Best Hands-on Museums for Kids in Vermont

Hands-on activities are one of the best ways for kids to learn about their environment and the world around them. But, there are only so many activities that you can do at home.

Thankfully, these hands-on museums all have fantastic activities that the kids can do to enhance their learning and encourage curiosity.

With the current COVID-19 situation, please call ahead to check for hours and to see which activities are currently available. Some may have limited hours or be closed during COVID.

Many of these museums are offering virtual events and learning.

Wonderfeet Kids Museum
Wonderfeet Kids Museum is located in Rutland, Vermont. It’s a nonprofit organization that encourages children and their families to learn and play together. The museum is staffed by volunteers and contributions support the museum.

This museum offers a variety of programming including themed days, homeschooling events, and summer camps.

Most events are two hours long and allow the child to be completely immersed in a certain topic through a variety of engaging hands-on activities.

A few examples of programs that have been popular in the past are the WonderStars astronomy program and Animal Frenzy.

In the WonderStars program, children learned by spending a night under the stars. The Animal Frenzy program taught children about hibernation and migration by making a blanket den and making suet to feed the wild birds.

Location: 11 Center Street, Rutland, Vermont 802–282–2678

Montshire Museum of Science
Montshire Museum of Science is located in Norwich, Vermont. It is an interactive science museum with more than 150 different hands-on exhibits.

These exhibits include programs related to the natural and physical sciences as well as ecology and technology. There are a variety of exhibits both indoors and outdoors that kids and their families can visit.

Outdoor exhibits include things like nature trails and exhibits on the wind, water, and sound. These can be found in the Goudy Science Park.