Louisiana Children's Museum, 15 Henry Thomas Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124, US

The Louisiana Children's Museum, located in the Warehouse District of New Orleans, is 30,000 square feet of hands-on learning. Kids can ride an exercise bike alongside Mr. Bones, an interactive life-sized skeleton; channel their inner Picasso in Art Trek, a working art studio; or pretend to be a cook, server, customer or greeter in the hugely popular Kids' Cafe. Kids can dress up, enjoy story time, or stand inside a giant bubble. The museum is a great place for kids of all ages to spend a few hours or an entire day exploring, learning or engaged in free play.Parking and public transportation at the Louisiana Children's MuseumVisitors have a choice of metered street parking or can park in one of several public parking lots. For about $5.00 visitors can park in a lot that's just steps away from the museum. If you visit on Sunday's, you can park for free at the meters. Transportation is also available via the St. Charles or Canal Street streetcars and the numerous city buses that serve the Warehouse/Central Business District (CBD) area.Best and worst time to go to the Louisiana Children's MuseumThe museum hosts summer camps, so it can get really crowded with the campers and regular vacation travelers. If you visit during the summer months, a better option is to swing by on weekends. Likewise during the school year, you'll probably want to visit after lunch to avoid field trips.Admission to the Louisiana Children's MuseumYou'll pay about $9.00 for admission, with children under one admitted free. The museum is closed on major holidays and Mondays, except during the summer months.Must see/do at the Louisiana Children's MuseumA definite must-see is the Stuffee Show, an educational and interactive performance that teaches kids of all ages about internal organs and the digestive tract and if you're lucky, you might become part of the show. Make sure you check out the pint-sized Winn Dixie grocery store but consider yourself warned, you may have trouble prying your kids away from this exhibit. The store features miniature grocery carts and tons of food items kids can plop in their baskets and then take to the counter where actual working cash registers await. Shopper, stocker or cashier...kids can decide which one(s) they want to be...or try all three.Other places to visit near the Louisiana Children's MuseumIf you're not too exhausted or you're looking for a place to eat, head over to the newly renovated Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, there's a nice food court and dozens of name brand stores that won't cripple your wallet. If you're looking for great pizza (and who isn't?), kid-friendly Reginelli's on Poydras is a good choice. Also in the area is Mardi Gras World, where you can take a tour and get a behind-the-scene look at how parade floats are made, learn a little Carnival history and have a slice of King Cake.Insider tip for visitors to the Louisiana Children's MuseumThe museum does not have a cafe but there is a vending machine. However, if your kids get hungry or they need to take a break, you can leave and return the same day without having to pay another admission charge...so keep your receipt in a safe place.Author's bio: Myra Faye Turner lives and writes from New Orleans. Although her son feels he's too old for the Louisiana Children's Museum, she begs to differ.