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Museums & Landmarks

The Works Museum

📍 East Bloomington, MN

★4.4(581 Google reviews)

The Works Museum in Bloomington is a hands-on engineering and design museum where children use real tools and everyday materials to build, design, and problem-solve.

✓ engineering exhibits✓ STEM✓ Robot Day✓ summer camps✓ real tools✓ hands-on building

🏆 Family Action Verdict

Best for families with children ages 4-12 who gravitate toward building, tinkering, and problem-solving. The engineering focus is distinctive - kids who find traditional museums passive will thrive here. Robot Day on May 2 is a strong standalone event worth planning around.

â„šī¸ What to Know Before You Go

💡Robot Day on May 2 runs from morning through late afternoon - arrive early as it draws large attendance
⏰Membership pays off quickly if you plan to visit more than twice - it also includes discounted camp registration
đŸŽŸī¸Exhibits are built for hands-on use, so dress kids in clothes you don't mind getting dirty or marked up
🚗Field trip and camp booking opens well in advance - check the website early if planning a group or school visit

đŸ’Ŧ What Families Are Saying

View all reviews →
4.4
★★★★★

581 Google reviews

G Reviews from Google

D

D R

6 months ago

★★★★★

“Very thoughtful and engaging concept. In other words - great idea. However, it needs a face-lift and more maintenance. It's a hands on kid experience; so it gets rough and tumble use. But most things looked and worked like the originals since opening. My suggestion is to charge $3-$5 more per entry and use that money to upgrade and do maintenance. I saw only one person working there on a Monday and he was very pleasant. But they need at better care of place, fix the broken and worn stations to make it a real hit. Right now it's a hit and miss experience. Btw, review 8 months ago said pinball machine was broken. It's STILL broken 8 months later.”

đŸ’Ŧ What parents mention

Hands-on concept praisedCamp instructor qualityExhibit varietyMaintenance feedback

Overview

The Works Museum positions kids as engineers from the moment they walk in. Exhibits are built around hands-on construction and design challenges using real tools and raw materials - no observation-only displays. The annual Robot Day brings engineers, scientists, and student demonstrators into the space for a full day of live robotics and STEM exploration. Summer camps extend the engineering focus across multiple weeks. A renovation initiative is actively updating exhibits.

🕐 Opening Hours

Monday10:00-13:00
TuesdayClosed
WednesdayClosed
ThursdayClosed
FridayClosed
Saturday10:00-17:00
Sunday10:00-17:00

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