How Peabody Residents Can Check Out New Children's Museum For Free

PEABODY, MA — Peabody families will have a chance to check out all the new North Shore Children's Museum has to offer for free this weekend.

The museum will host a "Peabody Family Free Day" on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The museum is making up to 150 passes available to Peabody residents starting Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Families can register for the free passes here, which will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

This will be the first of two Peabody Family Free Days sponsored by the Peabody Community Development Department over the next two months.

"The North Shore Children's Museum is a key part of our downtown, providing enriching educational opportunities for kids and their families," Community Development Director Curt Bellavance. "It is essential that local families can access it, regardless of economic level. We are happy to provide this funding to give up to 150 Peabody residents free admission."

The museum, which opened in October in the former TD Bank location on Main Street the state's only dedicated children's museum north of Boston, includes 14 exhibit spaces that allow a fun and educational interactive experience for children ages 2 to 10.

"When developing the museum, we wanted to be sure to have something for every child to not only engage with but to get engrossed in," NSCM Executive Director Ali Haydock said. "That's how children learn — through play.

"Programs like our town free days dismantle economic barriers to entry. We hope to offer many, many more to Peabody residents and the surrounding towns."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)