We are so lucky to have such a great Children’s museum in Garden City for the whole family to enjoy together. This summer the Long Island Children’s Museum has so much you can do when you visit. The garden and H2Oh! water play area is open for the summer and access is included with admission. Adding to the excitement, the historic Nunley’s Carousel returns to operation on Wednesday, August 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The beloved 1912 carousel will then operate Wednesday through Sunday from 12:30 to 3 p.m. through August 31.
The Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM) invites families to continue their summer of creativity and discovery with the continuation of specially curated workshop programs running throughout August, plus exciting special programming to close out the season. The Museum’s signature summer series continues with Brown Bag Buddies, Crafty Critter, Bubble Magic and Fossil Fun workshops, alongside special events including the popular “Unbox a Saurus for Us” theater presentations and themed activities designed to prepare young learners for the upcoming school year.
LICM’s summer workshop series continues a rotating schedule throughout August so that all visitors will be able to participate in each workshop. Sessions run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on different days each week, with Sweet Dream Pillowcase offering shorter, focused 25-minute sessions on select Fridays. Special theater presentations and themed workshops complement the summer programming schedule.
Featured August Workshops
- Brown Bag Buddies continues to transform ordinary paper bags into extraordinary puppet companions. Young artists design and decorate their own take-home puppets, fostering creativity and storytelling skills through this beloved craft experience.
- Crafty Critter celebrates the animal kingdom with rotating themed crafts that connect to LICM’s live animal collection. This hands-on workshop allows children to observe real animals in the Feasts for Beasts exhibit and then express their creativity through craft-making.
- Bubble Magic invites children to discover the science behind soap bubbles through interactive experiments. Participants explore new and creative ways to make bubbles form and pop, combining STEM learning with pure joy in the Museum’s Bubbles exhibit space.
- Fossil Fun takes budding paleontologists on a journey through prehistoric times. Children create fossil rubbing art to take home, connecting hands-on artmaking with earth science education.
- Sweet Dream Pillowcase offers an intimate crafting experience with 25-minute sessions designed for personalized attention. Young creators design and decorate their dream pillowcases in small groups on select Fridays (August 1, 8 and 15). This is a ticketed workshop requiring an additional fee, $5 with Museum admission and $4 for members.
Special August Programming
August brings exciting special events to enhance the summer experience:
- “Unbox a Saurus For Us!” theater presentations offer families the chance to help unveil a never-before-seen dinosaur in LICM’s Theater on Wednesdays, August 20 and 27, Saturday August 9, and Sunday, August 29.
- AdvoKids programming includes special themed workshops focusing on wellness (August 10) where children create fret dolls to tell worries to, promoting emotional well-being as summer transitions to fall.
- Honey Hoopla (August 16) offers an all-day bee-themed celebration, allowing families to “bee-amazed” with special programming from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while supplies last.
- The Theater will host a special interactive puppet show, Beezy County Fair, (August 16 at 11 a.m., 12:15, 1:30 and 2:45 p.m.) to complement Honey Hoopla. Come find out who makes the best honey of the year at a special rate: $5 with admission, $4 for Members, and $10 Theater only.
- “Back to School” workshops (August 23-24) help children prepare for the new academic year by creating customized pencil pouches to take home.
“August represents the culmination of our summer programming, and we’re thrilled to continue offering these meaningful hands-on experiences that connect children with our exhibits in immersive ways,” says Marissa Feldman, LICM Public Programs Manager. “As families prepare for the transition back to school, our workshops provide both the joy of creative exploration and the comfort of routine learning activities. The integration of our signature workshops with special events like ‘Unbox a Saurus for Us’ and our back-to-school programming creates a comprehensive experience that celebrates both the wonder of summer and the excitement of new beginnings.”
Throughout August, families can also enjoy peace of art craft sessions daily from 2:30 to 4 p.m., where children create colorful peace sign crafts to take home
Programs are included with general Museum admission, with the exception of select workshops marked with additional fees. Complete scheduling information is available at www.licm.org.
Museum admission: $18 for adults and children over 1 year old, $16 for seniors, FREE to Museum members and children under 1 year old. Additional fees for theater and special programs may apply. For additional information, contact 516-224-5800.
Summer Hours: (July-August) Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Long Island Children’s Museum is located at:
11 Davis Avenue, Garden City, NY
About the Long Island Children’s Museum (www.licm.org)
The mission of Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM) is to connect all our communities’ children, and those who care for them, to a life of wonder, imagination and exploration. At LICM, children discover their passions and their relationship to the world we share. The 40,000-square-foot museum serves over 300,000 children and adults annually. The private, not-for-profit institution chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, offers museum-based educational programs and cultural experiences, as well as an extensive community outreach program offered in schools, libraries and youth centers across Long Island. Additionally, the Children’s Museum operates the historic Nunley’s Carousel in association with Nassau County, one of three intact Stein & Goldstein carousels still in existence.
Recognized with several honors, including the National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), LICM is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the gold standard of museum excellence. It is currently the only accredited children’s museum in New York State and is one of only 16 accredited children’s museums nationwide. LICM has earned 4-stars on Charity Navigator and has Platinum Transparency on Candid.