Directions: Take I-794 toward Lake Michigan. Take the Lakefront exit and get in the left lane. Either turn left onto Michigan Street and enter the parking ramp there, or stay straight and enter the parking ramp from right in front of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Other parking places include metered street parking and the ramp inside the US Bank tower (the tallest building in Milwaukee).
Hours and Rates: The Children's Museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm; Sunday from noon to 5 pm, and Mondays in the summer from 9 am to 5 pm. Check with the museum for special closings. Price is $6 a peron. Those age 55 and older hae a reduced admission of $5 and children under one year are free.
Phone: 414-390-KIDS
Betty Brinn Children's Museum is located on the second floor at 929 E. Wisconsin Avenue. The entrance is found facing the lake and is misleading because the sign on the building says "Miller Brewing Company Pavillion". The restaurant Coast takes up half the downstairs of the building. Look for the flag with the statues of children looking up at the flag to find the entrance. Once inside, proceed up the stairs numbered with colorful labels (there are 24!) to find the admissions desk.
There are a large number of activities to play at Betty Brinn. Most are found in specific named zones around the edges of the building, but don't miss the Harley Davidson motorcycle playground at the inside of the building.
A special place just for kids three and under has been reserved for children who need their own play space away from the bigger kids. Called Betty's Busy Backyard, you enter through a gate in a white picket fence. Inside kids will find:
- caterpillar sandbox
- nursery rhyme house
- play garden
- waterfall slide
- other age appropriate activities
Around the Backyard area is A Trading Place that is like a little town and gives kids opportunities to explore neighborhood jobs. Here you'll find:
- giant tinker toys for constructing
- a diner with kitchen, service counter, and play food
- a farm with apple trees, an apple packing chute, a horse, and a farmer's market
- a service station
- a bank
- a post office
- a shipping dock
- a news station called WBBTV where older kids can pretend to be reporters, anchors, producers, and cameramen
A large area to play with golf balls is found next. On the way there is a large toy train that children can sit in, plus a Brio toy train set and table. Nearby is a building block table. You can also milk a pretend cow here. A weather center is by the window. The ball games require putting the balls on ramps and watching how they can make it up and down hills or run loops and pop into holes. Some of the ball games are:
- roller coaster
- loop the loop
- ski jump
- the spiral
- making tracks
- on a roll
- motion in a dish
- track contraption
Next up is the It's Artastic area. Kids can explore their creative side with:
- musical playground
- audio mixing board
- piano played with the feet
- conduct an orchestra
- an actor's stage with costumes
- a puppet theater with sound props
- dance lessons
- marionettes
- casting shadows
- art studio with paint, crayons, markers, scissors, felt, and more
Then comes the My Body Works area. Here you'll find exhibits such as:
- What's that smell?
- color wheels
- warping mirrors
- a heart to climb through and slide down with red and blue chambers
- bone match
- wheelchair challenge
- brain power station
- practice 911 phones and what is an emergency?
- ambulance
- hospital
- doctor's office
- digestion tunnel to see where food is absorbed in the body
There is even more fun not listed here. Visit the Betty Brinn Children's Museum and see for yourself!
Area Attractions
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