Pennypickle's Workshop: The Temecula Children's Museum

Located in the heart of Old Town Temecula, Pennypickle’s Workshop the Temecula Children’s Museum offers 7,500 square feet of exploration, experimentation and invention through hands-on activities. The Temecula Children’s Museum is modeled after Professor Pennypickle’s home—packed with hundreds of gadgets and gizmos for tiny hands to tinker with. The Museum offers special events throughout the year including kids only club programs, adventure workshops and Pennypickle’s birthday bash.

Professor Pennypickle is the fictitious absent-minded inventor who has traveled through time to work with other famous inventors including Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci and Charles Lindberg. His inventions are wacky and sometimes as funny as they are useful. One of his inventions, the recycler-er stomps on empty cans with an old boot. Through his stories, adventures and intrigue children can learn through play and interactive discovery.

Every room at Pennypickle’s Workshop has an exciting story filled with mystery and intrigue to tell, starting with the library. The library is where the time machine is housed along with a fireplace which holds a secret passage into the black light maze room. In the bedroom, a colorful invention called the illusionator creates kaleidoscope images from under a picket fense. Then, the dining room is where the Professor tinkers with electricity and lights. There an invention called the electolight-o-later chandelier which is controlled by the switches and knobs on the antique pie safe. Glass panels and cabinets make static electricity—hair raising and fun to touch.

Next, explore the music room home to one of Professor Pennypickle’s loudest inventions—the philharmonic-matic. This musical instrument extravaganza plays a dozen instruments at one time. Then, in the messiest kitchen around it’s all about chemistry and physics and a sink filled with powerful magnets. There’s also a pizza twister, peanut butter and jelly sandwich maker machine and a refrigerator packed with screws, parts and bolts. Other Pennypickle’s Workshop rooms include the playroom, hallway, basement, bathroom and pantry—each with a unique theme and story to share.

Some of the spring 2011 events planned at Pennypickle’s Workshop include a birthday bash on February 20th, fun with fossils on March 4th and journey to Mars on May 20th. The kids-only club series is offered monthly for children ages 5-12 and includes dinner, with tickets priced at $20 per child. Kids-only club topics include pirate science, sweet tooth science and chocolate adventures.

HelloRiverside Tip: Visit the Pennypickle’s Workshop gift shop offering a treasure trove of scientific toys, games, books and gadgets—there’s sure to be something perfect for every budding scientist to enjoy. Visit the website to purchase admission tickets and to see a complete list of educational events at Pennypickle’s Workshop, the Temecula Children’s Museum.

Temecula children museum workshop exploration