The building itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Oak Ridge Historic District.
The site originally served as an elementary school for children of workers during the top-secret Manhattan Project.
The museum features a functional 'World of Water' exhibit that demonstrates hydroelectric power principles.
The grounds include a dedicated outdoor butterfly garden that serves as a certified waystation for migratory species.
The collection includes authentic artifacts from local Appalachian farm life, preserving the history of the area before the 1942 government land acquisition.
The Children's Museum of Oak Ridge is housed in the historic Highland View Elementary School building, a former facility serving the Manhattan Project community. The museum features over 20 hands-on exhibits focused on science, history, and the arts, including the popular 'WaterWorks' gallery. A distinctive outdoor feature is the train-car garden, which allows visitors to explore a vintage caboose and rail cars. The facility also manages an extensive collection of Appalachian cultural artifacts and local history displays related to Oak Ridge's secretive wartime past. It serves as a community hub for regional ecology exhibits, a butterfly garden, and rotating traveling displays.
Inside the restored vintage caboose located in the outdoor garden area.
Allow extra time to explore the outdoor grounds, as the caboose and gardens are separate from the main building exhibits.
Check the museum's online calendar for rotating guest exhibits before visiting, as they change frequently throughout the year.
Do not mistake this for the high-tech, physics-heavy American Museum of Science and Energy; this museum is specifically geared toward interactive play and younger children.
Closed on Mondays throughout the year.
Active supervision of children is required; standard indoor museum behavior applies, though interactive exhibits allow for touch and play.
