Children have an innate need to touch things. This is how they discover and learn about the world around them. Not a lot of places, however, cater to this impulse. Parents are constantly yelling at their kids to “Take that crayon out of your mouth!” and “Let go of the dog’s ear!” If a child picks up a toy at a department store or an apple in the produce aisle, they are scolded. The Please Touch Museum of Philadelphia understands that children gain knowledge through their sense of touch and has built a fun, safe environment for kids to learn and play. The museum has over 12,500 toys and games from 1945 to present that are all prominently displayed throughout the museum.
   Now adults can have their chance to unleash their inner child. The Please Touch Museum has recently launched its “Grown-Up Tours.” The tours are a stroll down memory lane where participants can learn about the colorful history of the unique museum. The tour features a walk through the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, which was the world’s largest fair for which Memorial Hall was built. Guests can enjoy the restored architecture of the famous building while learning about the pieces of artwork that were displayed in the galleries at the Centennial.
   Another feature is the museum’s fully restored Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel, which originally operated at a Philadelphia amusement park less than ten blocks from Memorial Hall. The carousel’s animals, which date back to 1908, include 40 horses, four cats, two pigs, two goats and four rabbits.
   The history of growing up in Philadelphia is also an important part of the tour. You can climb aboard the Rocket Express, a monorail that carried children above the eighth floor toy department at the famous local John Wanamaker’s department store. You can also revisit the set and costumes of the hit kids' show Captain Noah and his Magical Ark.
   Self-guided Grown-Up Tours are now available seven days a week for $10 per person. Guided group tours can be scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays. For more information please visit www.pleasetouchmuseum.org.