Science Museum of Minnesota Reviews

Went to the Science behind Pixar, for the MPR sponsored Social Science which allows you to roam the museum if you are 21 and up one night every month. We had so much fun having a date night there with music and different fun stations! There was a scavenger hunt and just a very laid back atmosphere! No temper tantrums or meltdowns there - you can even get a beer or a glass of wine!

The Science Museum has always been a favorite place for science teachers (my husband and I can both confirm). We took our 4 yo daughter for the first time last month, and I can honestly say we all had a blast. There are so many exhibits that little kids can play with, and plenty of interesting science that adults can engage with at the same time. In fact, we were so engaged with the interesting science, our daughter wandered off - but the Science Museum is used to that. We contacted an employee who radioed quickly, and a friendly security guard escorted her to where we were - no worse for wear.

The museum has 5 floors of fun - and the exhibits change often enough that you'll see something new with every visit. Parking is not free, but the staff is extremely friendly and helpful - and I can almost guarantee you will stay longer than you planned. The food offered at the two cafes is high quality, offering vegetarian options and build-your-own options for the picky eaters. Full disclosure - the food is not cheap.

Great for younger and older kids. Many different types of exhibits. If you are lucky enough to come for the Pixar exhibit, do it! We used the light rail to get to the museum and it was only a short walk from the station. I have it a 4 only because we didn't see the whole place. Nice park along the river, wished we had time to explore.

Great hands in exhibits. The sportsology features incorporate the science and math of movement, as well as nutrition and concussion awareness, just all around a great newer exhibit that was a lot of fun!

I brought my 8 year old daughter here for the day. We arrived at 10 am. Starting early was a good idea as it wasn't too busy yet. I'd suggest starting with the exhibits on the entry level floor and make your way down. We lunched at the museum, which was a huge disappointment. The young staff did not seem to seem to enjoy their job and service and speed was not in their vocabulary. My salad was not made correctly as they ran out of ingredients but didn't bother to tell anyone. My daughter's 8$ pizza was the size of a hot pocket. Consider leaving the museum for lunch and then head back in to the museum.
I'd suggest doing some more exhibits after lunch and then head over to the IMax theater for a show. Overall, the museum is amazing and fun for everyone. We will definitely be back!

We were in town for the weekend and went to see the temporary Pixar exhibit. My son is a huge movie fan and loved every minute of that. It was very interactive and fun for all ages. We had a little time to explore the rest of the museum before having to get on the road home. The dinosaurs are fun as well as the interactive sports activities. And the giant astronaut is cool. We could've spent a few more hours there and would love to go back!

We went to the Omni theatre on cloudy rainy day. The movie was very interesting, and the screen surrounds the audience to give you the feeling you are part of the move. I would highly recommend this.

Our family of five found this museum to be the highlight of our time in Minneapolis. The quality and diversity of exhibits meant that every person in our family (ages 4, 10, 12, 40, and 40) found enough things to keep us engaged, learning, and having fun for an entire day. Bonus was that we got free admission using our reciprocal membership to our home science museum.

We are members, love the museum ,educational classes and exhibits but one other wonderful option is the gift shop. Unique variety of item for all ages and interests- good shopping!

This place continues to amaze me each time I visit with my family. I find things I think is interesting and I didn’t see before. The Omni theater is a must for everyone. Plan to spend some time to get the full experience. Illumination experience is great.

This exhibit is fun for kids and adults. The troughs of Legos provide ample access to the “tools of the trade”. And then you can display your own handiwork in the exhibition section. The video showing the architecture and engineering of how the skyscraper were built in Legos is very fascinating!

My son is an avid learner and for his 12th birthday we took him to the Science Museum of Minnesota. He loved the third floor with the interactive experiments. He loves dinosaurs but he just walked through that room quickly because the physics and chemistry experiments outside were irresistible! We watched the IMAX movie 'Dream Big' and it made me want to become a civil engineer!

Family weekend plans were changed last minute due to cold weather which brought us with 3 teenagers 16++ to the science museum on a very busy Saturday afternoon.
Prices were reasonable and staff was very friendly and helpful.
There were demonstrations throughout the day that covered a wide variety of topics. I really enjoyed the cryogenic demo.
So many hands on things that captured all age groups attention. My 19 year olds really enjoyed the day and my 16 year old was also very engaged in many areas of the museum.
It was a fun day learning more about the sciences and the wonder of the natural world around us.
Best part of the day were the musical stairs. It put a perma-smile on all of our faces.
Would return again.

