Children's Museum Exhibits

Our Children's Museum of History, Natural History, Science & Technology has 4 floors (6,000 square feet per floor) with 60 Pavillions and 1,000's of exhibits, for kids from 1 to 101.

Play Space * Exploration Station * Saturn Car * Train Exhibits * Microbe Room * Hyperbolic Funnel

IroquoisLonghouse * HistoryDiorama * Clowns/Dolls * Musical Stage * Erie Canal * Dinorama/Fossils *

Weather Room * Int'l Halls of Fame * Living Science CritterRoom * Hall of Legoes * Computer Corner

NASA exhibits * Space Exhibits * Fire & Police Exhibits * Hot Wheels Hall * Our Airplanes

COMING SOON- Interactive Robots on every floor / Expanded History Section / Surround Sound Theatre / Mission Control Center

Erie Canal Hall of Fame: The Museum has a great Erie Canal Hall of Fame exhibit area, with lots of information on the canal and the impact it had on Utica and Central NY, and artifacts from that era. Coming soon is an interactive canal exhibit where kids of all ages can send the boats down the canal, through the locks! This enhances our multi-media CNY History Diorama.




Our Erie Canal Exhibit is a popular 2nd floor stop


The NYS Canal Corporation loaned us their interactive Canal exhibit, located on our 2nd floor with our Erie Canal exhibits


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Dinorama: Lewis S. Brown, an anthropology curator at the Museum of Natural History, originally created Dinorama. Recently renovated in 1999, the new Dinorama now includes sounds, multi-media, lighting and even a working model of a volcano! Dinorama displays dinosaurs and their habitats, and even includes a life size Baby Brachiosaurus. Also on the 2nd floor is a hanging model of a Pterodactyl, and an Paleontology Activity Center. All of these are viewed by visitors and also used for educational programs.


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International Halls of Fame: The Museum is home to the International Hall of Fame for Bicycling, Rowing, Canoeing, Kayaking on our 3rd floor, along with Train and Legoes exhibits, our Science room and our Weather room. Click on the link above to view our inductees.



Fascinating exhibits to view, read about, and interact with on our 3rd floor's Bicycling, Rowing, Canoeing, Kayaking Halls of Fame

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Science & Lego Exhibits, plus Arts & Crafts area
Located on the Children's Museum's 3rd floor.


Our Science Room Electromagnetic Spectrum

Our Science Room exhibits & computers

Weather Room, sponsored by WKTV, Quadsimia, Advanced Technology Solutions & GE Elfun's


Hot Wheels sponsored by Mike Zarnoch, Krellman Group


Our Computer Corner & History Wall

Enjoying our Arts & Crafts Center

Our FL voting machine

Our live Weather Station in our Weather Room


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Our Children's Museum Living Science Center
Located on the Children's Museum's 3rd floor


Our Living Science Room features lots of critters

Including our active Beehive, Turtles and Fish

Danny the Hamster, Gerby the Gerbil, Hank the Snake

Matt the giant Pacu fish from the Amazon River

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Our Children's Museum Trains & Legoes
Located on the Children's Museum's 1st floor, 3rd floor, and 4th floor



Kids enjoy entering our Lego contest

Above: Thomas the Train interactive exhibit on 3rd floor enjoyed by kids of all ages; Right: Teamwork with trains!

The switchboard used by NY Central on our 4th floor

Our Toddlers PlaySpace train with sound on our 1st floor


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Doll & Clown Exhibits, plus Toys BC (before computers)
The Museum has several of these neat exhibits on our 2nd floor.


Part of our 2nd floor doll collection

And more of our doll collection

Our unique 2nd floor Paper Mache' marionette collection

Our 2nd floor puppet theatre

Our 2nd floor Toys BC (before computers)

Our 2nd floor Clown collection

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Fire/Police/History/Space.
The Museum has several neat Fire and Police department exhibits on our 4th floor


Kids enjoying our 4th floor UFD exhibits

Kids enjoying our 4th floor UPD exhibits

Kids enjoying our interactive police exhibits

Our airplane rides are a popular thing to do!

Our 2nd floor dinosaur/fossil exhibits

Our 2nd floor NYS history exhibit

CNY Trivia exhibit

The CM Rocket Club

Above: Our CM Gift Shop is a popular 1st floor stop; Right: Sir John, our CM knight, greets visitors in our first floor foyer area

The bikes & canoes get good workout on the 3rd floor!

D.C. visitors who work at Office of Science were delighted with our 4th floor science exhibits

Above: Our popular 2nd floor stage area karaoke; Left: Two UFD officials viewing our 4th floor fire & police department exhibits

 

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Our Play Space

Children are the exhibit in PlaySpace. For children 3 and under. Here infants, toddlers, and preschoolers can find toys and activitites helpful to their learning and growth. Adults in the PlaySpace can observe children in various stages of development, talk with other parents, learn home activities and explore resources for parenting. There is also a mini-library located in PlaySpace, which provides children's books and a quiet place to read. Every day of the week, at 11am, there's a special program just for pre-schoolers. Come enjoy!

Little ones enjoy Museum's lifesize toy train in PlaySpace

This train for pre-schoolers is popular



This train can be viewed from inside & outside PlaySpace

Puppet Storytime in PlaySpace's reading area

Our Main St., USA

Hey, look at what I can do, Dad!

