Children's Museums Summer is a great time to mix education with fun. We've assembled a list of some of the best museums in the U.S. and Canada. To get the most out of your visits, encourage children to analyze exhibits by asking open-ended questions instead of just explaining what there are seeing. Capital Children's Museum, Washington, DC; 202-675-4120 Take a trip to Japan. Children disembark on a crowded Japanese street. There they are able to visit an electronics shop, a kimono maker, a local vegetable shop, and a bento counter where children can serve Japanese lunch to customers. Canadian Children's Museum, Hull, Quebec; 819-776-7001 Kids ages 5 to 14 can learn about the simple tools - such as levers, pulleys, and wheels - that make our day-to-day lives easier. The museum also features "The Great Adventure" which takes children on a worldwide trip through different exhibits. The Children's Museum of Houston, Houston, Texas; 713-522-1138 This is a great place to teach your child geography. They can explore a mountain village in Mexico or play in a Babbling Bayou. They'll also have a ball creating an earthquake, transporting grain from farm to market and learning to be a TV anchorperson. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana; 317-334-3322 Step into someone else's shoes. Sink your feet into Peruvian tire sandals, reindeer boots from Finland and embroidered mules from Morocco in a new hands-on, feet-in exhibit, Global Shoes. The new exhibit is open through June 25, 2000. At the Global Factory, they can weave their own shoes, make a moccasin, or assemble a Chuck Taylor Converse sneaker. Brooklyn's Children's Museum, Brooklyn, New York; 718-735-4400 See Elmo and Cookie Monster live. Visit their events page for times In honor of the 30th anniversary of the TV series visits can enjoy an educational romp through the Hands-on Minds-on Playground, tour the famous brownstone facade of 123 Sesame Street, walk into the bus shelter, Oscar's Newstand, Bird Travel Agency and more. Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth, Texas; 817-255-9300 Children of all ages practice teamwork, strategy, and sportsmanship as they challenge one another to leapfrog, hopscotch, checkers, pig-in-the-pen, tic-tac-toe, dominoes, and more. The museum also features a great dinosaur exhibit including a hands-on dino dig! Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, Minnesota; 651-225-6001 Step through the front door and onto the set of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. After playing with the the trolley crawl through the maze-like tunnels and chambers of a giant anthill, meet live turtles and play in a stream, and create a boisterous thunderstorm with movable clouds in the World Earth Gallery. Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito, California; 415-487-4398 Dive into an imaginary ocean to learn about the challenges of living and working underwater. Play in life-size structures made of LEGOŽ brick, including a deep-sea submarine and a research habitat, built by hundreds of Bay Area children. While you're there don't miss the Maze of Illusions. Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago, Illinois; 312-527-1000 Step into Mister Rogers Neighborhood. This interactive exhibit features a full-size version of the TV show's familiar set, from Mister Rogers' porch to King Friday XIII's castle-not to mention the trolley that takes you from the cozy living room to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe and its charming inhabitants. Other exhibits at the Chicago Museum include a dinosaur dig, an inventing lab and treehouse trails. The Children's Museum of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee; 901-458-2678 Climb aboard a real police motorcycle! Pretend you're a firefighter as you steer the wheel of a shiny red fire truck in the museums city friends exhibit. Print out admission coupons from their Web site. Other museums to visit Museum of Flight, Seatlle, Washington; 206-764-5720 Dating back to the Wright Brothers, this museum houses a great exhibit on the history of aviation. Many airplanes are suspended from the ceiling and on the ground. More than 50 planes including the original Air Force One and a spy plane are housed here. Also see: Vacation destinations