Saint Louis Science Center Reviews

My daughter loved this place! There was so much for a 7 year old to do. First it is free, but there is a fee for certain side activities. She built the Arch out of giant foam blocks! She made her own fingerprints, she played with light and mirrors. It literally take all day to do this. I would go back because I am sure we missed some of the things to do.

We only had about an hour here as we arrived late in the day bit it was amazing...so many hands on exhibits and my kids are 11 and 13...much more for littler ones too, bit gear for tween too. Free except for $10 parking. Highly recommend!!

Love this museum and it's free! Parking is $12, but there's so mich to do inside. There's also an outside area with a combine, garden, and cows to milk!

I have been to the KC and the STL science centers and the STL one is by far the best. A MUST DO with your kiddos. Interactive fun learning that parents can do with the kiddos!

Was a lot of fun. Went to see the Pompeii exhibit and enjoyed it. Havent been since I was young and was glad it was still appealing as an adult

Went to the Pompeii exhibit recently. First, let me start with parking. We have handicap parking, and when we got to that specified lot, there wasn't any left...but there were lots of fuel emission vehicle spaces left in the same lot. The ratio needs to be reversed. Second, the exhibit was extremely disappointing. A five minute movie was shown that really didnt show anything and there was no seating available for those that needed it. Many of the artifacts were replicas but there were some truly recovered. The online review from SLCS says to allow at least an hour; we were there 30 minutes at most. Finally, the young lady in the gift shop at the end of the exhibition was very rude. She wouldn't look at you when you spoke to her and when she replied, she still wouldn't look at you and was very rude with her tone. Not a great representation for SLSC.

There is so much to see and do at the science center. My family of 3 had a great time. One of the better science museums we have been to for sure. We loved the portion with all the animal skeletons.

Anytime of year is a great time to visit St. Louis Science Center. There are Science and technology exhibits for all ages and plenty of things to do for adults. One of the newer areas is the most interesting, in the GROW area. Be sure to check out St. Louis Science on your next visit to the city!

This museum is a lot of fun for the whole family. There is a lot of interaction for the kids to get involved in learning various things. The dinosaur display is very realistic. The food court is very reasonably priced. The museum is free but there are several events that cost money inside. It does cost to park.

Visited with my 10 year old nephew who enjoyed the visit so much that he went a second time. Plenty of hands-on exhibits for him. But I also found the visit very interesting.

This exhibit of the Apollo 11 space mission-the one that landed Armstrong & Aldridge on the moon for the first time was INCREDIBLE. Completely worth the $10 for adults & like $6-$8 or so for kids....
We spent HOURS just in this exhibit. The rest of the science center was pretty amazing as well...we hit it at just the right time & got to see a live broadcast of students at the STLSC chatting with an astronaut on board the ISS!!

Really this place is worth the time/effort to get there. Pizza was pretty good at the cafe. The build-a-bear was so cool with limited edition animals like a wooly mammoth! The staff & volunteers are all wonderful....& the DINOSAURS! So cool!!!

We visited here on a rainy weekend. There were so many activities for kids of all ages. Definitely give yourself time to check out everything. Would definitely recommend & we plan to return!

We spent the weekend in St Louis for a family wedding. With family flying in from around the US and from overseas we needed something for the grandchildren to see. Grandparents, parents, aunts and cousins, all enjoyed the Science Center’s exhibits. There was so much to learn about.

This has alot of hands on displays. Museum is small compared to some, and it is about a half a day if you play with everything. A good place to kill a couple of hours in, if you have time.

THE science center always has amazing exhibits. Right now the exhibit is Destination Moon. THE highlight of this exhibit is the actual Apollo xiii capsule that Neil Armstrong stepped out of after landing on the moon. One of my favorite parts of this exhibit were the knowledgeable volunters who were men and women who actually worked on the Apollo XIII project at that time.You wont be sorry you went. While you are here in my town be sure to go to the new museum at the Gateway Arch.

Plan on spending a few hours touring this facility. There are lots of hands on experiences. This is a fun day for any age to participate.

We had a lot of fun just playing & doing all the hands on demonstrations.
There were a few additional things with cost but for the most part, you could get by with just $10 for parking.
Plan for at least 2-3 hours

My granddaughter and I recently visited the Science Center. We were hungry and had a couple more shows to see there, so we each had a grilled cheese sandwich and potatoes. Horrible! No taste whatsoever! Was like eating cardboard or styrofoam. You're much better off going hungry than to eat anything substantial here. The ice cream was probably OK, though.

This is a fun and educational museum that is free (just $12 for parking). We went here after the zoo only a short drive. My kids liked building the bridge and making the land rover cars that they could "test drive" down the ramp. Many different activities to keep the kids busy.

Anyone in the family will enjoy this place. 6 hours of fun. Very interactive, Imax movies were great. don't miss it. Also it's free unless you want to see an Imax presentation.

There are 2 Science ctr buildings connected by a walkway over Highway 40/64/70. Be sure to budget enough time too visit both buildings. The older Science Ctr building features the planetarium and space exhibits. Check on show times, get your tickets in advance for the many star shows often accompanied by music. Fascinating shows in a super relaxing environment. The newer Science Ctr building features exhibits covering every aspect of science; including biology, astronomy, physics, human anatomy, robotics, engineering, genetics. The Omni theater is a MUST SEE. Check on show times before visiting and get tickets in advance. Omni shows are first-rate, amazing visuals and sound, very contemporary topics, hugely educational. You can't miss an Omni opportunity even if the topic of the show is not to your liking. The experience is worth the price of admission. Plenty of parking at the new Science ctr, not much parking at the old Science Ctr. Food/drink/gift shop available in the new Science ctr building. Special science shows, exhibits, and competitions tour through the new Science ctr building - be sure to check their web-page in advance for these special exhibits.

The Saint Louis Science Center has rotating exhibitions and is for the whole family although they do have stuff for the budding scientist. I think they still have nights where you can either look their telescopes or bring your own to learn about the stars.

We only visited the planetarium for a constellation show. It was good, but it would've been nice to only pay for that and not a visit to the rest. It's very kid-centric, which is great, but for adults wanting to see a show it's not worth the cost.

Also, there is a fee for parking. Some reviews said there is and some said there isn't. Plus you have to park at the main building and walk through the main building to get back across the interstate to the planetarium.

The outside of the planetarium was cool with the Blue Angels jet and the art sculpture.

Great afternoon with our daughter in Plant Lab and Engineering Expo!

Our daughter really likes visiting the Plant Lab at the Science Center, so when she asked to visit this past weekend I had to agree.

The Science Center was hosting its Engineering Expo that day, and we visited a couple tables but quickly made our way to the Plant Lab.

We have done several of the experiments multiple times and were thankful when the Science Center Lab “host” guided us to two tables with new experiments. Our daughter was excited as we worked through the DNA evidence to determine who the dog-napper was.

We also enjoyed the station set up just for that day that was focused on genetically modified food.

After the lab we explored the Engineering Expo.

MIST / Missouri Institute of Science & Technology (aka Rolla) was there in full force.

Their underwater robotics team showed us their underwater robot… controlled by X-Box controller for manual exercises and it can also be autonomous.

They had a solar powered car team, a baja buggy team, another station with memory metal and crystal-covered metal that makes metal bearings bounce higher, tempered glass, a concrete canoe and much more.

The BJC 3D lab was there showing how they create soft 3-D models of hearts and other body parts for the surgeons.

NGIS was there talking about how their team is mapping the bottom of the ocean (in STL from data captured on the ships in the ocean).

The Science Center is hosting both an exhibit about guitars and about gaming. We liked seeing the gaming exhibit.

The Omnimax is showing a show about the Australia and one about Cuba, so the snack bar has plantain chips and mango salsa that were really good when we were hungry.

Our daughter had fun with the lunar lander game on the planetarium side of the highway and we called it a good day.

This was another great day of fun at the Science Center with a fantastic daughter. We had a fun and memorable time.

Thank you, Science Center!

Went there on a Sunday not super busy which was nice. We loved it was free except some attractions. We did buy the guitar exhibit which unless you love guitars I would not recommend, the exhibit did not hold our 7 year old attention at 8.00 person was a rip off. The game area is great. The Discovery center for kids under 7 is cool. Was nice if you did attractions you got a discount on parking.

Thank you that this place is free… what isn’t is your time. Ugh. Most of the interactive things are broken. There are not enough supplies for kids to use. Such a disappointment. The only things that seem to work are those that take your money. Save your time and go somewhere else

Such an amazing place! So much to see and do. Very kid friendly but great for teens and adults as well. My kids (middle school aged) loved all the interactive displays and how everything is explained as to how and why it works in ways that are easy to understand. Gives you a whole new appreciation of science!!

The planetarium was great!! Very relaxing and informative, wish we would have made it there earlier. Go to have the day, it would be easy to get lost in space.... not to mention the many other exhibits, interactive and very engaging activities. I took my 22 year old son and a good friend, great for all ages!!

The St. Louis Science Center is a lot of things to a lot of people. Founded as a planetarium in 1963, it has become a collection of buildings, including a science museum and a planetarium, with over 750 exhibits in a complex that covers over 300,000 square feet. Located in the southeastern corner of Forest Park, at 5050 Oakland Avenue, it is among the largest and most visited science centers of its type in the world. The planetarium, named for benefactor James Smith McDonnell, an aviation pioneer and co-founder of St. Louis-based McDonnell Douglas, an aerospace manufacturer, is one of the most distinctive components of the St. Louis Science Center's campus with its thin shell and hyperboloid structure designed by Gyo Obata. New buildings and new exhibits are devoted to Earth science, emerging technology, life sciences, physical sciences and chemistry. The dinosaur diorama on the lower level is a popular attraction. For ancient history buffs, like me, the Pompeii exhibit was fascinating.

This is a really nice museum with lots of hands on exhibits to keep busy minds and hands entertained.

Yes, I am a nerd. Yes, I love museums. No, I am not a kid. Even though this (free!) museum is largely geared toward children and families, I had a blast visiting and looking through the engaging and interactive exhibits. I especially enjoyed the educational gardens and agricultural displays in the grow lab, and will be back for another visit soon!

My husband and I went for the special Pompeii exhibit. It was smaller than I expected but still OK for $20 each. We had not been to the Science Center in 3 or 4 years so we also planned to spend most of the day looking at the standard exhibits. Meh - not so much.... The actual Planetarium part has been gutted and there is almost nothing there any longer, except a paid movie. If anyone has trouble walking (like my husband) it is totally NOT worth the effort to walk over there. The rest of the museum is almost all tech stuff geared toward teens and tweens. There used to be so much more here..... so sad that it has turned into almost all computerized stuff. I'm not anti-technology, but there is soooooo much more that they could do with this place, to keep everyone busy and engaged. And the gift shops are all pathetic. I guess we'll return in 4 or 5 more years if there is another special exhibit.

We had a great time at the science center. There were a few exhibits that were broken or not working properly but overall it was a fun day. Food is extremely high but the museum is free. If you park near the planetarium instead of the science center you will save the $10 parking fee.

This is a really interesting place. Lots of fun activities to help kids learn more about science. I loved coming here when I was younger and just recently took my friends kid here. We had a blast.

When I was under about eleven years old I quite liked this place. But pretty much after that it was extremely boring. I love science and learning but this place does not change pretty much anything except for one room. It’s been almost the exact same for over ten years. If you have never been I would recommend going once, then after that it’s pretty much nothing. If you have young children then this place is absolutely percent considering it’s free as well. But if you don’t have young kids this place will be pretty boring for most of the time. They do have a imax theater but many people, including myself can not sit in there for a second simply because of how the screen lays. It makes me dizzy and sick as well as cause migraines. The food there is not very good and is extremely expensive for what it is. It’s defiantly a one time thing for most.

