Great Escape: Brooklyn Children's Museum

Let’s face it—children learn in different ways. Some favor reading information while others are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners. No matter what style your child prefers, they will find a fun, stimulating educational experience at the .

Founded in 1899 as the first museum created for kids, BCM has a strong history of engaging children from pre-school to high school in learning adventures. Young visitors have opportunities to explore many exhibits focused on cultures, the arts, science and the environment. The latter is particularly important in the Museum’s recent “green” expansion. Exhibit space has doubled in size and sustainability with the additions of solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling systems, energy-saving sensors and more. How’s that for practicing what you preach?

From a shark’s jawbone to musical instruments from around the world, Brooklyn Children’s Museum is home to 30,000 objects. This large collection is featured in the new permanent exhibition, Collections Central, where visitors can get an up-close look at how different artifacts are made. Puzzles stimulate and educate while families hunt for objects and design their own works of art to display on the gallery board.

Another exciting exhibit helps children discover the wonders of the great outdoors. Neighborhood Nature includes a freshwater pond where visitors can get a “fish-eye view” of aquatic life and a community garden for hands-on digging, planting and harvesting. If your child loves animals (even long slithery ones!), they can stop by the Science Inquiry Center to say, “Hi,” to Fantasia, the Museum's famous, 20-foot-long albino Burmese Python.

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum offers much more than fun exhibits. Museum Team is a free, year-round afterschool program that serves over 250 neighborhood youth, grades 2–12. Students begin in Kids Crew with educational programs and clubs and later move on to volunteer and paid internship positions focused on community service and career exploration. In-house activities and external field trips through Museum Team provide an array of learning opportunities for students at every level. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The secret in education lies in respecting the student.” Brooklyn’s Children’s Museum recognizes that each child learns in their own way. Young visitors can experience all learning styles by reading historical information, viewing artifacts, hearing presentations and participating in hands-on activities. There is truly something for every child at our borough’s greatest escape for kids.

To learn more about the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and to plan your trip, visit brooklynkids.org.