Please Touch Museum553

Please Touch Museum, winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the best Museum for Little Kids in Philadelphia, provides a fun-filled, quality experience for families with young children. Open at its new location inside Fairmount Park's historic Memorial Hall since October 2008, offers a huge array of interactive, hands-on learning opportunities for little ones.

The interactive exhibits include the transportation-themed Roadside Attractions, where kids can work on an engine puzzle under the hood of a car, "inflate" the tires and "fill up" the gas tank of a real automobile, design their own fantasy car, and take a ride on the much-loved SEPTA Bus.

The Supermarket area is always a hit with toddlers and preschoolers, and allows kids to both pretend they're buying items, or stocking and working in a grocery store.

Flight Fantasy blasts kids into outer space. Using their own body's energy, children can pedal a propeller bike that powers a track of "flying" toys, play hopscotch on clouds, and learn about aerodynamics by creating and launching flying machines of their own design.

City Capers offers a realistic urban environment with buildings from Philadelphia's skyline, a shoe store and medical center, and other "neighborhood" activities.

The beloved Wonderland takes visitors into the land of their imaginations with a magical trip down the rabbit hole. Kids can weave through a circular maze and find their way out of the Hall of Doors and Mirrors, sit down for a cup of tea with the Mad Hatter, play croquet with the Queen of Hearts, or join the Dodo for a wild caucus race.

River Adventures offers a huge water play table where kids can create river currents, build and race boats, and steer vessels safely into harbor.

The Centennial Exploration exhibit takes visitors inside Please Touch Museum's bustling 1876 train station, and celebrates the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, an often forgotten piece of Philadelphia history. Visitors can view the Centennial Fairgrounds Model built in 1889, depicting the 200 buildings erected for the World's Fair, and kids can dress up in clothes from the era and play with the "inventions" (like the telephone and typewriter) unveiled in 1876.

The fully restored Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel, which originally operated at a Philadelphia amusement park more than 100 years ago, features 40 horses, four cats, two pigs, two goats, and four rabbits.

A collection of more than 12,500 toys and games from 1945 to the present is prominently displayed throughout the building. The museum also collects major pieces that reflect the history of childhood in Philadelphia, including the set, costumes, and video archive of the children's TV show Captain Noah and his Magical Ark.

Every month, Please Touch Museum hosts special activities and crafts, so be sure to check the website or ask about what is on the schedule for the day. Please Touch Playhouse presents live show at 11am and 1pm each day.

The museum has several colorful party rooms available to rent for birthday parties. Time slots fill up quickly, though, so a two-month advance reservation is required.

Membership to Please Touch Museum ($130-$200) includes unlimited admission for one year, a subscription to the museum's quarterly newsletter, discounts on birthday parties and purchases made in the Kids' Store, admission to special "members only" events, and more.