Portland Children's Museum

Nestled amongst the trees, tucked inside one of the nation’s largest city parks, sits a fantasy dream world for kids known as the Portland Children’s Museum. A true Mecca for family entertainment, Washington Park holds not only the city’s children’s museum, but also the Oregon Zoo, Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum, a rose and Japanese garden along with an acclaimed playground. It is the kind of place you can’t tackle in one day, so make the trip often to see the variety this area offers.

While this review focuses on the Portland Children’s Museum, the area surrounding the museum is also worth mentioning. Make a day of it with a picnic at the beautiful park grounds. Let both the outdoors and indoors add to your family’s enjoyment. Next to the Portland Children’s Museum you will find picnic areas and trails to take in the traditional Northwest forest property. While the whole museum can be enough for one day, if you are feeling motivated, there are certainly additional options.

About the Portland Children’s Museum

The Portland Children’s Museum's mission is to create a place where a child’s imagination thrives. It provides multiple different types of exhibits and activities to offer children both a variety of play and to touch on some of each child’s favorites. The museum is specifically designed for kids from birth to age 10, although the age range which receives the most benefit would be the three to six year old set. It is a place for grownups and their children to play together, as children must be attended by at least one adult.

The museum often hosts traveling exhibits and will change its activity rooms occasionally. Currently the core activities include:

Water Works

Kids are certain to make a splash of fun in the Portland Children’s Museum’s water play area. Known as the Water Works, it is comprised of child-sized water tables complete with rushing rivers, waterfalls, pipes, umbrellas, pumps, and multiple tools to make the water move and go. For parental sanity, children are provided water smocks when they enter and air dryers when they leave.

Construction Zone

A complete mock up of a house under construction allows your little builders the opportunity to put on a tool belt and help lay out some pipes. Plexiglas walls add to the learning experience as kids can see how the equipment works behind common household products such as a light switch or facet.

Dig Pit

A pseudo sandbox made from plastic nubs is the Dig Pit. Let your children explore the sensual experience of texture as well as the fun of digging, dumping, and piling.

Stage

A brand new stage, freshly installed in 2007, awaits all those little drama queens and kings at the museum’s newest exhibit. Whether your children love to be in front or behind the curtain, this miniature stage has all the features of the real ones. A mock ticket both, trunks of costumes, moving curtains, light controls, and even a live television camera broadcast, all set up in front of seats perfect for viewing the entertaining display.

And More

In addition to the above, the Portland Children’s Museum also currently offers:

• Pirate Ship
• Pretend Grocery Store and Café
• Mock Doctor’s Office complete with an Ambulance
• Puppets
• Trains
• Baby Area for kids 2 and under
• Art and Craft Room
• Clay Studio

Facilities

The building is newer and well maintained. Everything is child oriented and kid friendly, even right down to the smaller sized toilets. They offer vending machines for snacks and drinks, plus tables for those who would like to pack a lunch. A coat room, complete with lockers, allows you to park your stroller and keep your hands free to romp and play. Parking is shared with the other park facilities, so on a busy weekend it can become quite packed. Shuttle service is occasionally available, and both the metro bus and max train line drop off in the area.

Additional Programs

The Portland Children’s Museum is more than just a museum. It also offers additional educational programs such as:

• Public Charter School
• Birthday Party Rooms
• Special Event Rentals
• Camps and Classes
• Preschool
• Specialized Performances

Further Information

For complete museum details including maps, hours, fees and current exhibits, visit their expansive website at:

• PortlandCM.org