We bought the Family Membership for our family of 8 and watched two different Omnimax movies and went through the Apollo 11 exhibit. We had to pull the kids out of the exhibit and they wanted to return the next day. Some of the regular exhibits are more for the young crowd, but we found enough to keep our 8-16 year olds busy and engaged.

We went for the Pompeii exhibit at the science center, which was well worth the time and money. We are glad we stayed and also toured other exhibits which were free and fascinating. It was a holiday, so lots of families, lots of excited kiddos, everybody oohing, aahhing, and having fun learning. We spent several hours there, though you could easily make a day of it.

Something for everyone with lots of hands on exhibits. Interesting for adults and children. Love the omnimax. Once you are there you won’t want to leave. Check out the dinosaurs.

The Science Center was much enjoyed because of special exhibit on Pompei in Italy. We have toured the Pompei ruins and this provided a perspective on what Pompei looked like before the ruins. It was very well done.
Truly, this a fine museum. Except for the Pompei special exhibit we feel the rest is mainly for kids . But this part for kids is very good.

if you like science and outer space you will like this place you can spend a whole day here or just part of it> st louis zoo is close by as this is in forest park it provides a lot of fun

The science center is a part of Forest Park where you can find so many things to do. The science center is a good little spot, with things for adults or children.

For some reason, many family-friendly attractions in St. Louis seem to be closed on Mondays. We'd attended a concert in St. Louis and the granddaughters wanted to do something more before we left town. We chose to visit the Science Center and didn't regret it for a moment. One of my granddaughters is a dinosaur fanatic and the giant T-Rex and slain Triceratops on the lower level were the first thing she spotted. Over the few hours we spent at the Center, they learned about architecture, energy, space, dinosaurs, gaming, and countless other things. The learning is all done under the guise of fun and they loved it! We ate lunch at one of the small cafes right inside the entrance and had hot dogs and a veggie quesadilla, all of which were decent. Another member of our party had a slice of pizza, which was also decent. Not the greatest we've ever had but it filled us up and we weren't there for the food anyway! Parking was $10 and the cost to visit the Center was free. At the cafe, I received a retired military discount which was most appreciated. Definitely looking forward to a return visit!

The shuttle exhibit is not there much longer, but go here just for that purpose. It was incredibly cool to see the shuttle they used to go to the moon, as well as so many other amazing artifacts. I was very glad I went here!

Great for kids old enough to "understand" science. My 6 year old enjoyed all the things there were to see and experience, but my 2 year old was iffy on everything except the room where you could pull things around on carts. Good place to add to your itenerary if you have the time.

Parking is $15; we were lucky to find street parking within a block.
We stuck to the free exhibits, but the IMAX, planetarium, and hockey exhibits looked fun.

Most of the exhibits we saw worked, despite hundreds of beatings daily.
My college Junior physics-major Daughter enjoyed checking everything out.
Plenty for little kids, too.

Gift shop is robust.
Didn't try concessions.

Great hands on activities and so much to do for free. Sure you get more by paying more but with my large family we were fine just doing what was there for free. I recommend this place if you are in St Louis.

Park and science center along with zoo, art museum, and natural history museum are all a great way to spend a day in STL

Had an amazing time at the science center on the 4th of July. Went early and was not crowded.You can look at many exhibits for free. We paid for the Imax theater and were impressed with the show we saw on aircraft carriers. Well worth the money.

My family had come to St. Louis to visit the St. Louis Zoo and we decided to visit the science center as well.
We were trying to save a little money so we were doing activities that were cheap or free. We spent 2 days in the city and on our way home we stopped by the science center.
We have visited the science center a few years ago and our oldest daughter wanted to come back again.
The first time we stopped we went to the main entrance and there was a fee for parking, but this time we ended up parking at the planetarium and discovered that parking there is free and you can still walk through to the main building of the science center, so I would suggest trying there first for parking.
Our kids had a good time, but were getting tired so we only stayed 1 1/2 -2 hours. There are a lot of things for kids to do and I found many things interesting as well.
Definitely fun and educational as well.
I strongly suggest this as a stop with kids and the fact that admission is free is awesome.
There are many additional activities that have separate fees, but you can walk through and see what you think you might want to do before you pay to do them.
If you are in the area, put this stop on your to do list.

We are members and always go to the IMAX movies. This year they had a Pompei exhibit and it was great, interesting. The Science Center is just a great place for kids, families and adults.

You shouldn't come here if you or your kids have anxiety. People will constantly be bumping in to you.

We had time left in the day after our zoo visit and decided to see what was all involved in the Science Center. Needless to say we will definitely recommend family to take little ones. There were so many hands on exhibits for them to touch and play with. We even did a virtual reality exhibit ($10/person).

I belong to the Science Center, so I’m a frequent visitor. Whether with grandkids or wife, we always find something new and interesting. It’s an interactive experience. The Planetarium shows and IMAX movies are great. Always educational.

Our family has enjoyed this place for years and it just keeps getting bigger and better! If you haven't been here before or it's been a few years, you should definitely go back and see all of the additions! Just arrive early, because this place gets crazy after 12pm! Great place for people of all ages!

We wanted to one more thing before we headed home from a weekend concert and decided to stop by the Science Center. Its free to get in but costs under $10 to park. They have many different sections to see and most are interactive. The OmniMax movie is a must do! I’ve never seen anything like it before. We saw tue movie on Cuba. It will blow your mind. I recommend sitting at the top of the theater in order to take in the gigantic screen.

Lots of hands on and a large mix of activities. The free admission can be deceiving though, the additional cost activities can add up fast. We spent more here than any other destination on our vacation but we did more here. We saw an IMAX movie and toured the Apollo 11 exhibition that was much more interesting for the adults but had activities for the kids too. Plan to spend some extra money and enjoy the whole day there. There is a snack bar but you'll have to pay for parking each time if you leave and come back. The kids were wide eyed the whole time we were there.

We truly enjoyed this exhibit. Very informative, lots of information about Apollo 11 and NASA.... An amazing bit was that from the time Charles Lindbergh did his record breaking flight across the ocean to Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon was only 40 years!! What an achievement. Artifacts from Apollo 11 are on display and if you are remotely interested in flight and space, take advantage of this as it closes in early September. and of course the remainder of the St. Center is fun and informative... What a gem.

Both the science center and planetarium are connected and free. Simple, it was something to do. Your kids would enjoy it. We watched a documentary on bears in the Imax theater which was amazing, they even have a concession stand and you can eat all kids of snacks like it was real movie theater even fresh hot buttered popcorn.

This is a great place to go to learn whether you're 6 or 60. Tons of hands on activities for young and old.
The only bad thing about our trip was we happened to show up on a day when there were SEVERAL schools doing field trips there. We finally left because it was so loud with all the kids. But it's usually not crowded when we've been there before.

Various science projects with details as to how science works. The solar power exhibit was very informative for our 9 year old and how and why earth quakes happen.

Went to see the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit. It was fantastic. The working replica models of a lot of his inventions were spectacular. What an amazing human being. Also a fabulous artist.

We paid admission for the Pompei exhibit as well as the volcano Omnimax movie (combo ticket). The rest of the meseum if free minus the special attractions such as simulators, etc. The place was clean and the hands-on exhibits were entertaining. I enjoyed the portion about various games. There were many available to play. Parking is free at the planetarium and you walk across an enclosed walkway to get to the main building.

This is a great place for the whole family. While it is free admission, there are several things tha require a ticket and this can add up quickly. With that said, it was worth every penny.

We went late in the afternoon and did not have a ton of time. Unfortunately, we did not make it over to the planetarium. Although the science center is free, parking was something like $12. It would be a good bargain if you had a ton of people with you.

The first exhibit we saw included a bunch of games. There were some older teenagers playing foosball, which look like fun. And there was an older kid playing basketball. There were a ton of video games – but I did not go to the science center for my kid to play video games. So we went over to the mission to Mars area and played with a bunch of things there. We built a parachute to see how it would fly. We built a Mars Rover to see how it would do on the surface of the planet.

I think most of all, we enjoyed watching the balls on the ceiling. I did not realize until the science center was closed that you could get in a horizontal barrel and run to help the balls get up to the top of the maze. I think that would’ve been fun.

The dinosaurs were amazing, but they terrified my toddler son. I got a good laugh from that at least! The staff was really cool, and tried to reassure him, which I appreciated.

Yet another great example of a free, fun place to take the whole family. There are things (e.g. IMAX) that cost extra, but entrance is free.

I would say that compared to other large-city science centers I have been to, this one is geared toward kids. Everything is at kids' height, there are many hands-on things. My kids had a lot of fun. They had so much fun, we probably could have stayed another hour or two.

My daughter really loved the space exhibit, and my son liked the energy and math areas. My nephew was so excited to show us the dinosaurs!

Great time and highly engaging for everyone.

The tall space alien at the back entrance catches your attention. You have to try the VR ride - well worth the $10. I went to the international space station. Wish it had lasted longer.

We had a fun rainy day at the science center. Some of the exhibits were out of order, but overall it was a good way to spend a few hours inside while it poured outside

We had a nice time when visiting. It was a very busy crowd, but my kids loved it. There are 3 floors and an outdoor area. They do have elevators. There was tons of stuff for the kids to do, some things were an extra charge-if you choose to do them. There are places to eat there-we didn't eat while there though. Admission is free. You can pay to park in their lot. Getting out of the lot during busy times can take awhile.

First, admission is free!!! (Yes, you pay to park and pay for some of the additional attractions, but most of it is free!) plenty for all ages. The new agricultural exhibits are really well done. One highlight is the bridge over the highway!

We enjoyed our visit but would probably be better for younger children. The omnimax Pandas movie was amazing and we really enjoyed the planetarium show.

We took our adult son as well as our 12-year-old grandson and we all loved it! Couldn’t believe it was free. We did pay to go into a show in the planetarium and it was totally worth it. Kids and seniors get a discount. Would have stayed for the IMAX movie but didn’t have enough time. Would definitely go back!

Our son is a big dinosaur fan, so we decided to go before our dinner reservations on the hill. We had a great time walking around and looking at all the cool stuff. They do have a café inside serving pizza and other stuff. You can grab a beer or cider if you so choose. Good place to let your kids run off some energy, especially on a rainy day.

The IMAX experience was fantastic! They featured a movie about the Havana, Cuba’s culture. They showed some of the places that I saw in my visit to Havana in 2016.

Very interactive and fun! Kids of any age will love this experience. Be sure to check out the movie experience.

Lots of displays, including dinosaurs and volcanoes and growing crops. The Planetarium shows are fun; you can lie on your back on a ]mat to look up.

So many things to see and do here! We were impressed from beginning to end. We parked at the planetarium for free and walked over the interior bridge to the science center. We spent about 2 hours here and there was still a lot to see, we didn’t spend $1 (there are options to do activities that cost extra but our son was excited about everything else and never even asked to do the things that cost)! This is a great environment to let the kids lead the way and wander around. No rush and not too packed...we visited on a Friday afternoon.

STL Science Center is a "must see" an awesome place for families and visitors. My comments are related to the Guitar Exhibit being featured for January 19 - April 14th. There are no redeeming qualities to charge $10.95 a ticket for an exhibit that is not entertaining, informative, educational and just plain lame. You can learn more from Wikapedia about guitars. Very disappointing!

I have visited the center in the past but this one was to see the movie Cuba in the Omni theater. This was an after work activity and the museum was really closed before the 5 PM showing started. We parked separately in the lot a 20 dollar mistake. We entered the theater and watched the 50 minute presentation on Cuba. The theater was nice but make sure if you have any neck issues to sit in the higher up seats to avoid straining your neck to look at all the things to see on the Omni screen. While the movie was good in content I felt it was kind of short for a $10 charge per person. As we left we found the parking gates all up. We could have not paid for the parking and saved 20 bucks!. I really feel that $40 for 50 minutes of entertainment is a bit excessive. These late events should have free or reduced fee parking.

we had two bored teenagers with us on our trip and they decided this looked fun, and i have to say it was! some interesting exhibits, mainly really geared for elementary and middle school kids, but cool nonetheless. it's free if you just want to go in, they have a theater and some other things that cost, but we didn't do any of those things. note that parking is $12 per vehicle.