Regardless of the weather, either to hide from the sun in the summer or the cold in the winter, the Science Museum is a safe-heaven. There's always something new that's interesting, well-thought and comprehensive permanent exhibition. If you have kids, make sure you register for the yearly subscription which includes the IMAX.

Science Museum?!?!?! This place was more like the Wonder Emporium! If you can't find something of interest here then it is on you. Truly a place for everyone in the family. Space, weather, sport's science, dinosaurs, mental health, race, body health... still skeptical? Well they even have an exhibit for that, quack science! Cafeterias, plenty of parking, and even an Omnitheater (which is awesome!) I have two daughters(10 & 12) and we could literally spend a weekend here, open till close and still not see everything we wanted to. Great demonstrations and the entire staff really make sure that you feel welcome and comfortable. Well worth the price of admission!

This is a great hands on museum. My dinosaur fanatic also really enjoyed the whole exhibit on dinosaurs. All 4 of my children (3-11 yrs) enjoyed this museum and found plenty to do. Staff was also extremely friendly at every exhibit. Definitely recommend!!

I took my son here for a day and thought it was a cool museum. There is a wide range of topics in the museum. We bought tickets to see the Pixar exhibit, and the Omnitheater. The Pixar exhibit was pretty cool and very hands on for kids to see how making of a movie works. The movie in the Omnitheater was my favorite. Love the quality of the movie and that it was educational. I probably wouldn't recommend to someone who experiences motion sickness. Picture was beautiful.
Some examples of exhibits were dinosaur bones, sports, mummies, and earth along with other topics. I have to admit my son who is 5 was a little young to appreciate some of the exhibits. There were a lot of field trips there! We got there as soon as it opened, and got right in. When we left (around 2:00) there were very long lines to get in. They do have a very nice restaurant area with a huge selection of food options. Food isn't the cheapest, but at least you get fresh and quality food.
I would go back again once my child is older.

We attended the IMAX annual event again this year. We have been going to the IMAX theatre for years and have always enjoyed the movies. They’re not just movies, but experiences! If you’ve never gone to one there, it is worth the trip. The movies are well done and the experience in the IMAX theatre is unforgettable. If you have time for the museum, it is also well done and worth the time and energy with many various exhibits spanning many different topics.

Very large guess area and great outdoor balcony with fantastic views. A little hard to figure out how to get into.

Just have to go. So much to see, there is virtually something for everyone. Wear walking shoes, and bring cash for a snack or a gift.

Great interesting museum was with a 2 and 8 year old. They really enjoyed the live puppet stegasorous sp! Show. The reason I didn't give an excellent rating.. I thought it was expensive. Well displayed exhibitions and not crowded. The National parks lady was very helpful and gave me some great information.

It may be hard to pull the kids away from the fascinating exhibits, but take time to enjoy the deck (maybe not in January) and the view of the Mississippi River.

We visited today and I was really impressed. We enjoyed the theater and the Pixar exhibit. We spent 5 hours there and probably could have spent more time there. I would recommend as a great place to spend a rainy day.

We brought 50 students here in April to see the Omni Theatre and the exhibits. It was so fun to watch our students eyes just brighten up when they were in awe of their experience. They wandered, experienced, got on tv, checked their reaction time, and so much more. Some of our students never get to the cities except on this trip. Everyone was helpful and friendly. The students went home saying "it was the best day ever!!!!"

There are so many things to do that you get tired before ever getting bored. The building has a glass atrium that runs from the top down to the lower exhibitions and views the Mississippi River. There are several restaurants and ☕️ coffee areas. The permanent exhibits are of high interest but the change constantly other exhibits and offer classes to enhance your visit. It is a truly amazing experience. They offer community classes, student educational experiences that are fun for adults to see as well evening and weekend exhibits/discussions. The Omni theater is an amazing place to feel part of the movie. Clean, accessible and fun for all ages. The one drawback is to take a lot of cash to park in their ramp. Very expensive that unfortunately doesn’t allow many family incomes to afford the admission, parking and Omni experiences. They should work with Metro busses to offer free bus rides

This was our second time seeing this movie and it is wonderful. We would love to see a newer version!

This fun, family-oriented science museum is a lovely way to spend a day. They have plenty of permanent exhibits (we loved the Human Body Gallery, the dinosaurs, and the exhibit on race), and some interesting temporary exhibits. Some of the exhibits (e.g., the weather exhibit) are also interactive, which is especially fun for kids. The omnitheatre was really cool!

