The museum plaza and rooftop TreeHouse Adventure seen from Chestnut Street.
Open today 10 AM – 5 PM.
Online tickets mean a quick check-in and a guaranteed spot. Weekends and holidays can sell out. Tickets are sold until one hour before close.
There are several paid lots close by, including one directly behind the building. The free CARTA electric shuttle runs through downtown all day and stops a block away.
Shuttle routeEverything here is hands-on. Comfortable clothes you can climb, splash, and build in are the right call. RiverPlay on the roof gets kids wet.
Your ticket is good for the whole day with re-entry. Get a hand stamp at Guest Relations, walk the riverfront for lunch, and come back.
Most families stay longer. Eleven galleries across three floors and a rooftop take a while.
Under 2 free. $5 with an EBT card. Members always free. Every discount is on the tickets page.
Closed Wednesdays during the school year. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and The first Saturday in March (AmuseUm fundraiser).
The museum is a certified KultureCity Sensory Inclusive space and was the first in Tennessee to join Museums for All. The whole building is wheelchair accessible except the Tower stairs, the upper levels of RiverPlay, and the upper TreeHouse pods; a ramp at the front and an elevator by the café reach every floor. Headphones for loud galleries and sensory bags are yours to borrow at Guest Relations, and the Discovery Library on the second floor is a quiet room you can close the door on.
A kid-focused menu with allergy-friendly, vegetarian and gluten-free choices, clean ingredients, and a coffee bar for the grown-ups. Inside the museum, open museum hours. Food stays in the café, lobby and plaza; only lidded water bottles go into the galleries.
Order ahead About the caféTake a piece of the day home. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the lobby, and every purchase supports the museum’s mission.
Still have a question? Guest Relations answers at ticketing@cdmfun.org or (423) 648-6072.
Allow at least two hours. Admission is good all day with re-entry, so many families split the visit around lunch.
One hour before the museum closes. Buying online ahead of time is the surest way in, because the museum can sell out on weekends and holidays.
Children 12 and under must be supervised by someone 13 or older. If the supervisor is 13 to 15, an adult must come in and sign a permission slip at the ticket desk. Children 13 to 15 may visit without an adult only after an adult signs that slip. Guests 16 and up are adults. Adults visiting without children leave a photo ID at Guest Relations.
Only bottled water with a secure lid goes into the galleries. Eat on the plaza or in the lobby, or at Bean Sprouts Café inside the museum.
Stroller parking is limited. Umbrella strollers are free to borrow with a photo ID at Guest Relations. If you bring your own it must be occupied, and it parks in the marked area by Little FarmHouse on the first floor. Wagons, wagon-style strollers, bikes, and skate shoes stay home.
Yes, first come, first served, $2 a token at Guest Relations, for the length of your visit. There is also an unattended coat closet in the lobby. The museum is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Clothing or visible tattoos with obscene language or images, hate speech, or content that incites violence are not allowed. Everything else is fine, and the more you can play in it the better.
No. Firearms and weapons of any kind, including pocket knives, are prohibited. Security will ask you to return them to your vehicle before entering.
No. Smoking and vaping are prohibited everywhere in the museum.
A full-time janitorial and maintenance staff vacuums the galleries and cleans restrooms daily. Museum educators wipe down exhibits and props every day and walk the galleries to pick up as needed.
The museum welcomes every background, belief, and family structure, and expects the same respect from everyone. Inappropriate conduct toward staff, volunteers, or other guests is not tolerated. Management may refuse admission or ask anyone to leave, without refund, for disorderly, inappropriate, or offensive conduct. Visitors and members assume all risks; the museum disclaims liability and may suspend visitation for repairs, maintenance, or acts of nature. Buying a ticket or membership accepts these terms.
