The DoSeum Is San Antonio’s Children’s Museum

sign at The DoSeum

The DoSeum is San Antonio’s children’s museum—a place where minds are always at play. Young visitors can enjoy interactive fun and hands-on learning, exploring the joy of learning through connections to STEM, the arts, and literacy. We have put together a guide to help you and your family enjoy The DoSeum, whether you simply haven’t visited yet, or if there are programs, camps, and classes that you haven’t experienced yet.

What makes The DoSeum special—besides the fact that they host School Discovery Days—is that it’s not only a fun place for families to spend time together, but also it’s a source of ideas about learning habits that families can apply at home. The DoSeum has a wide range of programming to support parents, caregivers, and educators in spreading good information about how children learn.

Entrance The DoSeum

Plan Your Visit

Here are some tips to plan your visit to The DoSeum. These tips are accurate as of the publication of this blog post, but we encourage you to check these details before you go at thedoseum.org and on social media on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube. The FAQs are also helpful. The main phone number is 210-212-4453.

The main reason to visit The DoSeum is to experience the exhibits: Spy Academy, Innovation Station, Little Town, Force Course, Imagine It!, Sensations Studios, EXplore, and the two outdoor areas, the East Yard and the West Yard. The map shows the breadth and layout of these exhibits.

Tickets for children and adults are $18 each; children who are less than one year old get in free. There is no additional charge for special exhibits or drop-in events. Scroll down for tips about saving on admission.  

The DoSeum is open seven days a week. Summer hours of admission are 9 AM to 6 PM on Monday through Saturday; on Sundays, members-only hour is 11 AM to 12 PM, and the museum is open 12 to 6 PM. The museum closes for the day or closes early for some holidays and special events. 

The DoSeum is located north of downtown San Antonio, near Brackenridge Park. The address is 2800 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209 (map). Free parking is available on site in surface lots and on side streets. Several VIA bus routes stop in front of The DoSeum.

It’s okay to bring small snacks, bottled water, baby food, and formula to The DoSeum, but not into the galleries. Don’t bring meals into The DoSeum, but you can eat at the café (Bakery Lorraine at The DoSeum) or leave to eat and come back (with your receipt, sticker, or wristband).

Map of The DoSeum

Bringing Young Children to The DoSeum

The DoSeum is a great place to visit with young children. Little Town is an exhibit space that is specially designed for children under five years of age. Inside Little Town, the Little Crawler Park area is especially good for infants and toddlers.

The restrooms for men and women have changing tables, and there are family restrooms, too. There is a private nursing area in the Little Doers Den (next to Little Town), and parents are welcome to nurse anywhere in The DoSeum.

If possible, leave the stroller in the car, or bring in something smaller like an umbrella stroller. There is limited stroller parking under the stairs. 

The exhibits at The DoSeum are designed for children up to age ten. Children on the older end of that range are likely to enjoy Spy Academy, an area with lots of technology and problem solving. 

Families can enroll their young children (ages 3–4 years) in the Little DOers Preschool, an early childhood education program located upstairs in The DoSeum. Read more in our guide

The DoSeum hosts the International School of San Antonio for their Language Immersion Morning Program, serving students ages 3–5 years old in French, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese.

Celebrate Dyslexia Schools will be located at The DoSeum for the 2024–25 school year.

students at Little Doers preschool at The DoSeum

Opportunities for Teens

Teens can develop independence and leadership skills by volunteering at The DoSeum. Typical volunteer duties include helping in the galleries, maintaining exhibits, preparing materials, and supporting camps and events.

For ages 11–13, volunteers need to be accompanied by an adult, but at age 14 and above, teens can volunteer independently. Volunteer shifts are typically 2–3 hours long; volunteers are expected to serve at least one shift per month for a minimum of six months. Groups of 5–15 can volunteer together at The DoSeum.

Discovery By DOing is a volunteer program for high school students that offers additional training and structure. Participants will earn over 100 hours of volunteer time towards a Presidential Service Award.

Summer Break and Vacations 

The DoSeum offers fun, educational camps during the summer, as well as winter break and spring break. The camps are tailored for kids of different age ranges, from 3–4 years old up to 8–11 years.

The DoSeum has extended hours during the summer. Check the events calendar for unique experiences such as Big Day Of Play, Tinkerfest, Night At The DoSeum, family workshops, daily programming, the Author Series, Beyond Limits (sensory-friendly), and the Artist-In-Residence program.

The DoSeum is not a drop-in program; parents and caregivers are expected to stay with their children during their entire visit. 

EXplore at The DoSeum United States map puzzle

Saving Money at The DoSeum

The team at The DoSeum want to expand their mission of connecting families and transforming communities by offering ways to save on admission. Making a donation supports this mission.  

The DoSeum offers discounted admission every day to educators, active and retired military (and their family members), and seniors.

The first Monday of every month is reserved for Free Family Nights after regular museum hours. 

The DoSeum participates in the Museums for All program, offering discounted general admission of $3 per person to individuals and families presenting a SNAP or WIC Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.  

Members get free admission for one year and a range of benefits, including members-only events and admission hours, early access and savings on camps, and discounts on birthday parties and purchases at the DoSeum store and café. 

As an added perk when traveling, members of The DoSeum get reciprocal admission benefits at institutions outside of San Antonio that are also members of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) Passport Program or the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) Reciprocal Network. Likewise, visitors from outside San Antonio who have ASTC or ACM membership benefits get reciprocal admission at The DoSeum. Learn more in our guide to reciprocal museum membership benefits.

With a San Antonio CityPASS, visitors can enjoy discounted admission to The DoSeum and several other local attractions within a nine-day period.

Holders of a credit or debit card from Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, or U.S. Trust receive free admission to The DoSeum on the first full weekend of every month via the Museums on Us program.

Treehouse at The DoSeum

Opportunities for Educators 

The DoSeum welcomes students and educators for field trips. Homeschoolers are welcome to book field trips, too.

The Museo Institute is a year-long professional development program for teachers involving The DoSeum, the Alamo, the McNay Art Museum, the San Antonio Botanical Garden, the San Antonio Zoo, the Witte Museum, and the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Applications are open in February–March for programming that runs from July through May. 

The DoSeum provides continuing professional education (CPE) programs upon request on topics such as visual thinking strategies, inquiry-based learning, and maker-centered learning. 

We hope the information in this guide inspires you and your family to visit The DoSeum soon and explore new programs and opportunities for learning.

Read More About The DoSeum

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