Take a Whimsical Walk Through WinterFaire

Take a Whimsical Walk Through WinterFaire

November 2025 · Back to stories

WinterFaire is our one-of-a-kind immersive indoor winter experience. You can create new family memories when you enter an enchanted forest full of magical creatures who celebrate all things winter in a carnival-themed festival.

Let’s take a quick walk through this magical and whimsical world …

 

WinterFaire presented by
Supported by

Enchanted Entry

Welcome to the land of WinterFaire!

As you enter the enchanted forest, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful sights and sounds. Ember, a warm, welcoming, and curious red fox, will be there to welcome you. You might even wind up with a new best friend before you know it.

Games

Flip, the harbor seal, cannot wait for you to join him in the Games area. Energetic, happy, and carefree, he loves carnival games of all shapes and sizes. He has added a winter twist to a few of his favorites so you can play alongside him in WinterFaire.

“Come one, come all!
Test your skill!
Try your luck!”

Skee-Ball
Test your skills in this fan-favorite carnival game.

Slippery Slope Race
Race down a snowy virtual hill by maneuvering a physical balance board.

Ring Toss
Who can land the most rings around pin shaped penguins?

Snow Splat!
Work together to earn points by throwing “snowballs” at virtual targets.

As you explore WinterFaire, you’ll find the Ice Cave where Storm lives. Storm is an adventurous and brave ice phoenix. He’s turned his home into a large funhouse where you can jump, climb, balance, and build. The Ice Cave is full of magical surprises—can you discover them all?

Chasm Cross 
The Ice Cave is full of obstacles like icy craters. Can you cross the lake by jumping on wobbly “ice floats?”

Sock Skate
Take off your shoes and skate in your socks to the other side of the icy lake and back!

Arch Build
Oh no! One of the entrances to Storm’s cave has collapsed! Work together to stack the blocks and rebuild the entry arch.

In another part of the Ice Cave, one of the bridges across an ice cavern has collapsed, too. Work together to stack the blocks and rebuild the bridge.

Climb and Slide 
Climb up into Storm’s lookout and nest where you can raise a flag and discover his glowing eggs. Then, slide back down and crawl under the lookout to discover more magical surprises!

Frozen Fountain

“Colors and sounds will shift and sway
If on each symbol a hand does stay”

Indigo, the chameleon who’s knowledgeable in all things mystical, has imparted their rhyming wisdom. But what does this puzzle mean? 

You’ll have to work together around the frozen fountain—the source of magic that fuels WinterFaire—to find out!  

A WinterFaire-y Tale

The Faire Players of WinterFaire are excited to share the whimsical tale of how WinterFaire came to be. This live interactive performance will take place at certain times of the day around the frozen fountain. Visit our web calendar for updated times.

Artisans Corner

Gerty, the sweet, no-nonsense, woodworking beaver, presides over the Artisans Corner. Artists from around the world bring their work to display in her shop. 

Artisans Shop
Gerty could really use your help while you visit. Put on a vest or an apron and help Gerty in her shop. Through pretend-play, you can help her create beautiful shop displays by arranging items by color, shape, and size. Then, you can help sell items at the cash register.

Colorful Creations
Place colorful pegs in different holes to create your own illuminated masterpiece.

Community Cases
Artists from around the world bring their winter-inspired work to display in Gerty’s shop. She’s given out awards like “Best Pattern” and “Most Colorful.” Which artwork would you give those awards to?

Gerty's Lantern Workshop

Discover how Gerty is helping create a new family tradition of building lanterns. Experience joy and togetherness as you follow a step-by-step process to create a lantern and take home a piece of WinterFaire magic!

Staff and families making a lantern in Gerty's workshop

WinterSlide

Open through Jan. 11, 2026

For many families, their winter traditions wouldn’t be the same without zooming down our slide in the Sunburst Atrium. This fan-favorite feature—WinterSlide—is back for another year of slip-sliding fun. Snow magically lights up on either side of you as you zip toward the bottom!

Mascot Rex at the bottom of WinterSlide
WinterSlide presented by

Meet Us in WinterFaire

WinterFaire is open through Feb. 22, 2026, and is included with museum admission. It’s such a great experience that you’re sure to want to visit again. 

And again. 

And again! 

Museum membership gives you that opportunity. As a member, you can visit the loveable creatures of WinterFaire as often as you want. Buy a membership—or give one to someone else—today and come meet us in WinterFaire!

today at the museum
Open today 10 am–5 pm