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9:00am - 6:30pm
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At the Museum - Mar 6th

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First-Time Visitors

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Noon Year's Puget Sound
General Information

Plan your trip to Hands On using the following information:

Additional Admission Information

What is the targeted age range for the Museum?

Exhibits are ideally designed for children age birth to ten.

Are strollers allowed in the Museum?

We provide stroller parking in our Lobby and ask that you not take your stroller into the galleries, except under special circumstances, to ensure there is adequate circulation for all guests.

Do you have a sensory friendly guide?

The museum can often be crowded, loud and filled with bright lights. We have prepared a Museum Sensory Guide to help you and your child familiarize yourself with the museum and its exhibits before you visit. Written from a child’s perspective, the guide can be helpful in planning which exhibits to visit and in which order. We also offer sensory-friendly events when you and your family can enjoy the museum with fewer crowds and stimuli. Does your child find the museum too loud during regular hours? We have noise-muffling headphones you can borrow for free at our Front Desk.

What about food in the Museum?

Due to COVID restrictions, the Play Day Cafe is limited to “grab and go” items only like cheese, juice, and crackers. There is no indoor seating. We ask that you enjoy your food outside of the museum on the beautiful East Bay Plaza after your visit session is over. Thank you!

Why is it important to stay with my child while visiting the museum?

Please remember children under age 16 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. We believe family members are important as a child's first teachers and as a partner in learning. Our exhibits are designed specifically to encourage interaction and inquiry, as well as participation from the entire family. We also take visitor safety seriously and supervising adults help ensure their children are enjoying the exhibits and facility safely.

Photo/Video Policy within the Museum

Each person entering the Hands On Children’s Museum grants the museum permission to photograph, videotape, record or otherwise reproduce the image and/or voice of that person and all accompanying minors, without compensation, for the museum’s business purposes, including copying, distribution, and other uses.

IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED, please inform the front desk upon check-in and request a NO PHOTO sticker to place on your child. Our staff, volunteers, and visiting media are instructed to look for the stickers and will do their best to avoid including your child in materials. Large crowd shots where individuals are not identifiable may still occur. 

What about other special restrictions?

For the comfort of our visitors and their families, we are a weapons-free zone. We ask that visitors not bring any sharp objects or concealed weapons into the museum.

When is the best time to visit the Museum?

Due to the limited capacity of our timed-entry reservations, play sessions fill up fast. If you are looking for a quieter Museum experience we recommend visiting during the last session of the day. 

When is the Museum closed?

The museum is closed on the following holidays: Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and one week each September for scheduled maintenance and cleaning.