Children's Museum of Houston, Houston

While many children learn by performing hands-on tasks, school systems have yet to figure out how to incorporate gardens, imagination workshops, and towering aqueduct mazes into their budgets. With 90,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits, the Children's Museum Houston sparks creativity by allowing kids to explore 14 learning stations. Ranked No. 1 among the 10 best children's museums in the nation by Parents magazine, named one of the 12 best children's museums in the country by Forbes and one of the 10 best by USA Today, and voted Best Museum in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 by the Houston A-List Poll, the museum has accrued a lot of praise.

Latest accolades include TripSaavy’s 2018 Editor’s Choice Award “Best Family Attraction and Experience.” AAA 2018 Editor’s “Best Of Things To Do." TripAdvisor’s 2018 & 2019 Certificate of Excellence “Hall of Fame.” Kids Out and About “Top 20 Places to Take Kids in Houston." The Culture Trip’s “Top Museum and Landmark to Visit in Houston.

Exhibits include the interactive EcoStation, a solar-powered outdoor utopia with activities such as stream creation and leaf rubbing that inspire kids to think about environmental responsibility. At the Invention Convention workshop, kids can explore engineering possibilities with building blocks, propellers, and even basic robotics. The sprawling cityscape of Kidtropolis invites children to participate in a simulated economy. The experience requires them to earn paychecks, budget money on pretend debit cards, vote for political candidates, and learn how to obsessively check milk expiration dates at the onsite grocery store.