Chicago Children’s Museum
Three floors of fun for kids and their families!
There are so many ways to play at Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier! Dig for bones on a dinosaur expedition. Scale a three-story schooner, from cargo hold to crow’s nest. Make a big splash in a squirting, pumping water playground (raincoats provided!). Tinker with real tools and materials in the ultimate DIY maker-space. Dress up as a firefighter, drive the truck and put out a “fire.” Paint, print, sew, sketch and sculpt in an authentic art studio. Construct a skyscraper, fish in a river, shop in a grocery store and much more. Chicago Children’s Museum is three floors of fun for kids and their families!
Chicago Children’s Museum offers a rotating calendar of programs in the Art Studio, Great Hall, Pritzker Playspace, and Tinkering Lab. Please visit program locations for session times and free passes. Space is limited. Free passes are available 1 hour before the workshop starts at each workshop location.
Special Programming
Take Care with Peanuts The Exhibit | Now – January 4, 2026
Good grief! Join Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang at Chicago Children’s Museum! Step into Take Care with Peanuts: The Exhibit and be transported into the world of Charles M. Schulz’s iconic comic strip. See beloved characters spring to life with interactive displays and activities focused on self-care, empathy, and environmental stewardship. Explore character-themed sections, comic-inspired designs, and sustainable features that inspire learning, creativity, and kindness for visitors of all ages. LEARN MORE
Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Chicago Children’s Museum | October 13
Join us for our Indigenous Peoples’ Day story lounge and curl up with books that celebrate Indigenous children, families, history, and culture. Create a “seed ball” of wildflower seeds indigenous to Illinois that you can plant in your own neighborhood.
ART STUDIO
Workshop Times
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm
Cartoon Friend | September 6-October 13 | All Ages
What do you look for in a friend? Come design and draw a cartoon of your special pal!
Pritzker Playspace
Session Times
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm
Tinkering Lab
Workshop Times
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm
Cardboard Lab | September 24-October 20 | Ages 2 and Up
What can you create using cardboard? Can you make it strong? Soft? Smooth or bumpy? Explore cardboard like an engineer!
