We recently took a family weekend getaway to San Antonio, Texas. With such close proximity to Austin, and with so many fun things for tourists to do, San Antonio is a perfect quick vacay for both parents and kids. We toured the Alamo, we took a river boat ride at sunset, we dined at the kid-focused jungle-themed Rainforest Cafe on the River Walk, we shopped in the historic Market Square, we even stayed in a hotel that served those Texas-shaped waffles (which you know is a big deal for the kids.) But hands-down our most favorite part about the trip was visiting the DoSeum — San Antonio’s Museum for Kids.

The DoSeum is amazing! Opened in June 2015, this 3-level museum includes 26,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space and an additional 39,000 square feet of outdoor exhibit play space. It offers unique exhibits unlike any other children’s museum in the U.S., including a spy academy filled with math challenges, a treehouse and outdoor water feature, a musical staircase, programmable robots, and so many hands-on activities.

We were so impressed with the amount of things to do at this museum. We spent at least four hours and could have easily stayed longer. Here are some details about the permanent exhibits you can expect to find at the DoSeum:

Spy Academy: My boys thought this was the coolest! When you enter Spy Academy, you’ll start out as “recruits” and need to solve your way through covert missions to become spies using math skills, all on your own pace. Make and break codes, use powers of logic and deductive reasoning and use those problem-solving skills. When finished, you’ll get to make your own spy badge to take with you. Very fun!

Little Town: This is a most adorable play center for children ages 6 months – 5 years old. It looks like a mini town that includes a grocery store, airport, construction zone, trolley, post office, bank and more. Plus kids can drive around in Cozy Coupe’s to make their way through Little Town.

Innovation Station: This area offers so much hands-on fun, and is a perfect spot for your tinkerers. You’ll get to play in a ball room, zooming balls through pipes and pulleys. Program robots, build objects and test them to see if they can take flight. In this area, there is plenty of room to build and create.

Sensation Studio – Playing with Light & Sound: This area is very exciting, especially for the little ones in your life who love pushing buttons and playing music. Here, kids can explore physics with light and sound, playing with mirrors and experimenting with color. It’s a very cool convergence of art and science. That will give you that “ooh, ahh” moment.

Other areas of the museum include eXplore, where kids learn about all parts of the globe with maps, models and more, as well as Imagine It, an area for all sorts of story-making fun. Last, but certainly not least, is the Big Outdoors — tons of outside space to roam and play and climb. There is also a beautiful treehouse, waterway, sand play area.

Seriously, we can’t recommend the DoSeum enough! It’s definitely worth a visit, which you could even do as a day trip from Austin. Kids of all ages have plenty to do and see at this museum. And it really is fun for the parents, too.

You can learn all about the DoSeum by visiting their website and Facebook page. Before you go, be sure to check out their calendar of events for special activities happening in the museum.

Click here for the the DoSeum’s hours. Admission is $12 for ages 1 & up, which you can purchase online in advance. H-E-B Free Family Night is offered the first and third Tuesday of each month from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Giveaway: We’re so excited about the DoSeum that we’d like to give a reader a 4-pack of admission tickets! Enter below. Good luck! By entering the giveaway, you’ll be added to our twice-weekly email list where you’ll get all the latest on family fun in Austin.

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!