Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around Milwaukee
Every May and June, thousands of local parents, grandparents, and caregivers weigh in on their favorite local places to take kids. This is our page for showcasing our 2024 winners from the Milwaukee area. Click here for the full list of nominees.
The Milwaukee area is rich in fun events and exciting places. Of course, there are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in our area, not just this year's winners! Browse through KidsOutAndAbout.com, check out our calendar, and discover lots more to do, especially Everything That's Free. If you are not already on our weekly mailing list for our free e-newsletter, please sign up by clicking here. You'll find out everything that is happening for kids and families at these places and a lot more -- way ahead of time!
| 1. Milwaukee County Zoo 2. Old World Wisconsin 3. Betty Brinn Children's Museum 4. Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory/The Domes 5. Milwaukee Public Museum 6. My Local Library 7. Racine Zoo 8. America's Action Territory 9. Marcus Performing Arts Center 10. Bristol Renaissance Faire 11. Shalom Wildlife Zoo 12. Urban Ecology Center 13. Boerner Botanical Gardens 14. MadStage 15. Wehr Nature Center 16. Dinosaur Discovery Museum 17. Milwaukee Art Museum 18. Sky Zone Trampoline Park 19. Madison Children's Museum 20. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre |
Top Arts Educator: First Stage Top Sports Educator: The YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee Top STEM Educator: Milwaukee County Zoo |
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1. Milwaukee County Zoo
The Milwaukee County Zoo is a zoo of renown with a reputation as a leader in animal management, conservation, research and education within a wholesome recreational environment enjoying the admiration of the citizens of Milwaukee County as well as all zoo guests and other zoos of the world.
2. Old World Wisconsin
At Old World Wisconsin, kids and their parents adventure through time, exploring historic spaces, interacting with costumed interpreters, meeting farm animals, and enjoying hands-on activities. Experience the daily life of the people who called these buildings home as you help with chores and cooking, try your hand at crafts and trades, and play – yes, even the grownups!
3. Betty Brinn Children's Museum
The Betty Brinn Children's Museum provides interactive exhibits and educational resources that promote the healthy development of children in their formative years from birth through age 10.
4. Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory/The Domes
Experience a desert oasis, a tropical jungle and floral gardens…all at one destination! The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, better known as The Domes, is one of the most unique destinations in Milwaukee. Discover cacti, succulents, shrubs and desert palms in the Desert Dome. Enjoy five seasonal shows each year in the Floral Dome and walk among 1,200 species of rainforest plants in the Tropical Dome. Explore Milwaukee’s living museum!
5. Milwaukee Public Museum
The Milwaukee Public Museum is Wisconsin’s natural history museum, welcoming over half a million visitors annually. Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Museum was chartered in 1882, opened to the public in 1884, and currently houses more than 4 million objects in its collections. MPM has three floors of exhibits that encompass life-size dioramas, walk-through villages, world cultures, dinosaurs, a rainforest, and a live butterfly garden, as well as the Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater & Planetarium.
6. My Local Library
Of course, the libraries in the Milwaukee area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication.
7. Racine Zoo
Nestled on the sandy shores of beautiful Lake Michigan, the Racine Zoo is home to some of the world's most remarkable and endangered wildlife. The walk is easy for kids and seniors, making the Racine Zoo a great way to enjoy the outdoors with the family.
8. America's Action Territory
America's Action Territory is one of the Midwest's finest year around family entertainment complexes. Located only 1 hour from Milwaukee & Chicago, Action Territory offers 12 acres of family fun!
9. Marcus Performing Arts Center
The Milwaukee Ballet Company, Florentine Opera Company, First Stage, and Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra have long called the Marcus Center home. In addition, MPAC offers Broadway shows, National Geographic Live events, and other world-class performing arts experiences, as well as community and education events such as a Martin Luther King Day Celebration, student matinees, and much more. Upcoming highlights family 2022/23: MasterChef Junior Live!, Hip Hop Nutcracker, Disney’s Frozen, and Winnie the Pooh!
10. Bristol Renaissance Faire
For 9 glorious weekends starting in early July, each Saturday and Sunday, plus Labor Day Monday, visitors take a rollicking romp through Elizabethan England, complete with 16th Century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music and one-of-a-kind encounters with a spectacular cast of characters. The Faire boasts a beautiful 30-acre site with 14 open-air stages featuring Swordfighters, Minstrels, Jesters, and Queen Elizabeth! All entertainment is included in the price of admission.
