expERIEnce Children's Museum

expERIEnce Children's Museum in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania is a highly-rated community children's museum that serves as one of the key family activity anchors of northwest Pennsylvania. Its 4.7 Google rating with over 1,100 reviews reflects the consistent quality that keeps Erie families returning.

The museum features the classic children's museum toolkit — role-play areas (grocery store, community spaces), hands-on science and engineering exhibits, and creative stations — all executed at a scale that works well for the 1-9 age range. The exhibits are regularly refreshed and designed to invite active participation rather than passive observation.

From Philadelphia, Erie is a 4. 5-hour drive — making this specifically relevant for families road-tripping through Pennsylvania or making a dedicated trip to the Lake Erie region. The obvious pairing is Presque Isle State Park, one of Pennsylvania's finest beach destinations, just minutes from the museum.

Spend the morning at the museum, pack lunch, then head to the beach for the afternoon. That's a genuinely excellent family day.

Hours are important: closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Sunday hours are limited (1PM-5PM only). Check for current hours. Admission is community-priced and affordable. If you have a membership from another ACM-affiliated children's museum, check whether it provides reciprocal free or discounted admission here.

Erie overall is a budget-friendly destination — food, lodging, and activities cost meaningfully less than Philadelphia-area equivalents, which makes it an attractive value destination for families.