Best Museums & Educational Spots for Kids
Explore the best best museums & educational spots for kids options for kids and families in Rancho Santa Margarita
Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary
Wildlife preserve & science center. University-run wildlife sanctuary in a canyon with a science center, amphitheater & 3 trails.
Dinosaur Park
Fields & a dinosaur-themed playground. Large park offering athletic fields as well as a playground with dinosaur- & fossil-themed elements.
Pretend City Children's Museum
Imaginary town & exhibits for kids. Set up as a pretend city, this kids' museum has a post office, cafe, farm & other interactive areas.
Irvine Spectrum Center Giant Wheel
Family-friendly ride with city views. Day or night attraction with 52,000 LED lights & panoramic city views from the top.
The Escape Game Irvine
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Old Town Irvine
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Niguel Botanical Preserve
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Spanish mission & historical museum. Landmark Spanish mission founded in 1776 with historic exhibits, cultural events & a gift shop.
River Street Ranch
Petting zoo & kid-friendly activities. Popular spot for families offers a petting zoo, train rides, panning for gold & more.
Laguna Art Museum
Waterfront gallery with contemporary art. Contemporary art museum with a permanent collection of over 3,500 works & a waterfront setting.
MUSEUM of WOMAN
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Ocean Institute
Maritime science & history exhibits. Coastal visitor center with marine wildlife, school programs & interactive exhibits on oceanography.
Corona Heritage Park & Museum
Historical exhibits & gardens. Park with vintage buildings, city heritage displays, gardens, an arts colony & event space.
K1 Speed - Indoor Go Karts, Corporate Event Venue, Team Building Activities
Indoor go-kart racing. Chain of indoor racing centers featuring electric go-karting for all skill levels, plus food.
Marconi Automotive Museum
Classic, exotic & historic car displays. This nonprofit museum exhibiting luxury, rare & historic cars donates admission fees to charity.
Jack & Shanaz Langson Institute & Museum of California Art (Langson IMCA)
Center for CA-inspired Impressionist art. Museum of rotating exhibits dedicated to American Impressionist art depicting the CA landscape.
Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center (main entrance)
Estuary exhibits & interactive displays. Spacious education center features estuary history exhibits & interactive displays, Tuesday-Sunday.
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve
Birding, biking & an interpretive center. Home to many bird species, this 135-acre park offers an interpretive center & hiking/biking trails.
Orange County Museum of Art
Long-standing museum for modern artwork. Venerable museum features a collection of modern & contemporary artwork, tours & educational events.
Balboa Island Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Susanna Bixby Bryant Museum and Botanic Garden
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ExplorOcean - Balboa Arcade
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Bowers Kidseum
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Heroes Hall Museum
Veterans' museum with free entry. Free museum & education center with exhibits & programs celebrating Orange County veterans.
Bowers Museum
Global art, lectures & a restaurant. Mission Revival-style museum for global art (permanent & temporary), lectures & an eatery, Tangata.
Discovery Cube
Rotating displays & interactive exhibits. Educational museum with a focus on kids offers over 100 hands-on exhibits, plus special programs.
Hilbert Museum of California Art
Showcase of local 20th-century art. Watercolor & oil paintings by 1900s artists, depicting diverse Californian landscapes & city scenes.
Heritage Museum of Orange County
Restored buildings from the 1890s. Attraction featuring restored homes & buildings from the 1890s set amid extensive floral gardens.
World Museum of Natural History
University natural history museum. Natural history museum on a university campus with animal, plant & mineral exhibits.
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.
Camelot Golfland
Long-running choice for mini golf & more. Amusement chain featuring mini golf courses & arcades, some branches with water slides & laser tag.
Flightdeck + Rogue Racing
Interactive flying experience for groups. Flight simulator for ages 11 & up replicates the feeling of being in a cockpit & flying a plane.
Southern California Railway Museum
Historic train cars & weekend rides. Sprawling educational museum with historic railway cars & locomotives, plus weekend rides.
Stanley Ranch Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Riverside Heritage House
Furnished 19th-century house & gardens. Museum in a grand Victorian residence with period furnishings & decor, plus landscaped gardens.
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