11. Shalom Wildlife Zoo
Located in West Bend, Shalom Wildlife Zoo is also known as "Wisconsin's Wildest Zoo" that's because the animals live in huge natural habitats. Shalom is truly Wisconsin's first wildlife safari and you'll experience nature at its finest. Home to 75 species and more the 750 animals! Herds of bison, deer, elk, mountain sheep, wolves, tigers, bears, cougar, zebra, and camel are just a few of the animals you'll see as you navigate the zoo. It is no surprise to visitors that Shalom Wildlife Zoo has been ranked by TripAdvisior as the #1 tourist attraction in the West Bend area for 6 consecutive years and is the highest ranked zoo in Wisconsin.
12. Urban Ecology Center
It’s pretty simple; the Urban Ecology Center gets people outside.
You'll find: Students learning hands-on about science and nature. Adventure seekers borrowing our recreational equipment. People connecting with the land each other.
13. Boerner Botanical Gardens
The Boerner Botanical Gardens, an internationally renowned horticultural showplace in the Milwaukee County Parks, offers gardeners, plant lovers and students the opportunity to take in the colors and scents of a variety of collections. Hours: Mid-April-Sept. 30: 8 a.m.–dusk, daily. Oct. 1-30: 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., daily.
14. MadStage
MadStage.com serves the performing arts community of the state of Wisconsin.
15. Wehr Nature Center
Wehr Nature Center is located in Whitnall Park. Explore over five miles of nature trails through woodland, wetland, prairie and oak savanna on 220 acres of protected land in Whitnall Park. Labeled gardens feature prairie, woodland and other plant varieties; a natural play space for kids with a log cabin playhouse; and an accessible deck over Mallard Lake. Wehr Nature Center also hosts nature-themed educational programming and special events year round.
16. Dinosaur Discovery Museum
Life-size replicas and bones show the link between meat-eating dinosaurs and birds. Kids love the permanent exhibit Little Clint: The Story of a Baby Dinosaur featuring interactive activities including a dino dig. FREE admission and parking. Hop on the city's historic streetcar for a short ride to the Kenosha Public Museum, Civil War Museum, shopping and dining. Check the museum website for updates on the reopening of interactive elements.
17. Milwaukee Art Museum
Experience art with the whole family at the Milwaukee Art Museum, where kids 12 and under are free every day thanks to Kohl's. Explore thousands of artworks with in-gallery activity guides and make art together in the Kohl's Art Studio. Then recharge with breathtaking lakefront views and kid-friendly snacks in the Museum Café.
18. Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Wall to wall active entertainment that is uniquely Sky Zone! Have your next party at Sky Zone and see what the FUN is all about!
19. Madison Children's Museum
Madison Children's Museum is a community hub for children and families where play is serious business. Our exhibits are created just for our space by our on-staff team of artist and artisans, and in consultation with our child development experts!
20. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
The mission of Milwaukee Chamber Theatre is to produce intimate, high-quality, professional theatrical works of literary merit that engage and challenge the audience, while employing and nurturing principally local theatre artists.
Winners in Special Categories
In the second part of our survey, we asked readers to select their favorites in three categories. Here were their choices.Top Arts Educator: First Stage
First Stage touches hearts and transforms lives through professional theater productions that engage, enlighten and entertain. Its Theater Academy, teaching life skills through stage skills, is the nation's largest high-impact theater training program for young people. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-in-education programming, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs promote active learning in our schools and our community, serving over 20,000 children each year.
Top Sports Educator: The YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee
The YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee’s vision is: “to become recognized as a leading community collaborator that achieves bold results in the areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, with an emphasis on youth, families and aging adults.” Our impact in Milwaukee is widespread, from teaching thousands of kids to swim each year, to being one of the only safe spaces open seven-days-a-week in the neighborhoods we serve.
We also believe that lasting personal and social change happens in the places where our members live, work and play. That’s why in addition to our center-based programming, we are committed to being vocal advocates for healthy families and partnering with others to improve the greater good in Milwaukee beyond our four walls.
Top STEM Educator: Milwaukee County Zoo
The Milwaukee County Zoo is a zoo of renown with a reputation as a leader in animal management, conservation, research and education within a wholesome recreational environment enjoying the admiration of the citizens of Milwaukee County as well as all zoo guests and other zoos of the world.
