Smart Safety for Little Explorers: Navigating Germs and Viruses Together

Because we take seriously the safety and wellbeing of all of our visitors, we’ve compiled these resources to help you feel more comfortable while you and your family visit the Museum and more confident navigating illnesses in our community.   

Current Infectious Disease Locally (updated 3/7/25):  

• Confirmed measles case in King County: First measles case of 2025 in Washington state identified in a King County infant – King County, Washington (Feb. 27, 2025) 
• How to Protect Your Family and Community During a Measles Outbreak (Seattle Children’s Hospital, overview about Measles and frequently asked questions for families) 
• About the measles vaccine – King County, Washington (King County Public Health, frequently asked questions about the measles vaccine) 
• Respiratory disease activity: Fall through early spring are often peak seasons for respiratory diseases. Find more current data about respiratory viruses from King County Public Health, and a recent update for families of trends and resources from Seattle Children’s Hospital.  

Staying Healthy: At the Museum 

• Mask-up Mornings: Especially during respiratory disease season, we maintain regular windows for visitors who prefer extra masking precautions. Upon request, masks are also always available outside of mask-required hours.  
• Cleaning the Museum Regularly: Seattle Children’s Museum staff are careful to keep the Museum clean for you. Seattle Children’s Museum staff are careful to keep the Museum clean for you. We maintain a regular cleaning and disinfecting schedule which includes daily sanitation of props and surfaces. Read more about our cleaning procedures here. 

Staying Healthy: At Home and in our Community 

• Follow trusted resources for public health updates and resources, including King County Public Health and Seattle Children’s Hospital.  
• This general overview of how to prevent and treat illnesses from Seattle Children’s Hospital includes links to more about specific illnesses as well as a symptom checker and activities for children sick at home. A similar overview of cold and virus season can be found here) 
• Prevent and Treat Illness – Health and Safety – Seattle Children’s 
• Keep current on immunizations: This helpful resource from Seattle Children’s Hospital provides an overview of the importance of immunizations that includes tips on how to help children of various ages when getting vaccines.  
• Wash your hands: Discover tips and strategy from Seattle Children’s Hospital about the importance of good handwashing for avoiding germs, and get kid-friendly resources from Sesame Workshop to help them practice..  
• Talking to kids about health and wellness: Sesame Workshop has strong collection of resources for children and for caregivers, including talking about sickness, doctor appointments, vaccines, and how to stay healthy.