The New Children’s Museum
4.5(3,108)4.5 out of 5 stars, 3108 reviews San Diego, CA
About The New Children’s Museum
The New Children’s Museum offers a unique, interactive space designed for children to explore creativity through hands-on activities, making it a great destination for families looking for engaging and imaginative play experiences.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families visiting San Diego looking for a fun indoor activityParents wanting to engage their children in creative playGroups with children of varying agesSuitable for children aged 1 to 10 yearsActivities cater to a wide range of developmental stages
Why families love it
- Three floors of exploration with various themed rooms
- Interactive exhibits that encourage climbing, crawling, and sliding
- Friendly and helpful staff
- Healthy food options available in the café
- Unique installations like crochet ball, clay room, and giant slide
- Hands-on activities that promote imagination
Insider tips
- Plan to spend at least 3 hours to fully enjoy the exhibits
- Consider bringing your own food to avoid long wait times in the café
- Arrive early to secure parking as it can be limited
Good to know before you go
- Visiting during peak hours when it may be crowded
- Expecting a large number of exhibits for the admission price
- Some areas may feel creepy or not suitable for young children
- Limited parking options and potential costs associated with downtown street parking
- Long wait times for food in the café
- Crowds
- Can get busy during weekends and holidays; consider visiting on weekdays
- Value
- Admission is $20 for children over 1 year and $20-$25 for adults. While the price is reasonable for interactive experiences, some parents felt the museum was smaller than expected for the cost.
- Food
- Food from outside is allowed, as some visitors brought their own
- Accessibility
- Handicapped tagged vehicles can park for free in many areas
- Safety
- Interactive areas designed with child safety in mind
What parents say
"Guys, this is absolutely not a kids museum. There are no pictures listed that accurately represent how this place actually looks - It’s supposed to be a kind of cool, modern and fun experience, but it’s done in a really really creepy way. Like a scary and creepy carnival. If this was some kind of trippy Halloween experience for adults I can get behind it. But the fact that NONE of what’s there now is anywhere to be found here, and that they can call this content for children, is unacceptable. TL;DR; not a kids museum at all, stay away."
2 weeks ago
"WOW! With 3 kids and 9 grandkids, we’ve been to a few children’s museums, and this one is tops with 3 floors of endless places to explore. Kids over 1yr cost $20, adults cost $20-$25. It’s mostly a climbing/crawling/sliding/finding/exploring type of place with a great variety of rooms & areas. Terrific/friendly staff. Give yourself at least 3 hours. The cafe is reasonably priced with mostly kids food. Parking is limited, so expect to pay for downtown street/meter parking. We learned that handicapped tagged vehicles can park almost anywhere for free."
a month ago
"Anytime we go to San Diego we love to see the new kids museum. My kids love to come here the oldest being 10 and the youngest being three. It's a good for all ages even I enjoy myself. I like that they offer healthy food options but it is a little expensive for the amount you get but that's okay. If you show an EBT card you can get in for free I think 4 people with one card so that's a blessing. We will be back next time we visit San Diego!"
a month ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.