aMuse'um Children's Museum — Local services in Columbia

Our first visit to AMuse'um started with us driving past the museum twice. It's tucked in between shops and hidden by a tree and we honestly didn't even see it. The spots on the street were all taken on a Saturday, but we were able to easily find parking in front of the law offices on a neighboring block. We were one of maybe five families at the museum, and it was so nice that it wasn't overcrowded.

When we made it inside, we were greeted warmly by a woman at the counter, and my daughter was encouraged to play while I paid. She ran off like her rear was on fire, but the place makes it easy to see your child no matter where you are, so I knew she was safe. Adults are free, kids are $7.99 per visit (there are subscriptions and annual options as well), and I felt that was a fair price for all there was to do.

There was a baby hospital, farm, Chik fil a, Baskin Robbins, vet hospital, grocery store, bank, lite bright wall, a slide, dress up area, and several other stations in which to engage in play. We spent 1.5 hours here and my daughter didn't want to leave.

While we were there, we saw an attendant disinfecting toys and straightening up, and that is an issue with many play places, they just don't seem clean. This place was a lovely exception, and is a great place for kids who enjoy pretend play.

Worth noting: If you have a very physical child who wants to run and roughhouse and jump on everything, it may not be the place you're looking for as the only physical activity for...

This museum is such a great resource for locals. It’s affordable and offers great learning and imaginary play opportunities for kids. However, when my 22 month-old son and I visited, there were several times when I felt like I was the only parent really keeping an eye on my child. There were older children (probably about ages 5-8) full-sprinting through the museum while pushing the play shopping carts with no regard for smaller children who were “in their way.” I had to step in front of my son or move him away several times. There were also few instances when older children came up and either tried to push my son out of their way or took toys he was playing with out of his hands. Additionally, there were several smaller children - and by that I mean children who weren’t even walking yet - crawling around completely unattended. I acknowledge that these things are parenting issues; however, one of the museum’s rules is that parents supervise their children at all times. Many parents were just sitting on the benches talking to others, seemingly without a care in the world regarding what their children were doing. It would be great if this parental supervision rule was enforced and if a “no running” rule was enacted. The museum is lovely, but not very big - smaller children shouldn’t be at risk of being run over by older children. Parents, please watch...

I love this place! :) when I was working full time as a nanny to 3 we would frequently drive from Murfreesboro to Columbia just to visit A’museum! It’s such a fun, engaging atmosphere, especially if you interact with the museum as it’s intended - a place where YOU interact with your kids! While the museum may seem small, it always put my mind at ease knowing that I could see my littles from any spot in the museum no matter where they were playing. The staff is so sweet and welcoming, and they’re always so patient and accommodating! I’ve seen some reviews saying the opposite of the staff and I’d have to say it seems to me it’s probably an attitude issue on that particular customer’s side rather than the other way around. It also is a children’s museum more tailored to young children, so you probably won’t enjoy your time if you’re coming to dump your 12/13 year olds off and sit on your laptop the whole time. It feels a shame that anyone would want to give such a sweet place a negative review simply because you wish your teenage kids had more space to romp around while you sit and sip your latte.

Overall, I love this place and my husband and I can’t wait until our baby girl is old enough to come to a’museum and enjoy the gem...