by Autherine B. Smith

Created on: August 19, 2009   Last Updated: August 20, 2009

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has many great museums, many of them centrally located in downtown Philadelphia. Some of Philadelphia's most brilliant museums and exhibits are also fun for kids. These are the five best Philadelphia museums for kids.

Four of the five best Philadelphia museums for kids are located in the "Museum District", within walking distance if one another. The fifth is just a short scenic ride away, to Fairmount Park.

The Please Touch Museum

The Please Touch is designed primarily for the under six set. If you have children between one and six years of age, head there first. The Please Touch Museum's new, expansive facility is located at 4231 Avenue of the Republic in Fairmount Park. This museum is not in the "Museum District", but, the short trip to Fairmount Park will definitely please your little ones.

The concept of the Please Touch is to allow your little ones to feel, touch, and think about items and concepts from real city life. One of the Exhibits, for example, is a "SEPTA" bus from Pennsylvania's public transit system, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority. Your little ones can climb aboard and test all aspects of a city bus ride. Another exhibit, "Flight Fantasy" allows little tykes the opportunity to simulate flying and rowing. Another favorite exhibit is the "Supermarket" and "Kitchen" which allows little visitors to explore the basic concepts of a neighborhood supermarket and a well stocked kitchen.

If you allow them, your little ones will spend hours exploring the extraordinary wonders of your daily lives.

The Mutter Museum

The Mutter Museum will appeal to your teen aged children, and, may not be appropriate for your younger children. The official name for the Mutter Museum is the Mutter Museum of College of Physicians of Philadelphia. It is a couple of blocks beyond the "Museum District", located at 19 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, between two main Philadelphia transit ways, Market Street and Chestnut Street.

The Museum is relatively small and occupies just two floors of an architecturally impressive building.

The Museum bills itself as "Disturbingly Informative" and that is an understatement. The Museum chronicles the history of medicine and includes real human anatomy including a skull exhibit which takes up an entire wall. Other exhibits include the "original Siamese twins" and a dwarf and giant skeleton.

The Museum has a large array of medical tools covering the entire history of medicine

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