Looking for holiday gifts? Buy Play Passes or a membership for the gift that lasts all year long!
Here are the details to make your trip a great one. See below for some of our most asked questions!
We are closed on Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
In the event of inclement weather, closure information will be posted on our website and social media channels.
$11.50 for those age 1 and up.
Tickets are transferable but not refundable. To transfer your ticket call 605-692-6700 prior to your scheduled session.
We are located in the heart of Brookings’ downtown historic district at 521 4th Street. Get directions to the Museum.
Free parking is available across the street from the Museum entrance. Street parking is available along Fifth Avenue and Fifth Street (north of the Museum).
An electric vehicle (EV) charging spot is available to the public in the south parking lot of the City and County Government Center at 520 3rd Street within walking distance of the museum. Go to the City of Brookings website for more information.
Café Coteau, located in our iconic atrium features delicious breakfast, lunch, and snack options. Breakfast, pasta, salads, wraps, fruits, and veggies, along with SDSU ice cream, are available. The Café is open to the public. Museum admission is not required.
For unique, creative, and educational toys and books, stop by our Museum gift shop Play Central Toys & Books. It is open to the public.
We have a few exhibits that involve water and splashing, bring an extra set of dry clothes.
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms, as well as a family room, are located across from the Welcome Desk on the first floor.
The Museum is a breastfeeding-friendly business committed to providing a welcoming environment where mothers can sit anywhere in the Museum and Cafe to feed. A private Nursing Family Lounge is also available on-site. See the Welcome Desk for assistance.
Looking to spend more time in the area? Check out our nearby attractions!
Museum and Gift Shop Hours:
Cafe Hours:
Special museum member hours take place on Saturdays from 9-10 am and the First Thursday of each month from 5-7 pm.
We are closed on Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
$11.50 per person age 1 and up.
Museum members are free.
If you qualify for public income-related assistance you may receive discounted admission or membership at the Children’s Museum of South Dakota. Learn more about our Access Initiative.
Reservations can be made online. While specific times are noted in the reservation, guests are not required to enter and leave on time
Guests who reserve their playtime will be able to reduce their wait in line upon arrival.
Reservations are not required.
Following CDC guidance, wearing a mask in indoor public spaces is a matter of personal choice in counties considered to have “low” or “medium” community COVID-19 levels.
We will continue to monitor developments related to the pandemic following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the World Health Organization (WHO), the South Dakota Department of Health, and the city of Brookings. We will make adjustments to our operations as needed.
The Museum and Café has a robust schedule of cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.
The Museum Operations Team constantly evaluates and stays up-to-date on the latest research and cleaning practices, including an electrostatic sprayer.
The Museum added bipolar ionization units within the HVAC system to help keep the air clean and prevent the spread of airborne viruses.
Yes. Our capacity will determine the size of groups we are able to accommodate for indoor field trips. All field trips are subject to availability. Call (605) 692-6700, ext. 238, or email bookit@prairieplay.org to inquire about reservations.
Yes! We invite you to celebrate your birthday at the museum.
Learn more about our packages and then contact the Museum’s Educator at (605) 692-6700, ext. 237, to reserve a date. All dates, times, and packages are subject to availability.
Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day and for a week-long yearly maintenance each January.
The Museum is located at 521 4th Street in downtown Brookings, South Dakota. It is 50 minutes north of Sioux Falls along the I-29 corridor.
Free parking is available across the street from the Museum entrance. Street parking is available along Fifth Avenue and Fifth Street, north of the Museum.
Café Coteau, located in the Museum’s iconic atrium, offers an array of delicious breakfast and lunch choices that will satisfy both adults and children.
The cafe is open to the public. Museum admission is not required.
Guests are welcome to enjoy home-packed meals in the dining area or on picnic tables located outside the museum entrance.
Visitors are welcome to bring snacks or sack lunches from home to eat in the Museum’s atrium or outside picnic tables.
Visitors are not allowed to bring in food purchased from outside eateries. Food and drink, with the exception of infant bottles, will not be permitted beyond the museum Welcome Desk.
Our exhibits were designed for children ages 0-10. Typically, children’s museums serve children ages 0-8, but many of the activities, camps, and classes at the Children’s Museum of South Dakota are designed to appeal to tweens as well.
Our mission is to spark imagination and learning for all children and their grown-ups, so we think you’ll find something inspiring at the Museum whether you are a child or an adult!
Museum exhibits have been designed for generations to enjoy together. Children must be accompanied by an adult (age 16 and older) and a 1 to 5 adult to child ratio is required.
