DISCOVERY Children’s Museum is a three-story, 26,000-square-foot hands-on museum in Symphony Park in downtown Las Vegas, next to the Smith Center. It holds nine interactive galleries and a 70-foot climbing tower called the Summit that runs through all three floors. General admission is about $20 per person for ages 1 and up. It is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday noon to 5 pm, closed most Mondays.
If you are traveling with kids and need a break from the neon, this is the best rainy-day, hot-afternoon, or meltdown-recovery stop in the city. DISCOVERY Children’s Museum sits well off the Strip in Symphony Park, the walkable arts district that also holds the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, and it is built entirely around touching, climbing, splashing, and building rather than looking. Everything here is designed for small hands, from the toddler area for children five and under to the water tables and the towering climbing structure that anchors the whole building.
The museum opened in its current Symphony Park home in 2013, replacing the older Lied Discovery location, and it has become the default indoor outing for local families and visiting ones alike. Three floors, nine galleries, and roughly 26,000 square feet give restless kids plenty of room to burn energy, and the air conditioning alone is worth the price on a 108-degree summer day. It is aimed squarely at the under-10 crowd, though older siblings usually find something to climb.
This guide covers the real 2026 admission price, hours and closed days, the exhibits worth prioritizing, how long to budget, and exactly how to reach it from the Strip – so you walk in with a plan rather than a tired toddler and no ticket.
Table of Contents
DISCOVERY Children’s Museum Opening Hours
DISCOVERY Children’s Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. It is closed most Mondays during the regular school year but opens on select Mondays during summer, winter, spring break, and holiday periods. The museum is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
The Monday closure is the one that catches visitors out, so check before you build a Monday around it. During peak school-break weeks – roughly June through August, plus the winter and spring holidays – the museum adds Monday hours, but in the off-season Monday is dark. Last entry is well before the 5 pm close; arriving after about 4 pm leaves too little time to justify the admission, since most families spend far longer than an hour inside.
Tuesday to Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
Monday: Closed most of the year; open on select holiday and school-break Mondays
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit is a weekday morning right at the 10 am opening, when the galleries are quietest and the Summit climbing tower has no line. Weekends and school-break afternoons are the busiest, especially the water and toddler areas. Aim to arrive early with younger children, who tire before lunch, and plan around the closed Mondays outside of holiday weeks.
Mornings belong to the youngest visitors. If your children are toddlers or preschoolers, walk in at opening, hit Toddler Town and Water World first, and you will likely be back at your hotel for a midday nap. School groups tend to fill the galleries mid-morning on weekdays during term time, so a Saturday or Sunday can actually be calmer than a Tuesday in October, despite the family crowds.
Summer is the museum’s high season for a simple reason: it is indoors and cold. On triple-digit afternoons the place fills up as parents seek refuge from the heat, so if you are visiting in July or August, the first hour after opening is your best window for the popular climbing tower and water tables before the crowds build.
How Long Does a Visit Take?
Most families spend two to three hours at DISCOVERY Children’s Museum, and many stay longer. With nine galleries across three floors, a toddler-friendly play area, a climbing tower, and water exhibits, there is enough to fill a half-day. Budget at least two hours to feel you got value from the admission; energetic kids can easily fill an entire morning or afternoon.
There is no set route and no timed entry, so dwell time is entirely up to your children’s stamina. A quick pass touching the highlights takes about 90 minutes, but that undersells the place – kids typically lock onto one or two exhibits and want to stay. Factor in a snack break; the museum allows regroup time and there is seating, though food options on site are limited, so many families bring their own or eat in Symphony Park before or after.
What to See and What to Expect
Expect nine hands-on galleries across three floors, all built for touching and doing rather than observing. Highlights include the 70-foot Summit climbing tower running the full height of the building, Water World’s splash-and-flow tables, Toddler Town for the under-fives, Eco City, Fantasy Festival, and the Discovery Lab. Everything is interactive and geared to children roughly ages 1 to 10.
This is a play museum, not a look-but-don’t-touch one, and the design rewards curious hands. The exhibits rotate and refresh over time, but the core galleries have become fixtures that local families return to again and again.
