Best Museums & Educational Spots for Kids
Explore the best best museums & educational spots for kids options for kids and families in Carlsbad
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation (Discovery Center)
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Museum of Making Music
Galleries of instruments & live events. A museum about making music with galleries of instruments, special exhibitions & live events.
Fun Town
Visit this great place for kids and families!
SEA LIFE Aquarium
Oceanic exhibits & play areas. Family-friendly exhibits featuring more than 5,000 sea creatures, plus a play area & group packages.
California Surf Museum
Historic boards, iconic surfers & more. Surf museum chronicles the history of the sport with exhibits of surfboards, famous surfers & more.
Oceanside Museum of Art
National & global artwork in a mod space. This contemporary building presents a rotating collection of modern art pieces & cultural events.
LEGOLAND California
Vibrant Lego-themed hotel with a pool. Vivid Lego-themed quarters in a lively hotel offering dining, an outdoor pool & free breakfast.
Muramid Art Studio of Joanne Tawfilis
Huge global collection of murals. Thousands of murals painted on canvas from around the world, plus events & rotating exhibits.
Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation
Coastal wetland & nature reserve. Protected wetland habitat with on-site parking & wildlife-viewing opportunities.
Heritage Park & Museum
Historic buildings & a gazebo. Park featuring many early 1900s buildings from downtown Oceanside & a gazebo for events.
Craftsmanship Museum
Museum featuring metal & wood models. Miniature models of engines, buildings & vehicles made of metal & wood are displayed at this museum.
Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
Historical exhibits of rural life. Farming history via exhibits & demonstrations of old steam tractors, plus blacksmithing & weaving.
San Dieguito Heritage Museum at the Heritage Ranch
Community history, artifacts & exhibits. 1-acre property & museum of the history of San Dieguito in photos, stories & hands-on displays.
Alta Vista Botanical Gardens
Botanical park integrating art & gardens. Botanical gardens dotted with works of art offering native plants, a lotus pond & ongoing classes.
San Diego Botanic Garden
Sprawling locale with unique vegetation. Large botanical garden with vistas & four miles of trails featuring flowering trees, palms & bamboo.
Palomar College Planetarium
Modern Astrotec dome with Friday shows. Modern campus planetarium features a 50-foot Astrotec dome with public shows every Friday evening.
California Center for the Arts, Escondido
Visit this great place for kids and families!
San Diego Children's Discovery Museum
Playful, hands-on exhibits for kids. Lively indoor & outdoor museum providing interactive educational exhibits for children.
EcoVivarium
Reptile, amphibian & arthropod museum. Nonprofit museum dedicated to reptiles, amphibians & arthropods with hands-on encounters.
Los Penasquitos Adobe
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Birch Aquarium
Up-close marine life & hands-on exhibits. Interactive tide pools & exhibitions for all things under the sea in an oceanside building.
Pennypickle's Workshop
Hands-on children's museum & gift shop. Family-friendly venue with an on-site gift shop offers interactive exhibits for kids of all ages.
Rose Haven Heritage Garden
Botanical park with 1,600+ plants. This outdoor showcase for many rose varieties offers walking paths, picnic tables & kids' programs.
Temecula Valley Museum
Regional history & author memorabilia. Historic museum featuring city artifacts & a permanent exhibit on author Erle Stanley Gardner.
Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve
Rugged hiking site & a visitor center. 9,000-acre nature conservation with varying terrain & habitats, open trails & a visitor center.
Mulligan Family Fun Center- Murrieta
Go-karts, mini-golf & small rides. Amusement center features go-karts, batting cages, an arcade, mini-golf & small rides for kids.
Junípero Serra Museum
Spanish Mission-style building on a hill. A Spanish Revival-style structure built to showcase the collection of the San Diego History Center.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Open-air living-history museum. Open-air museum about local life in the 1800s, with adobe buildings & interpretive performances.
Ocean Institute
Maritime science & history exhibits. Coastal visitor center with marine wildlife, school programs & interactive exhibits on oceanography.
River Street Ranch
Petting zoo & kid-friendly activities. Popular spot for families offers a petting zoo, train rides, panning for gold & more.
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Spanish mission & historical museum. Landmark Spanish mission founded in 1776 with historic exhibits, cultural events & a gift shop.
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