If you’re in Portland, Maine with a toddler in tow, check out Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine. We recently spent a Sunday morning here with our toddler, and he (and my husband and I!) had an absolute blast.
Quick Tips for Your Visit
- Admission is $16/person for anyone over 18 months old. Theatre tickets cost extra ($16–$20).
- Buying admission tickets online in advance guarantees entry, so this is best especially for rainy days or holidays when time slots could fill up. Tickets are good for three hour intervals (i.e., 9 a.m.-noon).
- Plenty of parking is available at the museum, but it costs $2/hour. Paid parking is in effect 24/7.
- If you’re planning on visiting the water play area (which I highly recommend!), bring a change of clothes for your little one.
- There’s an outdoor play area, so dress appropriately!
- The museum has an elevator that goes to all three floors.
- There are no cafes or food vendors at the museum, so remember to bring your own snacks and drinks.
First Floor
Past the entrance, there’s a theatre and a tall climbing structure. The theatre is actually the longest-running children’s theatre in the U.S., and shows are offered throughout the year. There was a “Go, Dog, Go!” show the morning we went, but we skipped it because there was no way our very active son would’ve patiently sat through the performance. There’s also a dress-up theater for kids who love to play pretend and wear costumes.
The climbing structure is good for both toddlers and older kids. I’d guess it’s about 15-20 feet tall. I thought our son would want to explore it, but he ran straight past it to play outside.
Outdoor Area
The museum’s outdoor adventure area has something for everyone. Our son was only interested in the sandbox during our visit, but there is also a big playground structure with slides. One end of the outdoor space features a new exhibit about the traditions of the indigenous Wabanaki people; it includes a large drum and weaving stations. The other end houses a garden.
Second Floor
As soon as you step out of the elevator, you’re greeted by a floor-to-ceiling fire truck. It’s part of the “Our Neighborhood” exhibit which features climbable vehicles like a train, plane, and lobster boat, as well as pretend play areas like a doctor’s office and lobster shack. Everything here is specific to Portland. Our son is currently crazy about fire trucks, so he loved sitting in the driver’s seat and pushing the buttons to turn on the lights and sirens. Needless to say, we spent a lot of time in this area.
There’s also a soft play, shoe-free area called Lighthouse Cove for kids 3 and under.
The second floor also features MakerSpace, which is an open-ended area for arts and crafts, as well as an exhibit that highlights Portland’s Korean Language School. As a Korean-American, I loved learning that such a school existed here and that there was an exhibit teaching visitors about the Korean language and culture!
Third Floor
I can’t speak for my son, but my husband and I loved the water play area most!
There are two large water tables featuring intricate setups of chutes and water wheels. One of them even has a mesmerizing water vortex feature where you can throw balls and Duplos. While our son had a blast playing, my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed observing all the different features.
If you plan on checking out this exhibit, definitely bring a change of clothes (and maybe even extra shoes) for your child. Smocks are available, but our son’s rolled-up sleeves and pants still got wet.
Next to the water play area, kids can get a hands-on physics lesson with a 10-foot-tall sculpture that shoots out balls. They can also build their own ball rollercoasters with tracks and ramps.
Another major area on the third floor is the Natural Science Gallery. There’s more water play here, and kids can touch frogs and turtles and learn about Maine’s ecosystem. There’s also the Illumination exhibit that lets kids learn about light and color.
Final Thoughts
We really loved that Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine seemed to be perfect for our son at nearly three years old. There was a wide variety of activities to hold his attention, from the sandbox, to the pretend play neighborhood, to the water play area. If we lived in the Portland area, we would definitely buy a family membership and return often!