Muse Knoxville

Muse Knoxville is downtown Knoxville's primary children's museum and one of the better hands-on science and exploration museums in the region. The whole philosophy is active participation — no glass cases with signs asking you not to touch. Kids build, experiment, role-play, and make a mess in the most productive possible way.

The exhibits skew STEM without being dry about it. The science station area has experiments kids can actually run themselves with guidance from exhibit instructions or museum staff. The kid-sized community — where children can play doctor, firefighter, or construction worker — is the social and imaginative anchor for younger visitors who aren't yet ready for the science content but need a space to pretend and process.

The planetarium is included with admission and runs scheduled shows that provide a welcome change of pace after high-energy floor exploration. Shows run about 20-30 minutes and give parents a seated rest while kids stare at stars on the dome above them.

For families visiting the Knoxville area primarily for the Smokies, Muse is a smart half-day add-on if you're arriving early or leaving late. It's in downtown Knoxville, walkable to Market Square and plenty of dining. Parking is available in nearby garages.

Membership math: at $10-15 per person, a family of four spends $40-60 per visit. The annual membership pays off at three visits, and if you have an ACM reciprocal membership from your home children's museum, you may get in free or at a discount — worth checking before paying at the door.