Are you headed to the beach for Spring Break? It’s about 2.5 hours away from Raleigh, but if you’re going to be close to Wrightsville Beach be sure to check out the Children’s Museum of Wilmington! It’s been a few years since we’ve visited (which is why these pictures are terrible quality), but I still remember how much fun my toddlers had while we were there! We definitely plan on visiting again when we’re in the area!
The Children’s Museum of Wilmington is very similar to Marbles Kids Museum, but I love how they incorporated their beach location and history of pirates into the exhibits. Your kids can climb aboard a pirate ship, explore under the ocean, learn about the water cycle, pretend to captain a submarine, and have loads of fun in the process!
looking through the telescope 
captain of the submarine 
color-changing science experiments 
Under the sea play area
The museum has multiple floors so be prepared to climb some stairs! There was an elevator for strollers, but it wasn’t always convenient and I remember it being a big pain. The museum is located in an old, historic building just like Imagination Station in Wilson, so it wasn’t specifically designed for a children’s museum. It makes it a quaint space, but oddly laid out.
Exhibits
The first exhibit you will encounter is the giant pirate ship playhouse. At the time of our visit I had a newly turned 1 year old and a 2.5 year old. My 2 year old loved running through the pirate ship and getting chased by daddy. There were a few dress up items available to encourage role play, but they have currently removed those due to the pandemic.
I was really impressed by the awesome construction site “sandbox.” Instead of using sand, they had rubber mulch in it’s place. You could scoop and pour without making as much of a mess! I especially enjoyed that it didn’t get in the kids shoes and tracked into our car!
Another highlight was the pretend grocery store. What kid doesn’t like pushing around a pint-size shopping cart?! The store was located in a large ballroom, which also had some physical activity challenges and giant foam blocks you could build with. It reminded me a lot of the physical fitness section at Marbles, and the foam blocks they set out on Moore Square for the Imagination Playground events.
play grocery store 
lego table 
testing her strength in the chair lift 
ballroom filled with giant foam blocks
Toddler Section
Just like at the Children’s Museum of Alamance County, there is a separate toddler area for kids 4 and under. The toddler treehouse is a small playground where the little ones can climb and slide without worry of being trampled. It was a great enclosed space if you need to take a parent break from running around the museum!
Sensory Sensitive Area
If your child starts experiencing sensory overload, there’s also a separate quite space downstairs. Here they can sit and read books, play with puzzles, cuddle some stuffies, and do a magnet board. It’s a perfect little quiet nook for those who may need it! We enjoyed taking a book break and trying our hand at some puzzles. If you like this idea, Kidzu also has a similar quiet space at their museum.
Art Studio
If you have a budding artist on your hands, they will love the art studio upstairs. They have every kind of crafty, painting, artsy material you can think of. There’s usually a craft of the day, but you can also just let your imagination run wild and create whatever you can think of. Think of Little Doodles messy art studio, but with sculpting, drawing, weaving, and more!
Teddy Bear Hospital
One of my two year old’s favorite spots was the Teddy Bear Hospital. Set up just like a real hospital, you can nurse your bear back to good health by weighing him, checking his reflexes, taking an x-ray, and more. My girl did a little pretend play here, but she mainly just liked cuddling the bears! She carried one around with her the rest of the time we were at the museum!
Courtyard
I absolutely loved the courtyard space. It’s a great, enclosed, outdoor space at the center of the museum. They have set up a garden, hopscotch, and playground, but the best part is the real school bus you can go in and explore! We couldn’t drag my girl off this thing! It was blazing hot outside but all she wanted to do was be in that school bus! This could be a great spot to visit if you have a kid almost ready to start school.
Pandemic Procedures
Currently, you must reserve your ticket in advance on the museum website. You’ll also want to check out their pandemic procedures on their website as well. Some exhibits are restricted and all guests age 5 and up must wear a mask. They are still taking the ACM reciprocal membership, but you will need to call ahead to reserve your spot.
Unfortunately I don’t have as many pictures as I would like of this fun space, so I recommend giving it a go and checking out the Children’s Museum of Wilmington yourself! It was a great way to beat the heat while at the beach, and it would be a great rainy day spot for some indoor fun! Also check out the Wilmington Railroad Museum and the Battleship North Carolina while you’re in the area!