Habitot Children's Museum

Habitot Children's Museum in Emeryville is one of those East Bay institutions that local parents have been passing down to younger generations for years. Designed specifically for children ages 0 through first grade, Habitot operates on a development philosophy that values open-ended, imagination-led exploration over technology and electronics.

The museum's exhibits reflect this philosophy: an art studio where kids work with real art materials in a context where mess is the point, a construction zone with wooden blocks, ramps, and building challenges, a dramatic play area styled as a market, and sensory exploration spaces designed for babies and very young toddlers who learn through touch, sound, and movement. None of these exhibits have screens. All of them have materials that kids can move, arrange, create with, and generally make satisfying chaos from.

Habitot is a smaller institution than some of the Bay Area's larger children's museums, which is part of its appeal for families with very young children — the scale is appropriate, staff-to-child ratios tend to be better, and the environment is less overwhelming for sensitive babies and toddlers who get overstimulated in large, loud facilities.

The Emeryville location at 5689 Bay Street puts it near the Bay Street shopping center and is easily accessible from Berkeley, Oakland, and Alameda. Check the website for current hours as they have been subject to change — verifying before you go is always wise for smaller museum operations.