The Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art is a hidden gem on the K-State campus, perfect for an outing with kids! Plan ahead and pack a picnic lunch for after or walk over to Aggieville to grab a quick bite to eat after your tour.
Admission to the Beach Art Museum is free and is good for children of all ages! The museum does have very specific hours so double check online before stopping in. The museum is closed on Sundays, Mondays and holidays.
There are both rotating exhibitions and permeant collections in the museum.
There are two awesome activities for kids! First, stop at the front desk to get an ARTote, which include themes such as line, shape, form, color, and texture. The tote bags contain books, games, gallery activities, and guide sheets to special works in the galleries. The ARTotes can give younger hands something to do as they explore some of the 11,000 works of art!
Then, toward the back of the museum, there is a fun children’s spot called Exploration Station to stop and explore. Full of books, animals and crafts to explore, parents can get comfy on the nearby couch and watch your little ones explore art that they can touch and create.
Parking
Parking is free, and you do not need a pass to park in this designated area on campus. The parking lot is located just south of the museum and has specific signs for where to park.
Strollers
Small strollers are allowed inside, and they do offer stroller parking if needed. The museum is smaller so while it might be a great way to contain little hands, its not a huge walking distance.
Bag Policy
No large bags are allowed into the museum, including diaper bags. I was able to take my wallet out of my diaper backpack and bring it with me inside of the museum. There is a bag storage area behind the front desk, however it is not closely monitored.
Baby and Children Features
With no specific family restroom that we saw, there are plenty of bathrooms to allow for plenty of small bladders at the same time! While there is no specific nursing location, there are plenty of private little areas for mom and baby to sit down, away from any crowd.
Food and Beverage
There is no food or drinks allowed inside of the museum. We left our water bottles with our backpack, behind the front desk.
Cell Phones
Guest are asked to refrain from use of their cell phones while within the museum. Photography, with no flash, for person, non-commercial use is permitted in permanent collection galleries only.
Mom Tip
Be sure to check out the Beach Buddies, which is the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art Facebook page for our younger audiences, with resources and activities for kids, families and educators.
