There’s something brand new for Rome’s youngest residents to explore — and this time, the grown-ups may have almost as much fun watching as the kids do.

The Children’s Museum of Rome officially opens to the public Thursday, September 17, at Mount Berry Mall, following a ribbon cutting and community preview on Wednesday.

This isn’t a museum where children are expected to keep their hands in their pockets. Quite the opposite.

The new museum is built around hands-on, interactive learning, with many of its experiences inspired by the community children see around them every day.

Kids can learn about banking and business, discover what firefighters do, practice caring for sick animals, splash around a water table shaped like the Coosa River, and even climb their way toward a scenic view on a Clocktower-inspired climbing structure.

In other words, somebody has taken Rome and shrunk it down to kid size.

The museum is located inside Mount Berry Mall, near the food court. Advance tickets are available online, and the museum says walk-up admission will be limited. Everyone entering needs a ticket, and waivers are required for both adults and children participating in the museum.

For families looking for something educational, active and distinctly local, Rome just added an entirely new destination.