Went on a date here with an engineer who was quite excited to get back to his roots with the kid-friendly experiments. We also caught a show which was fantastic (constellations). We went, specifically, for the King Tut exhibit which, itself, was amazing.

We did the audio walkthrough and then got to see the various artifacts afterwards. They did an impressive recreation of the tomb and, surprisingly, had King Tut's actual mummy present.

We missed the dinosaur exhibit, unfortunately, but from what I could tell, the kids that were there LOOOOVED what they saw. Ha ha.

We'd definitely go back again. I found it very comparable to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia (cleaner, even!).

Definitely worth the free entry and the $10 parking. My son loved the giant T-Rex, the animal skeletons, and the Mars rover area. We all thought the radar guns were pretty neat in the bridge over the interstate.

If you are a pressed penny fan there's one in the food court area.

Took my grandchildren (ages 8, 5, 3) to the Solar System presentation in the planetarium. It was lecture style and included very little of the amazing photography now available on the internet of the newer discoveries of our universe. I was even bored. The young man who presented the information did a nice job; it was the content that was lacking.
Also, their explanation for the origin of the universe was presented as fact instead of as a theory. It does the public, especially children, a disservice to present theory as fact.

We stopped here to pass some time before our scheduled appointment at The Arch. We were Mom, Dad, two 18-year old-boys, and a 13-year old boy. The boys are a bit of science geeks, so we thought we would give it a shot. The museum is free, but there is a small charge for parking. A lot of the exhibits are geared towards younger kids, but our teens still had fun challenging each other on different experiments. There is also some flight simulators, which the boys liked. Mission Mars was also pretty cool with a space rover. There is a really neat sky bridge over top of a busy highway the connects two sections of the museum. You can clock the cars' speed under your feet. All in all, we would recommend the museum for families with young kids; those who may be interested in some science/ space, experiment;, and / or just want to pass some time while waiting for other activities or riding out the weather.

Stopped to speak with operations manager, stayed for a full tour. What a great place for visitors young and old.

This museum seems to be entirely young family oriented. I went this museum solely to see the Pompeii Exhibition. Entrance fee was $22, with a $2 discount for seniors.

Loved the exhibit. Content was original and very thorough. Note: body casts are reproductions, as Italy does not allow human remains to be exported. Audio guide was available after scanning a QR code. Narration was clear and concise. Highly recommend.

Saint Louis has a great idea introduce families to learning in a fun interactive atmosphere. We visited multiple floors with multiple activities. A great day trip.

Get your kids interested in science at an early age. The St. Louis Science Center has hands on activities for all ages, preschool to adults. Each month there are special presentations offered, the IMAX theatre has several movies to choose from, the Planetarium is a unique experience.
No children, no problem: there are many special events throughout the year for adults to enjoy during the evening hours.
Also, you can view the stars outside with local residents that set up their telescopes and answer questions.
You need to visit their website to see all the activities offered both inside and outside.
The center is free, but IMAX, planetarium, children’s Discovery Room, special exhibitions have a fee.
Website is slsc.org

There were a few interesting exhibits however it was extremely busy and quickly became chaotic and disorganized. Will visit on an off day next time to get a better sense of all the museum has to offer.

Another fabulous free activity in St. Louis, just need to pay for the extras! Attached to the planetarium by a walkway over the highway, there is free parking on the planetarium side. Plan ahead and start on that side. The temporary Pompeii exhibit was very interesting. Costs $20 a person but we got passes included with our hotel (Pear Tree). Kind of pricy if you don’t get included. Lots of hands in activities for kids. Highly recommend! Everything clean and new looking!

The center was extremely crowded assuming this was due to it being a Saturday. The exhibit was $20 a person and was decent. The tours were timed to attempt to control the crowding inside but there was a major line and wait for one active part of the exhibit. In my opinion it wasn’t worth the wait and was like waiting on line for an amusement park ride that turned out to be a film with dry ice and lights used for affect. I still want to see the real city.

We had the best time at the Science Museum. The museum itself is free but of course we paid for the extras and that got a little pricey but well worth it. We paid for two IMAX experiences and a tour of an Apollo 11 exhibit that was really cool. My grandson is 4 and he had a blast as well as his parents (29-32 in age) and us grandparents (55 in age). We loved the bridge over the interstate with the speed guns you could point at the cars and see how fast they were going, my grandson thought that was the coolest thing ever. They had blocks that you could actually built an Arch that we stood under and took a family selfie. The IMAX had mats so you could lay down and watch the show. We spent an entire day there and were like WOW, that went by so fast. We loved it and will plan to go back

You need a half a day minimum to check out everything in Science Center.
There are many shows in Planetarium which can be avoided if u have a time constraint.

First, look for the films scheduled at the IMAX theatre. If something is playing that appeals to your situation, view the IMAX presentation as the venue is great!

As far as other attractions, displays from prehistoric times to jet aircraft simulators to various interactive activities are there.

We were pleased to find a section where we were able to purchase food and drink, as well as tables and chairs to rest. Plan on spending a few hours here, especially if you take children (they will love it).

The St. Louis Science Center is a ‘gem’, and should be visited whether you are a visitor or a local resident.

The science center model is feeling tired. Noise, bustle, kids running around and turning nobs and flipping switches, fast food and a sense of an old video arcade combined with lots of donor money and a sincere desire to educate. Stay for the demonstrations, avoid the poorly trained but earnest staff in special exhibits, pay attention to the science behind the fun, get your yourself over to the planetarium (too many people don't make the fun walk and the place is brilliant on the other side of the highway via bridge and tunnel), talk to the more senior staff and volunteers, share your knowledge and make connections. Sound ambivalent? At least the place will usually try to meet you halfway if you're really trying to learn while you have fun. Usually.

The Science Center is a great place to take children to have a good time learning about science. They have a ton of hands on activities,demonstrations, movies and exhibits. It can be chaotic and noisy, but the kids all seem to be having a great time.

Very hands on and fun experience! We loved the games exhibit and saw the animal rehabilitation animal images experience. Everyone in my group was an adult and we still rate it a 5/5 experience, but would be great with kids too!

During my visit in 2020, I attended a rare exhibit of DaVinci. Very educational and fun experience.

*Note: TripAdvisor does not offer a calendar for 2020, year I actually visited.*

This is a fantastic museum for kids. A lot of interactive exhibits, including a gaming section. My kids loved it.

And it’s totally free!

First, our mistake for going on a Sunday way too busy good for them bad for us.
Went to see Pompeii exhibit, in our opinion it was not well organized. Once you get inside it is very dark by design but he signage was small and low on the wall, people were taking photos of the signs so they could read later. Not good! Exhibits had headset numbers on some but there were no headsets offered or a way to listen on your phone. Line for the volcano segment was long and lots of confusion where that line merged with another line from another exhibit, no one in security or management thought it was a problem. The items were interesting but for $20 each you might expect a better experience.

This was my first trip to the Science Center--went to see the Apollo 11 traveling exhibit--it was absolutely OUTSTANDING!! The rest of the Science Center was fun too. I went with my teenage niece and nephew--even they had a good time and best of all the Science Center was free admittance. The Omni movie and special traveling exhibit had a fee but so worthwhile.

Another great spot for the whole family. Lots of cool exhibits that will keep you busy all day. It's a great place to go when the weather outside is uncooperative.

The St. Louis Science Center has lots to keep kids busy and learning! We loved the IMAX and wish we had time to spend in the planetarium. My kids loved making the sailboats and parachutes in Makerspace.

Fantastic space exhibits on park side entrance and a wide range of science based activities in the main building. Great learning for kids and adults

The Science Center is split into two facilities geared to different age groups. The science center sits outside Forest Park while the Planetarium sits within the park. They are connected by a walkway over the highway.

The science center activities and displays are more suitable for young school age children than adults. It is a great place to take young children to explore science and release energy. The Planetarium is more of an adult activity. They have regular shows and excellent and knowledgeable show directors.

Park at the Planetarium as it is free. Parking at the science center is 15.00

There are 4 levels of varying things to do for the whole family at the Saint Louis Science Center.

Admission is free but unless you are members parking is $15.00. Take a ticket and pay inside at the box office to have your ticket validated.

Numerous exhibits to see with the Dinosaur exhibits with mechanical replicas and fossils, the electrical exhibits, sea creatures a history of video games and interactive exhibits.

I think it's a fun place for a short while but not as much to do for more than 90 minutes like the Saint Louis Zoo does.

Very enjoyable and I'm glad we made the time to go here! Kids loved it and could have spent even longer! We were there several hours but could have spent longer. All staff was very friendly!

Fun adventure of you have Young children. Lots of activities to do and opportunity to learn. We loved the walkway from the Science Center to the Planetarium over there highway. Parking was slim pickings, but we got lucky on our first try and found a spot on prem. Bring some hand sanitizer, I feel like lots of little hands equal lots of little germs...

The events are always changing and there is always something for every age group. Omnimax is incredible no matter what the feature playing.

This first started out as a mediocre experience for us. We have a 12 year old that said this is to young for me. But we wanted to check it out. 95% was too young for him. He is a plant lover as the rest of us are to. When we got to the plant growing and gardening area it made coming here worth while. We came here early in the day and it was raining. So most people stayed in the main area while we found the plant growing area. I can say what made this visit worth while was the grafting area. We got lucky not alot of people were here. Maybe one other family. The worker showed us his grafting technique. We love growing our own garden at home and seeing how to graft plants was so cool. They had grafted peppers. To see this in person was amazing. Our son loved seeing it and the employee that took a lot of time to show us how made it worth it. This guy deserves a raise. He offered to show us all the plants he had grafted along with tips about doing it. All down to the accidentals of just pollen moving around. We thank you for that and we may try grafting plants now. Thank you.

This is a great place for the young and old. Lots of fun to take kids. My mom and nephew just went for one of the omnimax movies. It's an awesome venue to watch one of their documentaries.

Awesome science museum with interactive displays on multiple floors. Has a cafe for eats. There is a enclosed walk way over the Interstate thats really cool. The planetarium show is must.

I came here a lot as a kid and always had a great time. Now that I'm visiting the area again with my own child (7yo) I'm pleased to see that kids still love it. We parked for free over on the planetarium side and walked across the bridge, which has speed guns for the cars below, a few "portholes" in the floor and some fixed binoculars too. Once across the bridge I was surprised to see my most-remembered thing from 30 years ago right where I'd left it, so to speak - the build it yourself arches with the numbered foam blocks. Sounds easy enough.. but we couldn't quite make the larger one stand with two adults and a 7 year old! It was fun anyway, when it all came tumbling down. The kid's favorite thing was the kinetic ball sculpture over the main entrance atrium. It's a lot of fun to watch and try to figure out where the balls will go.

Look, I could go on and on, but suffice it to say we went on a rainy Saturday, spent exactly no money on extras and were there for about 3-4 hours. Yes of course it was busy, but not overly so until probably around noon.

Though we live in Central Illinois, we're members of SLSC, and yet it's free entrance! It's just so neat, we want to support it. We also visit 3-5 times a year. Even without our granddaughter, we enjoy the information and experiences. Interractive displays and activities abound, and they're suitable for any age. Planetariun, IMAX, virtual reality "rides," flight simulators. WOW! It's an all day affair with "the child" ... actually we went beck for play and lunch befroe taking them to the airp[ort in the afternoon.. You will love this place!

While visiting the Zoo in Forest Park, we drove to the Planetarium and then decided to take the walk over the interstate highway to see the Science Center. We were fascinated by the different displays that teach the basics of science and physics. Although this will be a great learning experience for children, it also holds considerable information that adults will find interesting. I highly recommend it to families.

