Children’s Museum are institutions that provide exhibits and programs to stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children’s museums feature interactive exhibits that are designed to be manipulated by children. The theory behind such exhibits is that activity can be as educational as instruction, especially in early childhood. Most children’s museums are non profit organizations, and many are run by volunteers or by very small professional staffs.
International professional organizations of children’s museums include the Association of Children’s Museums, which was formed in 1962 as the American Association of Youth Museums and in 2007 counted 341 member institutions in 23 countries.
