12 South Florida Museums for Kids to Explore

Tracy Snyder Molina:  Families can stop by the front desk for the latest Art Find activity, challenging you to locate works of art all over the Museum. If you complete the challenge, you can return it for a special prize. Look, See, Create activity books are located throughout the exhibits and will inspire visitors of all ages to make their own art. Be sure to visit the outdoor sculpture garden as well. On one Saturday per month, the museum offers a workshop for families/intergenerational groups that feature artistic family fun for all ages to learn and create.

Cost: $12 per person, Free for kids 12 and under

Tracy Snyder Molina:  This hands-on science center offers semi-permanent interactive exhibits pertaining to all aspects of the physical sciences. The Explorium also hosts traveling exhibits about the human body, outer space, natural disasters and more. Check the website for current exhibits. They offer a variety of activities including monthly Science Squad classes with a different topic each month, monthly Make & Takes drop-in classes and free Weekend Science programming. There's also an interactive Science Playground to explore and carousel.

Cost: Suggested donation of $5 per person. $1 per carousel ride.

Tracy Snyder Molina:  Kids and parents will love all the opportunities for imagination and pretend play at this museum. Activity Centers include Bank & Post Office, Grocery Store, Puppet Theater & Stage, Science & Engineering, Vet Office and Health Care Center. Outside there is a pirate ship where pirate adventures come to life with interactive games, stories, treasure maps and theater shows and children can learn to speak Pirate! They also offer a variety of enrichment programs and classes.

Cost: $5 per person

Tracy Snyder Molina:   This Ft. Lauderdale museum provides imagination activation for the whole family! Each exhibit allows kids to explore the hidden art in their surroundings. Learn about foreign cultures, ancient customs and a world of fantastic adventures. Make musical instruments from discarded objects and STOMP to the beat, pretend to ride a NYC subway train or discover how an artist interprets his or her culture and traditions and how they influence their art. You'll even have a chance to make a masterpiece of your own.

Cost: $14 per person/$12 for Broward County residents

Tracy Snyder Molina:   At the Museum of Discovery and Science the numerous large aquariums with everything from fish and adorable otters to baby alligators will delight the animal lovers. The Prehistoric Florida area features a giant 50-foot Megalodon, live dig pit, saber-toothed cat and an Imperial Mammoth. The Everglades Airboat Adventure allows visitors to experience the twists, turns and stops in a simulated airboat ride through the Everglades. A storm center with hurricane simulator, recycling robot and science theater are just a few more of the highlights.

Cost: $17 adult/$14 child (2-12)

Tracy Snyder Molina:   Check out the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami's "Family Day” program offered on the third Sunday of every month. This monthly program features interactive activities and performances for geared for all ages.

Cost: Free admission, guests are encouraged to reserve tickets in advance.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is a fascinating place for hands-on exploration. Kids can touch, smell and play with exhibits on health and bodies, the story of flight, engineering design challenges, Da Vinci inventions and ecosystems like the Everglades. Families with young children ages 4 and under can participate in monthly Mini-Me Science sessions. There’s also a planetarium and a three-level aquarium!

Cost: $29 adults/$20 youth (3-11)

Tracy Snyder Molina:   This contemporary museum is full of accessible exhibits for children. Plus kids can participate in a variety of workshops and weekly classes that explore a range of artistic mediums. On the last Sunday of the month, the museum’s free Family Days program engages families with children of all ages in activities that promote conversation, exploration and experimentation. Activities include a ‘Design Challenge’, action guides for visiting the galleries, as well as performances and activities with special guests.

Cost: $10 adult/$5 youth (13-18)/Free kids 12 and under

Tracy Snyder Molina:   Whether it's raining or just too hot, head inside to enjoy tons of hands-on fun at the Miami Children's Museum. Kids can play dentist, perform surgery on a stuffed animal, explore a cruise ship and visit a fire and police department. Conquer the climbing wall at Mt. MiChimu and wander through the two-story sand castle Castle of Dreams or explore different instruments and learn how music sounds are made at Music Makers Studio. Sketch Aquarium is an interactive virtual aquarium where kids can add their own artwork.

Cost: $20, $15 Florida Residents with proof of ID.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   This Smithsonian Affiliate museum offers a variety of exhibitions on South Florida's history and strives to connect people by sharing the stories of Miami’s communities, individuals, places and events and highlighting the importance of the past in shaping Miami’s future. On the second Saturday of each month, the museum's Free Family Fun Days offers a day full of free things to do, learn, and experience with the whole family. Older kids will also like the off-site historical tours, including art walks of Miami neighborhoods.

Cost: $10 adult/$5 child (6-12)

Tracy Snyder Molina:   It may not sound kid-friendly but you'd be surprised and how much fun families can have at this captivating waterfront Italian Renaissance-style villa with its beautiful gardens, over-the-top, fairy-tale architecture and stunning views of Biscayne Bay. Guided and audio tours of the main house and gardens are available and the hedge mazes are the perfect spot for burning off some energy.

Cost: $22 adult/$15 teen (13-17)/$12 child (6-12)

Tracy Snyder Molina:   With over 40 historic trains (some of which are available for rides on weekends) and interactive displays, both kids and adults will find plenty to explore . One of the highlights is the Ferdinand Magellan, the majestic presidential rail car that once served President Franklin D. Roosevelt and is now listed as a National Historic Landmark. There's also a model train room and train tables that will entertain all the Thomas the Train lovers in your family. During the holiday season they offer a magical Polar Express Train Ride. Get tickets here.

Cost: $8 adults/$6 children (2-12)