
Field Trip
Spring Art Adventures
From crushed cars to rock-star guitars, let the executive director of the Art Production Fund — and mom of two — show you her coast-to-coast picks for kid-friendly museum and gallery shows. P.S. Snacks are included.
- Written By
- Casey Fremont
New York City
Governor’s Island
The treat: When your kids need food (and you need that cold glass of rosé), head to the gorgeous Island Oyster —a waterfront oyster bar with intoxicating views of the city. Don’t worry if your kids aren’t into oysters, there are burgers and fries, too!


Portia Munson + Frieze Sculpture
The treat: Try Ralph’s Coffee truck, which serves cookies from a vintage Citroen truck, followed by a visit to FAO Schwartz or the Lego Store.


"Play It Loud" at the Met Museum
The treat: Wander over to Conservatory Water (near 72nd street in Central Park) to watch the model boats racing. Grab an ice cream from a pushcart and enjoy some people-watching. Plus: If you’ve read "Stuart Little" to your kids, they may recognize the pond as the scene of his yacht-racing adventures.


Urs Fischer at The Brant Foundation


Los Angeles
Getty Villa
The treat: After the Getty, drive north for lunch at Malibu Farm. While there, take a walk on the pier and stare at the ocean. There's no better way to tire a kid out that a run on the beach!


Kehinde Wiley at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art
The treat: After the museum, spend the afternoon outside at the Ganna Walska Lotusland botanic garden. Note: Reservation is required. Your kids will LOVE visiting the topiary garden, which features 26 topiary animals.


Skirball Center
The treat: After the photography exhibit, bring your kids to the interactive Noah’s Ark installation. It’s like jungle gym meets children’s museum. The exhibit is so popular that entries are timed in two-hour increments. It's often sold out, so book your visit in advance.


Miami
Sheila Hicks
The treat: Head to Ocean Drive Sugar Factory for giant burgers and insanely over the top milkshakes. This may be a one-time-only experience for you and your kids, so enjoy it while it lasts! P.S. They also serve adult beverages if needed.


Wynwood Walls
The treat: Follow the scent of fresh bread to Zak the Baker. Try a cream-cheese toast and slice of chocolate babka.


Dallas
The Nasher Sculpture Center
The treat: After the museum, take a walk over to Klyde Warren Park and grab lunch from the legendary food trucks. Then, hit the awesome Imagination Playground on the Great Lawn and the Children's Park.


Philadelphia
Barnes Foundation
Pick up one of the ArtSee maps to help guide your child’s experience. The museum also provides iPods for self-guided tours, including ones for children! Have your kids tell you about what they see.
The treat: Take the short walk over to the Academy of Natural Sciences where your kids can check out dinosaur skeletons and participate and an interactive fossil dig. There are also butterflies and live animals to meet, plus so much more to discover.