It is a really nice place where you can go with your family or friends. There are plenty of exhibitions, you will enjoy a lot. One day was not enough for me. I need to comeback

Great venue for meetings and a great museum for both old and young. There hours of operation need to be extended epsecially during the holiday season.

One of the better science museums that we have visited. Good parking, great view and most importantly good science.

I liked the dinosaur exhibits and the human body exhibits the most. It is largely oriented for kids, but adults can enjoy it too.

We were staying nearby and went to check out the museum. We did the mini golf and checked out some of the exhibits. It's a good $20 for adults but it's a fun way to kill some time.

This is a really neat museum with so much to see! It even has putt putt outside as a fun outdoor break. We have been twice and the kids loved it each time! The only thing to note is that the restaurant does close early so there are no 'snacks' by mid/late afternoon and you have to pay for parking.

Our family of six braved this museum on a Saturday in March. You must pay for parking - around $10 - but you are in a garage that has an elevator to the Museum. The museum is not cheap but it's worth at least ONE visit! There was so much to see, do and learn! My boys loved the SPORTSOLOGY section, the dinosaurs, and the history of video gaming. We also watched the IMAX movie CUBA ...It was REALLY good! Such a fun day for ALL of us - ages 4 to 42!

Really enjoy the exhibits and the Omni theater is great fun and well done. The food in the cafeteria is very good and reasonably priced for the quality.

I've been to the Science Museum for years, and some of the exhibits haven't changed much (dino fossils for example) and some they have moved and some are new and updated. If you go, see it all. It's all worth it, fun for all ages and

This place has something for everyone. the exhibits rotate regularly and they have lots of hands-on things for kids. The Omnitheater is great fun and their movies vary throughout the year.

After reading the many reviews saying that you don't need to bring kids to have fun, we thought we would give it a try.
We found most of the exhibits to be uninformative for adults. The dinosaur exhibit was the only exception.
If you have young ones to bring - they would have a great time (and so would you because they were having fun). A lot of hands on activities for kids (adults can do them, but we did not want to make kids wait so we did very few).

Have been to the science museum 4 times this summer. A wonderful place to bring our grandkids. The membership for grandparents with grandkids paid for itself (for us with 5 grandkids) after the first visit! We had to go back twice with each family to see most of it. We enjoyed the mini golf and had to repeat that too! There was something for all ages, but our grandkids ages 10-12 was perfect. Even the Pixar exhibit was perfect, and had something any age would enjoy!

My friend and I (late 20s) had a great time. As stated it is certainly geared towards a younger audience/families but we enjoyed reading about and interacting with many of the exhibits. We spent about 2 hours there and could have easily spent more time. Definitely a good option for a non-summer day in Minnesota!

The exhibits are well done. Dinosaurs are outstanding. We could do nothing else as packed with school kids on field trips. They were running. Screaming. No supervision. Every single thing we went to try. Kids were all over. Totally out of control. Pushing us. Cutting us off. If the kids were being watched by chaperones. But there were too many kids. No one cares. We got in elevator. Three chaperones came on told kids to pack in as many will fit we were pinned on wall. Then they hit every button jumped up and down not cool in an elevator. Bathrooms were a mess because of kids out of control. This place needs to have some kind of control over these mobs of kids acting like maniacs. The place is great. Don’t go if school trips there.

I would have given 5 stars for the exhibits and Omni. So much to see and do.
We thought going on a Friday with grandkids would be a good choice, but there were so many school groups, the place was literally overrun with unattended kids. There wasn't staff anywhere to be found. $170 worth of tickets and they didn't even have staff checking at the entrance, only at the cheaper Omni theater. Just a free for all. Even though the kids patiently waited in lines to try the exhibits, they no sooner got to the front and a group of kids ran up in front of them and took it over. No staff/supervision to shoo away the rude kids and require them to respect others.
Omni was great, but also very full, difficult to find seats together if you aren't there 15 min early.
Suggestion is to limit large groups and require adult supervision at a ratio of 1 to 5 or less for those under 14. And limit it to only several large school groups at a time rather than many.
The cafe was adequate and a bit pricey. Good food, but they were understaffed and we waited a good 20min for our fast food order, found our own utensils in the cabinet, etc.
Grandkids 7-12 were the perfect age for this museum.

This was fun for both my youngest & teen. The dinosaurs were great & there were some new ones for us.

The area with all the weird science inventions was very interesting, and great that you could interact with some of them.

There was a temporary exhibit that was birds, insects, etc. made into art that was fantastic. Both my kids really enjoyed walking through & looking at all the displays.

