Stepping Stones Museum For Children

There are many fascinating places in Norwalk, and one of the most fascinating is certainly Stepping Stones Museum for Children! As its name suggests, it is a museum that is targeted towards children that are ten years old or younger, and it also has a ton of interactive elements. In this post, I will be talking about the museum, all the fun elements they have there, and the events they are going to have. 

The museum itself first opened in March of 2000, and during its first ten years of operation, it had a massive two million visits. In 2010, the museum underwent a massive renovation that had a budget of $17 million, which also resulted in a three-month closure that culminated in a grand reopening in November 2010. This renovation also expanded the museum’s interior space by 22,000 square feet, which also doubled the facility’s available indoor area. This renovation also cultivated a naturally efficient workspace that was aligned with principles of sustainable energy and integrated recycled materials procured from local sources.

The museum also has six fun exhibits for kids to explore and play in. The first of these is called Big Adventures: Dinosaurs. This exhibit features a giant animatronic of a dinosaur called a Dilophosaurus, a time machine that has many buttons that presumably tell you about the past, present, and future when they are pressed, a dig site where kids can dig up dinosaur bones, and a paleontology camp where kids can look at fossils and other things.

The next exhibit is one that I remember seeing when I went there as a kid. It is called Color Coaster, and it is a 27-foot kinetic sculpture designed by artist George Rhoads. It is also a rolling ball sculpture that features ramps, chutes, and tracks. 

The next exhibit is called the Energy Lab. It is described as a multi-storied ecological adventure through the Earth’s biosphere. This exhibit has a structure that lets you experiment with wind by putting a ball in some tubes, a water table that was around when I went there which you can race things in such as balls, a part of the exhibit that is called “The Ballcano,” where you can see examples of how water and air can combine to build up pressure, as well as great examples of kinetic and potential energy, a wall that you can write on using water, a section dedicated to learning about the lithosphere, and a Plinko wall that shows how things flow differently in the biosphere. 

The next exhibit is called Lights On. It is described as an energetic showcase of the brightest lights, as well as how light changes the world around us. This exhibit has a bunch of mirrors on the wall, some of which have bends and curves to show how when the light waves hit them, they bounce in all different directions, which changes how we see it. There is also an overhead projector that can show objects on a projection screen that end up being opaque, translucent, or transparent, an object that shines a bright light and when you put a prism in front of the light, it causes refraction where the light goes off in all directions, a harp with sensors in it that when you move your hands through the center, plays music, and a button that when pressed, activates a fluorescent light. 

The next exhibit is called StudioK. It is described as a kid-powered television network featuring a live green screen and video feed along with a variety of costumes and props. It has newscaster tools, clocks that show what time it is in other parts of the world, presentation monitors, and what they call a star stage.

The last exhibit there is called Tot Town. It is described as a literacy-rich, child-powered town setting that highlights best practices in early childhood while showcasing the wonders of the world. This exhibit has a school bus kids can sit in, a place where kids can perform, a slide, a place where kids can crawl, a doghouse, and toy houses. 

There are also a variety of fun events coming up at the museum. The first of these is Courtyard Campout, where they will be transforming their own courtyard into the Connecticut backwoods, as well as featuring additional fun events like a performance from Dan, Dan the Music Man on July 17 and an event called Talk to Animals Presented by Animal Embassy from Stamford on July 20. They will also be having their own Olympic games from late July to early August. They will also have a variety of bubble themed events such as Jeff Boyer’s Big Bubble Bonanza on August 24 and Foam-tastic Time with Scotty Kazan on August 31. There will also be an event on August 28 called Lillie’s Laugh Track, which is described as an interactive improv puppet show. 

Next year is also going to be a big year for the museum, as in March 2025, they will be celebrating their 25th birthday, and they have a variety of fun events in store throughout the year. One of these events is The Kaleidoscope Circus, which combines a traditional circus with learning and discovery through hands-on play. Corresponding with the circus will be an after-hours event that will bring the wonder of the circus to an adult audience, and will feature food, drink, and a variety of performances in the big tent. There will also be an exhibit in June of next year called Healthyville USA, which engages a generation of children and families in building healthy lifestyles and presents a new perspective on wellness by focusing on a healthy community as an integral part of our lives. 

Overall, this is one of the most interesting places in Norwalk, and if you know anybody that has kids or if you have kids or are going to have kids, this is one place you should check out!