Visiting the Chattanooga Children’s Museum
Are you considering visiting the children’s science museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee?
This kid friendly tourist attraction is FULL of fun activities for the whole family!
Referred to by some as the Chattanooga Museum of Discovery, the official name of this family friendly venue is the Creative Discovery Museum.
The Creative Discovery Museum is located right downtown AND within walking distance to many other Chattanooga area attractions, hotels, and restaurants.
In this post, I will review the unique activities and exhibits you will find at this super fun Chattanooga children’s museum. So, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Chattanooga with kids, continue reading all about the children’s museum below!
Parking at the Chattanooga Kids Museum
The Creative Discovery Museum is located in the heart of downtown Chattanooga on Chestnut Street. This makes it an easy stop for other activities you have planned in the city.
Parking is available in back of the museum near AT&T Field where the Chattanooga Lookouts play.
Depending on how long you want to spend at the museum, parking should only cost you a few dollars.
As mentioned above, the museum is located in a great area of downtown and is within walking distance to many restaurants and attractions.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Chattanooga is the Tennessee Aquarium. You can easily spend time at both the aquarium AND the museum all in one day!
Tickets for the Creative Discovery Museum
The exciting features of the Creative Discovery Museum are apparent before you even enter the building.
Located right beside the main entrance, this giant bubble maker draws attention from kids of all ages. Once you pull the levee, a giant bubble envelopes your whole body.
It’s a really cute activity to start off your visit, and what kid doesn’t love bubbles!?
After you view this bubble maker, you can enter the Creative Discovery Museum doors.
Here you will see the registration desk where you can purchase tickets. You can also buy tickets on the museum’s official website.
The children’s museum is really reasonably priced. They even offer a discount to those who have also toured the aquarium!
Nearby Restaurants
Although the Chattanooga area is home to some AMAZING local restaurants, visitors to the children’s museum don’t have to walk far to find food.
That’s because the museum offers its very own restaurant right inside the front entrance (near the gift shop).
The Creative Discovery Museum is home to Cafe Dino-mite, which is a great place to grab snacks, drinks, and meals. This is one of the best food stands for parents and kids that I have found inside a Chattanooga area attraction!
They offer all types of food from salads to sandwiches to hot dogs.
Cafe Dino-mite has healthy options for meals and snacks, which is sometimes hard to come by at popular tourist destinations like this.
They also have a gluten free menu that you can view on the museum’s website or once you are inside the cafe.
Indoor Playground
Chattanooga is home to lots of clean parks and playgrounds for kids to enjoy. Some of the most popular parks near downtown Chattanooga include:
- Coolidge Park
- Riverfront Park
- Riverview Park
- Chattanooga Zoo Park
Although the above-mentioned play areas are super fun places to take your kids, the Creative Discovery Museum offers a playground that is enjoyable in inclement or cold weather.
The indoor playground at the children’s museum is HUGE, and it’s full of climbing and sliding features that kids love!
You can’t miss this massive playground that’s inside the building since it sits in the RiverPlay section just off the entrance to the museum.
The RiverPlay section of the museum also showcases a giant water area where kids can learn how a dam and locks work. This section even allows kids to pretend to captain a boat!
Chattanooga Children’s Museum Exhibits
As you stroll through the Creative Discovery Museum, you will notice that the exhibits are broken up into sections.
Science Center
One of the science exhibits is the Corner Clinic. Here, your child can dress up as a doctor and perform checkups on available dolls.
This area has all sorts of doctor tools on hand and even allows guests to look at x-rays.
Just after the Corner Clinic, is the Make It section of the museum. This is where kids can act as inventors to create all sorts of things using the provided tools.
Another fan favorite near the Make It section is the Excavation Station. Here, kids can use shovels and brushes to search and dig for dinosaur bones.
This takes place in a giant sandbox that my kids absolutely love! You can even explore deeper into this section of the museum and find all sorts of animal information.
Music Area and Art Galleries
The music and art galleries are also popular sections of the children’s museum. In these two areas, kids can participate in hands on activities like drawing and painting.
The Chattanooga children’s museum even offers art lessons at certain times where visitors can complete a craft guided by a museum worker.
They can also play numerous musical instruments like drums, harps, guitars, etc.
Toddler Play Area
Directly across from the Corner Clinic is the Little Yellow House. This play area is for those children who are four and under.
The Little Yellow House has all sorts of fun activities, so even the smallest kids don’t feel left out.
There is a huge play house with tables, chairs, kitchen appliances, laundry machines, and plastic foods where little ones love to play.
There is also a small slide, car, and a train set in this area.
A small portion of the room is even gated off for babies. It features soft climbing toys that are loads of fun!
Traveling Exhibits
While visiting the museum, you can take the stairs or the elevator to the second floor. A large portion of the Creative Discovery Museum’s second floor houses the traveling exhibit that is being featured.
You can check the Creative Discovery Museum’s official website before visiting to see which exhibit they are featuring as they tend to change with the seasons.
Outdoor Activities
In addition to exploring the large exhibit on display, kids can take part in several other activities on the second floor of the museum.
You can step outside on the second floor to participate in the Rooftop Fun Factory.
Here, kids can play with pulleys and levees to learn about simple machines.
Once back inside, you will find a quiet area for reading books, a small section for observing bees, and a high tower with views of Chattanooga.
The Creative Discovery Museum also offers a culinary corner where kids can learn how to make healthy snacks!
Final Review of the Chattanooga Children’s Museum
The Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga, TN is a great place for kids to participate in interactive activities that are so much fun.
The children’s museum features a wide variety of activities and educational toys.
I highly recommend adding it to your list of things to do while visiting Chattanooga on your Tennessee family vacation.
It’s in a great location right in the heart of downtown and really conveniently located near other popular tourist attractions in Chattanooga!
What is your favorite exhibit at the children’s museum in Chattanooga?
Comment below and tell me about it!
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