Mission & Vision

Our Mission & Vision at North Shore Children’s Museum

North Shore Children’s Museum brings together children, families, and their community with accessible, hands-on learning through play.

Our vision is to create inclusive, welcoming spaces and learning experiences that use the power of play to nurture the imagination, engage families, and strengthen the community.

Our History at North Shore Children’s Museum

North Shore Children’s Museum is located in Peabody, Massachusetts and serves children ages 2-8.

In March of 2019, the museum was piloted with a pop-up endeavor, CuriousCity, which was initially designed as a three-month pop-up exhibition to test the feasibility of a children’s museum in downtown Peabody. The Peabody Cultural Collaborative (PCC) received a creative placemaking grant from the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) in July of 2018 to activate community support for a children’s museum. This original investment in the project vision leveraged additional funding from the Lahey/J.B. Thomas Foundation, the City of Peabody Department of Community Development, North Shore Bank, Eastern Bank and the Peabody Cultural Council. The pop-up garnered such interest from the community, that its time open was extended several months longer – until the covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020.

Based on this success, the Peabody Cultural Collaborative and the City of Peabody turned its attention to designing and funding a permanent museum, in a new location at 10 Main Street, in the heart of downtown Peabody. The new museum opened on October 15, 2022 and features 14 exhibit spaces, a party room for rent, workshops, a gift shop, and much more.

Our Philosophy

The NSCM encourages children and families to learn through play and exploration. We support joyful, active, and exuberant play. We believe in allowing for mistakes and encouraging children to be creative. We ask guests to be kind, respectful, accepting of differences, patient, and understanding. We ask guests not to interfere with children’s playful discovery or try to “perfect” the play experience.