This is such an awesome place! I wish I would have more time to stay here and see everything, because the exhibits were amazing. Unfortunately, we were in a hurry and the science center was packed. One thing we noticed is that we saw a LOT of kids who were excited about science at this place. That was great to see! We will definitely be back.

We enjoyed our visit here. There were fun items for the kids & adults alike. We spent about two hours here & didn’t get to do everything. My husband and son played an oversized set of checkers. We played on a huge Nintendo, ping pong in a tunnel and other fun activities. We also had the chance to speak with two staff members about the gardens, chickens & the human anatomy. There were hand sanitizers everywhere and we felt the museum was clean. The museum is free and parking is $12.

Adults and children can both enjoy this remarkable museum. Admission to permanent exhibits is free. Parking is free on the Forest Park/planetarium show only, but there was plenty on the day we went. IMAX movies (of which there were three or four choices of movies), planetarium shows and especial exhibits (Apollo XI command capsule until Sept. 3) cost you, but the science center has a deal with several area Drury Inn properties that can get you free entrance to the Apollo exhibit and an IMAX movie for up to 4 people for free when you stay. See the list of hotels on the science center's website.

My 8-year-old son enjoyed construction exhibits on this visit and everything to do with space. He also liked an exhibit where forced air propelled balls into the air and one where machinery sent balls down tracks in various directions before they returned to their origin points. Several children seemed to be having a fine time assembling a replica of the St. Louis Arch out of foam blocks. The arch was several feet tall, and it looked like great fun. Also of interest is a pedestrian walkway over the interstate where you can stand on glass and watch cars pass beneath you or use radar detectors to check out their speed.

The Apollo XI exhibit was extremely well done and depicts what it was like for families at home to gather around their TV sets and watch humankind take the first steps on the moon. Besides the capsule, parts of the rocket collected from the ocean floor, Buzz Aldrin's visor and gloves and a moon rock are on display. There is also an area where you can climb into a same size capsule and lie on your back in launch position. The exhibit is on display from the Smithsonian temporarily and is well worth making a trip to see.

We have been to the St. Louis Science Center several times and will continue to come back when we visit St. Louis. Many thanks for continuing to get top-of-the-line traveling exhibits like Apollo XI.

We stopped in the other day and had a really good time.The museum was extremely busy with lots of families but you still were able to get around.We paid the extra price to see the Pompei exhibit and were really glad we did.The exhibit features artifacts from Pompei and gives you a look into how life was and what actually happened when the volcano erupted.Worth every penny and a lot cheaper than flying to Italy.

If you have a chance to see the Pompeii Exhibit at the Science Center before it closes or where ever it travels to next, go see it! The Exhibit was terrific. Very interesting and educational. The price was excellent and the audio guide is highly recommended for more interesting details. The 4D Eruption Theater is a must see but you might want some ear protection because it is very very loud

Slight problem that the music played with the Exhibit and the 4D Eruption Theater was sometimes so loud that you could not hear the audio guide.
The placards explaining exhibits were written in such tiny font even the many children, with great eyesight had to get within 1 foot of them to read the font. And some were even on the floor so no way seniors could even get down to read them

B- to the Science Center because of the lack of handicap parking. All handicap parking places were locked behind a fence because of remodeling or renovation. And instead of using temp handicap parking signs in their vast parking lot they relagated those needing handicap parking to spots on the StLU athletic fields which were even farther away from the entrance door because of more fencing. Poor planning and execution. I expected better!

We had 3 adults and 3 children in our group and there was something for everyone! The huge T-Rex and Triceratops were the center of attention for my toddler. We had a great time and loved that it was free! I could have spent several more hours in there exploring if it hadn't been closing time. I look forward to taking the kiddos back again soon!!

It was a great experience ! The museum is huge and interactive, for the kids and for the adults I recommend

Whats great about the science center:
Admission is free.
Its an educational experience that is great for kids.
The whole thing can be seen in probably four hours or less.
The planetarium is awesome, and they get some really cool exhibitions in too....but the planetarium and those cool exhibitions are going to cost you anywhere from $8 - $20 a person. There is a fee for the planetarium too and another fee to park. (to be fair there is street parking available for free)
Is it worth it? Yes! Is it budget friendly? Eh.

This place is great for kids, lots of interesting things to see, even some things for parents. Can't believe it is free.

If you can’t find parking, come back later! We tried to visit the museums around noon during our spring break trip and their was not parking available, we left and spent a bit of time at Union Station and were able to park later. We spent about 2 hours at the museum and enjoyed our time. My pre-teen daughters were able to wander the exhibits on their own and had a nice time. Definitely worth a stop while in St Louis.

Been coming here for many years. Only reason to some here is for the Omnimax movie. Seems like same old tired displays, yea yea some special exhibits but not worth the trip. Hasn't had a WOW factor in years.

Was visiting family in St. Louis and wanted an activity for an extended family group of around 10 people ranging in age from 10 to 75 and one of the relatives suggested this. We visited on a grey dreary day the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Parking is free, but the lot is quite small, so be prepared to park as far as a few blocks away and walk.

As we entered, my husband and I began to look around for where to pay the admission for our family, and were very pleasantly shocked when we were told that admission is free. Yes, FREE!

We walked a little further and .... WOW. There is a 3-story marble maze thingy that is just fascinating! I could have stood and watched it for hours!

Our main destination was the games area. They have a variety of games from cards and board games, dice games, video games, along with areas that teach and explain the history behind many of the games. There was even a video game that you controlled with your mind! Our group spent the majority of time in this area and everyone had a blast.

As we were leaving, we wandered a little to explore some of the other areas. Our daughter is a college freshman majoring in Archaeology, and was intrigued by the area where you could actually dig for artifacts (when it is open -- alas, it was closed when we visited). There was a dinosaur exhibit with an animated (moving and talking) dinosaur. There was so much to see and do and experience! We could have easily spent several more hours here.

On the way out, we visited the gift shop and looked around. Our daughter is also weirdly obsessed with volcanoes, and although we missed the special Pompeii exhibit by about a week, she still got a t-shirt and she loves it. There was also a very nice food court area with a variety of food, snack and beverage options.

I can't recommend this highly enough. Everyone in our group had a great time, and oh yeah... did I mention that admission is FREE?!!

The science center was buzzing with Saturday attendees but we enjoyed a guided tour through the Pompeii Exhibit. Thorough and friendly tour guide, so knowledgeable and you could tell she loved the history.

Thank you for offering such a special glimpse into what happened and what remains.

I have been to the Science Center many times. I first went on a field trip with my school. I loved it. I was entertained for hours and I learned plenty too. I got to go again a little while later with my Girl Scout troop. I got a private experience and I got to spend the night. I loved that experience. I love that there are always new shows to watch and exhibits to explore. I always have a unique time there. I also met one of my favorite Star Trek actors there as well. That was an unforgettable tie.

We chose to visit the SLSC while on vacation in St Louis because hey, it’s free! and also because so many reviews said it was fun for all ages. Each area was interesting and we did learn new things from reading the information posted all around the exhibits, but the majority of the hands on activities really are geared toward young children. While I’m glad those activities were available for the little ones to stay interested and learn, I had hoped there would be more interactive things for teens to do. My 17 year old wandered from area to area blandly saying “I learned that in 5th grade. I learned that last year. I learned that from a Discovery channel show.” She loves science but here she never found more than 3 or 4 actives to engage in that truly held her attention. There was a large area devoted to the history of and designing of video games but it was so crowded and people playing them seemed to stay for several games in a row, giving nobody else a chance to take a turn. I did enjoy the NASA/space displays and the electricity exhibits. We were glad we went and saw what it was all about but we probably won’t be back unless we have grandchildren to take.

The Science Center is free to enter, but be prepared to pay for any of the special attractions(I.E. The Mummy exhibit to enter is $20 a person). They have some neat stuff that is free and it’s worth a stop if you are looking for something to do to burn some time. The planetarium is also included in the science center which is also free.

Expect to pay $10 for parking.

I think I expected more from the Science Center. We visited the Zoo, Arch & City Museum while on our trip and the Science Center was my least favorite. It is free to get in but cost $5 each to go to the Discovery Room which was probably the most fun part for my 6 year old. Expect NO interaction from the staff that works in this area as she was on her cell phone the entire 45 minutes you get in here ( be sure to use the bathroom before you go in to this part). A lot of the hands on stuff was missing pieces to what you needed to be able to complete what you were doing, such as trying to build a rover and test it. Most of the staff we encountered never acknowledge the people around them. We ate lunch while here, the staff barely acknowledged us and when our food was ready only half of our order was there and you could not get their attention to let them know, they just set it on the counter and anyone could have picked up your food. We had 2 chicken quesadillas and 2 cokes and it was $22.00. The pizza my daughter had looked really good and she ate it. Cotton candy is $5 a bag. We did do the Snow Ride which was $5 each and it was ok. I was overall disappointed with the Science Center and I don't see us going back in the future. Parking is also $10. My daughters favorite activity was probably playing in the water outside and sitting in the tractor and combine and milking the cow.

This was a great time! Enjoyed the IMAX theater. Lots of interactive activities for children to enjoy.

The museum is Free but the Exhibit about Pompei was extra. I believe it was $20. A person. It was worth seeing and experiencing as you will see the before, during and after the Great destruction of this entire area and learn the history. It is a very well done exhibit.
There is an area of the museum that housed a learning type center with games. Both physical games as well as mind games. A full immersion experience. Quite interesting! The parking was $5 and you will be given a ticket. You take that ticket inside and pay via kiosk or at one of the cashiers.
Once again St Louis outdid itself with another worthy Museum. Visit!

The St Louis Science Center is a free attraction in general, but with costs for the Imax, VR and special exhibitions. Don't let that deter you. There is so much hands-on exhibits that you can fill your time completely without the others. Well maintained and staffed, the Center was clean, neat and busy. Good food options inside and fascinating displays all over.

Highly recommend taking kids young and old to the science center. My 4 year old had a blast and so did my 14 year old. The dinosaur exhibit is awesome and the gaming center. I also encourage to make it outside to the farm area and to the building across the walkway on the third deck. Definitely worth a visit.

Spent an entire day with grandsons, ages 1 and 3, on a recent visit to the St. Louis area. We were able to get free parking by the planetarium. Admission is free. The boys loved the sky walk connecting the planetarium and science center which is above the interstate. We all watched the star show at the planetarium. I would say ages 3 and up are best for it. The science center kept the boys entertained for hours-many hands on exhibits and activities. Their favorite area was GameXPloration which had board games, ping pong, foos ball, basketball hoops, video games, etc. Even my spouse was entertained. Another hit for the kids was the Discovery Room which is a ticketed area in 45 min sessions. Many hands on activities for young children. We are already talking about a return vacation to the area next year because the grandsons loved this experience.

This place was amazing! I have an 11 and a 4-year-old! They both LOVED this place (who am I kidding, we parents enjoyed it, too)! It was a wonderful surprise. We were in town for Six Flags, but needed to take a “sunburn healing” day. This showed up as an option via Trip Advisor. We took a chance and it became the kid’s favorite part of our entire trip (more than Six Flags)! The parking is $12, but totally worth it since the facility is free for most things!

Free, fun and friendly staff. What else could you ask for? We were there from 10:30am until closing. The shows and the loads of information were plenty to keep us entertained and involved. Very knowledgeable. Parking was $10. Thank you to all for making this a memorable and learning adventure for our family.

We loved doing crafts and the food was great also the dinosaurs were really realistic we also went to the zoo that day. The staff were really nice also the weather place was full of games like an earthquake shook you like crazy and the tornado you walk into was really fun I was so amazed how i made a paper parachute for a cardboard stick it was a blast i went with my family!!!!!!!!

Went to see the Omnimax movie on aircraft carriers, our grandkids from VA have always enjoyed the St. Louis Science Center. They also still, as teenagers, like the flight simulators and flying the planes on the computer.

