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Think, Play + Create with Us

Art Installations

  • Current
  • Past
All Ages

SWISH PROJECTS

Meet SWISH PROJECTS, our 2023 Artists in Residence.
Mural

Brian and the Bugs

A colorful mural that tells a visual story of connectedness through flowers and insects.
All Ages

Breathing Room

A sensory-friendly and inviting space where one can take a minute, lie down, look up and breathe.
Not in use

Cash Machine

The Cash Machine happily sucks up your offering of dollar bills and pushes it through a maze of tubes, bells and spinning instruments.
All Ages

El Más Allá

A colorful, imaginary world with a giant slide, unique characters, foam blocks and geometric scultpures!
Mural

Energized

A vibrant 28' by 13' mural on the windows of the Innovators LAB that explores color, light and visual communication.
All Ages

Los Trompos

Six colorfully woven, life-size spinning tops in the Museum Park.
Mural

Ocotillo Sunset

An outdoor mural painting of native plants evoke the seasonal cycles of our region’s desert landscapes.
Mural

SMILE

Strokes of color draw visitors across the Museum bridge in artist Panca's 48-foot-long mural SMILE.
All Ages

Teatro Piñata

Explore the magical backstage world of a travelling theatre caravan.
under 3

Tikitiko

A sensory wonderland for toddlers 3 years and under where meaningful connections are made.
All Ages

The Rain House

The Rain House evolved from the idea of offering a creative space where children could play as they might on a rainy day at home.
All Ages

Whammock!

An interactive, three-dimensional textile environment made of hand-dyed, hand-braided nylon resembling a giant crocheted hammock.
under 4

Wobbleland

An active space for toddlers (4 years and under), in which they can play with food sculptures!
All Ages

The Wonder Sound

A labyrinth of rooms, nooks, ropes and continuous exploration.
Mural

The World of Les Mor and Mor no Mor

An interactive mural depicting two magical worlds that spans from the Museum's main level to its upper level.
All Ages

Authentic Selves Student Exhibit

An exhibit in collaboration with Words Alive San Diego, featuring student artwork of collage self portraits.
2021-2022

Missing Link

This colorful project is a playful way to engage with the idea of constant transformation.
2016-2022

Nature Matching System

A mural comprised of a grid of rectangles, with each rectangle representing a Pantone® color matched to the shade of a fruit or vegetable.
2021

In the Balance

A play structure of wooden balancing beams that challenges visitors to walk the intersecting paths.
2017-2021

Sketch Aquarium

Sketch Aquarium is an interactive art installation designed by Japanese artist collective, teamLab Kids.
2018-2020

No Rules…Except (2008/2018)

No Rules...Except is returning with 40 mattresses installed on the floor and walls and 165 handmade, scattered silkscreened tire cushions.
2015-2020

Desert Derby

Desert Derby is a landscape of reservoirs and roads inspired by Southern California’s true nature as an engineered phenomenon in the desert.
2015-2020

Sandbox Gallery

An 11’ x 14’ sandbox that acts as a platform for presenting engaging new video and other time-based artworks.
2015-2020

Reconnecting to Home

A four-story house featuring California architectural styles from different time periods and locales throughout the Golden State.

I know what I saw – museum display

A 20-foot long mural questions the possibility of life outside Earth’s realm.

The Community Gallery

A space to see, share and make art together. The Community Gallery is a space where you can see and learn more about art.
2020

Finding Symmetry in Nature

A gallery of watercolor-inspired drawings that examine symmetry in the natural world created by High Tech Elementary North County students.
2019

Community Links

A sculptural mass of wires, feathers and chords hang above the Museum's main level, representing family structures and communal ties.
2018

Crystal Cortex

Crystal Cortex is a whimsical inflatable larger-than-life sculpture created by artist Jason Hackenwerth.
2017

Joey’s Wings

Joey's Wings is a two-thousand origami paper crane installation honoring children who pass away from cancer in the United States each year.
2016

Connect the Drops

A partnership with The Ecology Center to share practical tips on reducing your “water footprint.”
2016

MAKE/SHIFT

A collection of custom-made plywood furniture, fabric, cardboard boxes, ropes and other loose parts that can be shifted and remade by children and adults.
2016

The Cryptographers Club Spy Headquarters

In this unusual "spy clubhouse," you can use tools, training and even a friend to help you find messages, crack the code and more!
2015

Globos

A balloon, shaped and built by the people of Tijuana and San Diego, symbolizes California’s dual nature as an artwork created for the region.
2015

In-between and Over the US/MX Border Wall

On the sides of the Museum’s entry bridge, three large-scale photo murals show different photographic perspectives of the U.S. to Mexico border fence at the
2015

Car-a-oke

In Car-a-oke, a karaoke makeover transforms the California car into a place for connection and shared memories.
2015

Low & Slow

The truck is a “rolling social sculpture” – an artwork and gallery that can move through the city to deliver art experiences.
2014

Wind Vessel

Wind Vessel makes wind power - a resource we often take for granted - visible. This artwork challenges us to think artistically and scientifically.
2013

Food Truckin’

Food Truckin’ is an art installation that lets visitors customize their own food delivery vehicles and role-play transportation and distribution.
2013

Stacked Stories

This library offers visitors a quiet place to relax and explore the infinite possibilities that books and quiet time can present.
2013

Sound Kitchen

The Sound Kitchen is an interactive studio where you can play, sing and record your own musical creations.
2013

The Fruit of the Gods

The Fruit of the Gods is a colorful inflatable play sculpture designed uniquely for The New Children’s Museum.
2013

S.O.S. 5pm West

This project is a chicken coop installed in the Museum’s Outdoor Terrace located on the Lower Level and visible from different vantage points.
2013

Dinner T.V.

In this art installation, the artists focus on the iconic symbol of the dining room table and capture the messy and joyous process of foods.
2013

I Made This For You

A festive environment resembling a professional bakery and cake shop where visitors can sculpt “treats” out of clay.
2013

Mol_d

The unusual blocks in this installation have been made out of reishi mushrooms.
2013

Rainbow Bridge

The Rainbow Bridge is an installation that transforms The New Children’s Museum’s main entryway, a pedestrian bridge, into a magical gateway via a custom-designed wallpaper.
2013

Orange we…

Orange we… is an art installation featuring two large sculptures (the grove and loop de loop) that respond to movement through sound.
2011

TRASH (exhibition)

The artists in TRASH share the common desire to draw attention to an invisible issue that increasingly dominates our lives.
2009

ANIMAL ART (exhibition)

Artists in this exhibit explore how and why animals excite the human imagination.
2008

childsplay (exhibition)

All the works in childsplay are springboards for experience, and an invitation to explore new ideas.

Art Studios

Drop in anytime
All Ages

Clay Studio

Our Clay Studio offers children and adults alike the chance to create art with their hands.
6 and up

Innovators LAB

The Rosso Family Foundation Innovators LAB is our Museum's very own makerspace!
Facilitated Workshops

Collectively You Portraits

Create a self-portrait on your own or with a friend! Our Collectively You Portrait workshop is held from 11am-12pm and 2-3pm every day except Tuesdays. Explore collage techniques and create a unique self-portrait by layering marker and other materials on acetate that can both reveal, as well as keep hidden, elements of you and your story.

This workshop is first come, first served.

All Ages

Paint Studio

Our Paint Studio features a 1950s Dodge Truck, affectionately named Flower Truck.
All Ages

Museum Park

Our new "outdoor experience" in the Museum Park features a variety of fun activities and art-making opportunities.