A Day at the Children’s Museum of Acadiana
Immerse your children in an environment where families can explore, discover and learn about everyday experiences and professions!
Children’s Museum of Acadiana History
The Children’s Museum of Acadiana (CMA) is a private nonprofit corporation founded in 1990 by three women who recognized the need for a hands-on children’s museum in Acadiana. Housed in a circa 1935 building formerly known as the Heymann Grocery Store, the CMA in downtown Lafayette underwent renovations starting in 1994. This was a community effort, primarily utilizing donated labor and materials from the people of Acadiana.
The CMA opened its doors to the public in 1996 and continues to embrace curiosity, ignite imaginations and cultivate a passion for museum exploration.
Interact With More Than 15 Hands-On Exhibits
Immerse your kids in a variety of hands-on exhibits and discover the learning opportunities of pretend play unique to the museum!
Role-play as shoppers, cashiers and stock clerks inside a miniature grocery store with kid-sized shopping carts. Or explore all the jobs that make food service possible in the “Café des Enfants.” A full-size ambulance with flashing lights parked within the museum offers insight into emergency medical services, while kids get to play inside a real emergency vehicle!
Kids can also punch in and play inside a construction site that introduces STEM-centric trade skills. Treat or groom a variety of stuffed animals as a veterinarian or an animal groomer in the Health Galleries. The dentist office teaches kids about the importance of dental hygiene — and helps relieve some dentist office anxiety as kids pretend to be dentists or patients with a real X-ray and dental chair! A toddler-only area featuring a barn, farmyard and small homestead provides a safe and engaging environment for children under 5 to play unbothered.
At the CMA, each exhibit offers a new interaction to inspire the passions of future professionals and prepare for everyday experiences.
Experience Museum Programs
At a children’s museum, play is serious business. That’s why the CMA strives to provide a multitude of fun and educational programs for children age 10 and under. From nurturing the arts to experimenting with the physical world to educational summer camps, museum programming seeks to complement in-school curriculum and give families the opportunity to get outside and socialize with other parents and children!
Toddler Time, designed specifically for little ones ages 1 to 4, combines the magic of storytime and the joy of music to inspire early social interactions through reading and art. Free Sensory Mornings for children on the autism spectrum or with sensory sensitivities provide a welcoming, sensory-friendly environment where children can explore and enjoy the museum at their own pace. Culture Connections programming aims to foster a sense of appreciation for our diverse world. Through engaging storytelling sessions, interactive discussions, music and art, role models in the Acadiana community will share their experiences with children, empowering them to dream big and embrace the values of unity and equality.
Look Out for Special Events and Performances
As a resource for both families and educators, the Children’s Museum of Acadiana serves as a catalyst for innovative and creative learning approaches. This includes hosting community-driven performers, speakers, and experiences. Be sure to check the museum’s calendar of events before planning your visit. From fitness and dance classes to water play days, tea parties, parent’s nights and even the chance to meet the mayor, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the CMA!
Make a Day Out of It
The Children’s Museum of Acadiana is located in vibrant, culturally active downtown Lafayette. With an abundance of restaurants, museums, live music, local shops, hotels and public art venues all within accessible walking distance, you're enjoying all the best parts of Lafayette’s people and culture. So stop and stay awhile!
