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Tickets & Rates at the North Shore Children’s Museum

Children under 12 months: FREE
Adults & Children (age 12 months+): $12.00
Adults & Children with EBT/WIC Card: $3.00

Tickets are available in-person on a first-come, first-serve basis for all visitors, regardless of discount or membership used. Online ticket reservations are strongly encouraged due to our museum capacity.

Sold out online? We have walk-in tickets available every day. You just may need to wait a bit if we are operating on a one-in, one-out basis.

The use of our EBT/WIC Card can be done in-person or over the phone at 978 538 5767.

Purchase Tickets

Walk in Policy: If tickets are Sold Out online, we have 50 walk in tickets available for each play session. After those 50 tickets, we move to a one out, one in model so guests may have a small wait to get in. Due to fire capacity, guests are unable to wait at NSCM. We will make a walk in waiting list and call when tickets become available.

Admission Information

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VISITING A FEW TIMES A YEAR?

Consider purchasing a membership, which gives you and your family unlimited access to the museum. Click here to learn more about our membership options.

Hours of Operation

NEW! Mondays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm July 7 through August 24, 2025

Wednesdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Thursdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Fridays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Saturdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Sundays: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Please check the monthly calendar on our homepage for any schedule changes, such as holiday closures or special school break hours.

Parking

The rear lot behind the Museum at 10 Main Street is not public. There is typically street parking available on Main Street, and the closest public parking lots are the Central Street Lot, Mill Street Lot, and Foster Street Lot. All public lots are just a short walk away.

Cancellations

Guests who have purchased tickets online and need to cancel their visit are asked to contact NSCM as soon as possible to enable staff to release the tickets for other visitors. If you contact us before the end of the ticket timed session, we will transfer your tickets to another play session. If a transfer is not possible, (i.e. you are visiting from out of town), we can explore refund options with you.

Access for All Income Levels

We are proud to offer free or reduced admission to over 26% of our visitors through a variety of discount programs:

NSCM participates in the Card to Culture* and Museums for All programs by extending discounts to EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare health plan insurance cardholders. Present one of these cards at the ticket desk and pay just $3/ticket. Sold out online? No worries – we save tickets for walk-ins with these cards. *Sun Bucks program runs from June 17 – September 1
NSCM has partnerships with 30+ local libraries which offer 50% off tickets. Visitors need to reserve a pass for the date you want to visit and then pick it up at your local library or download it digitally from the library website in advance. NSCM tickets may then be purchased online or at the ticket desk under the library pass rate of $6. Contact your local library for details!
NSCM offers Town Free Days multiple times per year, thanks to support from generous sponsors. Follow us on social media (@nschildrensmuseum) so you don’t miss our next one!

*Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program is in partnership with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the WIC Nutrition Program, and the Massachusetts Health Connector. See the complete list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.

Thank you to New England Biolabs for sponsoring our Card to Culture and Museums for All programs. Thank you to MassPort for sponsoring our EBT/WIC admission program.

Sensory-Friendly Play Sessions: Every Child Initiative

We support all families and children with different sensory processing needs. To ensure our friends with Autism or other sensory processing disorders can enjoy our museum, every first Saturday at 2:00PM, we offer a low-sensory play session. This two-hour session has a reduced admission capacity and lower lights and sounds. We have noise-canceling headphones and “sensory boxes” available, as well as a high staff/volunteer:visitor ratio to ensure all of your needs are met. Advanced ticket purchase is recommended due to reduced capacity of these special sessions.

Check out our Social Story to help your little one prepare for their visit to NSCM!