Staten Island Children's Museum

Mini adventurers will delight at the oversized objects in this very popular exhibit. Challenge a friend to a game on the giant chess board, knock over huge dominoes and play Connect Four. There’s also a chance to put your engineering skills to work building a Rigamajig with pulleys, ropes, planks, wingnuts, and wheels.

Uncover the secrets of bug camouflage, see how their wild mouthparts shape what they eat, and dive into the jaw-dropping variety of insect body shapes. Slip into an exoskeleton, find out where different bugs make their homes, tune in to the sounds of the insect orchestra, and crawl your way through a giant, human-sized ant hill. From beetles to butterflies, this interactive zone is alive with creepy-crawly discoveries!

Budding young thespians will thrill at the opportunity to dress up and take to the stage in Portia’s Playhouse, an authentic mini theater environment where creativity is encouraged. There’s also a puppet theater where kids can perform their own fairy tales.

Operate the crane, conveyor belt and wrecking ball on this building site, where an unfinished two-story house lets kids explore how pipework, electrical wiring and more are installed. This exhibit encourages teamwork and highlights the architects and construction workers who design and build houses and communities.