Betty Brinn Children's Museum is the city's indoor stop for families with young children, a hands-on museum on the second level of the Miller Pavilion at Museum Center Park, close to the lakefront and the Milwaukee Art Museum. The museum is built around play and learning, with exhibit areas where children can climb, build, pretend and experiment. A climber experience requires socks, which are sold at the front desk, and a Baby Beginnings program caters to the very youngest visitors, so the museum works for infants and toddlers as well as for school-age children. The museum asks that children be supervised by an adult aged 18 or older at all times, with at least one adult for every five children, and adults must be visiting with a child or have a scheduled appointment. That keeps the atmosphere safe and child-focused, and it means the museum is not a place to drop off older siblings. It is best suited to children from babies through the early primary years, although the exact age range for each exhibit is on the museum's exhibits page. Visitors with older children should check the exhibit pages first, because the museum is aimed at the younger end of the childhood range.
Hours and tickets
The museum is open Wednesday through Monday during the day and closed on Tuesdays. It is also closed on several holidays, including New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and for a few days in September. Tickets are cheaper online than at the door, members enter free and children under one are free. Prices can rise during busy periods such as spring and winter breaks, and tickets are non-refundable, so check your dates carefully before buying.
Location and parking
The museum is at 929 East Wisconsin Avenue, in the Miller Pavilion at Museum Center Park. Parking validation applies in the garage directly below the building and gives a discount on the standard rate. The garage accepts credit cards only, not mobile wallets, which is a small detail worth knowing before you arrive with a tired child. Lockers are available for a small fee, and an adult wheelchair can be borrowed free of charge.
Tips
Shoes are required, socks are needed in the climber area, and food is eaten in designated areas such as the cafe, atrium and balconies. Plan a visit of two to three hours, and consider arriving when doors open to get the most play time before afternoon crowds build.
It makes a good rainy-day or winter option, and it pairs with the Discovery World science center or a stroll along the lakefront on a nicer day. If your children have different ages, check the exhibit areas in advance so you can steer to the ones that suit everyone.
Is it worth it? For families with children under about eight or so, yes, particularly on a rainy day or in winter when the lakefront is unappealing. The drawbacks are the supervision rules, the Tuesday closure, the cost when several children are in a family and the fact that older children may outgrow it quickly.
Check the exhibit pages before you go, buy tickets online for the small discount and keep a flexible schedule, because tired young children set the pace. The location near the lakefront makes it easy to follow with an outdoor stop if the sun comes out.
What to expect
The experience
An indoor, hands-on play museum with climbing, building and baby areas.
Best time
Morning on a weekday, or any open day in cold or wet weather.
How long
Two to three hours.
Tips
Bring socks, book online for a discount and plan around Tuesday closures.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Families with babies, toddlers and primary school children.
- Families
- Designed for young children, with a baby program and a climber.
- Couples
- Not aimed at couples without children.
- Pair with
- Discovery World, Bradford Beach and the Milwaukee Art Museum.
- Time needed
- Two to three hours.
Good questions
Which days is the museum open?+
It is open Wednesday through Monday and closed on Tuesdays and a number of holidays.
Where is it?+
It is at 929 East Wisconsin Avenue, on the second level of the Miller Pavilion at Museum Center Park.
Are socks required?+
Socks are required in the climber area and are sold at the front desk.
Can adults visit without a child?+
No. Adults must be visiting with a child or have a scheduled appointment.
Is parking available?+
Yes. Parking validation applies in the garage directly below the building, which accepts credit cards only.