OMG!! THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!! No matter what your age, you'll have fun. They were just putting in the King Tut exhibit, so we didn't get to see that, but we will. Again, you pay 1 price to park and everyone gets in free. There's a few things in there that are extra.

Understand Pompei exhibit is closing soon, but was a magnificent peak into ancient history.
Rest of museum was a good science museum, mostly for kids. Amazing that except for special exhibits, like the Pompei , the museum is free!

Visit the center today with a 12 year old. Thought it was just ok. This Museum is for younger kids. I am happy that is was free. I would recommend is you have young kids.

I took my son and 2 friends here, ages 9-13. We just had a little over 2 hours to explore before they closed. They weren’t sure they wanted to go, but I made that decision for them. And once inside, they enjoyed every minute until closing time. They spent most of the time in the games exploration exhibit and Mars exhibit. They had a lot of fun. Museum seemed clean, very stimulating, and fun. I don’t know if they would have been able to spend a whole day, as some stuff was geared to younger kids, but so glad we went. We definitely would have enjoyed checking out some of the imax or planetarium shows if we had more time. Would definitely return to if ever in town again.

The t-rex and triceratops exhibit was my highlight -- enjoyed seeing how big these animals actually were. Went to both the Omnimax theater and the planetarium. The shows were good and the price very reasonable compared to many other planetariums and Omnimax theaters. The admission to the Science Center is free, but parking is $10, so it is better to go as a big group in one car.

It was very crowded with what seemed like lots of unsupervised kids! We only spent a couple of hours and decided to go over to the zoo! Older kids would probably enjoy on a less crowded day.

We enjoyed looking at the dinosaurs, fossils, dig area. Our 5 year old liked a lot of the hands-on activities. He was also surprisingly interested in the Mars model with the different areas of mars that lit up (especially the volcano Olympus Mons)

We got to spend the weekend with our 11 y/o niece before she went back to school and she wanted to see pompeii at the silence center. She is above average intelligence and attention span. We were a little hesitant because of the $20 per person fee. We decided wth and decided to have a pompeii weekend. Friday night we watched the movie Pompeii (2014) pg13. The movie was awesome and had a love story so really caught her attention and she watched attentively and enjoyed the movie and the history. Next, on saturday morning we headed to the silence center. We parked on the forest park side where we could enjoy freeeeeeee parking and walked through the planet arium and over the easy bake oven bridge over highway 40. We went straight to the exhibit and purchased tickets right at the entrance and bypassed the long line down in the main lobby. The tickets ended up being $55 for the three of us. We entered the exhibit and began our 20 min tour. It was extremely dark inside and the tour showed how Pompeians lived 2000 years ago and ended with a short and final movie. yawn. As we left disappointed we could not help but think that we could have seen almost every element and more for free right there at the st. louis arts museum on the first floor ie. paintings, bronze stuff, jewelry, pottery etc from the period.

When my son was young we were members, great place to spend a whole day, much to see and learn. They always have great documentaries and exhibitions. Bit expensive, but worth it.

It’s always a fun time when you’re going to the St. Louis zoo! We took prom pictures there and they are by far my favorite pics of the night

The $10 parking fee always annoys me (it's not in a downtown area), but the museum itself is well done. The exhibits (currently Pompeii) are usually first-class.

This place is super cool and a great stop to see the Dinosaurs! It's a free attraction and that's hard to find - so it's worth the stop in! My husband and I went, but it seems this cool place is more designed for little ones - like 10 and under. The planetarium is very cool and very interesting and felt like it was directed more for adults. On the weekends you can get roadside parking for free - otherwise parking is $10 which isn't much considering the whole place is free entrance!

My husband and I had an unplanned day in Saint Louis so decided to see if there were any museums we could visit. Found the science center on TripAdvisor and decided to check it out.

It was easy to find, parking is $10 but entry to the center is free. We parked and before we even went in were having fun with the parabolic dishes outside which allow you to whisper to someone several metres away.

The lobby has an amazing ball track going all around the ceiling, with flags, chimes etc and a wheel you can walk in to move the balls up. Friendly staff welcomed us, told us entry was free and gave us a visitor map.

We spent 3 hours looking around, trying out all the interactive exhibits. My husband is a physicist and was in his element trying out some of the exhibits. Particularly memorable were the animatronic dinosaurs, the bridge building, the earthquake simulator and the IMAX film projector (the latter of which I had to tear him away from).

A lot of the activities were aimed at young kids but we also enjoyed them. We had lunch of cafeteria style pizza which was yummy and nostalgic. If we had kids we would 100% bring them here, the kids we saw there were having a wonderful time building things and trying everything out.

What a great place, can't believe entry is free. Long may it remain that way - it's great to see fun and accessible science education for kids and 34 year old physicists alike.

Loved in STL for 33 years and we didn’t stay longer than 45 minutes this trip. The worst experience you could imagine. Nothing was accessible or open. Lacked the fun the science center used to provide and education. No pumpkins or anything whatsoever outdoors or any sort of gardening or experiments to do. The atmosphere was depressing lonely. Such an embarrassment to STL. Where did everything go? Why is nothing open? Nothing works!

Went here specifically to see the Pompeii exhibit. It was very good. The exhibits were actual artifacts from Pompeii, not replicas. If you spend $20 or more on tickets for the exhibit you get $5 off of your parking (parking cost $10 normally).

I have been going here since I was a child and now I bring my own children. Lots of great activities. Tried the flight simulator (extra ticket) this last time with my 11 year old and we had a blast!

It was nice to see a group of college students having fun trying out the different manipulatives the center has. It's not only for children but all children at heart!

Variety of options to choose, something for everyone. With free admission there's alot to experience then options of various other from the simulator rides to the planetarium, all recommended.

One of 3 places that we have to go to every time we are in the area. It helps that they have different "visiting" attractions to keep things fresh, but also the mainstays that the kids remember and love.

First of all, understand what this is: a SCIENCE center, and so it is geared, yes, toward being entertaining, but more toward being educational. There are many really neat things here if you enter with that correct mindset of it first and foremost being an educational facility. The IMAX theatre is an interesting experience. Of the two movies we watched, we thought one was great and one was awful. There are many interactive exhibits. Most of them are probably more engaging to younger kids. As an adult, I liked tdhe planetarium show. My three teen kids were neutral on it. There are a few picnic tables on site and a full food court. It is also in very, very close proximity to Forest Park and the St. Louis Zoo, and so a nice day could be finished out with trips to one or both of those places. My biggest complaint is that it was so crowded on the summer Saturday we were there, I felt like I was in rush hour traffic all day long. Everything is geared toward an evolutionary timeline, of course. Parking is ample and designed for good flow. Occupants can be dropped off at the front door while the driver alone travels on to the parking lot if so desired.

We decided last minute to go to the Science Center last Sunday we purchased our tickets to see South Pacific online NO LINES FOLKS and you have a better chance of getting a seat as they do sell out. I suggest going during the week less traffic ....it really is more of a place for kids great place for grand parents to take the grandkids...Most everything is hands on..and educational

We had such a great time at our visit recently! Our group included 4 young kids (infant-5 years old) and 4 adults and everyone had a great time!

We really enjoyed the Discovery Center, which does cost. It is totally worth it!

I was also really pleased with the science center being both gluten free friendly (unsure for celiac disease if there is cross contamination, we have someone in our group with a gluten intolerance) AND had a really comfortable room specifically for nursing infants.

Definitely will be going back!

It's a fantastic museum for kids. If you are over 10 years old, you'll still be entertained, but the museum is really for kids. There are hands on activities for every age group and you can spend all day there. There was no entry free, but did have a parking fee. There is also a fee if there is a special exhibit.

This place is great for adult and kids and the best part is that it was free. Parking is 12.00 though may seem alittle pricey but is fair considering your not paying to get in.

I am from the East Coast and this is my second visit to this museum in as many years. This year my main interest was to see the Pompeii Exhibit. It was fantastic. The displays you will see are unbelievable. The explanations and artwork helping you understand what was Pompeii were tremendous. But the way the exhibit was set up is ingenious...you saw Pompeii before and after the Vesuvius eruption, as the exhibit also allowed you to experience
the eruption. What you see after the eruption made me speechless and incredulous and emotional.
This exhibit is a presentation of a visual and emotional treasure.

Let me preface by saying that my son (8) does not enjoy exhibits that conspicuously teach him something. We have been to a couple of science centers where he was bored out of his mind because they were more like field trip classrooms. That being said, this was our second visit to the St. Louis Science Center (we're not local). Last time was a couple of years ago, and we only had a couple of hours to spend. I wasn't certain how it would go over this time, as he was almost maxed out with the 2 hours last time (bear in mind the shorter attention span of a 6 year old). However, there was plenty to keep him busy (the longer attention span helped). I definitely noticed some new additions - the Moonlander being his favorite. Our visit was 4 hours, but we could've stayed all day, had time allowed. There were some features that were not working, which was a bit disappointing. These were either computer-related, or had moving parts. I'm sure they are the most heavily used, and it was Monday after a holiday weekend. That considered, there's so much to do, we still ran out of time. We greatly enjoyed Great Bear Rainforest in the IMAX theater. There were some cool live science experiment shows. And the cafe food was really decent. Older kids could definitely spend the day, while younger children would probably be a much shorter day. It's free to get in, $10 to park, and the IMAX was about $20 for 2 people. Lunch was also about $20 for 2 people. We can't wait to visit again.

Went there with my grand daughters.... and they enjoyed the event. Not as much hands on as other museums of that type.

The St. Louis Science Center offers a wide range of free interactive teaching displays. Our grandsons (8 and 9) enjoyed everything ranging from a scary dinosaur to microscope specimens, computers, and flight simulators. The place offers a lot, and is free (except for parking and the planetarium shows)

First off this museum is actually free. We parked at the planatrium which is free parking and walked through the entire museum. This included space exploration, walking across the sky bridge and clocking the car speeds, building buildings, building Mars rovers, making our own sailboats to race, playing in the video game room, checking out the dinosaurs and fossils and participating in a the science experience “too hot, too cold”.

There are a few areas where you can pay to do extras but there was so much to do our kids (7, 5, 4) didn’t even ask to do any of them.

The science museum is definitely a great way to spend a day in St. Louis

The game Exploration exhibit was really neat. They had old video games, board games, virtual reality, etc. Very fun to visit even without kids. The rest of the museum is super neat as well. It is even more incredible because it is free! Parking behind the museum is 10 dollars- but it is worth it for what you get to see inside. There are some areas inside where you can pay extra to try a flight simulator or a virtual reality ride, but not doing them wont detract from your visit.

The only problem with the SC is that no matter how long you visit, your child still puts up a tiff when it's time to leave.
Fascinating place and all educational.
Free parking at the planetarium across the street

My granddaughter (7 yrs. old) wanted to see more dinosaurs, they have a very good display with explanations of the different rocks, fossils exhibited. The interactive areas were fantastic and very educational--producing electricity, moon rovers, etc. so much to see and do. I hadn't known about this site before visiting St. Louis, someone told me about it, when looking for dinosaurs. So glad we went, she had a great time

This is a good Museum, you pay to park but the museum is free, when we went They had an exit on the moon landing which was an extra charge but it was great on the 60’s and the space program.

This is a neat place, went for Pompeii Exhibit and it was interesting but thought the 3D/Movie would have been better. The 3D theater was under construction so that was not an option this time but it is a really great place to take the family when visiting STL.

We had a rainy day and decided to spend it at the Science Center. Admission is free which is very nice. We went to the planetarium which was amazing, admission to this was only $6. I highly recommend the center

Looked forward to our visit to the science museum only to find a lot of exhibits were closed or out of action , we walked over to the space oddesy to find most of the added things extra costs but personally I didn’t see were value for money

Been to several science centers and this one was ok but not anything too great or different from the others I’ve been to. Best thing was planetariums show.

