The Children’s Museum's

mission is to inspire children's creativity and stimulate their curiosity to discover the world through playful exploration of the arts and sciences.



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tax deductible donation.

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For more information:
E: info@cmosc.org
T: 707-546-4069
Send regular mail to:
P.O. Box 12323
Santa Rosa, CA 95406

Our Exhibits


We are currently developing exhibits for the new children's museum site. Click here to see preliminary concepts.


All exhibits promote learning through interactive play

and were developed to be easily transportable for the Museum-on-the-Go Program.
Science Demonstrations


Science Demonstrations
We like to do a variety of science demonstrations depending on location, crowd size, and weather conditions. Examples include squeezing an egg into a bottle without touching it, how colors mix, unexpected sensory experiences with Oobleck, blowing up a balloon without air, dry ice bubbles, and many more!
Magnet Construction Zone



Magnet Construction Zone
Children play with large bolts, screws, and washers to construct magnificent towers and bridges on top of powerful bar magnets.  The properties of magnetism are discovered through this playful and fun exhibit.  No age limit on this exhibit – everyone loves it.
Gravity Rods


Gravity Rods
Gravity is a force which pulls objects toward the earth.  Watch and listen as the washers fall down and spin because of gravity.  They also make a really interesting sound as they're falling.  See if the large washers fall faster than the smaller ones.  This is a favorite with our younger MOG visitors.
Hopper Popper


Hopper Popper
Find out just how powerful air is when you Insert ping-pong balls into a secret door and air pushes them seven feet into the air!  Watch as the balls fall back down, bouncing off a maze of pegs until they reach the bottom.
Musical Nails



Musical Nails
What do you get when you take a large wooden sheet covered with hundreds of nails of different sizes and lengths, prop it up at an angle and drop a handful of marbles down? The surprising answer is music! This exhibit uses simple physics and gravity to create beautiful sounds from the marbles striking the nails as they fall to the ground.  You'll be pleasantly pleased at the sound and maybe a little surprised too!
Human Powered Generator
Human Powered Generator
Turn the hand crank on the Human Powered Generator and generate electricity. Can you power a fan or light? Does one use more energy than the other?  Gain a better understanding of how electric energy is produced through the transfer of your own kinetic energy and begin to wonder how we can power the generators that bring electric energy to our homes.


Taleidoscope
Taleidoscope
Our taleidoscope is a three-sided mirrored tunnel that reflects the world hundreds of times in a geometric pattern.  It’s even more magical to view friends and family members through the viewer portal.
Soap Window
Soap
Window
Pull down the cord on the frame to create a 5-foot tall bubble window!  Children delight in the beautiful prismatic colors and love to test the amazing elasticity of bubbles by gently blowing into the sheet.  This exhibit is best used indoors, but in certain weather conditions it can be successfully used outdoors as well
Bubble Table


Bubble Table
Grab a wand shaped like a butterfly or flower and dip into the bubble solution.  Wave it through the air and watch as hundreds of bubbles are created.  This outdoor activity is especially fun for small children.
Up, Up, and Away



Up, Up, and Away!
One of our most popular traveling exhibits is the Bernoulli Box, which teaches children about airflow and how airplanes (and colorful beach balls!) stay aloft.
Wind Tube




The Wind Tube is a wonderful hands-on inquiry based exhibit that lets children use their imaginations to build flying machines.  It is not uncommon for children to spend 45 minutes or more playing with this exhibit!
Paintchaface

Do-It-Yourself

Face Painting!

Why let other people paint your face when you can express your creativity all by yourself.  Children love to sit in front of the mirror and use washable watercolors to paint all sorts of colors and patterns on their faces.  We’ve even seen children painting their parents faces!  Absolutely adorable to watch and fun for all ages!
Ned Kahn's Wind Wall/Air Cannon

Ned Kahn's Wind Wall/Air Cannon
With the pull of an elastic cord, watch as a puff of air strikes hundreds of small shiny metal discs on a panel creating a rippling wave-like motion.  This simple exhibit makes the effect of the air mass visible. Under certain conditions, this exhibit can also be used with a fog machine to make the puff of air visible as it travels through the surrounding air.
Geoboard

Geoboard
Learn about geometry and math by placing colorful loops of elastic fabric around pegs on this large surface to create geometric shapes and designs.  Over time, the increasing number of loops builds up to create a beautiful piece of collaborative geometric art.
Building Blocks

 


Building Blocks

Younger children use large, soft foam blocks of different shapes and sizes to build structures. This is a great team building activity that promotes large motor skills.
Painting Wall

Painting Wall
Discover the inner artist in you by using washable paint on this see-through wall.  Use water and gravity to clean the surface and start a new work of art.
Black Sand

Black Sand
Did you know we have a valuable source of iron ore right here in our own backyard? It’s called magnetite. Magnetite is carried via rivers from erosion and is concentrated on beaches via wave action and currents.You can collect some magnetite of your own by dragging a regular magnet through sand from one of our local beaches. Put the magnet into a clear plastic bag and drag the bag through the sand (the bag keeps the magnetite off the magnet, keeping it clean and making it easier to remove the ore).  Take a sample home with you.