Not all museums involve peeking through glass cases of artifacts.  Some allow their mini guests to get up close and personal to the exhibits, roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty.  Each of these museums allow kids to be themselves and live out their dreams of one day becoming paleontologists, policemen or even engineers.  Not only are they an adventure for their youngest visitors, but for parents hoping to win the "parent of the year award" after a visit to these seven museums.

Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Children’s Museum

There’s one place where kids can get their hands in mud to search for worms without mom shrieking, take a trip to Japan without the tapping into the vacation fund, and rap to songs without the explicit lyrics.  At the Brooklyn Children’s Museum kids are free to well, be a kid.  They are also given the liberty to completely tap into their creativity with fun artifacts, nature, experiments, patterns, and much more!

The museum offers such an exciting atmosphere that you may not want to inform them it’s actually a huge classroom in disguise.  Since 1899, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum has been determined to keep kids interested in the world around them and bring its wonderful opportunities under one roof.  And who knows; parents may also learn something new too. 

Washington, D.C.: International Spy Museum

Does your child own a pair of binoculars that he constantly uses? Is he always searching for clues and enjoys watching detective shows or unsolved mysteries?  If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you just might have a spy at home.

But there are other ways to test out this theory.  For one, you can visit the International Spy Museum, which is situated in the heart of Washington, D.C.  Here he’ll be able to enter into Khandar where he will transform into a spy and embark on an interactive mission of searching for clues and interrogating suspects.

If he wants to take the adventure a bit further, the Spy in the City mission will require taking Washington, D.C. by storm as he, along with  parents and other spy agents, follows clues and codes with a trusty GPS system.  The International Spy Museum takes children into an unspoken world where people rarely visit: the mysterious world of espionage.

London, UK: HMS Belfast

It’s may be quite difficult to imagine life onboard a warship without exploring the ship itself.  But on the HMS Belfast, you won’t have to delve into its history by peeking in glass cases, because this ship’s historical fragments are displayed along its nine decks. 

From the engine room, visitors are able to witness the techniques mastered in skilfully handling the ship. The Gun Turret Experience is a step into the Battle of North Cape, and the hammocks display the uncomfortable sleeping conditions of the HMS Belfast.  You’ll probably be the coolest parent ever once you’ve hopped on board. But your cool factor may increase a couple notches when you’re in the face of war and capture a first-hand experience of surviving amid the sea.

St Louis, MO: City Museum

If you’re planning to visit the City Museum in the morning, you’ll probably be met with a long line. But don’t let its other eager guests deter you from taking a peek inside.

The museum takes on a whole new world with different floors jam-packed with intriguing activities. From the Skating Park to the World Aquarium,  the loud screams of joy, oohs and aahs will serve as proof of a parenting job well done. Nevertheless, enchanted caves invite their guests to explore the City Museum’s mysterious underground exhibits and the rooftop features a four-story Ferris wheel.  At this museum you can be on top of the city or way down below and still have an amazing time.

Philadelphia, PA: Please Touch Museum

How many times are you out with your child and are constantly begging them not to touch anything? I’m sure it is more times than you can count, but the words “don’t touch” won’t dare leave your mouth with a visit to the Please Touch Museum.  Rightfully named, children are free to explore every aspect of its adventures at will. They can take a ride on the carousal, pretend to be train conductors on the Railway Play, have the ultimate tea party with the whimsical characters of Alice in Wonderland, and build their imaginations at the Flight Fantasy.  The Please Touch Museum sets the stage for kids to explore their fantasies in this unique world where kids rule.

Canberra, Australia: National Dinosaur Museum

Although this is no “Jurassic Park,” our imaginations of these ferocious beasts might be just as daunting as any of Spielberg’s visual effects.

Take a walk into more than 140 million years of history in the presence of one of earth’s most interesting inhabitants. Boasting the largest display of dinosaur fossils in the country, there’s no better place to feel like a certified paleontologist. This premier attraction packs a big punch, so if names like Allosaurus, Diplodocus, Scipionyx as well as Dystylosaurus ignite a passion in your kids, Australia’s National Dinosaur Museum is the place to be.

Olympia, Washington: The Hands On Children’s Museum

On this delightful adventure, kids are invited to explore The Hand On Children’s Museum’s by diving full throttle into its playful exhibits. Once again, you can expect a screaming frenzy from super excited children climbing up trees, building skyscrapers, living their dreams as a fireman or policewoman, and creating their very own artistic masterpieces. And if you and your child love to jam together, the museum offers music classes just for that. The hands On Children's Musesum invites its smallest to oldest guest to take full advantage of all of the interactive activities it has in store.