Madison Children's Museum Reopening

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Madison Children’s Museum archive

Following a members' only soft opening earlier in June, the wonderland for tots that is Madison Children's Museum is once again opening for the general public as of June 24. However, for the time being it's not quite as simple as strolling in at any time. Tickets ($12 for ages 1 & up) must be purchased in advance online, and are designated for arrival during a specific hour of the day, and are good through the end of that day. Masks must be worn by everyone ages 3 and up. The museum is currently open Thursdays through Sundays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For more guidelines and to purchase tickets, see madisonchildrensmuseum.org/visit.

media release: Hours of Operation as of 6/3/21: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Some children love bustle, excitement, and playing with lots of new kids. Others need more calm and less stimulation. Plan your visit to meet your child’s individual needs.

Weekdays are always quieter than weekends, and ends of the day are calmer. Sundays are also less busy than Saturdays. We host more school groups in the spring semester, and they generally prefer mid-morning visits. We’re always busier on days when schools are closed, see the Madison Metropolitan School District calendar for more details.

Plan your visit: Learn through play as you explore and discover award-winning fun designed for kids ages birth to 12. Our three exhibit floors—including the Wildernest for littles, the ever-creative art studio, and the rooftop garden’s grand view—are bursting with family-friendly activities.  The museum is located downtown, on Madison’s Capitol Square. Check out our floor plan and visitor guide.

Advance tickets required: Advance tickets are required for members and the general public alike while the museum is limiting visitor capacity to facilitate COVID-19 safety measures. Tickets must be purchased online. 

Barcoded tickets will be sent to you via email, which you’ll display (on phone or on paper) when you arrive.

Exceptions to advanced ticketing:

• Babies under 1-year-old do not need a ticket
• Guests visiting with museum members using their allocated guest passes
• Members with more than six named individuals on their membership
• Holders of free or discounted museum admission passes issued before or during the pandemic closure
• $1 Access Admissions, Blue Star Museum Admission for active-duty military, and ACM and ASTC reciprocal network members. Learn more about these programs.

Please do not count on getting walk-up tickets! Visitors may inquire at the front desk to see if any unused or canceled tickets are available but particularly during busy morning hours tickets are unlikely to be available.

Tickets are good for a specific date and arrival timeslot. The date is firm—your ticket is valid only on the stated date. Your ticket will show an hour-long arrival timeslot. Try to arrive within that hour. Once you get in, you can play all day long until the museum closes at 4 pm. You may exit and re-enter with a handstamp.

Masks are required for all visitors ages 3 and up: The majority of our visitors are children who are not yet able to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We will continue to monitor conditions and consult public health guidance for places where children congregate and adjust our policies accordingly. Masks may only be removed in our dining area, which has been moved to the Celebrations room, or in outside play spaces like the Rooftop Ramble.

Find your check-in line in the museum

• The express line is for holders of barcoded tickets and allows for fast, low-contact admission. Have your barcode ready—on your smartphone or print it out
• The general line is for visitors seeking discount tickets, walk-up tickets, members using guest passes, or with other questions

Exchanging Tickets

Please select your ticket time carefully. No refunds on museum tickets will be issued.

Member Ticket Exchange: Members may cancel their tickets via the form below. Please rebook your visit via the member calendar.

Exchange Member Tickets

Public Ticket Exchange: Public tickets may be exchanged once at no charge for a future date and time chosen from currently available time slots. The request for an exchange must be made at least 24 hours in advance of your originally scheduled arrival time. Your patience is necessary and greatly appreciated; this exchange system is human powered, not automated.

Exchange Public Tickets