Museums

The whimsical mural you painted in the nursery sure is pretty, but you’re certainly not the first. Fairies, princes and precious animals have made for great children’s decor since the 1870s.

Take a walk down memory lane at Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum’s new exhibition, “Wall Stories: Children’s Wallpaper and Books.” The exhibit explores the world where wallpaper and children’s books meet. Papers, primers and pop-up books starring Peter Rabbit, Cinderella, Winnie-the-Pooh and Peter Pan demonstrate how literature and popular culture have impacted design. Plus kids will love the show’s hands-on elements, including a reading room and short film screenings.

Maybe it’s time to redo the den.

When: Through 4/5/09, Mon.-Fri. 10am-5pm, Sat. 10am-6pm, Sun. 12-6pm; $15/Adults, Kids under 12 free.
Where: 2 East 91st St. at Fifth Ave., 212-849-8400, cooperhewitt.org.

Before Maisy and Angelina Ballerina, a petit elephant dressed in a green suit and yellow crown was arguably the most popular character in children’s literature.

Revisit a classic at Drawing Babar: Early Drafts and Watercolors, a new exhibit currently on view at the Morgan Library & Museum. Nearly 200 works, including early sketches and original watercolors for the first book by father-and-son authors and painters Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff, illustrate the methods behind Babar’s creation (believe it or not, the series was once controversial).

And get a glimpse of 1930s Paris through the eyes of a gentle giant.

When: Through Jan. 4. Tues.-Thurs. 10:30am-5pm, Fri. 10:30am-9pm, Sat. 10am-6pm, Sun. 11am-6pm; $8/Kids, $12/Adults.
Where: The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave. (bet. 36th & 37th St.), 212-685-0008, themorgan.org.

The best things in life are worth waiting for: chocolate souffle, a table at The Waverly Inn and NYC landmarks.

After a year of construction, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum reopens this weekend, with new exhibitions and programs from a freshwater pond to an imaginative toddler gallery. Originally founded in 1899 as the world’s first museum just for kids, the daffodil building is now twice the size (plus it’s “green,” with details like geothermal heating and recycled flooring).

Stop by on Saturday and Sunday for live performances from Louie! and Alex & the Kaleidoscope Band, and a bevy of hands-on activities where kids can touch a live snake, design a Caribbean carnival costume or play in a giant sandbox..

OK, maybe you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy it all. In fact, the tots may have to drag you away kicking and screaming. You’ve been waiting a long time for this.

When: Sat. & Sun., 9/20 & 9/21, 10am-6pm; All ages; $5.
Where: 145 Brooklyn Ave. (as St. Marks Ave.), Brooklyn, 718-735-4400, brooklynkids.org.

This weekend, check out CMOM’s new exhibit, “Golden Legacy: Original Art from 65 Years of Golden Books,” which chronicles the popular Little Golden Books collection. Original artwork from much-loved titles like The Poky Little Puppy, Scuffy the Tugboat and Home for a Bunny are on display. On Saturday, stop by for a reading with author Dan Yaccarino and an appearance by the Poky Little Puppy himself (3pm).

Launched during the first year of WWII, the Bronxville-based Little Golden Books forever changed children’s literature — and the first books cost just 25 cents. See this charming history for yourself.

When: On view through August 28.
Where: Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd St., 212-721-1223, cmom.org.

Still looking for something to do? If you’ve got a little chef on your hands, you may want to spend tomorrow rolling and wrapping veggie sushi with PBS Vegan Chef Christina Pirello. CMOM’s healthy cooking series invites kids and parents to help prep — and of course, taste — healthy creations.

When: Sat. 5/10, 2pm; Ages 5+; Free with museum admission.
Where: Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd St., cmom.org.