Museums — Little Explorers

480 N. Arroyo Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91103
One of my son’s favorite places! Kidspace is a massive indoor/outdoor space filled with kid-driven experiences. There are more than 40 hands-on exhibits and a variety of creative play spaces and water features.
Parking is free. It is a bit of a walk to the entrance of the museum.
Indoor/outdoor museum
Free First Fridays - 4pm-7pm - reservations req’d. Tix released 2 weeks in advance.
There is an on-site cafe with lots of fun food options.
Bring extra clothes in case your little one wants to wade in the stream at the back of the museum.
There is a Blippi episode. We watched it prior to going the first time to get a sense of what it is.
There is a huge indoor climbing tower.
We’d been multiple times before we discovered the sandbox area to the right of the stream.

395 Santa Monica Place, #374
Santa Monica, CA 90401
21,000 square feet of discovery-based exhibits and immersive play. They offer a calendar of arts and cultural activities designed for children 0 to 8 and their families, including public programs, festivals, camps, classes, workshops and more.
No strollers inside - stroller parking is in the lobby
There is a separate baby/small toddler soft play area
Cheesecake Factory is next door in the same complex. Try to grab a patio seat.
Have speciap rograms pretty much every day at 11am and 3pm
Classes:
- Art crawl - TH/F - 10-11am (9mo - 2)
- Paint the Walls - F - 3-4pm (2-4) - March/May
- Babyrockeroos - W - 1-2pm (3mo-18mo) - April
- Little STEAM Engines That Can - F - 3-4pm (2-5) - April

2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
This award-winning children's and family destination invites visitors of all generations to play, climb, build, make-believe, and make friends—all while exploring an eight-thousand-square-foot wooden ark filled to the rafters with whimsical animals.
I was in awe of the structures, but also how fun the entire set-up is throughout. There is so much to explore here.
Free parking.
The allotted time after entry to explore is 90 minutes.
Free to members and children under 2. Free Thursdays for all - space fills up.
Offer accomodations for those with sensory sensitivities - ask when you arrive. Also offer Sensory Friendly Fridays.
Family Art Center on the lower level (Th, Sa, Su), with a garden and fountain exhibits just outside.
Thursdays and Fridays, 2:15 pm (Story Time)
Saturdays and Sundays, 11:15 am (Music Jams)

5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Saving Wildlife. Enriching Our Communities. Creating Connections to Nature.
We have been members for years!
Mostly outdoor, but plenty of shaded areas throughout.
Their french fries are the BEST! Don’t sleep on the chicken tenders either. Portions are enough for a family to share.
There’s a new rhino named Marshall.
Towards the back of the zoo is a large shaded playground and bathrooms.
There are water stations with filtered water.
Members with 2+ adults on their membership can typically take any adult guest.

4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462
Separate play section where families can discover all kinds of things about the American West. Hands on, rotating kid-friendly activities - mainly for ages 2-10.
Free parking.
There is a small outdoor garden area with water features.
Free admission every Tuesday and Wednesday from 1-4pm.

11800 Foothill Blvd
Sylmar, CA 91342
A large hands-on museum meant to inspire and educate your young one’s mind through engaging science-based programs and exhibits.
Parking is in a lot down from the entrance.

There is a space just to the right of the entrance to meet up with others in your group.

100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
The Aquarium of the Pacific is Southern California’s largest Aquarium. It displays about 12,000 animals and more than 100 exhibits that celebrate the planet’s largest and most diverse body of water, the Pacific Ocean.
Coming soon!

1600 Ocean Front Walk
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Small non-profit aquarium with different ocean species on display.
The aquarium is very small. It can be completed in around 15-20 minutes.
There is an opportunity to touch rays and small sharks.
Kids 12 and under free with an adult ticket.
Complete your day with a ride (or two) on the nearby carousel and a picnic on the beach.

2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Griffith Observatory is southern California’s gateway to the cosmos! Visitors may look through telescopes, explore exhibits, see live shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, and enjoy spectacular views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign.
Coming soon!

459 East Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91101
In the heart of the Pasadena Playhouse district, explore the permanent exhibit Wild California, create in the Art Studio, take an art education class through weekly programming, and put your imagination to use while interacting with the exhibits!
Coming soon!

6067 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is the largest museum in the United States devoted to the arts, sciences, and artists of moviemaking. Global in outlook and grounded in the unparalleled collections and expertise of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy Museum offers exceptional exhibitions and programs that illuminate the world of cinema.
Museum is free for children 17 and under.
Family matinees every Saturday at 11am, sensory friendly available
Family drop-in workshops the first 3 Saturdays of the month
Teen drop-in workshops every third Friday of the month
Offer calm mornings with sensor-friendly spaces/programs

Where the Senses Run Wild.