Bucks County Children’s Museum in New Hope

I originally wrote this post in 2021, shortly after starting this blog. We had a family membership at the time and went often. We only went once or twice in 2022, and we recently revisited in June 2023 after seeing that they had changed out the water area. I thought it was about time to update this post!

If you’ve been to Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum, this New Hope favorite is similar but on a smaller scale, making it perfect for an outing with your littlest kids. I think it’s best for children ages 2 through 7. (Though we took both my kids there under 2 and they had fun.) And if you’ve never been there, picture somewhere that Blippi would go! (If that doesn’t help, do you even HAVE kids under 5?!) It’s big enough to entertain them for around 2 hours, but it’s not overwhelming. And the ticket prices reflect that. Children under 1 are free. Kids (1 and up) and adults are $8. (Or if you think you’ll go more than a few times a year, you should take a look at their Membership options.) Parking is also totally reasonable in New Hope. There’s typically plenty of parking right at the museum, and you just pay at a nearby meter. If you can’t find parking in that lot, there are several others (or street parking) nearby. I’ve been there on both weekdays and weekends though, and I’ve always found parking in the lot near the museum.

While it’s called a “museum,” it’s really more of an indoor play area with hands-on educational “exhibits” that encourage imaginative play and discovery. These are the main areas:

Hospital:

In this room, children can pretend to drive or ride in an ambulance, look at x-rays, try their hand at a giant Operation game, and don lab coats to play doctor.

Town Square:

Previously, there was a big ice cream stand stocked with cones and magnetic scoops of ice cream in this room. In fact, it was that area that inspired THIS Melissa & Doug set (Affiliate link) to be the “wrappable” gift that my mother-in-law paired with our museum membership a few years ago. The ice cream section has been replaced with horses that children can “feed” carrots and a little chicken egg peg drop. There are also magnetic animal puzzles on the wall where kids can rummage through a box of animal parts to put together the animals outlined on the wall. The food market, post office and train area are still there and always a favorite for kids that enjoy imaginative play. This also seems to be the room where my kids end up befriending other kids as they take turns pretending to eat lunch in the train dining car, shopping and preparing food.

Big Dig:

Years ago, the “Big Dig” area had sand along with paleontologist vests and tools for uncovering dinosaur bones and fossils. This area changed a lot post COVID. (I’m guessing they were worried about how to sanitize the sand?) They now have large 3D pin art. You know, where you push from one side and then see the indentation on the other?) And the sand has been replaced with hidden bones/fossils that are revealed using little flashlights that are tethered to the area.

Factory Works:

Car lovers and future engineers will have a great time in this area. There are two large ramps along with different sections of tracks (straight, curvy, hills) that you can combine in different ways to see how it affects how the cars go. This section also has a spot on the wall with different movable tubes/ramps for balls, and an area where you can move around magnetic gears, then turn them to make things move. Note: If your child likes those gears, THIS is a great toy! (Affiliate link.) Some of the photos below are from past visits (Henry’s baby face!) but it really hasn’t changed much over the past few years.

Bucks County Country – Recycled Adventure:

The entry into this section is a little Bucks County covered bridge! Here you’ll find a tree house with a slide and a giant Lite Brite underneath, magnetic fishing, and a small rockwall where kids can save stuffed owls.

Airways to Waterways:

In another room, kids can put colorful lightweight scarves into tubes and see how they shoot through before blowing out into the room. There’s also an area with PVC piping that can be constructed in different way to blow the scarves and balls. There are also a few other attractions including an area where kids can build things with blocks and then push a button to make the base vibrate, simulating an earthquake. They can learn about wattages and how it takes different amounts of energy to power different things. There’s also a back room where you can make shadows on the wall and there’s a hot air balloon simulator!

Right beyond this room is the big water table, really the reason for our most recent visit in 2023! Below are pictures of the new design. There were parts that I missed from the previous set up (it no longer has the dome where it feels like it’s raining around you), but my kids really enjoyed it! There are boats and a few other toys to play with, and kids can experiment with changing the way the water flows using dams and dials. (FYI: There are smocks for the water table that help clothes from getting wet!)

Interactive toys:

This space doesn’t have an official name on the website, but it’s just behind the water area. Here, you’ll find Magnatiles with light-up boards, rubber band wall installations, a musical table, and more. It’s definitely a quiet space and nice for taking a little break from other activities.

A Few Tips:

• Bucks County Children’s Museum is closed on Mondays. The rest of the week, they are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Occasionally close at 3:30 on weekends if a private event is scheduled.) They are also closed New Year’s Day, Easter, July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the week after Labor Day.
• Advanced timed tickets are recommended since they do limit entry. (Usually a bigger issue on weekends.)
• If you’d like to bring lunch or snacks, there’s a room with tables and chairs as well as a sink for hand washing. You can bring your own food/drinks. And there’s also a vending machine if needed. Note: It’s a peanut free room.
• During nice weather, there are tables, chairs and umbrellas set up for use in the courtyard that’s down the stairs to the right of the entrance.
• Alternatively, there are lots of fun restaurants in New Hope! One of our favorites is Triumph Brewing Co.. It’s a great kid-friendly spot with really good food and drinks. PLUS, their outdoor seating overlooks the New Hope train station and tracks. My son LOVES this.

• The museum has cubbies at the entrance that you can use for diaper bags, etc.
• Bucks County Children’s Museum has really nice bathrooms! Not all public places can say this, so I think it’s worth noting. Foot stools for the kids to use when washing their hands. Traditional flush toilets. (My kids HATE the automatic.) And a baby changing table (a REAL one, not those fold-down ones) that always has a variety of diapers underneath in case of emergency.
• Have your child wear short sleeves or sleeves that roll up easily so they don’t get wet in the water table.

• When you’re exiting the museum, take a look at the brochures and maps on display. You can take these for free, and my kids LOVE looking at maps while we’re in the car. As a bonus, it was a great distraction to get them away from the gift shop area!
• Strollers are allowed for sleeping babies, but otherwise not encouraged since they take up space. (You can leave them folded up in the lobby.) The place isn’t huge and is your little one will definitely want to be down and interacting with everything. If you’re bringing along a younger sibling that can’t walk yet, I’d recommend baby wearing.
• This is a great spot for siblings of different ages or playdates!