Pre-registered drop off camps, classes, and programs are listed on our website calendar.
We require a 1 to 5 adult to child ratio.
Many guests say they could stay at the museum all day and not experience everything. Length of visit is often determined by the age of the child.
Visitors will have a rewarding experience whether they have an hour or several hours to explore.
Admission is valid the entire day. If you choose to leave the Museum, you may return the same day, just present your receipt at the Welcome Desk.
Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more children.
Check out our field trip page to learn how we can help plan a fun, engaging day of play for school field trips, playgroups, home-school groups, or church groups.
To maintain a quality experience, the museum limits the number of large groups that attend on any given day. Make your reservations early.
Visitors are welcome to bring strollers. Designated parking for strollers is located outside the miniExplorers exhibit.
We encourage visitors to play, explore, and learn in their own way. Exhibits are open-ended and offer a unique experience for each visitor.
Yes, the Museum is wheelchair accessible. An elevator provides access to the second floor and accessible restrooms are located on each floor.
We do have 2 wheelchairs for guests to borrow if needed.
Registered service animals are welcome. Service animals must be on a leash or harness at all times.
A coat room is situated just beyond the Welcome Desk. Cubicles provide space for visitors to leave their bags as well as hang their coats.
Admission is $11.50 per person, ages 1 and up. Children under the age of 1 receive free admission. Admission is free for Museum members.
The museum is a member of the Museums for All program. Learn more about our Access Initiative if the price of admission or membership is a burden
Yes, visitors can come and go within the same day of paid admission. Please stop by the Welcome Desk before you leave to inquire about the process for reentry.
We are a member of the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM). Members who select the ACM Reciprocal membership receive 50% off general admission for up to 6 people when visiting other participating ACM museums.
Yes, definitely! While there are toddler spaces in each gallery, the miniExplorers exhibit is specifically designed for visitors under the age of 4.
This exhibit supports the museum’s youngest guests and their overall integration of physical, spatial, and cognitive development. The Children’s Museum of South Dakota also wanted to provide a designated space for parents who might want a quieter place for their toddler to play.
Yes, of course! But please keep in mind that the miniExplorers exhibit is designed for a toddler’s developmental needs. Toddler spaces in each gallery provide excellent opportunities for families with children of varying ages to explore and enjoy the museum together.
Stay up-to-date using our website calendar. You can also join our e-mail newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok, too.
Water activities are available both indoors and outdoors. While we have rain jackets and hand dryers in our Splash! exhibit, it is likely that you might get a bit damp.
We would suggest that you bring waterproof sandals as well as a towel for summer activities in the outdoor play area.
As a champion for children and families and an advocate for playful learning, the Children’s Museum of South Dakota works to support other community organizations through a donation of admission passes for fundraising purposes.
Learn more and find the form to request a donation on our Request a Donation page.
In the state of South Dakota, you can get an Organizational License Plate (Emblem Specialty License Plate) that has a 3 by 3 square space for division-approved decals. Support the Children’s Museum of South Dakota by displaying Kidoodle on your vehicle’s Emblem Specialty License Plate. Purchase a set of decals for $10 either online or at the Welcome Desk.
The Children’s Museum of South Dakota is collaborating with South Dakota State University to better serve children through research of the museum environment. This innovative research will involve studies of informal learning in families and groups, learning through play, the effectiveness of museum environments to support informal learning and developing a sense of place through museum experiences. Families participating in the research studies will be asked to sign consent forms. Children will not be participants in research without the written consent of a parent or guardian.
The Children’s Museum of South Dakota is committed to offering a tobacco-free environment for all employees and visitors in order to promote wellness and provide a safe and healthy environment.
For this reason, the Children’s Museum does not allow the use of any tobacco or e-cigarette products in any areas of the museum and cafe or outside on our prairie.
The Children’s Museum of South Dakota strives to be a peanut-free facility. Café Coteau’s menu is peanut-free, however, the Museum cannot guarantee guests will not bring in foods containing peanuts into the facility without our knowledge.
A number of activities within the City of Brookings and in the nearby region appeal to children of all ages. Check out the Brookings Great 8 Passport.
Or, find a list of South Dakota attractions on our Family Travel Page.
Have you lost something? You may find it at the Welcome Desk. Ask one of our staff members for assistance. Or call 605-692-6700 ext.0 for more information.
Museum gift certificates can be purchased via our website or at the front desk. Certificates can be used for admission, toward membership, and at the Museum gift shop.
Gift certificates for Café Coteau may be purchased onsite.
Please email or call us at 605-692-6700.