The Summit Climbing Tower
The centerpiece is the Summit, a 70-foot vertical maze of platforms, tunnels, and challenges that climbs through all three floors. Kids scramble upward while parents track them from below or alongside, and reaching the top is a genuine achievement for a small child. It is the single most memorable feature in the building and usually the first thing kids run toward.
Water World and Toddler Town
Water World is the splash gallery – tables, channels, dams, and pumps that let children move and manipulate water, so bring a change of clothes or expect damp sleeves. Toddler Town is a walled, soft space reserved for children five and under, giving the smallest visitors a safe zone away from the bigger kids racing between exhibits.
Eco City, Fantasy Festival, and the Discovery Lab
Eco City teaches kids how a town works through role-play stations, while Fantasy Festival leans into imaginative play and dress-up. On the top floor, the Discovery Lab hosts science demonstrations and rotating STEM activities. Rounding out the nine galleries are art-making and building spaces that give quieter or older children an alternative to the climbing and splashing.
Is DISCOVERY Children’s Museum Worth It?
Yes, for families with children roughly ages 1 to 10 it is well worth the roughly $20 admission – three floors of genuine hands-on play, a standout climbing tower, and cool, indoor space away from the Strip. It is less suited to visitors without young kids, who will find little to do. For families it is one of the best-value stops in Las Vegas.
The value equation is simple: if you have young children, the admission buys hours of engaged play and a break from the overstimulation of the casinos. Parents consistently rate it among the top family attractions in the city, and it pairs naturally with a downtown day. If you are not traveling with kids, skip it – this is a purpose-built children’s museum and nothing about it is aimed at adults on their own.
Things to Know Before You Go
- General admission is about $20 per person for ages 1 and up, paid at the door or online; check the museum website for current Nevada-resident discounts and any membership deals before you buy.
- The museum is closed most Mondays during the school year but opens on select Mondays during summer and holiday breaks, so confirm the day before you go.
- Water World means wet clothes – pack a spare outfit or towel for younger children who linger at the splash tables.
- On-site food is limited; many families bring snacks or plan to eat in Symphony Park, which sits within walking distance of downtown restaurants.
- It is built for children roughly 1 to 10; older tweens and adults without kids will find little to hold their attention.
How to Get to DISCOVERY Children’s Museum
The museum is at 360 Promenade Place in Symphony Park, downtown Las Vegas, next to the Smith Center for the Performing Arts and just west of the Fremont Street area. It is well off the Strip – about a 10 to 15 minute drive north – so most visitors arrive by car or rideshare rather than on foot. Rideshare and taxis drop right at the entrance, which is the simplest option from a Strip hotel.
If you are staying downtown, it is a short ride or a long walk from the Fremont Street Experience, and it slots easily into a downtown day alongside the Mob Museum and the outdoor Neon Museum. The Deuce bus runs up Las Vegas Boulevard between the Strip and downtown; from the downtown stops it is a walk of several blocks west to Symphony Park. Symphony Park has its own parking, and unlike many Strip resorts the museum lot is straightforward for families arriving by car.
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) is about a 15-minute drive south. If you are building a full family itinerary, the museum works well with other kid-friendly indoor stops such as the Las Vegas Natural History Museum and the aquariums at SeaQuest Las Vegas, all of which give children something hands-on away from the heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does DISCOVERY Children’s Museum cost?
General admission is about $20 per person for ages 1 and up. Infants under 1 are free. The museum sometimes offers discounts for Nevada residents and memberships for repeat visitors, so check the official website for current pricing before you go.
What are the opening hours?
The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. It is closed most Mondays during the school year but opens on select Mondays during summer, winter, spring break, and holiday periods.
Is the museum on the Las Vegas Strip?
No. It is in Symphony Park in downtown Las Vegas, next to the Smith Center and near the Fremont Street area, about a 10 to 15 minute drive north of the Strip. Most visitors reach it by car or rideshare.
What ages is it best for?
It is designed for children roughly 1 to 10 years old, with a dedicated Toddler Town area for the under-fives. Older tweens and adults without young children will find limited appeal.
How long should we plan to stay?
Most families spend two to three hours, and many stay longer. With nine galleries, a climbing tower, and water play across three floors, it is easy to fill a morning or afternoon.
Is there parking?
Yes. Symphony Park has parking near the museum, and the lot is generally easy for families arriving by car, unlike the paid resort garages on the Strip.
