Imagine Children's Museum
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Imagine Children's Museum offers a recently renovated, multi-floor interactive learning experience with diverse themed exhibits and a significant outdoor rooftop playground. It excels at engaging a wide age range from infants to pre-teens through hands-on activities, creative play, and physical challenges, making it a comprehensive destination for active and curious children. The museum also stands out for its community-focused admission programs.
Key Highlights
- ✓Three expansive indoor floors featuring cool and fun themes like airplanes, a farm, theatre, construction, a dinosaur dig, and a topographic kinetic sandbox, ensuring 'something for everyone'.
- ✓A huge outdoor rooftop playground described as 'amazing', perfect for kids who love to climb, jump, and run, equipped with padded floors and medium to big slides.
- ✓Dedicated separate areas specifically for infants-toddlers, ensuring age-appropriate play for the youngest visitors.
- ✓Regular community access programs, including free admission every 3rd Friday and heavily discounted admission for EBT cardholders.
- ✓The facility is consistently described as super clean, including bathrooms (though they can get messier towards closing).
- ✓Staff are friendly and actively engage with children, enhancing the experience.
- ✓Recently renovated building with new attractions.
Standout Features
- ⭐The 'amazing' outdoor rooftop playground with padded floors and a variety of slides for active play.
- ⭐Thematic diversity across three indoor floors, offering experiences like a dinosaur dig, flight simulation, construction zone, and kinetic sand.
- ⭐Specific, separated play areas designed exclusively for infants and toddlers.
- ⭐Availability of affordable snack-type food on the top floor for convenient lunch options.
- ⭐Programs like free admission on 3rd Fridays and EBT discounts making it accessible to more families.
- ⭐Recently updated facility with new attractions post-renovation.
- ⭐The interactive marble tracks activity, which one child 'could’ve stayed at all day long'.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →To save on admission, plan your visit for a 'free every 3rd Friday' or inquire about EBT discounts if eligible.
- →If visiting on a free day, prepare for it to be 'very busy'. Consider arriving early.
- →Plan your parking strategy: anticipate cramped, paid lots nearby, or aim for street parking a block or two away for a short walk.
- →Leave strollers and wagons in your car or at home unless a 'medical exemption' or 'young infant' applies, as they are not allowed in exhibit spaces.
- →Allocate ample time; families easily spend 'four hours here' and could spend 'all day here' with older children.
- →Consider purchasing an annual pass if you live locally or plan multiple visits, especially if the standard admission price feels steep.
- →Ensure you explore all three indoor floors and definitely check out the outdoor playground, as there's a lot to discover.
- →If visiting during special events (e.g., Winter Fair), expect unique decorations, live entertainment, and character appearances.
Things to Consider
- ⚠The museum gets 'very busy' on free admission days (e.g., every 3rd Friday), which might be overwhelming for some families.
- ⚠Regular ticket prices can be considered 'steep' for some visitors, especially those from across the border due to exchange rates (reported just under $32 CAD/person).
- ⚠A strict stroller policy: strollers or wagons are generally NOT allowed indoors into exhibit spaces without a 'medical exemption' or if you have a 'young infant'.
- ⚠Parking is cramped; the closest lots are paid, making street parking (often a short walk away) a common alternative.
- ⚠The art center was noted as an area that 'could see further improvements' by one reviewer, though this was a minor point in an otherwise stellar review.
Price & Value
Regular admission is considered 'a little steep' for some, particularly cross-border visitors (reported at just under $32 CAD/person), but overwhelmingly deemed 'worth it' by reviewers. Many express they would purchase an annual pass if local, indicating strong perceived value for repeat visits. The museum significantly enhances its value proposition through 'free every 3rd Friday' events and 'heavily discounted admission' for EBT cardholders. Affordable snack-type food is available on-site.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •Stroller policy includes an exception for 'medical exemption' or 'young infant', suggesting some consideration for mobility or specific needs, but no detailed information on other accessibility features (e.g., sensory-friendly hours, wheelchair access beyond basic building codes) is provided.
- •The facility is large and multi-storied (3 floors), implying elevator access, though not explicitly mentioned.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Affordable snack-type food is available on the top floor for lunchtime, offering convenient on-site dining options.
- •No explicit policy regarding outside food and drink is mentioned, but the presence of on-site food suggests their preference for purchase there.
🚗Parking Info
- •Parking is described as 'cramped'.
- •The closest parking lots are paid.
- •Street parking is available and often a viable option, typically requiring a 'nice short walk' if within a block.
👥Crowd Levels
- •The museum 'gets very busy' on free admission days, specifically 'every 3rd Friday'.
- •Bathrooms tend to get 'a little messier just before 4 PM as everyone was heading out', indicating higher traffic towards closing time.
🛡️Safety Features
- •The outdoor rooftop playground features 'padded floors' for safety during active play.
- •The entire facility is described as 'super clean', contributing to a healthy environment.
- •Staff are reported as 'friendly' and doing a 'good job interacting with the kids', implying a level of supervision and engagement that contributes to a safe atmosphere.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If you have a strong aversion to crowds, avoid visiting on 'free every 3rd Friday' days, as it gets 'very busy'.
- • If you rely on bringing a stroller or wagon into all exhibit areas, as the strict 'no strollers allowed' policy (without specific exemption) will be an inconvenience.
- • If you are seeking a quiet, calm museum experience, as it's designed for active, energetic play and can be lively.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Harvest Festival
Just around the corner
Stay tuned for details
Anticipated event, details to be announced.
