The New Children’s Museum
About
The New Children's Museum in San Diego offers a creative environment focused on artistic exploration and imaginative play for children of all ages. The facility features three floors of interactive activities, including specialized zones like Artopia for drawing and crafting, a clay studio where visitors can create figures to take home, and Prismopolis for exploring color and light. Outdoor areas, a slide connecting floors, and the Sprouts café with healthy food options complement the indoor exhibits. The museum also hosts special events like Mass Creativity Day with free admission and additional entertainment, and provides birthday party services with professional coordination, reserved parking, and optional setup and cleanup services for a seamless celebration experience.
reviewsWhat Members Say
Members praise the museum's creative activities that spark children's imagination, with specific appreciation for the clay studio, Artopia crafting zone, and well-organized birthday parties featuring attentive coordinators who handle details professionally. Several reviewers mention concerns about dark or unsettling themes in some exhibits that feel inappropriate for children, while others note maintenance and safety issues with worn-down materials. The special events like Mass Creativity Day with free admission and food trucks receive positive feedback, though some visitors suggest better value can be found at other local options.
rate_reviewGoogle Reviews (5)
Anna Malkina
5 months ago
An unforgettable birthday experience at The New Children’s Museum! We had the most wonderful time celebrating our daughter’s birthday here. Everything was truly exceptional from start to finish. Our party coordinator was incredibly professional, kind, and attentive — she stayed in touch throughout the entire process, helped with every detail, and made sure we felt completely cared for and stress-free. The celebration was beautifully organized — every element was thoughtful, warm, and full of joy. The kids were absolutely thrilled! I loved how seamless the experience was: from the initial online reservation and email communication to the final moments of the party, everything was handled with such care and professionalism. We even received a lovely surprise — a beautiful keepsake book for my daughter to remember her special day. The reserved parking space in the garage was a great touch, and I really appreciated the option to add setup, decoration, and cleanup services for a small extra fee — it made the day truly effortless for us. If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. Everything was perfect — joyful, well-organized, and full of heart. Thank you to the entire team for making this day so memorable! 💖🎉
Karmina Rocca
2 months ago
A great place where children can let their imagination soar and explore their artistic side. The museum has three floors with different activities for children of all ages. There's an outdoor area for making clay figures that you can take home. We visited the Artopia zone (accessible at certain times) where the children can draw and craft; that day they could make their own gingerbread house with lots of accessories and everything needed for the craft. All the walls in the museum have beautiful, positive messages!! On the ground floor, there's a slide that leads down to the next floor. There's also a Sprouts café, which has a healthy and fun variety of food for children and adults. I recommend buying tickets in advance on the website to be able to enter directly. I wish they had some science activities for children.
Sue Duong
5 months ago
06-14-2025 I was here on Mass Creativity Day (free admission) with my nieces. Because it was a special event, they had fun activities/entertainment and food trucks also. Below are some of the activities in the museum that children can explore: -Wobbleland for children ages 4 and under, limit to 10 ppl at a time, no shoes allowed -Clay Studio, no age limit -Prismopolis where you can explore color and light in your city
Zuzu Madanat
4 months ago
You know... It was an interesting place. Was the staff friendly... Yes. Did our little ones have fun... Yes. But were there creepy paintings on the walls that seemed to not fit with a children's museum... Also, yes. Another issue we had was that most of the rooms and exhibits were in poor condition and borderline dangerous because of it. A lot of fabrics were torn and items that should have cushions were worn down. We did really enjoy the clay exhibit where our older son got to make some cool stuff. For the price... I think you would have more fun and your kids would be safer at one of the many other options in the area. My wife and I even said we could have had more fun with our kids at the park across the street. The kids loved it and interacting with the many kids there.
Kaley Laughlin
4 months ago
Got here close to opening on a Saturday morning- no wait and not super busy. There were some cool things for my two kids to do (ages 2 and 5), but I agree with other reviewers who note the dark vibes and demonic symbols ALL OVER, but especially in a few specific exhibits. WHY is that necessary for a children’s museum? I had seen the reviews and was cautious about going, but wanted to give it a shot. Several exhibits are dark- and one is flat out scary — I think even my kids were feeling the bad vibes. My kids had an okay time but I had a pit in my stomach the whole time
Contact
200 W Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
scheduleHours
Monday: 9:00 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: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM