What makes the museum stand out

The museum is spread over three floors and focuses on science, art and culture. Perhaps the most beloved part of the museum by many is The Summit, a 70-foot tower that is meant to be climbed and explored.

Children's Town is a place where kids under 5 will want to go and play with animal sounds and clothes. Be sure to take older children to the Fantasy Festival, where they can become an astronaut, cowboy or whatever.

Like the nearby Technical Museum, it offers hands-on activities for children as well as interesting exhibits for adults. Recent travelers seem to have a few favorite exhibits, but WaterWays — a large network of water-filled tubes that carry colorful marbles — stands out from the rest.

Parents love sections of the museum designed for children of a certain age, such as the Cabinet of Miracles, which caters for children ages 4 and under and encourages exploration in a safe and stimulating environment (such as an art studio). And while there is a food court here (which some say is a bit pricey), you are also allowed to bring your own lunch or snacks.

We recommend traveling in the middle of the week to avoid the big weekend crowds and dedicate at least a few hours to discover the whole place.

Story

The museum was founded by Robin Greenspoon and Mark Tratos, who formed a partnership in 1984 between the Las Vegas Junior League and the Allied Arts Council, which established a non-profit educational institution.

In 1985, a bond was issued for the construction of the Las Vegas Regional Library and Children's Museum building, which opened its doors on September 9, 1990.

In 2010, the museum announced plans to build and move into a new large house in Symphony Park. The total cost of the project was $50 million.

In August 2010, the Donald Reynolds Foundation made a gift and paid for the construction of its block in Symphony Park. $43 million of this was spent on the construction of the Donald Reynolds Center. The museum raised the remaining $7 million needed to complete the project. The new museum opened on March 9, 2013.

What to look at

Imagine a child in a candy store. Now imagine that the candy store is actually a three-story museum full of interactive exhibits promoting science, art, and culture, and your child's reaction will be strikingly similar to that of a candy factory.

Here is a list of activities for you and your little ones:

• Summit

This 70-foot tower will win you over with its jungle climbing structures: slides and climbing tubes, as well as hands-on experiments along the way centered around machines, air pressure, flight, magnets, electricity, light and more.

Be sure to keep a close eye on your child here. Multi-level entrances and exits (in particular, curvy slides and lift pipes) make it easy to separate.

• water world

Kids will have tons of fun learning about the movement and power of water at play stations with turbines, hot tubs and water wheels. This wild adventure includes colorful lessons and quirky water facts to get your child right into the learning process.

• fantasy festival

Do you want to be a cowboy, a doctor, an astronaut? You can try on their uniform and become whoever you want to be. Use your imagination to learn how to tie knots, constrictors and anchors on a two-story pirate ship, master the art of puppet theater in a two-story castle, or perform a skit on stage.

• Eco city

Run errands like a grown-up and learn all the ins and outs of spending and saving money in this mini-city with a bank, veterinary clinic, grocery store, car center and airport.