Pint sized tables are just the thing

Dad watches while kids enjoy stuffed animals

Mom & youngster enjoy reading room

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Exploration Station for children ages 4 and up, The Museum's own Main Street USA, the Saturn car exhibit, musical exhibit, hyperbolic funnel, mini shopping mall, and more!


Our Main Street exhibits, Above: and our hyperolic funnel, Right, intrigue kids of all ages!

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Our Musical Stage


3-06 School Group enjoying our musical stage


3-06 Xylophones, karaoke with TV viewing & more!



3-06Pianos bring out the musician in kids!


Enjoying our multi-musical stage instruments, hands-on fun!

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Our Microbe Room, Trading Post, Truck Stop, Dino Dig, & Computer Corner


Our new 1st floor Mircobiology Room, courtesy of HCCC


Oneida Nation Foundation's Chuck Fougnier presents plaque to Director Brown & Board Member Margaret Splain at our new 2nd floor Trading Post



Our new 3rd floor Truck Stop, courtesy of the GE Elfun's

Our new 2nd floor Dino Dig, courtesy of the GE Elfun's

Our 3rd floor Computer Corner & Science Room

The Iroquois Native American Longhouse, the first exhibit created for The Children's Museum, first exhibited in 1963 in the basement of the Utica Public Library. This exact full-scale replica is located on the Museum's 2nd floor, along with numerous native American artifacts. This permanent exhibit is used for educational programs as well enjoyment of the daily museum-goer. The 2005 improvements to this exhibit include artifacts, interactive kiosks, longhouse display, historical and educational displays, all made possible by financial support from the Oneida Indian Nation and the Oneida Nation Foundation. Read article by Utica O-D.


12-15-05 L. to R. Oneida Nation Bear Clan Representative Dale Rood; Bear Clan Mother Marilyn John; director of CNY Nation Outreach Margaret Splain, Oneida Nation Bear Clan Representative Brian Patterson take part in the official ribbon cutting and unveiling of the new exhibits at The Children's Museum, updating our oldest exhibit, The Iroquois Longhouse

The official ribbon cutting L to R: Dale Rood, John Stephenson, CM Board (hidden), Pat Costello IBEW #43, CM Director Marlene Brown, Margaret Splain (OIN & CM board), Joan Shkane (CM Board), Steve Genett (CM board), Marilyn John, Brian Patterson

Oneida Nation Bear Clan Representatives Brian Patterson; Dale Rood; Bear Clan Mother Marilyn John; director of CNY Nation Outreach Margaret Splain, & Museum director Marlene Brown

The popular & educationally fascinating kiosks

Director Brown, right, welcomes board members John Stephenson & Joan Shkane to the unveiling

Director Brown with OIN Bear Clan Rep Brian Patterson

The creators of the kiosk, from OIN's Four Directions Studio

Part of the group, gathered for the unveiling

Another new OIN exhibit, a Trading Post (under construction)

The Wampum Belt & LaCrosse exhibits, at the end of the Longhouse, near the kiosks

New OIN exhibits join existing CM exhibits

Meantime, kids took advantage of the many exhibits

Mike Zarnock "live" on air in museum with Lite 98.7

Our exhibit of old doll houses, churches, school desk, slate, and weaving loom on display on our 4th floor

Our "History of Utica Settlers" wall on the Children's Museum's 3rd floor with all sorts of neat historical facts and information on the founding of the City of Utica and the Mohawk Valley.

 

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The Elfun's: The Museum has a GE Elfun presence, many of the exhibits were created and are maintained by Elfuns: Elfun Community Coordinator working on the "Freeze Your Shadow" exhibit. Elfuns created the Saturn Exhibit and helped modernize Dinorama.


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NASA Space & Science Exhibits * Weather Room * Hot Wheels Exhibit Hall


7-16-04 The team who made it a reality L to R: Scott Gregory, Quadsimia Internet Presence; GE Elfun rep; Mike Spina, Quadsimia; John Stephenson, GE Elfun's; Matt Chmielewski, Advanced Technical Solutions; Rich Lupia, WKTV; Marlene Brown, Children's Museum Executive Director (not shown, photographer, Earl Lewis). View more.



Congressman Sherry Boehlert & former Astronaut Mike McCulley, CEO of United Space Coalition, bring NASA exhibits to the museum and present Director Marlene Brown with a check for $5,000 for an interactive Control Command Center at the Children's Museum. View more.



Our CM Mike Zarnock's Hot Wheels Exhibit Hall features 7 rooms of various decades of Hot Wheels collectibles.


Hamilton College students work on readying Hot Wheels hallway. View more

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Outdoor Trains : Real trains, including an Adirondack Railroad Engine, Dining Car, and a Caboose - sited on museum property outside our building, owned by the National Railway Historic Society of Utica and the Mohawk Valley, are available for visitors to walk around.

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Community Events


Fall Fest brings rides, games, & fun!


Our Annual Wine & Art event in the Park


We participate in Utica Monday Nite


We hosted the OD's blood drive


Baby Dino Bones rides along with staff & kids in Mohawk Valley's July 4th Parade

Christmas On Main Street, an Annual event where kids of all ages enjoy!
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The Children's Museum of History, Living History, Science & Technology
311 Main Street, Utica, NY 13501
Tel: 315-724-6129
* Web: www.museum4kids.net

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