Champions for Children Fundraising Breakfast
Friday, October 10
Not specified for attendees, causes museum delayed opening
Museum opens at 12:00 p.m. on this day due to the event.
🍎Food Policy
- • Eating or drinking is permitted only in clearly designated eating areas.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Adult supervision is required at all times; adults are responsible for supervising children in their group.
- • No pets allowed; only service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are permitted. 'Comfort', 'therapy', or 'emotional support animals' do not meet this definition.
- • The use of alcohol, tobacco, vaporizers, cannabis, or any illegal substance is strictly prohibited. Guests and staff may smoke outside at least 25 feet away from Museum entrances.
- • Firearms or weapons of any kind are not allowed, except for uniformed law enforcement officials.
- • Guests displaying obscene messages, symbols/language of hate, or content inappropriate for a children’s museum (e.g., violence, weaponry, profanity, racism, nudity, unsafe behaviors) will not be allowed. Prohibited symbols include Nazi swastika and Confederate flag.
- • Aggressive and threatening behaviors towards staff or other Museum patrons are not tolerated and will result in removal from the facility. This includes threats of harm, physical violence, derogatory comments/remarks, verbal abuse, and unwelcome sexual remarks/advances.
- • Tampering with, defacing, damaging, destroying, and/or removing any Museum property, including exhibit components and/or props, is prohibited.
- • Guests must follow all verbal and written instructions of Imagine Children’s Museum staff.
- • An inherent risk of exposure to Covid-19 exists in any public place; by visiting, guests acknowledge and voluntarily assume all related risks.
📅Booking Policy
- • All guests must check in at the admissions desk before entering the facility. Field trips, special events, and private party attendees will check in at the private group entrance.
- • For Museums for All discount, EBT cardholders must provide a valid photo ID and valid card for verification; cash or credit card must be provided for admission as EBT card transactions are not processed.
- • Memberships are non-transferable and non-refundable.
- • A maximum of two adults can be listed on each membership card.
- • For 'Two Fun' and 'Grandparent Fun' memberships, an adult named on the card must be present when children covered by the card visit the Museum.
- • Photo ID may be required at check-in for members.
🚗Parking Information
- • Museum pre-pay parking lot on Colby Ave: $5.00 for 0-3 hours, $15.00 for 3-10 hours/All Day, $3.00 after 6:00 p.m.
- • Other pre-pay lots are adjacent to the Museum (refer to signs).
- • Free 90-minute parking is available on the streets surrounding the Museum.
- • EverPark Garage (2815 Hoyt Avenue between Hewitt and California): Over 400 spaces available for $1 per hour or $10 per day. Attendants are onsite Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 6:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
What People Say
What's Great
- Clean and well-maintained facilities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Friendly and helpful staff (mentioned in 5 reviews)
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 5 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 5 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
sophy long
2 months agoAdmission is free every 3rd Friday. It gets very busy, but I'm so happy to see them doing this for the community. The building was recently renovated and has new attractions. Great for 2yrs-12 yrs or so. Parking is cramped and the closest lots are paid. Street parking is available and if you're within a block it's a nice short walk .
Jums Fan
4 months agoA hundred stars!!!!! Visiting from across the border so the ticket prices were a little steep for us with the exchange rate (Just under $32CAD/person). But - I would do it again!! Husband kept saying we should have bought an annual pass. Our toddler and preschool age children loved it. We came mid afternoon but could see ourselves spending all day here when the kids are older. It seems perfect for kids 4+ who can understand the content a little better than the little ones. We came during the winter fair so the museum was decorated in holiday decor and had special appearances from frosty, an elf pup, and Santa and Mrs Claus. There was a live string quartet (?) playing holiday tunes. So cool. This place has 3 great floors and a huge outdoor play structure. The outdoor roof top playground was amazing. Perfect for kiddos who love to climb, jump and run. Padded floors and lots of medium to big slides. Each indoor floor had such cool and fun themes - airplanes, farm, theatre, construction, a dinosaur dig, topographic kinetic sand box, and more. There’s truly something for everyone. This was one of the best kid/family centres I’ve ever been to! I would love to see further improvements on the art centre but even without, I’d take my kids again and again. The whole facility was also super clean. Bathrooms got a little messier just before 4PM as everyone was heading out but it was still a stellar experience. FYI you cannot bring your stroller or wagon indoors into the exhibit spaces without a “medical” exemption so plan accordingly.
Robert Miller
7 months agoSearched online and found this place. Brought our son here and we spent four hours here easily. Had a wonderful time. Glad we came could’ve stayed at the marble tracks all day long. It’s worth checking out every last thing, including the outdoor playground. If we lived in the area, we would definitely get a yearly membership. if you have active kids and need to burn off some energy, this is a great place for you.
Breawna Barr
5 months agoThis place is amazing! Huge facility with all sorts of learning centered activities. There are also a few separate areas specifically for infants-toddlers only. Soooo much fun for kids of all ages! Super nice employees. Great, affordable snack-type food on the top floor for lunchtime. If you can't afford the admission for your family, keep in mind they frequently have public access days and they also offer heavily discounted admission if you present EBT card. Be aware NO STROLLERS ALLOWED unless you have a young infant.
Lyndsey Boone
a month agoKids had so much fun here. Staff was friendly and did a good job interacting with the kids. Place was clean