Best Museums & Educational Spots for Kids
Explore the best best museums & educational spots for kids options for kids and families in Monterey
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.
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.
Old Fisherman's Wharf
Quaint landmark with dining & shopping. Iconic waterside complex & event site featuring seafood eateries, shops & water-sports activities.
Dennis The Menace Playground
Sizable kids' playground & park. Spacious kids' playground & park featuring activities such as a maze & a rock climbing wall.
Presidio of Monterey Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Sprawling marine life attraction. Well-known aquarium on a rocky coastline with exhibits ranging from otter habitats to touch pools.
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!
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.
Carmel Mission Basilica Museum
Historic 18th-century church & a museum. Venerable, circa-1771 church featuring an on-site museum, a serene courtyard, tours & more.
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.
Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
Exhibits exploring wave-riding culture. Rotating exhibits on surfing culture & local history housed in a historic, preserved lighthouse.
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Aquarium & interactive science museum. Interactive marine science museum & aquarium, with hands-on exhibits, a touch pool & a gift shop.
Natural Bridges Visitor Center
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.
Capitola Historical Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center
Theater & interactive exhibit gallery. Educational multimedia exhibits include theater, touch pools & a remotely operated underwater robot.
The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery
Visit this great place for kids and families!
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.
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.
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.
New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU)
Art & history museum with studio space. Museum & community hub featuring art & history exhibits, plus studio space for workshops & training.
Vasona Lake County Park
Site with a sprawling lawn, trail & lake. Public green space with 45 acres of lawn, a multi-use trail & picnic areas plus a lake with fishing.
Little Free Art Museum ("SJ FLAG")
Visit this great place for kids and families!
San Lorenzo County Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Winchester Mystery House
Quirky mansion with odd design details. Sprawling landmark with a staircase leading nowhere & other odd features designed to confuse ghosts.
History Park (operated by History San Jose)
Visit this great place for kids and families!
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