A Look “Inside Toys” at Earlyworks Children’s Museum in Huntsville

New toy exhibit visits the museum in 2020.
Hours: Mon-Sat from 9AM-4PM & Sunday from 1-3 PM
New installations joins old favorites.

If you have ever been scared by a Jack in the Box, you need to check out the newest exhibit at EarlyWork’s Children’s Museum. They have made some incredible updates and now have the traveling exhibit “Toys: The Inside Story” happening this summer. This hands-on exhibit was great for my three-year-old, but my husband LOVED it too!

At this time, all tickets are timed and you have two hours to explore the museum. You can read all about their safety precautions here. On the weekends, there is free parking in the parking garage right next door.

Getting to Earlyworks Museum

When you first arrive, the construction tree greets guests with the Truck Zone. Beep Beep! From there you can see the old seating area has been turned into a tinkerer’s dream. It’s called the Think Big Studio. You can create ways that a ball can get into a cup with pipes and build blocks. My husband could have played at this part all day. My daughter loved being able to see how the ball traveled down the pipes. It was a win-win.

Inside the main doors, you will find tons of STEM experiences. See how cams work, learn about motors and switches. The Jack in the Box and Elmo were a big hit. You get to turn gears and see how things can get from point A to point B.

You’ll also find “old-timey toys” like paper dolls, tops, and puzzles. While these were not as interesting to my handy kiddo, I thought they were great. I think an older child would love to see what people did during the pioneering days.

Your Favorites are Still There!

While we have always loved Biscuits Backyard – so much so that we had our daughter’s birthday party there when she was two – the hottest thing happening now is the Lego River. Right beside the decked out pirate ship – I mean Keel boat – you get to play with Legos on a water table. You get to see if a small boat can cross your bridge or how dams work. This is one that you will spend at least 15 minutes so you can construct it perfectly.

If you have a budding chef, make sure they stop in to Camellia’s Play Cafe! It’s an entire restaurant that you can have your kiddo do the serving for once! It’s a perfect place to play pretend.

Next to the Cafe is the Earlyworks tree with a new full sized see-saw. Make sure to explore all the nooks and crannies this museum has to offer. I really like how this area now opens up

The Video Games History area was awesome. You get to play a pinball machine and Donkey Kong for free. For the little gamers, you learn about circuits and how the creation of electronic games changed history. Where are my old school Nintendo people at?

One thing I loved was how the volunteers and employees interacted with my family the entire time. They made sure we were having fun and even showed my kid how to make a slinky go down the stairs.

Two hours is plenty of time to explore the area and hit the highlights. Plus it’s inside and air-conditioned – who doesn’t love that in the summer. If you have inquiring minds, make sure you take them to see EarlyWorks Children’s Museum.

Earlyworks Museum Details

Address: 404 Madison St SE, Huntsville (map)
Phone: 256-564-8100
Hours: Monday – Saturday from 9AM – 4PM | Sunday from 1-3 PM
Cost: Online tickets only at this time
Toddlers, $5 | Ages 4-17, $10 | Adults, $12 | Ages 55+, $10
View Website

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Beth Ridgeway

Beth Ridgeway lives in Madison with her husband, daughter, and toy poodle. She works as the Social Media Specialist at the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau. When she’s not volunteering or working, you can find her binge watching Netflix, reading, or rehearsing improv.