Families can get so much more out of their local museum than just the educational benefits. They offer a dynamic opportunity to expose children to loads of memorable experiences. A trip to the museum provokes imagination through interactive exhibits and hands on play, and they provide a unique environment for quality family time. Explore your family’s curiosities at these six museums you need to visit near Frisco, Texas.
Frisco Heritage Museum
Image via Flickr by KB35
The Frisco Heritage Museum on Page Street tells the story of Frisco from the turn of the 20th century through today. Learn how the area’s earliest settlers lived and worked through its exhibits featuring dozens of rare artifacts, educational displays, and photographs that depict its growth from a mere stop along the Shawnee Trail to the bustling city we know and love.
Tour one of several historic buildings, including a log cabin, an 1895 farmhouse, the schoolhouse, and a replica of the Frisco Depot. There’s even a steam locomotive and a wooden caboose at this historic park. This awesome destination is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 to 4. Entry fees are $8 for the whole family, $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, and $2 for kids over 4. Active duty military members and their families get free admission from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Frisco Discovery Center
With the help of the City of Frisco and a $3 million grant, this former warehouse space was transformed into a world-class cultural center that showcases the arts and science. Join your local community and investigate the Sci-Tech wing. With plenty of brand new programs coming out during the fall of 2020, the whole family can get in on some mind-stretching fun, such as “Be A Chemist.” It’s a free two-hour workshop, or attend the weekly preschool science time with themes like dinosaurs and space.
Catch a performance at the Black Box Theater. Its stage is home to plays, film screenings, and concerts. The Frisco Art Gallery features rotating displays by artists from Dallas to South Korea, featuring a wide range of mediums. The Frisco Discovery Center is located on North Dallas Parkway, and hours vary to accommodate social distancing guidelines. However, most exhibits are open between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and on weekends until 5:30. General admission is just $10 for adults and preschoolers ages 3 and up. Members are always free.
The National Videogame Museum
Image via Flickr by steevithak
While Frisco’s newest museum is on the grounds of the Frisco Discovery Center, it’s so special; we had to feature it separately. Get a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the history of gaming thanks to 10,400 square feet of permanent display space. This gallery showcases a huge collection of over 100,000 items, including video game consoles, games, and memorabilia from past and present. Tap into STEM values through America’s video game craze with these interactive exhibits.
The National Videogame Museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday until 6, and Sunday from noon to 5. Family memberships are currently discounted at just $79.99 for the year.
Museum of the American Railroad
Image via Flickr by Luxury Train Club
All aboard for a journey into the “golden age” of railroad history. The Museum of the American Railroad is dedicated to preserving various items from throughout the 1900s, including the “Frisco Line” railroad, which is our town’s namesake. Everyone in the family can tour real antique rail cars, restored passenger coaches, steam locomotives, and engines from the diesel-electric era.
This museum also offers train enthusiasts the chance to see one of the largest collections of Pullman Cars in the country and the “Big Boy” 4018. This Union Pacific engine is one of the largest steam locomotives ever built. On the flip side, there’s also an impressive display of G-scale model trains called “TrainTopia.”
This museum’s combo ticket is $15 for adults and $7.50 for kids ages 3 to 12. This low price includes both the walking tour and the miniature world of trains exhibit. Visit TrainTopia Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 3. Walking tours are by reservation only.
Play Street Museum
Located on Lebanon Road, the Play Street Museum is just your kiddo’s size. They’ll have a blast playing pretend and discovering the interactive exhibits. They can imagine they’re a fireman driving the truck or a chef baking something delicious. There are loads of hands-on activities in this indoor, educational play space. Rain or shine, there’s something fun happening at this purposefully designed museum. Open play is offered in 90-minute sessions throughout the day. Admission is $12 for children ages 1 to 8, and parents and older siblings are free.
Frontiers Of Flight Museum
Image via Flickr by brewbooks
This institution is an ideal place for aviation enthusiasts of all ages. Located on Lemmon Avenue in Dallas, it spans 100,000-square-feet across an airplane hangar at Love Field Airport. The Frontiers Of Flight Museum features over 35,000 artifacts that chronicle space and aviation history, including missiles, flight trainers, and models. Wander through 13 galleries and catch a glimpse of thirty types of aircraft, including a few space vehicles like the Apollo 7 command module.
The kids will love the hands-on discovery area dedicated just to them. It offers a replica control tower for climbing, and the whole family can watch aircraft taking off and landing at the airport. The Frontiers Of Flight Museum is open for tours Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5. To get in, adults pay $10, and youths 3 to 17 pay $7.
These are the top six museums near Frisco, according to daycares in Frisco, TX. Why do you think it’s important to take children to museums? Did we include your family’s favorite institution? If we missed an awesome museum near Frisco, tell us, so we can add it to our list.