This was one of the best Science Centers or Museums I have ever seen. There is so much for young kids to do, see, and learn about. They have so many different educational locations in the Center to go too. Like the Discovery Room for very little kids. The Planetarium, and Omnimax Theater were my favorites. There is also a wide range of science to go through. From the dinosaurs, to bone structure, to outer space, to everything that is Scientific. Explore over 700-plus exhibits as you and your family will want to stay for a long time to see everything.

This was a fun place to visit on a rainy day in December. I happened to be there on the day there was a live feed of the U.S. Navy ship St. Louis being launched in Wisconsin. The Navy put on an interesting show and there were several interactive Navy exhibits. I enjoyed looking around the Science Center and the Planetarium. Unfortunately, I was between movie sessions in the Planetarium, so I didn't get to see the stars. I think this would be especially fun for kids to visit. The exhibits feature dinosaurs, robots, space exploration, and more.

The Center is fun for a one time trip but not sure we would do it again. The outside Grow are was fun. We had fun using our membership perks and exploring. Until we went to the planetarium for the 4:30 show. My daughters wanted to shop the store and at 4:13pm it was closing. Had the gate half way down. The center closes at 5:30 on Sunday why would they close the shop before the last show of the day?
We decided not to go to the show went back over to the Science Center to eat pizza before we left and at 4:30pm the food court was closed! When I asked member services why everything closes so early he said he had no clue that they were not run by the Center. Well that makes it better! So now I have 3 kiddos that wanted pizza and no pizza!
They need signs posted in shop and food court hours!!!

We love St. Louis because of the free activities that they offer, and this one did not disappoint. Our kids loved exploring the different exhibits. We didn’t have time to visit the Apollo exhibit (extra cost) or the OmniMax shows (also extra) because we had tickets to a ball game, but they looked awesome. We also missed out on the Planetarium that was connected.

Numerous attractions that appeal to kids and adults alike. Great place for a family t spend the afternoon. There is also an IMAX theater on premise, that gets some really cool shows.
Staff is always helpful and very friendly. Plenty of parking.

We entered the Science center on the Planetarium side (free parking), I asked Dorothy (who was at the front desk when you come in) how to get to the main Science center. She told me that I was going to “go across the highway” and to just follow the people that she had just help in front of me (who mind you were stopping at exhibits to take pictures). Very off putting for someone’s first visit. We went into the gift shop (which is across from where Dorothy sits), I asked Samantha, who worked in the gift shop) how to get to the Science Center Samantha took the time to ask us if we had ever been there before and took the time to give us proper directions.

This is a very nice free museum with interactive exhibits. My sons who are 14 and 16 enjoyed the Mission to Mars Engineering Lab and Game Exploration. We did not pay to do any of the movies or virtual experiences and it was still a fun time.

This is a great experience for the whole family!! My kids did NOT want to leave! Will be going again!

Many of the displayed items are interactive and easy learning experience for children.A day long visit is required to cover all.

Having learned to fly in the Navy, I had to go to the
show on Aircraft Carriers in Cinemax! A great show for all of us to learn more of how out tax dollars are spent to safe guard our liberties. The rest of the Center is filled with all types of science experiments etc for kids and adults to learn from. Priced right and full of activities for all. At the entrance is a F-18 flown with the Blue Angels. Great for pictures up close!

We've been to several Science Centers and St. Louis Science center is in the Top 3. So many interactive exhibits for all ages and free to boot. Planetarium attached via pedway.

We are both 40 and this place was Cool!! You usually think that these place are for kids but I guess we are big kids... lol. There is a lot of cool hands on things to keep your mind going. Some exhibits took us back to childhood memories. All around cool day!

Loved our visit overall, but super annoying that they sold us popcorn and drinks and then security guards cornered us and our 5 and 6 year old and told us we couldn’t eat anywhere? Come on!

Hands-on, hands-on, hands-on❣️

Free museum, $10 parking.

Plenty for kids to do.... We only did the basement, ground floor, and outdoor agriculture section....

Do much fun....
Math puzzles, Dino's, history of games, weather, energy....

Definitely coming back.

Check out the picture of summer tram route

Was in st. Louis gor a business meeting and decided to find cheap affordable things to do so on the advice of a local we chose the science musuem because it was free. Parking is 10 but five dollars apiece is not much for a musuem. We loved the interactive dinosaurs. They turned their heads and were even seemed to be breathing. I love how each of the rooms had something for kids to learn and experience. The cafes were well priced and offered a variety of freshly prepared foods. Everything was eco friendly and they offered recycling throughout. The gift shop was a little pricey but offered gifts for everyone. Defintely a must do.

Budget friendly family fun. My 6,7, and 2 year old enjoyed the exhibits and layout of the center. Definitely worth the trip.

The Science Center and Planitarium were a great time to spend with our family. The kids loved the video game exhibits.

The Science Center was a lot of fun for our family of four (2 kids, 12 and 7). They enjoyed the dinosaurs, and the gaming exhibits. The Omnimax and planetarium were also a hit. They have dining options there, and the kids loved the pizza (although pricey). We would definitely go again!

St Louis was the home of McDonnell Douglas, manufacturer of early space crafts. The Planetarium section of the Science Center, which is in Forest Park, reveals a lot of the history of space exploration, and of course much more. The Science Center, connected by an enclosed interstate overpass. expanded the Planetarium into a full fledged science museum. Dinosaur exhibits are geared towards children, and many technology exhibits are hands on. Check before you visit for special temporary exhibits and the variety of star shows and omnimax movies. The architecture of the building is dynamic, whimsical, and inspirational.

Lots of interactive things to do and see for kids and adults. Free to get in, just had to pay for parking. Additional things like planetarium and iMax were additional cost as expected. Spent about 3 there so definitely something nice to do with the family.

The St. Louis Science Center was amazing and fun with many interactive exhibits. We had private classes for our grandchildren which were wonderful. I highly recommend going here.

If you have kids or grand kids this is a great place to take them and spend the afternoon. Lots of displays to keep them busy while learning. Free admission but parking and some special displays require that you pay for admission. We visited the moon exhibit and watched the film on aircraft carriers. It was a fun day.

Great movie "SUPERDOGS" - the story of rescue dogs around the world!
Best Science Center in the States

its been along time since we been here. it cost 12$ TO PARK AND admission is free. alot of hands on activities, seems to be alot more for kids to do than adults. its about 2 or 3 floors, the dinasaurs were cool. i wont go back for along while. its is cool to check the speeders over the highway with a radar gun.,

There is an additional wing beyond the freeway. Don't miss it. Our family had a great time and even brought our teenager enjoyed it. Try the tubular ping-pong. Unbelievably difficult!

I give this place a 3.5. Not super big and no real consistency of how sections were laid out. Video game area is fun. Long walk to planetarium; the part over the interstate is neat. But ultimately won’t be the place we talk about when remembering this trip.

Great family fun! Great for Kids and us adults had fun too! Free to get in just have to pay extra for the theaters. And those are cheap too! We didnt do anything extra during our visit,, and it took us about three hours!! Well worth the time! Helped us pass time on a rainy day! Great Staff!!

Very entertaining place for kids and adults alike and it's completely free, we only paid for parking. My husband and I loved the 4D experience (underwater and outer space options), both are great. I would definitely recommend taking your time and setting aside at least half a day for exploration.

A nice family place that you must visit when you are in Saint Louis, kids will enjoy the atmosphere with a lot to discover

My kids loved all the interactive activities, fun environment with lots of learning. The guitar exhibition is not for little ones didn’t seemed interested and spent $ that kids were not interested in. But the IMAX made up for it.

Visited as adults and found it incredibly boring. Lots of hand on activities for children, adults only groups should skip. Would not recommend unless you have children, then maybe it would be fun?

This review is from the perspective of a 62 year old couple with no kids. First of all let me say, it has been probably a good 25 years since we have been here with our children so we had forgotten about the steps to the Omimax, then additional steps to climb once in the theater. It was not until the show was over and we exited up the steps (groan), that we realize that people with mobility issues could come up a ramp and come into the theater from top and back. Our bad for not researching it better. Hopefully this review will help others. We only went to the Omimax (Volcanoes) and the Pompeii exhibit. As we had no kids, we were not interested in anything else, but a lot of it did look familiar to when we were there a long time ago with the kids. Next time we will come when the kids are back in school...maybe mid to late September.

Went to the Pompeii exhibit and caught the documentary about volcanoes. Bothn wee wirth the time and money. Well done.

We went especially to see the PAID exhibit "Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked The World", which was awesome! My husband plays guitar so he geeked out over everything, but I enjoyed the exhibit too. We spent most of our time in the exhibit, but also checked out some of the FREE Science Center - I was shocked that such a cool museum was free! Make sure to see the dinosaurs!

We wanted some food before leaving for the day, we stop by the food court and make an order of 2 meals, and they had us waiting for about 45 min for nothing.... Cause apparently they missed our order? I honestly was giving them a chance, but then I see how long it's taking! So I start asking for my food... And had to wait another time for them to actually make the food..They didn't even offer to give me a refund, I should've demanded and regret that I did not demand for it! Pretty upset with that place..

A popular place for elementary children , and older, to do the "hands on " in most of the displays. As the name implies, it is a science center. Time your visit to include one of the live demonstrations. We saw " Colder Than Ice." We saw about 1/2 of the center in 2.5 hours. It is FREE! Parking is $10. A bargain all the way around!

When we visit StL. and have our grand kids with us we try to always include the Science Center. Plenty to see and do. This visit the Apollo 11 Orbiter was on loan from the Smithsonian. I remember as a kid sitting if front of our black & white TV watching history unfold. Mans first steps on the moon........... Other than the orbiter, the Science Center offers much more to see and do. My grand kids favorites have to be the Dinosaur Animatronics. A T-Rex, Triceratops, Pterodactyl, the kids enjoyed it greatly.

An exciting museum for the curious mind in all ages! We spent several hours in the museum with our little granddaughter.

The Science Center currently has a Pompeii exhibit. It was very informational! There were a lot of artifacts to look at, casts of bodies found that had been preserved in the ash, and a video and simulation of the day surrounding the eruption. We took a 1 and 5 year old and they did okay with it. It is not super engaging for children, but they found some of the things fun to look at and did fine with the video.

The rest of the science center has a lot of fun activities for children and adults both! The science center is free admission and you can pay for extras like the features exhibit and IMAX theatre shows.

We went here recently while on our family vacation, children 13,11,9 and 7. Each of my children found an area that they really liked. My 13 year old loved the biology lab and said this was her favorite part of the trip. We spent 3-4 hours here and its free, which was awesome. It is really big and was great for a rainy afternoon.

Lots and lots of free interactive displays great teaching tools for young and old. Had great time for zero dollars. If you should desire there many things you can do at ten dollars + or minis could drop around $100 per person. But are no need for that. Disabled , prams or walkers. Other devices, abound. Had a very enjoyable day, seems to be something for everyone. I recommend you visit.

My husband and I visited the science museum just for fun. I loved that it was free and had a ton of great interactive displays. The Game Exhibit was super cool! There are lots of things for kids, young and old, to do. With that being said, be prepared for a big crowd. We went on a Saturday so that makes a difference, but I feel like there will be a big crowd regardless. Most of the activities were right there together so there weren’t a lot of places for the crowd to go necessarily. I would recommend a visit if you have kids, just be prepared

Better for young children than for high school aged kids. It’s free but the free stuff takes only about an hour and a half to see. Everything else is ticketed. Parking is $12. Food is reasonably priced. If my child was younger maybe it would have been more fun.

Very interactive place. 3 sizable floors; an outdoor section; a long bridge over the highway to the planetarium; and a couple of dinosaur statues. Many, many hands-on exhibits for the kids such as a section on solving clues for a mystery, playing chess, playing an old-style Mario Bros. game on a big screen, digging for dinosaurs, building an arch like the St. Louis Gateway Arch and so many others. The exhibits must rotate, as reading some of the older reviews - some of that stuff isn't there now. We did see a movie in the big theater; and it was very immersive. We spent 5 hours there - and didn't even have small children.

