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Hours and Admission
The Children’s Museum’s hours of operation are:
▪ Monday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
▪ Tuesday: CLOSED
▪ Wednesday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
▪ Thursday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
▪ Friday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
▪ Saturday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
▪ Sunday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday & Monday mornings, the Children’s Museum is closed to general admission for our Member Mornings from 9:00 – 10:00am. During this time, museum members can enjoy the Children’s Museum privately.
Occasionally, the Children’s Museum is closed for routine exhibit maintenance and deep cleanings. Please sign up for our newsletter or check our calendar for updates.
Yes, the Children’s Museum observes the following holidays and is closed to both general admission and museum members.
▪ New Year’s Day
▪ Easter
▪ Independence Day
▪ Thanksgiving Day
▪ Christmas Eve Day
▪ Christmas Day
▪ Museum members: FREE
▪ Infants 11 months and younger: FREE
▪ General admission: $18
For complete information on museum admission, available discounts and annual memberships, check out our Visit page.
No, the Children’s Museum does not have free days. We do offer discounts to families receiving government assistance with our Access Program.
The Children’s Museum does not turn away visitors due to lack of funds. Families are welcome to visit the museum by making a donation of any amount in place of admission. To participate, tell the front desk staff that you wish to enter under the Open Door Policy.
We also offer discounts to families receiving government assistance with our Access Program.
During a visit to the Children’s Museum, adults are invited to explore the exhibits together with their little ones. As a non-profit organization, daily ticket sales and annual memberships keep the Children’s Museum open.
Yes! Inform the front desk on your way out and you will receive a return sticker.
General Information
The Children’s Museum offers a variety of self-directed, interactive experiences that encourage exploration, experimentation, and discovery. We can also provide maps and museum story guides for a more guided experience.
The Loving Ella Foundation generously donated funding to create Ella’s Art studio in memory of Ella Bisbee, a very young artist from Sonoma County.
The Children’s Museum is designed for children ages 0 – 10.
Strollers are allowed in Mary’s Garden only. Stroller parking is available at the entrance to the garden.
Open cubbies are available in the lobby on a first-come, first-served basis. Please do not leave valuables in the cubbies.
Food and Refreshments
We offer healthy snacks for sale in our Gift Corner, but we do not have a concession stand or any type of food court.
Guests are encouraged to bring their own food and nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy at our outdoor picnic tables.
There are a number of outdoor picnic tables in Mary’s Garden. Food is not allowed in any of our exhibit areas. Please enjoy all food at our picnic tables only.
Picnic tables are for family dining only and are expected to be shared. Staff may ask families to give up their table after 30 minutes of use if there are others waiting to find seating. Tables cannot be reserved or saved, and birthday parties in the picnic area are not permitted.
We’re thrilled to introduce a new addition to the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County: the Serenity Room, generously sponsored by Kaiser Permanente!
Opening in Spring 2026, the Serenity Room is a dedicated, welcoming space designed for nursing caregivers, bottle-feeding, and children who may need a moment of calm during their visit. Just steps away from TOTopia—our beloved exhibit for infants and toddlers—this new room offers comfort, privacy, and quiet for families when they need it most.
Transportation
The Children’s Museum is located in Santa Rosa just off HWY 101. Take the Guerneville Road (Exit 491) and head west. At the Guerneville Road/W Steele Lane split, keep straight onto W Steele Lane. The Children’s Museum will be on your right, just after the Charles M. Schulz Museum.
Yes, the Santa Rosa City Bus (Route 11) stops nearby the front of the Children’s Museum.
The Children’s Museum has limited facility parking and on busy days it can fill up quickly. Please only park in our parking lot or on the public streets. Better yet, check out public transportation options.
We ask that visitors not park in the Charles M. Schulz Museum or Snoopy’s Home Ice parking lots.
Admittance and Conduct
No. Adult supervision is required for all children at all times.
We encourage all of our visitors to interact and engage with each other and their children. Even if your child is being supervised by other grown-ups, we ask visitors to save their work for another time.
Limited space at shared tables also makes laptop use and other similar work an activity best saved for another time and place.
For safety reasons, adults not accompanied by a child are not allowed in to the Museum unless they have arranged an appointment or tour.
Please contact us by phone or email (info@cmosc.org) if you would like a tour.
TOTopia is a multi-sensory experience designed for infants and 2.5 yrs and younger toddlers only. This exhibit offers crawlers, early walkers, and toddlers a safe and stimulating environment to explore. This space is not designed for older children.
If you have older children, we recommend a few options: inviting them to read books available in the Family Resource Center just outside the TOTopia gate, bringing another adult to supervise them in other areas of the Children’s Museum, or enjoying shared play with both children throughout the Museum, which is open to all ages.
The Children’s Museum has noise-reducing headphones available to borrow when you ask at the front desk.
If you have a children with sensory processing differences, ask us about our Sensory Friendly Afternoons.
No. For safety reasons, shoes must be worn at all times and in all areas except Totopia.
The water in the Mini Russian River exhibit is not treated with chemicals. Only UV filtration systems are utilized to allow fish and frogs to share the river as it filters into the wetlands area. Putting feet in the river adds germs and pollutants which make the water dirty and unfit for play and creature habitats.
Events and Groups
Yes. Events are listed on the Calendar and on the Events page.
Yes, we require 1 adult for every 4 children visiting the Children’s Museum.
Yes, groups are required to make a reservation ahead of time to receive group rates. Unregistered groups will be expected to pay full price, and may be turned away at the door due to capacity limits.
For complete information on group visits to the Children’s Museum, please visit our Group Visits page.
Absolutely! We offer multiple ways for visitors to host events at the Children’s Museum both during and after hours.
For complete information on parties at the Children’s Museum, please visit our Party page.
Supporting the Children’s Museum
Your support is vital now more than ever. Please help us continue our mission to inspire curiosity and creativity through joyful, transformative experiences. Donate today.
We are also always welcoming volunteers to help with daily Museum operations as well as special events.
Or, consider adding the Children’s Museum to your estate plan with legacy giving.
We are always welcoming new volunteers to help inspire a lifelong love of learning in our community’s children. For information on volunteering and how to apply to volunteer, please see the Volunteer page.
Yes, donations are tax-deductible in the United States. The Children’s Museum is a registered 501(c)(3). Our US federal EIN is 20-3496878.