The childrens museum is a more fun version of school also its a great place to have fun with your children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really like the Science Museum, but best of all in the winter. It is a great way to get the family out of the house when it is too cold to skate, sled, ski or hike. The exhibits are truly wonderful and chasing. Who doesn't like the IMax theater? Best of all, join the Science Museum and go often. You might even learn something!

I went to the museum with 10 five to 8 yr olds and they all had a great time. We spent almost all day there. So much for them to do and see. Highly recommend, for elementary school and younger not due older kids will enjoy it as much.

This was a fun interactive place to visit. Plenty to see and do. We did an interactive thing called Infestation about natural selection - using clues we went thru the museum to help the scientists find their little fur balls/tribbles. Good time!

You can easily spend four plus hours here. There are many great exhibits to explore. There is something for everyone to enjoy. My kids really enjoyed the sports exhibit. All hands on exhibits that are very well displayed and enjoyable to see. Would highly recommended going if your family enjoys hands on learning.

Went with my mom and three children (ages 8-13) and we all had a great time. There was something for all ages. There was a ton of hands on stuff for kids, but my mom and I both enjoyed a lot of it. My kids really enjoyed the activities about sports on the lower floor, but no one was ever bored. There was even stuff younger kids could really enjoy. I’ve been to larger science museums, but we could have spent way longer on each floor and would have if we had more time. I could have spent all day in the Race exhibit. If we lived closer, I would take my kids back just to spend a day focused on that. Check out the website for a list of exhibits, but my family and I had a great visit. I could have spent so much more time exploring it all, but we left tired and enlightened.

This place continues to amaze me each time I visit with my family. I find things I think is interesting and I didn’t see before. The Omni theater is a must for everyone. Plan to spend some time to get the full experience.

My wife and I spent 5 hours at this Museum last Saturday, and we could have stayed for several more hours. The number of activities is amazing. They have hands on activities for every kind of science field you can think of, from electricity to geography, and beyond. We were very impressed with the displays. Parking is easy, with the entrance below the Museum from the river side. There is food available as well. The last visit we made here several years ago included a show at the Omnimax, but we were not impressed with that activity, and I recommend skipping that show. The sweet spot for good viewing appears to include very few seats. Everybody else gets a poor viewing!

Tons to see. Take warner road in and it is easier to get to parking. Fun trip. Take the kids and stay all day. Food available there. Not cheap however.

The Science Museum of Minnesota truly has something for everyone! Interactive, imaginative, and engaging, The exhibits cover a huge range of interest areas. The interactive sports exhibit is so much fun for all ages, and the child development area was truly eye opening. We saw a brief show utilizing ping ping balls, coffee filters, pillow and water balloons dropped from the top of the 5-story stairwell to teach about gravity and physics! The "quack medicine" exhibit taught as much about human nature as it did about medicine.
We jumped, ran, built structures, experimented, took our blood pressure, learned about waterfalls, and more. We left a bit tired, a lot smarter, and definitely entertained.

When we visit science museums(which we do frequently) they are often filled with things that are broken or are under repair-kids play hard & break stuff. Here though, we only found 1 thing that didn't work! Everything was clean and the right amount of informative. We really came for the video game exhibit which made the teens happy as well as their 40-ish parents. Everyone got to play lots of classic and modern games. I'm sure there were things I should have read and learned, but really it was just fun to play them. Later we watched a dry ice show with a great host who explained things very well. The sports part of the museum made some in our group happy too. Don't miss the musical stairs either-4 kids cooperating can actually play a song!

Absolutely obsessed with this place. It hits close to home and I really hope to get my kids some passes for this place for next summer.

If you are looking for something fun to do in St. Paul I highly recommend you go to the Science Museum. They always have new things to see and interact with. Fun for all ages.

Went here for the day & we all had a blast! Lots to enjoy for all ages. Our little ones favorites were the dinosaur bones, weaving & sand table that has a projector that shines down to make the sand look like land & water, very cool! Our favorites were the mummy, medical & body graphs. Omni theater was fun but a little advanced for our little one as it was about engineering. Gift shop was reasonably priced & gelato was super good! Will defiantly be back!

Very family centered (except for the pricing) as there are many interactive activities. Many dinosaur skeletons, lots of geology and stage shows each day.

5 levels, a lot to do for kids and adults. Some activities required fees, but most are free. There’s a lot to see in the area. Recommend paying for the $12.all the parking instead of the meter that cost $3 per hour. Time goes quickly when you do hourly parking .