I went for the special Pompeii exhibition. It was a lot shorter than I had expected, but it was interesting. The rest of the science center felt pretty generic compared to what you would see at other science centers. I would have spent more time looking around, but there were many families and at least one school field trip. I barely stayed for an hour. On a different day, I would have stayed for 2-3 hours.

Smaller than expected. Travel worn. The exhibit descriptions and models were hard for me to understand how they worked. No, I'm not dumb. Guess I expected excellence. Disappointed.

Driving into St. Louis, we noticed a billboard notifying everyone about the new exhibit on Pompeii. So, after a nice lunch, we went to the Science Center. The exhibit displays what life was like before the gigantic volcano eruption, simulated the actual day and then we entered another gallery to see the evidence of the destruction. May not be of interest to very young children, but it was well organized and a great learning experience.

We took our almost 9 year old grandson here during our spring break trip….we spent the better part of the day here and had such fun! He said it was the best part of the trip and we did many cool things!

This museum was free and modern. It is more appropriate for younger children. Very interactive. We paid extra for a planetarium exhibit. It wasn’t great but it added to our experience. It was not very costly.

As with most free attractions, come early to avoid crowds. But there is still plenty to do here and keep the kiddos entertained. The temporary Apollo exhibit was particularly fascinating, with the actual capsule on display!

Our family loves going to the science center. It’s $10.00 for parking, but free to get in. There are a ton of amazing activities to get your child involved in. There is a ton of educational opportunities as well. My 13 year old loves the new theme going through the hall showing cells. My younger children love the wind tunnel, Dinosaurs, and the new gaming room.
We always have a great time visiting the center and with 7 children we are very great full for the free experience.

There is Free Parking over by the Looking Up Statue in front of the James S. McDonnell Planetarium. You can't miss it... It is a 33 foot, 7,000 pound sculpture. This Science Center has everything from dinosaurs to discovery rooms to Flight Simulators and a Virtual Reality Transporter. The Food Court is amazing! You can make a day of it!

Our science center is free to enter, but certain areas you do hsvevto pay for. But there enough free stuff to see and do. The parking is relatively cheap. This is a good activity to do on a rainy day.

Amazing place with engaging things for everyone aged 0-100. Admission is free! Absolutely worth the trip. We spent 4 hours there and there was still a lot we missed.

Just went here with the family. Love the Imax, great popcorn, and the movies are changed up just enough to keep us coming back because they're interesting and just the right length.

I've had the opportunity to follow SLSC as they strive to keep up with technology, ecology, science, and the social climate. I've patronized Science Centers all over the world and SLSC is a top contender!

Took our 6 year old while on vacation. The exhibits are really geared toward older children. My child isn’t that interested in dinosaurs yet, and that was most of the lower floor. The special exhibit on games was good, and my child had fun. But overall they had a lot of space but not much on display. A few of the hands-on tools on the third floor were broken or not functioning properly. Overall, probably wouldn’t make a point of going back unless kiddo specifically requested it.

We took our 11 and 9 year old grandsons here for most of the day. They loved it as well as us. We saw two shows at the Planetarium but I recommend only one. The Simulator was a great hit. Much to see and do. We were there about 5 hours. The Pompeii Exhbibit was there at the time of our visit which was awesome. They had an area for toddlers but for me I recommend six and up. Highly recommend the Science Center.

Our visit here was very short because we squeezed it in between other attractions, but it was still fun. Lots of hands on activities to explore that were good for many ages. Of course there are things you can pay extra for, but considering the fact that the science center itself is free it's really not that bad. And there's plenty to do if you want to keep it completely free.

Interesting place but several exhibits were closed. We went in March so the gardens were not blooming yet so I would like to go back in the summer to see everything they grow.

This a a very neat science center, kids will love it, even adults, it has a little something for everyone, and offers interactive displays. There is a court area down stairs to get something to eat or drink. It will keep you busy for a day just checking out everything in there, a must visit, I highly recommend it.

I’ve been visiting the St. Louis Science Center since I was a kid. The free activities and exhibits are a great way to spend a rainy day with the kids! The paid exhibits are usually a great additional activity, but don’t think you have to do this to enjoy the day! The planetarium has always been one of my favorite places to go here! Also shooting radar over 64 is fun!

If you are looking for a fun experience filled with learning opportunities, the Science Center is it! There's so much to do and see related to the science, technology and connectivity of all life forms. You and your children see and touch this process through exhibits, activities, movies and demonstrations. The good news is admission is free. There are some activities you have to pay for. It's a great way to spend the day with your kids.

We enjoyed our visit, especially the flight simulators, space travel exhibits, and planetarium shows.

I used to love the Science Center when I was younger. I went back with my friend and her two kids this weekend and everything has changed since I was there 3 years ago. Now, I know change can be a good thing, but in this case, it was not. They tried to incorporate more technology, but it was done poorly. Most of the technology they offered is stuff you can buy off Amazon for 20-40 dollars and I own most of it for my classroom. It was also really geared towards older kids. Not much to do for my 2 and 6-year-old niece and nephew. Also, they redid one of my favorite sections and make it a game area???? I had Uno, big connect-4, and such, which I thought was a poor idea, not what I would expect to do at the Science Center. I think Kidzeum in Springfield is much better for the little ones!!! We were so disappointed.

The Science Center is always interesting and strives hard to keep things changing and new things to capture the imagination.

Wonderful traveling exhibits. The standing interactive exhibits are showing serious wear and tear. There was also a concern over the cleanliness of the interactive exhibits.

This place is geared for children but there are many activities that bring out the child on everybody.

Although this did have things that kept our teenagers busy, it is more geared for younger kids. The flight experience area is worth checking out. You can go in the 360 jet VR for $7 each. They loved that.

I’m a member of the Science Center so I try to see every exhibit and IMAX movie. The exhibits usually disappoint but Pompeii did not. Longer than most and really interesting. On this particular visit, my son and I also went to a star show at the Planetarium and saw the Volcanoes movie. Both were cool. Always a good time. The price of a yearly membership is not much more than one visit so it’s well worth it.

The Science Center was a pleasant experience. We were there on a Saturday, so it was crowded, but that would be the case with any similar attraction. The game area had some really cool things. With the crowds, it was a little hard to try things out, but we still enjoyed that area very much. We watched a free show about electricity. It was better than I expected, and I learned some things from it! We loved building in the structure area and clocking cars over the highway. The planetarium was a little disappointing, but we still had fun exploring everything. We did not pay for any of the extra attractions. We still had a few nice hours at the science center. I would recommend it if you are going to be in town already.

We decided to visit because of it being free. Great decision! It did cost $15 to park, but that was definitely worth it! It would have been better for younger kids but our teenage kids had an absolute blast!!

This was an outing for my grandsons who are budding musicians. We came to see the Guitar Special Exhibit and found some great interactive displays on sound propagation, how magnetic pickups work, the history of guitars, and Chuck Berry's Gibson ES-345. While there we saw the I-Max presentation on the Superhero Dogs. Great show! This destination is always an adventure for kids and adults alike.

We like these types of museums as there is usually something for adults as well. Effectively, this museum is free, save for the parking fee. There was a mummy exhibit that required an additional fee. Given that we had already seen a variety of mummies in our world travels, we passed. There are the usual hands-on exhibits, explaining all things scientific. I was impressed with the mandatory mask policy, as well as containers of hand sanitizer everywhere. There was a whole presentation on COVID and how to mitigate its spread. As an adult, I found little to excite me. Kids, however, will enjoy it. Recommended

SLSC was a great place to visit on a Sunday afternoon in January. They had a local STEM event going on, so there were some extra booths to peruse. It had been over 20 years since the last visit, so it was nice to see some new things. We really enjoyed the Giant "Mouse Trap" Rube Goldberg machine in the middle of the main entrance. There are lots of food choices even though we didn't eat there. The planetarium was neat to see as we watched a presentation on the moon. They also have many VR rides and an IMAX as well. The great thing is entrance fees are zero, you only pay for the extras like the planetarium, which was only $6 for adults, $5 for kids. Go spend an afternoon with lots of hands-on exhibits and visit SLSC.

The St Louis Science Center doesn’t have a lot of exhibits. It’s basically three floors, with about 3 or 4 exhibits per floor. They also have a planetarium with an IMax movie screen (I did not see one of the movies, however) so I cannot comment on the quality of the theater.

While the exhibits weren’t numerous, what they had was very good. There are a lot of kids and families (to be expected), just FYI. I went with my wife and we had a very enjoyable time. You can probably see ever exhibit in less than 2 hours, but as the exhibits are very interactive, it’s possible to spend much more time than that.

Highly recommended, especially for families.

Plenty to see and do. Was very interesting with many exhibits. My teenagers really enjoyed build a Bear as they have made one from every holiday we have been on.

My son (2 1/2) and I went and had a lot of fun. There’s not a ton for adults to do, but almost every area has at least one hands on thing for the kids. There are some ticketed exhibits that we didn’t not go into, but even the free stuff was really fun and, of course, educational. There were family bathrooms available which is always nice with a toddler! If your tot loves space and/or dinosaurs this is the place to go. My son did not want to leave. The food was good and not too overly priced (less than $20 for two meals with drinks and sides) and all the staff was very friendly. There’s also a video game see that is geared more toward bigger kids and adults that is really cool!

It is located in Forrest Park along with the Zoo and several other family attractions. Admission is free. There is a wide variety of displays and hands on activities for children. I suggest taking public transportation as there are cheap and excellent choices in St. Louis.

As two retired engineers we expected to actually see (and learn) something new going to a "Science Center". This truly is a WONDERFUL place...…..but it's primarily for children. Most everything is geared toward kids interactivity; which is great, had it been advertised as such. We could not even find any adult size T-shirts in the gift shop. The only thing that we enjoyed was the Omni Max Theatre where we viewed the Aircraft Carrier film. It was excellent. We would not recommend this place for adults who do not have children.

The science center is a fun place tovlearn about science and what goes on in our day to day lives that we don't know about, it is also fun for kids because of the interactive exibits

I wish every science center was free! Then kids from all economic backgrounds would have access to learning about science. This science center is packed full of wonderful exhibits and interactive experiences. My kids LOVE clocking the cars on the freeway with the radar guns. This is a MUST DO attraction in St. Louis!

Great place for kids of all ages. So much to do. You need an entire day to see everything. Very worth a visit for elementary & middle schoolers. My kids loved the interactive activities.

Going here with tourists and locals doesn't disappoint. It's a nice blend of science, hands-on exhibits, and a nice planetarium. The show we saw was of the constellations, and would have been better with a recorded narrator, and was informative but long, and too much editorial. There are simulators and climb-in rockets. My fav is the Blue Angels plane, outside of the planetarium.

I have been a local resident for 60 years, so I come to the Science Center several times each year. Practically every exhibit is interactive, entertaining, and educational. I learn so much every time I go. The 2 main buildings are connected by an enclosed pedestrian bridge over a highway. Even the bridge is fascinating.

One of the best things about the Science Center is that you can enjoy many hours there and never spend any money! Admission is free, although you have options to buy tickets for a special exhibit or a 3-D movie or a star show. You can probably find free parking near the north building (the hyperbolic Planetarium). There's also a paid parking lot at the south building.

We spent a weekend in St Louis after the kids last day of school. Being a free thing, we did not expect a whole lot. We planned on spending a few hours there in a morning. We were so blown away by all the different areas and things to do and hands on options. We ended up spending almost a whole day there. My boys are 8 and 10 (and 34 if you count my husband) and everyone loved it! We spent a lot of time in the space/mars areas! The kids loved controlling the rover. There’s a bridge where you can use radar to see how fast cars are going with windows to watch cars drive on the expressway under your feet! So many fun/hands on areas! While admission to the center is free, you do pay parking. I can’t remember but it was $10-12. Worth it. There were also add on options for different areas or the movie, but as we only had a weekend out here, we chose to pass on those! There’s a little eating area that has some food options available. There’s a gift shop as well! Don’t miss the fun little outdoor sound experiment as well! This cracked the kids up! Such a great day and the kids had a blast AND learned! How awesome is that!!

