
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0 events,
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1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
2 events,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. 
Join us on the last Friday of each month for free museum admission and a special STEM activity, sponsored by Collins Aerospace! |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
|
1 event,
Join us on the last Sunday of each month for Sensory Friendly Night! This event is designed for families with members who experience sensory sensitivities, are on the autism spectrum, or who have any health needs that would make a quieter visit more enjoyable. Admission is free during Sensory Friendly Night, thanks to our friends […]
Free
|
1 event,
|
0 events,
|
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
2 events,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here.
Join us on the first Thursday of each month for Afterschool Studio—special activities designed for elementary-aged kids and their families. Each session features a new hands-on challenge that blends science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). Our museum educators will guide kids as they tinker, build, and create—while families learn and explore together. No registration required; […] |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
1 event,
Members of The Iowa Children’s Museum are invited to come play when The ICM is ONLY open to members! Member Hour is 9-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come play early and enjoy a less busy environment! Learn more about membership here. |
Be the first to know about upcoming events, programs, and ways we’re playing at the Museum!
Please take a moment to share your thoughts in our 5-minute survey. Your feedback will help us keep the museum’s exhibits and programs fun, accessible, and meaningful for every child.
This holiday season, give them moments that matter. Memberships and gift cards create warm memories and give curiosity a place to grow!
The Iowa Children’s Museum will be closed Monday, August 25th, through Friday, August 29th, for routine cleaning and maintenance. This includes STEM Family Free Night. Thank you for your patience while we work to make our exhibits even better for your next visit!
