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Climb A Two-Story Banyan Tree & Journey Through The Everglades At This Interactive Naples Museum

Published: June 27, 2025

  • Attraction: Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples (C’MON)
  • Location: 15080 Livingston Road, Naples, FL 34109
  • Industry: Museum
  • Website: https://www.cmon.org/

Educational adventures unfold across 30,000 square feet at this remarkable children’s museum where imagination meets learning in the most spectacular ways.

Founded in 2002 and officially opening its doors in 2012, the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples stands as Southwest Florida’s first museum devoted for children and families to learn through play.

This brain-building powerhouse draws families from all 50 states and 39 countries, creating magical moments where children and their families can play, learn, and dream together.

The museum transforms everyday learning into extraordinary adventures that capture young minds and keep them engaged for hours. You’ll discover that this isn’t just another children’s attraction—it’s a carefully designed environment where every exhibit sparks curiosity, creativity, and wonder.

Interactive Exhibits & Learning Adventures

Journey Through the Everglades: Step into Florida’s iconic wetlands where you can journey through the swamps of the Everglades, weave through a maze, and experience the natural world up close. This immersive exhibit brings the magic of Florida’s ecosystem right to your fingertips with realistic environments that make learning about nature feel like an authentic adventure.

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The Magnificent Banyan Tree: The state-of-the-art building features a two-story banyan tree to climb that serves as the heart of the museum experience. This soaring, two-story banyan tree features cubbies nestled in vertical prop roots, a lookout platform, and crawling branches that lead to the fascinating tree house at the top, inspiring both imagination and body coordination as kids explore from the inside out.

Water Play Station: Experiment with the water play station where children can splash, explore, and learn about the effects of water through hands-on discovery. This area consistently draws families who appreciate the sensory learning opportunities it provides.

Career Exploration Zones: Children can become a weather forecaster, a farmer, a chef, a fisherman, an artist, an architect or a veterinarian through realistic role-playing exhibits. You’ll find miniature versions of a post office, market, and veterinary clinic where kids can dive deep into pretend play while developing real-world skills.

Sensory Discovery Areas: Explore the cold of an igloo, the whoosh of the wind, the sound of the sea, the effects of water and the colors of the rainbow through light and sound installations recreating different experiences that engage all the senses.

ABC Tot Lot: Kids from infancy to age 3 can safely learn and play in a gated area called the ABC Tot Lot, ensuring that even the youngest visitors have age-appropriate spaces designed specifically for their developmental needs.

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Creative Learning Spaces

Art Studio & Inventioneer’s Lab: Older kids can explore exhibits ranging from an Art Studio with themed creative projects to an Inventioneer’s Lab that helps them experiment and solve problems. These spaces encourage hands-on creativity and problem-solving skills that children can take with them long after their visit.

World Café: The Produce Market and the World Cafe create excellent pretend-play opportunities based around food, allowing children to role-play as chefs and world travelers while learning about different cultures and nutrition.

Outdoor Adventures: Don’t miss Johnsonville Backyardville for a beautiful hedge maze, green space with yard toys, and a shaded amphitheater that extends the learning experience into the fresh air.

Atmosphere & Unique Features

Accessibility Excellence: All exhibits are accessible for individuals with developmental, hearing, physical, social/emotional and visual challenges, ensuring that every child can participate fully in the museum experience regardless of their abilities.

Educational Design: Exhibits were created to meet Florida’s Sunshine State curriculum standards and developed by experts in child psychology, museum master planning, and exhibit design to foster creativity, curiosity, empathy, and self-esteem.

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Technology Integration: The exhibits blend state-of-the-art technology with a replication of the natural world and human communities, creating immersive experiences that feel both high-tech and naturally engaging.

Changing Exhibitions: The museum has an area set aside for temporary exhibits, so this space frequently changes as various traveling exhibits pass through, ensuring that repeat visitors always find something new to explore.

Other Considerations

Pricing Structure: Admission for Local Residents is $18. Military and First Responders admission is $18. Admission for EBT, SNAP & WIC card holders is $3 (valid for up to 6 guests per card).

While some visitors mention the admission cost, families consistently find value in the extensive exhibits and quality of the experience. CMON Members, Children under the age of 1, and Local Teachers are always free.

Convenient Location: CMON is located about 11 miles north of Old Naples and is best reached by car; there is free parking on site. The museum sits conveniently inside North Collier Regional Park, right next to Sun-N-Fun Lagoon waterpark, making it easy to plan an entire day of family activities in one location.

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Visit Duration: You can expect to spend anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours exploring the museum, depending on your child’s age and interests. Many families find that the variety of exhibits keeps children engaged for extended periods, making it an excellent value for entertainment.

Payment Methods: The museum accepts only card payments—no cash is accepted, so plan accordingly for your visit.

Best Times to Visit: The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but is closed on Wednesdays. During summer months (June 1 – August 9, 2025), they extend to daily hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many families appreciate visiting during hot Naples afternoons when it’s too warm for beach activities.

Age Range: While kids of all ages are welcome, those 10 and younger seem to enjoy it most, with particularly strong programming for toddlers through elementary school ages.

Special Programs: Beyond the permanent exhibits, C’MON offers Daily Story Times and Pop-Up Activities twice a day—each covered in the price of your admission. They also host monthly PBS character events and special programming throughout the year.

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Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples
📍 15080 Livingston Road, Naples, FL 34109

Writer: Jamie Benson
Contributor

Jamie grew up just outside of Springfield, Illinois, and has spent most of his life exploring the state’s mix of small-town charm and big-city energy. After earning a journalism degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he stuck around to cover local events, hidden gems, and the quirks that make Illinois unique. When not writing, Jamie can usually be found digging through vinyl at record shops in Chicago, hiking trails in Starved Rock State Park, or tracking down the best deep-dish pizza outside the city.