5 Kid-Focused Museum Events for Winter Days

After the excitement of the holidays and the new year, the final few weeks of winter can be tricky to navigate with little ones. The weather can often require parents to get creative with indoor entertainment options. From a weekly after-hours playtime to an exhibition that showcases and celebrates the innovation of Pixar, these exhibitions and activities at children’s museums across Ohio provide fun ways for families to spend the last gray days of the season. 

Super Human: Power of Technology | Through Apr. 26
Visit Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center to explore how technology has revolutionized the way we go about daily life. Visitors to this innovative exhibition are invited to use gesture interface to manipulate a robot arm and use night vision to see in the dark, as well as other clever technology that promotes inclusivity. Kids can enjoy using their minds to move a ball, which demonstrates advancements helpful to people with mobility impairments.

Tutankhamun: Wonderful Things - Treasures from the Pharaoh's Tomb | Through Apr. 26
Time-travel to ancient Egypt’s Valley of the Kings with this immersive exhibition at Toledo’s Imagination Station. Discover details about King Tutankhamun’s 18th Dynasty resting place by exploring several archeological finds by historian Howard Carter. The display’s artifacts include Tutankhamun’s golden funerary mask, a golden throne and ceremonial footrest, and the canopic shrine that held the historical figure’s internal organs after the mummification process.

The Science Behind Pixar | Through May 26
Head to infinity and beyond with this behind-the-scenes look at the iconic animation studio that brought you “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters Inc.” and many other beloved films. Columbus’ COSI offers an interactive exhibition with over 50 unique elements, highlighting eight key filmmaking steps in Pixar’s production pipeline. The STEAM experience brings little ones face-to-face with their favorite characters, including WALL-E and Buzz Lightyear.

Delight Nights | Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m.
This evening experience is jam-packed with interactive play and full access to over 25 exhibits at the Akron Children’s Museum. The museum stays open late once a week to offer parents and children three extra hours of exploration, as well as a few special surprises. Visitors are encouraged to help stock the GPD Makerspace, and if families bring a box or bag of recyclable materials, kids can pick something out from the museum’s “Monster Stash.”

Ohio: Wild at Heart | Daily at 3 p.m.
The Buckeye State is packed with natural beauty, and that beauty is put on full display in “Ohio: Wild at Heart,” an uplifting film that explores our state’s parks and natural areas. Dayton’s Boonshoft Museum of Discovery gives visitors several opportunities to see the movie, with daily screenings at 3 p.m. in the Caryl D. Philips Space Theater. Revel in Ohio’s great outdoors, from the glacial grooves of Kelleys Island to the sandstone cliffs of the Hocking Hills. The MacGillivray Freeman production is presented by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

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