Clean, educational facility with genuinely caring staff. Constantly adding to and upgrading their facility means no two visits are the same. Best part is it’s FREE!

We went for a visit on the grand re-opening of the OmniMax theater. The show was excellent, however there was a mix up with tickets. The email confirmation stated we MUST print the tickets to show for verification. However, in the end, we were able to use the email verification with the QR codes. Also, many of the stations did not have proper equipment to complete the tasks or games. However, we still had fun.

Every member of our family enjoyed visiting here. From the oldest at 60 to the youngest at 18mnths and every age in between. So many great activities for the kids and adults. Did I mention it’s also FREE? Must see for families when visiting St Louis, Mo.

My husband and I made sure to include this in our vacation’s itinerary because we wanted to see the Pompeii exhibit. When purchasing tickets, we were told that our passes included a little bit of everything. It was nice enough-an average of about $17 per person and we saw the iMax and visited the planetarium-but when we went to see the Pompeii exhibit we were told that it was going to be an ADDITIONAL $19+ per person. That’s so disappointing because paying $30+ per person for a museum exhibit seems a tad excessive. The kids did have a great time but it’s certainly lacking in adult entertainment.

This place is amazing. Parking was $10 for us (non members) and free for the members. It is free to enter the science center but there are several perks for being a member. They give you discounts at the restaurants if you are a member or military. The center has different levels and sections dedicated to provide knowledge and education on different science related topics. The huge dinosaurs display as you enter was the center of attraction. My kid kept going back to the dinosaurs. They also have restaurants with many food options, a gaming area, and a movie theatre. The restaurants served good food and prices were reasonable. We spent about 3 hours in the center and our kid loved seeing and experiencing different science related displays, sketching, playing games etc.

I loved the science center as a kid and now I share that love with my kids! Be prepared to find a free place to explore, but have spending money for special exhibits and experiences. The food they sell was more of a snack than a meal and pricey for my family of 6.

We could have easily spent the entire day here. It was amazing! Like many of these place they would be better if broken missing things were replaced but the kids loved it. The planetarium was cool too. Free to get in 12 bucks to part and some exhibits cost more. Over all super cool and the kids loved it.

My husband and I came here for the deVinci exhibit. It was worth seeing. It captures the breadth of daVinci's genius. Lots to look at. Some to touch. One good photo op. We didn't see anything outside of this exhibit.

This place was really cool, with so many hands on things to do. We were a party of 10, with kids ranging in age from 3 to 16 and everyone had so much fun here! It was a crowded Saturday visit, but we still had a blast. The parking lot gets full and congested, so be patient. The Science Center is free to the public, which is probably why it's so busy on a hot summer day. We had a great time!

We took our 2 year old and our 6 year old neice they both had fun with the interactive displays and demonstrations. There are extra experinces that you can purchase; the planetarium and right now Pompeii. The planetarium is reasonably priced, but we did go to see Pompeii and ended up not going since it was $19.95/ adult and 14.95 for the 6 year old. There was still plenty to do without going to see this exhibit.

Went to view the Omnimax film "Ireland". The movie was ok, but the science center was packed. In addition, the walkway over I-64 was closed, thereby eliminating any parking in Forest Park. As a result, I had to park a half mile away, as the parking lot was overfilled. Kids were running everywhere in the open area. Not a fun time.

We love the science center. It is fun for kids and adults alike. PLUS, it is free. There is fees for certain activities. This is an all day activity because there is so much to do! They have an awesome planetarium and Imax theater.

Recommended ages, based on our visit: 4th - 8th grade. Our 1st grader was not too impressed, but she's a trouper, so the visit was worthwhile. Our 4th grader went nuts over it, absolutely loved it. The current exhibit on games, video games in particular, was fantastic, a big hit with the adults and kids alike. The rest of the museum was okay. It leaned more towards educational exhibits versus hands-on learning (like at the Magic House).

I was amazed at all you could do and it's free! Kids were having a field day. I wish I could bring it back to Louisiana with me! It was an educational and fun experience!

The Science Center is a great place to take families for a day outing. Many different hands-on activities for children to do.

This place has 3 floors of hands on fun. My kids loved this place. The interactive stations are incredible. I can't believe it's free.

Very hands on and a lot of different exhibits. Parking was $15 the science center was free. We did not buy anything additional and there was still plenty to do. Loved the video game area, the chickens, and learning about earth.

The Saint Louis Science Center is a great activity for kid s of all ages. There is a Jurassic section that features a motorized T-Rex and a motorized Triceratops. WARNING: the Triceratops looks as if it was attacked by the T-Rex. Might not be suitable for small or sensitive children. My favorite section is the giant puzzle and mind game area on the second floor. They have a life size Tower of Hanoi which I taught my 8 year old nephew how to solve it. The IMAX theater is also a big draw for many visitors. If you get hungry, there is a full snack section with popcorn, smoothies and pizza. Free parking is available on the nearby street and there is a pay lot behind the museum with a security guard. Scientists are available to teach the children about insects, plants and more.

My family visited St. Louis in October and visited as much of Forest Park as we could.

We really enjoyed the Science Center, especially the area (I don't know what it was called), where my kids donned white lab coats and got to learn about their fingerprints using computers. We did two of those activities (the other one was looking at beetles under microscopes).

The fact that this center is free (except for parking) is a great boon for families. In our city, the science center rarely changes exhibits, and it costs $11-$13 per person (kids, too) per visit unless you become a member.

Phenomenal! If you didn't have the opportunity to see it, you really missed out. The rest of the center is fantastic, too. There are lots of activities for children and the outdoor space is not to be missed! Check out the Cochin chicken- he has feathers on his legs and his coloring is gorgeous!

We were visiting St. Louis with our two daughters, 8 and 10. Since we have been to the Magic House many times, we figured we would give the science center a try this time around. We paid $10 to park and still had to walk quite a way to the building. The weather was crappy so we had thought paying for parking may get us closer, but nope. They have many cool exhibits that are great if you have kids that are science/tech minded.

We went to the constellation live show at the planetarium. I have only previously ever been to recorded movies at planetariums so I was rather surprised when they said this would not be a movie. It was interesting, but very factual. They had mats you could borrow to lay down and watch the show, which we enjoyed until we had to get up. Overall, I don't know that we would do this one again. My younger daughter had started getting a bit antsy and my husband was a bit bored.

We are lunch here and enjoyed that they had some variety to please the pickier members of our family (we had a pb&j meal, cheese pizza, yogurt parfaits, goldfish, and milkshakes at the end of the day.

Overall it was a good visit. If you are going around with whether you should do this or the magic house, you should think about your kids personalities. This museum does have some hands on learning experiences, but not nearly as much play as the magic house. There were many more explanations of how things work at the science museum than the magic house.

We stopped here for about two hours on a Thursday afternoon. Since it is free, it’s such a great value, though parking is $15. Our kids, 11 & 8 years old, enjoyed all the exhibits. The museum was clean which was good to see since the museum is so interactive.

Saturday, July 20th was 50th anniversary of Moon Landing. The science center did a great job of having all kinds of events to celebrate this great achievement of mankind.

First off I have not been here in over 20 years and a do have to say all the changes were really nice. Still just as and even more interactive exhibits. Prices for omimax theater and planetarium were pretty reasonable. You have to pay 12 dollars for parking, but entry is free. Children’s paradise for hands on exhibits and the neat stuff to keep teenagers entertained. Only thing that I can say is very crowded during the day. Putting that aside my family and I will definitely visit there again.

Took the family with a two year old to SLCC. She's become a regular there in the Discovery Room. This is a great experience for kids of all ages. The interactive exhibits are exciting. Would like to try the planetarium show next time when she's a bit older. A great place to spend the morning or an afternoon.

The Saint Louis Science Center is great! There are many different displays and interactive activities for kids of all ages. It is a large space, so kids have the opportunity to run around and explore. Besides parking and extra admission to special traveling exhibits/Omnimax - it's all free! The staff is great, very helpful and enthuasitic. I would really recommend crossing the bridge and visiting the planetarium side as well.

I was able to attend one of the last showings of 'Volcanoes' at the St. Louis Science Center this past week. The Science Center will be upgrading the Omnimax after this weekend. I really enjoyed this film. There were plenty of seats available and I thought the film was quite interesting. We also went to the special 'Pompeii' exhibit as part of a package ticket purchase that knocked off a couple of dollars on the price. The 'Pompeii' exhibit was interesting, but I would not recommend it for small children.

We took our 5 year old son to this museum and were surprised to find out that it was free! There are some special exhibits which are an additional fee, but for kids up to 8 or 9 years old, there is plenty to see in the free general admission area. Our son really liked the space and space rover area, as well as the hands on pneumatic tubes area where you could see how different objects float or fall depending on design.

Adults, teens and kids will all enjoy. Admission is free—movies and planetarium are extra as are special exhibits. Lots to do for all ages.

The St. Louis Science Center was a great place to go. We went for the Pompeii exhibit and loved it. They did such a great job of telling the story of Pompeii from culture, daily life and history. The visuals and artifacts were all amazing. Well worth the fee to enter the exhibit as artifacts are on loan from Naples, Italy. We did see some other parts of the building that were geared more for kids. Its right off the freeway and parking was easy to get in and out. Fun place to bring your kids As they did have activities for all ages. You can spend at least half a day going through the other things on display.

Grandma had an awesome time. I'd choose they loved the game room - life size Nintendo pad for Mario game was a hit. They also liked the"games Daddy played when he was little".

We visited the Science Center with our neighbors. They wanted to see Super Power Dogs. I wasn't sure about it, but now would love to see it again. It was wonderful and inspiring, something to be enjoyed by adults and children. I recommend seeing it before the theater closes for renovation.

This was a great place to spend a few hours... there were so many neat things my toddlers (ages 2 and 3) really got into, especially building the Arch.

There were also some fun attractions for us adults (age ranging from 21 to 44).

All in all, it was an awesome place to do some hands on experiments, learn about cool science things, as well as look at really fun things like the life size, animated T-rex!!!

My Father and I visited here to see the special Apollo exhibit. We really enjoyed the exhibit and it was very educational. We did not really explore the other areas as it is geared specifically towards families with small children. We did walk around and I was impressed with all of the hands-on activities they have for the kids. There is a Build-a-Bear inside the place too. Overall I wouldn't recommend this place for older adults without children unless there is a special exhibit (which is what we were drawn in by). But I think for families with children this would be a fun way to spend a day together.

The center has a $10 parking lot. The science center has free admission. It is a typical science center with numerous hands on exhibits, but it also has several learning labs. It is quite spacious for a science center (plenty of room for the youngsters to run about). There is a particularly interesting (to me) paleontology section. There is a gift shop. COVID-19: The employees wear masks. Visitors are expected to wear masks and observe social distancing protocols.

Don't Miss the Geek Out Fridays!! So fun and so many great themed activities. Excellent for every age!

Since grade school I have heard the story of Pompeii. How AWESOME that the beautiful St Louis Science Center has the Pompeii exhibit! I bought tickets for a specific entry time. We wandered through amazingly well preserved Pompeii artifacts. Each had a placard telling about the piece. They even have the plaster molds of real people who died in the disaster. Make sure you view all the artifacts before going into the short film: you can’t re-enter after the film. The film is so well done that we felt like we were IN Pompeii. After the exhibit, we wandered through the science center. It is really nice with awesome dinosaur exhibits. Very child-friendly. The Omni Max movie is an optional add-on that we did not do.

Really a great experience. Loved the displays and hands on experiments and projects. IMAX was good, and we also enjoyed the star show