Des Moines Children's Museum
Located at 1551 Valley W Dr Suite 108, West Des Moines, IA 50266. In the lower level of the Valley West Mall, the Des Moines Children's Museum provides an environment for young children to play and learn in. The museum is open Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and is closed on Sundays. There are a variety of exhibits and interactive activities for children of all ages.
The museum offers an annual membership for $125, which provides unlimited visits for six people per household. This membership also includes 50% off admission to participating museums in the Des Moines area. In addition, Des Moines Children's Museum participates in the Adventure Pass Program, which offers half-priced admission to many other area attractions.
Des Moines Children's Museum is a non-profit organization. They have a mission to create a positive experience for children and families. The museum encourages children to play and learn, and promotes the power of play. They also participate in the Museums for All program, which offers free admission to visitors with food assistance. The program is part of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is comprised of more than 900 museums throughout the United States.
Des Moines Children's Museum offers a variety of interactive exhibits, as well as a play area. The play area includes a soft climbing area, a farm area, a train table, a flip sequins wall, a light table with magnetic tiles, books, a doctor's office, and a large Lego-type block wall. The museum also has a private party room that can be booked for a private party. A one-hour reservation is required, and the museum is closed to the public during the reservation.
Des Moines Children's Museum also has a Museum Babies program, which runs from 9 to 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays. This program provides parents with an opportunity to meet other parents with children of similar ages. Older siblings are also invited to tag along, and are not charged admission. The program is open to children ages 0-12.
The Des Moines Children's Museum has a variety of programs and events to promote learning for all ages. They also have a program called Find Your Village, which is designed to help parents make friends with their children. Find Your Village events are held on Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. These events are intended to get adults talking and get kids out of the house.
The Des Moines Children's Museum also participates in the Museums for All program, which provides free admission to visitors with food assistance. The Museums for All program also includes the African American Museum in Iowa, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, and other participating museums.
Des Moines Children's Museum has partnered with other local institutions and organizations to bring exciting new programs to the area. They also have a new free program that will begin this summer. They plan on offering new programs outside of their regular hours. They also are testing a new program called Messy Labs, which will be testing out new messy sensory activities for small groups.