If your living room has ever been overtaken by cardboard tubes and your kid insists they’re “building a gravity-powered ball launcher,” this one’s for you.
Tube-a-Palooza, the newest limited-time exhibit at Pretend City Children’s Museum, is basically a STEAM dreamscape for curious minds who love to tinker, test, and race things through long winding tunnels. Open May 23 through September 1, it’s a hands-on celebration of all things cylindrical—and yes, that includes plenty of chances to crawl, roll, and launch stuff.
The exhibit is less “don’t touch that” and more “try this and see what happens.” Kids can explore tubes of all shapes and sizes—some tall enough to tower over toddlers, others just the right size to roll balls, cars, or even themselves through. There’s problem-solving, physics in motion, and probably a few impromptu tube duels if siblings are involved.
But beneath the pure fun is a subtle layer of science, math, and engineering. Kids are asked to think like designers: What happens if you tilt the tube higher? Can you connect these pieces into a loop? Which shape is fastest? It’s learning by doing, disguised as the ultimate indoor playdate.
And while the kids are busy building their own obstacle courses or experimenting with speed, parents can enjoy the rare joy of a museum exhibit that doesn’t involve shushing or prying fingers off velvet ropes.
Pretend City has always leaned into immersive play, but Tube-a-Palooza taps into something timeless: the joy of putting things into tubes and seeing what happens next.
Pretend City Children’s Museum, Irvine
May 23 – September 1
Included with museum admission
Prepare to be asked if you can build a tube maze at home.
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