Exhibits
Each of the 15 hands-on exhibits in North Shore Children’s Museum explore different themes to tap into a child’s imagination. From building and designing to investigating new materials to reading and engaging in dramatic play, learning has never been so fun!
Sensory Space
This mindfulness exhibit, sponsored by the J.B. Thomas Lahey Foundation, offers yoga, meditation space, soft lighting, and reading-based activities for the whole family. It provides a quiet space for little ones who may need a break from overstimulation.
Farm to Table
Created in partnership with Newhall Fields, enter our farmer’s market! There is an interactive kitchen, barnyard playset and market display that helps to model the USDA “My Plate” importance of a fresh, healthy diet.
Artwork by Emily Cooper
Bank
Our banking exhibit, sponsored by North Shore Bank, includes a fun play-bank complete with cash registers and pretend money. Kids can imagine what it would be like to be a bank teller, make a deposit, or use a drive through and ATM!
Outer Space
Take a trip to the solar system in our special outer space room, complete with glow-in-the-dark planets and stars. Explore our sensory table with Kinetic Sand and planets. Command Center built by Essex Tech Carpentry Department coming soon!
Artwork by Sheila Billings
Gross Motor
Our gross-motor room, sponsored by Danvers Indoor Sports, is the perfect place for kids to get their energy out! Play with our giant LEGO blocks, build in our Construction Corner, and climb and slide on our Cedarworks indoor playset.
Gross Motor Jr.
This room serves as a safe space for children ages 0-4, with a Cedarworks rocker and playset, cozy rug, and soft toys for our tiniest visitors.
Makerspace
Come create with our rotating selection of craft supplies and loose parts. Try your hand at rotating sesonal crafts. Let your imagination go wild!
Artwork by Susan Lord and Jaimie Mulvey
STEM Lab
Concepts such as flight, air current, air resistance, and gravity are explored through play and hands-on investigation with our wind tunnel. This room also houses our popular giant Lite Brite and light table, both of which teach children about color and light.
Doctor's Office
Children can use their imagination to visit the doctor, with our waiting area and library of books on medical visit fears, as well as our check-up station, baby nursery, and x-ray table. This play pediatrician’s office is sponsored by Peabody Health Care Associates.
Artwork by Ron Lebrasseur
Get Outside! Bugs and Bees!
Become an explorer in this exhibit sponsored by Essex County Greenbelt. Take a walk on our balance stepping stone. Learn about things you can observe when getting outside on the North Shore. Learn about insects and their role in the ecosystem.
Artwork by Bruce Orr
Comics
Explore the world of comic books in our interactive super-hero exhibit. The walls in this special space are filled with information about everything that superpowers and physics have in common. Our air wall demonstrates the power of wind by blasting balls through intricate tubes.
Artwork by Pasquale Minichillo, Jr.
Go Fish!
Learn about topography with our sand table and interact with our touchscreen ocean game. Celebrating the North Shore’s coastal history, we know your little ones will have fun aboard this exhibit.
Artwork by Erin Survilas
Storytelling
Flip through our giant storybook, play with our puppet theater and, dress up as your favorite characters!
Artwork by Yetti Frankel (book) and Meg Nichols (walls)
BEAM Projector Game Room
Check out our interactive gaming floor, with BEAM software that brings 100 ever-changing games and activities to our biggest exhibit room.
Rotating Room
While all of our exhibits are constantly evolving and shifting to remain fresh and educational for our visitors, our Rotating Room will change every season – 4 x per year! It’s been a bank and a post office – stay tuned for the next iteration!
Video Tour of the NSCM!
Check out our sneak peek tour, showing our 15 exhibits paces in progress! All of our exhibits are listed below. Some will be rotated on an annual basis.