{"id":195252,"date":"2026-02-26T19:35:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/195252\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T19:35:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:35:15","slug":"at-this-museum-in-la-habra-children-can-touch-play-and-learn-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/195252\/","title":{"rendered":"At this museum in La Habra, children can touch, play and learn \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s Note: This is part of a monthly feature on arts and entertainment offerings in Orange County, which is rich with indoor and outdoor, often inexpensive or even free, options that you might not know about.<\/p>\n

In a single visit to the Children\u2019s Museum at La Habra<\/a>, curious youngsters can go on an archaeological dig for dinosaur fossils, perform in costume under the lights of a stage, play in a 1920s Victorian farmhouse and get a close-up look at the gaping jaws of a rhinoceros.<\/p>\n

\"Selena<\/p>\n

Selena Rodriguez gives her 3-year-old nephew, Aaron, a boost so he can check out the mouth of a taxidermied moose at La Habra\u2019s Children\u2019s Museum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Jessica<\/p>\n

Jessica Garcia signs in at the Children\u2019s Museum of La Habra while her son Matthew, 3, gets excited as he glimpses inside on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Layne<\/p>\n

Layne Ortega, 2, rides an authentic 1940s-era hand-carved carousel at the La Habra Children\u2019s Museum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Because museum officials say there is only one mechanic in the country who can fix the historic merry-go-round, its operation is limited.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Layla<\/p>\n

Layla Vinatieri, left, and her cousin Layne Ortega, both 2, come to life inside a framed painting at La Habra Children\u2019s Museum art-inspired gallery on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Selena<\/p>\n

Selena Rodriguez commandeers Buster the Bus at La Habra\u2019s Children\u2019s Museum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The vehicle is part of a real OCTA bus from 1977, the same year the museum opened, and it\u2019s on display for children \u2014and adults\u2014 to explore. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Joey<\/p>\n

Joey Rubalcava shares a seat with nephew-to-be, Aaron, 3, at the La Habra Children\u2019s Museum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Buster the Bus, on display for children to explore, is part of a real 1977 OCTA bus and it\u2019s the same year the museum opened. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Children\u2019s Museum of La Habra, a renovated 1923 train station, features a \u201cModel Train Village,\u201d with displays and hands-on exhibits. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Debbie<\/p>\n

Debbie Asman\u2019s 3-year-old granddaughter, Charlotte, enjoys the \u201cFamily Art Center\u201d inside the Children\u2019s Museum of La Habra on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Priscilla<\/p>\n

Priscilla Gonzalez helps her 4-year-old son, Ollin, get dressed up like a fireman at the La Habra Children\u2019s Museum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Stephanie<\/p>\n

Stephanie Felix takes an imaginary boat ride with her children, Lily, 3, and Max,11 months, at the La Habra Children\u2019s Museum. Felix has fond memories of going to the museum a child. \u201cIt brings me so much joy to share this with them,\u201d she said on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Selena<\/p>\n

Selena Rodriguez\u2019s 3-year-old nephew, Aaron, mimics the taxidermied animals inside the \u201cNature Walk\u201d room at La Habra\u2019s Children\u2019s Museum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A taxidermied Kodiak bear is part of La Habra\u2019s Children\u2019s Museum\u2019s \u201cNature Walk\u201d room where children can gently pet the stuffed animals on display. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Layne<\/p>\n

Layne Ortega, 2, strikes a pose inside a framed piece of art at the La Habra Children\u2019s Museum art-inspired gallery on
\nWednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Children\u2019s Museum of La Habra is a non-profit interactive learning center inside a renovated 1923 train station. It opened in 1977 and was one of the first West Coast children\u2019s museums in the 1970s. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Ollin<\/p>\n

Ollin Gasca, 4, pops out from behind the curtains inside the La Habra\u2019s Children\u2019s Museum\u2019s \u201cKids on Stage\u201d room on
\nWednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 15<\/p>\n

Selena Rodriguez gives her 3-year-old nephew, Aaron, a boost so he can check out the mouth of a taxidermied moose at La Habra\u2019s Children\u2019s Museum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

And if there were one phrase that characterizes the treasure trove of learning opportunities found within the museum\u2019s 10,000 square feet of exhibit space, it would be \u201chands-on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because youngsters can touch and feel nearly every exhibit within the museum\u2019s seven themed galleries.<\/p>\n

Believed to be among the first children\u2019s museums in the western United States when it opened in 1977 in a re-purposed 1923 Pacific Train Depot, the Children\u2019s Museum at La Habra<\/a> is geared toward toddlers up to fourth-graders.<\/p>\n

Whether visiting with their families or as part of a tour group, more than 100 youngsters might filter through the museum on a given day.<\/p>\n

Exhibits are designed as adjuncts to learning standards outlined by the California Department of Education, said Kristine Smith, education and outreach coordinator at the museum.<\/p>\n

In the S.T.E.A.M. Lab<\/a>, youngsters can build structures using blocks, discover properties of flight and examine the intricate details of the tiniest specimens through a microscope.<\/p>\n

Little ones can sit in the driver\u2019s seat or ride as a passenger on an actual OCTA bus in the Carousel Room or explore a 1942 caboose, which sits on tracks outside the museum and features a restored interior with artifacts and details on local history.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been here over 10 years now,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe\u2019re still keeping the spirit of the place, which is families spending quality time together, kids learning about everything in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amanda Gendusa of Brea remembers having so much fun in the museum as a child; she is now a museum member and brings her 2-year-old daughter on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe knows the whole place,\u201d Gendusa said. \u201cShe comes in and she just runs through and knows how to do everything here, so it\u2019s fun.<\/p>\n

The Carousel Room features an antique carousel, which operates once per hour. Other highlights include water conservation displays and a nature walk with a menagerie of taxidermized wild animals.<\/p>\n

In addition to the permanent exhibits, the museum has a gallery that typically changes twice a year, once with a traveling exhibit and once with an exhibit designed by the staff.<\/a><\/p>\n

Through August, the changing exhibit is \u201cArt Inspired,\u201d introducing children to the works of Claude Monet, Leonardo DaVinci and Jackson Pollock, among others.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re learning, but they\u2019re playing at the same time,\u201d said Priscilla Gonzalez of Chino, a museum regular who comes once a week. \u201cI bring my son and I\u2019m a nanny to a little girl, so I bring her as well. They love it.\u00a0 It keeps them busy.\u00a0 They\u2019re entertained.\u00a0 They\u2019re happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Check it out<\/p>\n

What: Children\u2019s Museum at La Habra<\/p>\n

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays; 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays and major holidays<\/p>\n

Where: 301 S. Euclid St., La Habra<\/p>\n

Admission: $12 per person 2 years and older, there are discounts for WIC, military and older adults<\/p>\n

Special offerings: The museum also offers Sensory-friendly Sunday on the first Sunday of the month to accommodate children with autism, sensory processing differences, and other special needs; there are daily storytimes in the Nature Walk gallery; and there are $5 play days on one Sunday each month<\/p>\n

Information: lhcm.org<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Editor\u2019s Note: This is part of a monthly feature on arts and entertainment offerings in Orange County, which…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":195253,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,5282,7,179,5910,611,420,136],"class_list":{"0":"post-195252","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-anaheim","8":"tag-anaheim","9":"tag-anaheim-headlines","10":"tag-anaheim-news","11":"tag-arts","12":"tag-california","13":"tag-community","14":"tag-la-habra","15":"tag-orange-county","16":"tag-things-to-do","17":"tag-top-stories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=195252"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195252\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/195253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=195252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=195252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=195252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}