New Hours
Tues.- Sat.
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sun. 1-5 p.m.

Admission
Adults/Children: $5
FREE for museum members and children under age two
New Location
Imperial Mall
12th & Marian Rd.
Hastings, NE 68901
(402) 463-3300

Construction Zone Exhibits features giant Builder Blocks in various sizes suitable for building an unlimited variety of playhouses. The size of the blocks provides the opportunity to build large, life-like structures. Children are able to think, consider, discuss and work together towards a common goal and share a sense of accomplishment. Fosters problem solving and creative skills.
Grocery Store Encourages children to fill their carts with a variety of food items, check out their selections with a cash register, and help re-stock shelves. Children are challenged to explore a grocery store environment using taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound to learn about the diverse items and experiences found in an active market. This activity station encourages role-playing, social skills, building, and mathematics, sorting, as well as learning about food groups.
Vet's Office Exciting area includes life-sizes dogs, cats, and rabbits, which children may care for with a variety of veterinary supplies and tools. It is complete with animal cages and a light table for viewing x-rays. Children can investigate the importance of taking care of pets.
Hospital/Doctor's Office Exhibit consists of medical equipment, props, multi-cultural dolls, and examination tables. Children can play the role of the doctor and help take care of patients. They can hear their own heartbeat using a stethoscope. Children have the opportunity to explore a medical environment in a safe and friendly setting by demystifying the equipment and procedures used by medical workers and showing medical professionals as people who help us heal.
Puppet Theater and Performance Stage Children can create their own productions while collaborating with other children. Some children may prefer the role of the audience. This exhibit can be expanded with musical instruments, props, costumes, special lighting, and tapes of various sounds. Pretend play is the way children make sense of the world. It gives them the opportunity to try on adult roles and tell their own stories.
Artist's Corner Allow children to create, design, investigate, and explore your world using awesome art techniques. Surround yourself with paints, clay, crayons, fabric, craft sticks, and more as you create art that is limited only by your imagination! Creativity is plentiful in this area! Children can participate in daily projects that stretch their imagination and offer freedom of expression using a variety of materials, tools, and processes.
Pizzeria Children have the opportunity to practice basic math in a setting that is fun and familiar. Pattern sequence, fractions, whole numbers, measurements, and money calculations all lend themselves to this dynamic setting. Opportunities to engage in role-play, investigate diverse foods, and communicate with parents and peers are also present in this exhibit. Are you a chef-wannabe? Grab an apron and start filling those pizza orders in our pizza kitchen stocked with pretend pizza. You can almost smell the pizza cooking when you slide it into our oven.
Creepers and Crawlers This carpeted play space will include a Little Tikes Tot tree. This protected area is specially designed for the youngest visitors. In the pond babies can move freely, explore new objects and develop self-awareness in the comfort of your close presence. In the meadow mobile infants crawl, push, pull, and grasp toward developing their large-motor and small-motor skills. The Little Tikes Tot Tree contains a wide variety of activities to encourage exploration, motor skills, and perceptual-cognitive and social-linguistic development.
Nature Nook Exhibit features a new vivarium with reptiles. Like nature this exhibit is ever changing includeing fish, ants, and incubater.
New Around the Block Around the World Older children learn about the world through architectural table blocks.