Long Island Children’s Museum

Long Island Children’s Museum is a hands-on museum in Garden City that encourages children to learn through play, experimentation, creativity and discovery. Located on Museum Row in Nassau County, the museum features interactive galleries, live theater, art spaces, educational programs and activities designed for children and families.

The museum is one of the major family attractions in central Long Island and is located near the Cradle of Aviation Museum, Nassau County Firefighters Museum & Education Center and historic Nunley’s Carousel. Together, these attractions make Museum Row a convenient destination for families planning several activities in a single day.

History of the Long Island Children’s Museum

The idea for the Long Island Children’s Museum began in 1989 when a group of Long Island educators, artists, businesspeople and parents discussed why the region did not have a dedicated children’s museum similar to those they had visited elsewhere in the country.

The museum opened in November 1993 as a private nonprofit institution in a donated 5,400-square-foot demonstration space. Strong public response quickly demonstrated the need for a larger permanent home.

Nassau County later invited the museum to become part of Museum Row at the former Mitchel Field complex. A $17 million capital campaign launched in 1998 supported development of a much larger facility and the creation of permanent interactive exhibits. The current museum opened on February 27, 2002.

Interactive Exhibits

The Long Island Children’s Museum contains 14 hands-on interactive exhibit galleries designed to encourage children to explore concepts through play. Rather than presenting traditional museum displays that are primarily viewed from a distance, many exhibits are designed to be touched, manipulated, climbed through, constructed or actively experienced.

Exhibits cover a wide range of subjects including science, engineering, art, communication, movement, construction, nature and imaginative play. Younger children can explore areas such as TotSpot, Sandy Island and Bubbles, while older children can engage with exhibits involving building, tools, climbing and problem-solving.

The museum also hosts traveling exhibits throughout the year, giving repeat visitors opportunities to encounter new subjects and experiences in addition to the permanent galleries.

Saltwater Stories and Long Island’s Maritime Heritage

One of the museum’s major permanent exhibits is Saltwater Stories: We Need the Sea & the Sea Needs Me, a roughly 1,900-square-foot interactive gallery focused on Long Island’s maritime history, coastal environment and relationship with the sea.

The exhibit introduces children to the waters surrounding Long Island through immersive scenery, technology and interactive activities. It connects the museum’s educational mission with the geography and maritime culture that have shaped communities throughout the region.

Live Theater and Creative Programs

In addition to its exhibit galleries, the Long Island Children’s Museum includes a 140-seat theater used for live performances and educational programming. Theater presentations may include plays, music, storytelling, puppetry and other family-oriented performances.

The museum also contains four classroom-size learning studios where workshops, art activities, science programs and group learning experiences are held. Daily programming varies, so families can often combine self-guided exhibit exploration with scheduled activities during a visit.

Nunley’s Carousel

Historic Nunley’s Carousel is located on Museum Row between the Long Island Children’s Museum and the Nassau County Firefighters Museum. The carousel originally operated at Golden City Park in Canarsie, Brooklyn beginning in 1912 before moving to Baldwin in 1939, where it became a familiar Long Island attraction for generations of families.

After Nunley’s Amusement Park closed in 1995, Nassau County purchased the carousel for preservation. It was restored and relocated to Museum Row in 2009. The Long Island Children’s Museum now operates the carousel in partnership with the county.

The restored ride contains jumping and standing horses, a lion and chariots and is housed indoors, allowing it to operate during much of the year. Carousel operating hours and tickets are separate from regular museum admission.

Museum Row

The Long Island Children’s Museum is part of Museum Row, a cultural complex developed on the grounds of historic Mitchel Field. The area also includes the Cradle of Aviation Museum and Nassau County Firefighters Museum & Education Center, giving families several educational attractions within walking distance or a very short drive of one another.

The museum is also close to Roosevelt Field, one of Long Island’s largest shopping destinations, making the surrounding Garden City area convenient for combining museums, dining and shopping in one outing.

Accessibility and Family Services

The museum is fully accessible and offers additional resources through its LICM4all initiative. This includes programs intended to make museum experiences more comfortable for children and families with disabilities, including sensory-sensitive opportunities and designated Friendly Hours with modified sound and lighting.

Family services include baby-changing facilities in restrooms, nursing accommodations, a coat room and lockers. A cafeteria area is available, and visitors may bring their own food for consumption in designated dining areas.

Planning a Visit

The Long Island Children’s Museum is located at 11 Davis Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530 on Museum Row along Charles Lindbergh Boulevard. Free parking is available, including accessible parking spaces.

During the summer season, the museum is generally open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. School-year schedules differ, and the museum is closed on several major holidays. General admission is currently $20, admission for visitors age 65 and older is $18, and children under one year old are admitted free. Because hours, admission rates and programming can change, visitors should confirm current information through the Long Island Children’s Museum’s official website before traveling.

The museum can be reached at 516-224-5800.

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Long Island Children’s Museum

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Key Facts & Details

Detail	Information
Name	Long Island Children’s Museum
Type	Interactive children’s museum
Location	Garden City, Nassau County, Long Island
Address	11 Davis Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530
Founded	1993
Current Museum Opened	February 27, 2002
Facility Size	Approximately 40,000 square feet
Interactive Galleries	14
Theater	140-seat live performance theater
Learning Studios	Four classroom-size studios
Major Exhibit	Saltwater Stories: We Need the Sea & the Sea Needs Me
Historic Attraction	Nunley’s Carousel
Nearby Attraction	Cradle of Aviation Museum
Nearby Shopping	Roosevelt Field
Summer Hours	Generally daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
General Admission	$20
Parking	Free on-site parking
Accessibility	Fully accessible; LICM4all programs and sensory-friendly resources available
Phone	516-224-5800
Website	licm.org

With hands-on galleries, live theater, creative workshops, maritime exhibits and the historic Nunley’s Carousel nearby, the Long Island Children’s Museum is one of the region’s most substantial destinations designed specifically for children and families. Its location beside other major Long Island museums also makes Museum Row an especially useful choice for a family outing or a rainy-day activity on Long Island.