Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around Milwaukee - 2019

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. The Domes are open every day of the year.

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.

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.

The Milwaukee Art Museum houses a rich collection of over 30,000 works, with strengths in 19th- and 20th-century American and European art, contemporary art, American decorative arts, and is the world's leading repository for work by untrained creators.

For more than 160 years, the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee has strengthened the foundations of our community by “Putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.”

An Environmental Community Center connecting people in cities to nature and each other. We restore hope and heal our urban natural world, neighborhood by neighborhood. community and education center in Riverside Park. The award-winning facility has themed classrooms designed especially for the school programs. In addition there is space dedicated to the community for potlucks, meetings, lectures and recreational activities.

The Marcus Center For The Performing Arts is a non for profit organization providing dance, music, and drama instruction to youth ages 3-17 year of age. Its mission is to develop cultural awareness and an appreciation of the arts specifically with a focus on the genres of dance, drama and music to the community.

Bounce Milwaukee is the city's premier place to play. Inflatable sports arena, laser tag, rock climbing, obstacle courses, full bar and restaurant.

America’s only museum dedicated to Wisconsin art and artists. The Museum of Wisconsin Art celebrates the value, diversity and uniqueness of the visual arts and artists of Wisconsin. This is achieved by collecting, conserving, documenting, exhibiting and promoting aesthetic understandings of the visual arts of Wisconsin. Now open in a brand new, state-of-the-art building in downtown West Bend.

Ocean Connections is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization organization committed to inspiring conservation awareness and public action for our world's ocean through education. Located within the Milwaukee County Zoo, Ocean Connections provides a variety of opportunities for you to meet our animals up close and personal, with the focus on educating the public about marine life, environmental protection and conservation.

Dynamite Dance Studio has been providing high quality dance education since 2007. We guarantee a family-friendly environment and small class sizes so that all students get enough attention from their instructor. Our mission is to provide dance education in a safe and positive environment that enables children to grown as dancers and artists. Students learn not only artistry but important life skills such as body sense, confidence, and teamwork.