Best Museums & Educational Spots for Kids
Explore the best best museums & educational spots for kids options for kids and families in Gonzales
Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Dennis The Menace Playground
Sizable kids' playground & park. Spacious kids' playground & park featuring activities such as a maze & a rock climbing wall.
Monterey County Youth Museum
Children's museum with hands-on exhibits. This colorful museum for toddlers & bigger kids features interactive exhibits with a local theme.
Monterey History and Art Museum
Art exhibits & local maritime history. A local history showcase with a collection of maritime artifacts, plus rotating art exhibitions.
Old Fisherman's Wharf
Quaint landmark with dining & shopping. Iconic waterside complex & event site featuring seafood eateries, shops & water-sports activities.
Monterey Museum of Art
Museum in a historic former estate. Open only for special events, this art museum in a historic estate features contemporary galleries.
Colton Hall Museum and Jail
Exhibits dedicated to California history. Built 1847–1849, this museum in an old government building has exhibits on the history of Monterey.
Presidio of Monterey Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Carmel Mission Basilica Museum
Historic 18th-century church & a museum. Venerable, circa-1771 church featuring an on-site museum, a serene courtyard, tours & more.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Sprawling marine life attraction. Well-known aquarium on a rocky coastline with exhibits ranging from otter habitats to touch pools.
San Lorenzo County Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Free exhibitions on regional wildlife. Nature museum offering exhibits on birds, insects, plants & other wildlife, plus free admission.
Museum Foundation Pacific
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Whalers Cabin Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Coastal hikes, diving & a whaling museum. Scenic coastal area featuring diverse sea animals & wildlife, hiking, diving & a whaling museum.
Monarch Sanctuary
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Point Pinos Lighthouse (1855)
Historic light tower from 1850s. Oldest continually operating lighthouse on the Pacific, offering tours of Victorian-era building.
Capitola Historical Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Wildlife, plant & archaeology exhibits. Galleries & interactive programs exploring flora, fauna, geology & peoples native to the Bay Area.
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
Exhibits exploring wave-riding culture. Rotating exhibits on surfing culture & local history housed in a historic, preserved lighthouse.
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center
Theater & interactive exhibit gallery. Educational multimedia exhibits include theater, touch pools & a remotely operated underwater robot.
Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
Hands-on exhibitions & special programs. Expansive venue with hands-on art & history exhibitions, plus special programs good for all ages.
Natural Bridges Visitor Center
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Aquarium & interactive science museum. Interactive marine science museum & aquarium, with hands-on exhibits, a touch pool & a gift shop.
The Mystery Spot
Iconic gravity hill offering tours. Opened in 1941, this roadside landmark is a tilt-induced visual illusion with tours & a gift shop.
UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden
Rare plants & a butterfly garden. Vast collection of rare plants with a succulent garden, a butterfly area & a eucalyptus grove.
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