Children's Museum of the Arts

Let your little ones unleash their artistic talents at this interactive New York City museum. The Children’s Museum of the Arts offers a variety of creative hands-on art workshops for kids 10 months to 12 years of age as well as many after-school art programs for older children.

Located in SoHo a few blocks from Broadway, the Children’s Museum of the Arts showcases many exhibitions and houses a large permanent collection of children’s art.

Art Classes for Kids and Teens

The Children’s Museum of the Arts hosts an Open Art Studio Wednesday through Sunday afternoons where kids can create art in a variety of materials including paint, paper and clay. The art stations allow little budding Picassos to experiment with painting, sculpture and collage-making at their own pace.

Kids can also participate in guided workshops which are led by the museum’s professional teaching artists. From puppet-making to claymation to the printmaking technique of intaglio, children are able to explore many different types of exciting art techniques.

The Children’s Museum of the Arts also offers after-school arts classes for kids five to 12 years of age and an evening Open Arts Studio for 11 to 15 year-olds.

Creative Play Stations

From playacting in costumes to making a mess with Flubber, the Children’s Museum of the Arts has lots of activities to get little imaginations stimulated. There are computer stations, a light table and a great selection of costumes and musical instruments for creating your own theatrical performances.

Kids love to burn off energy by diving into the Ball Pond, which is filled three-feet-high with colourful gym balls. There is also a Book Nook for some quiet reading time.

Exhibitions and Permanent Collection

Exhibits at the Children’s Museum of the Arts are drawn from the museum’s extensive permanent collection of over 2,000 works by children. These pieces date back to the 1930’s and represent young artists from over 50 countries.

The museum also showcases many special exhibits of art created by children or geared to children. The annual “Public Display” exhibition displays children’s artwork from the museum’s partnerships with New York City public schools. Some past exhibitions include”Okaasan, My Mother: A Collection of Portraits by Japanese Children from 1960's” and “Through the I of the Storm: Dreams and Drawings by the Children of Khu Lak, Thailand.”

Summer Art Colonies

The art colonies offered by the Children’s Museum of Art each summer provide kids ages six to 14 an opportunity to participate in arts programs given by teaching artists. These award-winning colonies (one- and two-week day sessions that run from Monday to Friday) are offered at the museum in SoHo and on Governors Island, the historic public island accessible only by an eight-minute ferry ride from Lower Manhattan.

Visiting the Children's Museum of the Arts in New York City

The Children’s Museum of the Arts is located at 185 Lafayette Street (between Grand and Broome Streets) in the SoHo neighbourhood of Lower Manhattan.

The museum has a private party room available for art-themed birthday parties and special events. For more information call 212-274-0986 or visit Children’s Museum of the Arts official website.