Family Programs

Sensory Friendly Days

Select Saturday Mornings  |  Times Vary

Sensory Friendly Days are designed to provide visitors of all ages with complex developmental disabilities, sensory sensitivities, or on the autism spectrum with a safe, comfortable environment to explore the museum exhibits during special early-morning hours before the museum opens to the general public. Where possible, our lights will be dimmed and the sound turned off. Signage will be posted for those areas in which we are unable to turn off the sound or there may be other sensory triggers. Trained staff will be available to help visitors navigate the museum and offer supportive resources (noise-canceling headphones, fidgets, weighted blankets, quiet spaces), as well as opportunities for sensory engagement during your exploration of the museum.

Sensory Days will resume in 2025

African American Read-In: Honoring James Earl Jones

Saturday, February 1  |  1pm – 3pm  |  Free

This program celebrates African American culture through the voices of Black authors across a range of literary forms, including poems, essays, historic speeches, short stories, and children’s books. Community readers lend their voices to works that are sure to inspire, challenge, and reflect on the Black experience in the United States.

This year, we honor the life and legacy of James Earl Jones, a trailblazer for Black actors in the entertainment industry. Known for his iconic roles on both stage and screen, Jones first made history in 1965 as one of the first African American actors to secure a continuing role on a daytime drama. A rare EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), he achieved unparalleled success across multiple disciplines and is best known for his booming voice. Jones credited his mastery of poetry—particularly reading it aloud—as a key factor in overcoming the stutter he struggled with as a child. 

2025 is the 36th year of the National African American Read In, an event sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English and its Black Caucus. Each year communities across the country are urged to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month. This program is presented in partnership with the Kenosha Literacy Council, the Coalition for Dismantling Racism, the Kenosha Media Center, the American Association of University Women, and the Kenosha Public Library. 

Morning at the Museum

Sunday, February 23  |  10am – 12pm  |  $8 ($10 non-members)  |  Register Here

The Friends of the Museums invites families to an exclusive morning of fun at the Kenosha Public Museum! The museum will open early just for this special event, featuring hands-on activities, crafts, and more. While all activities take place at the Kenosha Public Museum, they highlight the unique exhibits and experiences of the Civil War Museum and the Dinosaur Discovery Museum as well. Bring the whole family to explore, create, and learn together during this one-of-a-kind program celebrating the diverse offerings of all three museums!

Activities Include: 

• Paint a mini canvas
• “Mini” Munchkin Performances by Mr. Nick
• Create an Old Abe eagle puppet
• Dress up in Civil War clothes for a photo
• Make salt dough fossils
• Clean real fossils

During the event, when a family becomes a new Friends of the Museum Member (or rejoins), they’ll receive the special ‘Adopt a Mammoth’ incentive! Families will take home a small plush mammoth, complete with a ribbon and adoption certificate, as part of their new membership.

Winter Picnic Movie Night: Encanto

Friday, March 14  |  6pm – 9pm  |  Free

Presented at no cost by the Friends of the Museum

Grab your picnic basket, blanket, or camp chairs and enjoy a family-friendly evening filled with music, magic, and movie fun! Before the film, get creative with fun, hands-on activities for all ages, from making magical paper flowers or animal masks to designing your very own Encanto family tree. If you have an Encanto inspired outfit please wear it and join our costume parade.

Popcorn will be available for purchase, with all proceeds benefiting the Friends of the Museum.

Event Schedule:

6:00 PM: Craft stations and games inspired by Encanto

7:00 PM: Encanto Costume parade

7:15 PM: Movie starts (Encanto, 102 minutes)

All activities including movie will be indoors at the Kenosha Public Museum

Women in STEM

Saturday, March 22  |  12:00pm – 3:00pm  |  Free

Bring the whole family and join the Kenosha Public Museum in celebrating Women in STEM! Meet real scientists from a variety of fields and participate in experiments and hands-on experiences with them. Then explore our hall of scientists and learn about some of the incredible scientific discoveries that have been made by women throughout history–from discovering the crater of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs to figuring out how to send humans into space, from uncovering the structure of DNA to building the foundation of quantum physics upon which Einstein built his theories! Finally, put your own scientific skills to the test as you experiment in our family-friendly science lab.

Family Fossil Hunting

Saturday, May 17  |  1pm – 3pm  |  $8 ($10 for non-members)  |  Register Here

Meet at the Kenosha Public Museum

Join Curator of Education, Nick Wiersum, as we explore the local fossils of Kenosha’s lakeshore. Meet at the Kenosha Public Museum to learn about the prehistoric life that called this area home, discuss how to locate fossils, and then head out to the Simmon’s Island beach house to collect fossils of your own! All participants are responsible for providing their own transportation from the Museum to the collection site. The Museum will provide you with any tools you will need, including a collection bag, fossil guide, and magnifying glass.

Art Making Family Day

Saturday, September 20  |  11am – 1pm  |  Free, registration recommended  |  Register Here

Visit the combined exhibits of Women and Water and Ancestral Women and learn about the stories of Native heroes, caretakers, and artists through looking closely with a scavenger hunt and making artwork with natural materials, such as using plant based pigments in a watercolor painting, corn kernels to design an abstract work, and get inspired by the Anishinaabe woodlands style of flowers and plants to create your own artwork.