MADISON, Wis. — Families flocked to the Madison Children’s Museum to avoid the unsafe air outdoors Wednesday.

What You Need To Know

  • Air quality was measured as "very unsafe" in the Madison area Wednesday 

  • Families flocked to spots like the Madison Children's Museum 

  • The museum extended their hours Wednesday to serve more people

Kate Risley had five kids in tow, both her and her fiancé’s children. Inside was the name of the game because of the air outside.

“I looked outside this morning at the fog-looking [haze] outside … I look at my phone, it’s at the middle of the air quality, very poor,” Risley said. “How about the Children’s Museum?”

The kids spent time painting, going down slides and playing with water.

Staff knew they’d have a busy day ahead. They decided to keep the museum open an extra two hours until 6 p.m. instead of 4 p.m.

“Here we are on a day where people need to be somewhere where it’s safe to have fun, to learn, to be together,” said museum president Deb Gilpin. “We’re going to be that place.”

The Madison Children’s Museum offers special accommodations for people who may otherwise not be able to afford admission. You can learn more about that here.

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