My elderly mother, teenagers and I went to the Museum and then into the IMAX movie theatre. We watched a terrific movie on engineering/ buildings and bridges. The movie was 43 minutes long and entertaining. We took the elevator up to the exit of the theatre because my mom has a cane and stairs are very hard. The staff was accommodating and this was a multigenerational activity. We are more artistic then scientific and our group had a great time. I’d suggest the movie because it’s a nice break from the MN summer heat and it’s an opportunity to learn something new.

Guess what - there’s an amazing patio outside the top floor of the museum and the view of the Mississippi River is quite nice.

The staff at the Museum provided outstanding service and I would join if we lived closer.

Museum tickets can be purchased online and they have a lot of options for visitors.

I am a middle school science teacher, so my family often visits science museums as we travel around the country. I have found none better than the Science Museum of Minnesota.

It's location on the bluff above the Mississippi River offers amazing views from the open stairwells and the various floors of the museum. Be sure to take the stairwell at least once on your visit for a fun surprise. The lobby is a wonder to behold, and will thrill younger kids before they even step into the exhibits. The exhibits are top of the line, both the permanent exhibits and the traveling exhibits.

In the warmer months, set aside time to play the mini golf course on the first floor to learn more about the Mississippi River basin.

Be sure to take in an IMAX movie as well. The screen is one of the largest. It was one of the first things installed and the building was built around it because of its size.

We have a membership, which pays for itself after a few visits. We enjoy the omni theater. They have recently put in a sports-themed area that is great for kids who try to outrun the dinosaur projected on the screen. All ages will enjoy the museum but it's most fun with kids.

The entire family enjoyed our visit. There were attractions that were interesting to people of all ages.

Bringing a pile of students anywhere can be a challenge, but the kids were so fascinated by everything available that they behaved perfectly (8th graders)! The IMAX is like being there with Lewis and Clark.

We are members of the Science Museum and love to come to the Omni theater.

The exhibits are also very good. They also have special exhibits that are worth coming to see all by themselves. We recently attended the Magic of Pixar, which was really interesting.

The museum sits on the river, and has a nice little park.

There is a parking ramp attached to the museum, but you pay for the convenience.

This was a great way to kill an afternoon. The exhibits were interesting, and focused on Minnesota. The place is not very large. It was not crowded.

They will spend lots of time in some of thE permanent exhibits. They like the dinosaur area. They also love the cyclone and the human body area with all the microscopes. The movies are always wonderful

We have never spent so much time in a museum with our kids (5 & 8)!! They have a ton of hands-on activity, Omni movie theater, the sports zone was a huge hit, LEGO section....it was incredible! We visited on a Saturday and there were several tables manned by volunteers where the kids could make different items (bracelets,
Harmonica, play with ozobots....). It is totally worth a visit - we ended up spending way more time here than expected!!

The Pixar exhibit is temporary, but if you can get to it, GO! We had so much fun. Google had told us that people usually spend about 1.5 hours here. We were there about the time it opened and they were announcing "closing in10 minutes" as we walked out the door. And this was with "kids" 16 and 20! We went for the Pixar exhibit and spent a good deal of time there, but we also enjoyed all of the other exhibits. This was a Tuesday and while there was a good crowd we did not ever feel that we were being overrun by small children (this has happened to us at similar science museums in the past.) It seemed like a good atmosphere of everyone taking turns and enjoying the hands-on activities.
I especially enjoyed some of the areas that might seem more controversial, such as the comments about mascots in the "Race: Are We So Different?" exhibit and the complaints from people about the mummy. It serves as a good reminder that even though this is science there are still opposing viewpoints to consider. We enjoyed our trip to the museum. I would say it was one of the highlights of our week in the Twin Cities.

So much to see and do for a variety of interests and ages. The movie is a fantastic experience, with the dome you feel you are in it!

Science, beautifully presented in a compelling way for all. A great wander of discoveries. The Omni Theatre was a real treat, but so were the numerous other interactive displays. Covered parking is easy.

One of the coolest places in the state. It's not the cheapest place to go but one of the most educational by far. If you have kids, make it a point to explore with them. There is a lot of knowledge to be gained but it's not all just sitting there. You'll have to get hands on and take your time and do some reading. Omni-theatre is great too. Not for the queezy who get motion sickness easily.

My son didn't want to leave. So much to see, and I found the dinosaur fossils to be very interesting. The staff is very knowledgeable and happy to assist with questions and share the knowledge they know about the exhibits. In addition, if you are out of town and have an annual pass to a sister museum, they will apply the credit admission

Great museum with a wide assortment of permanent and temporary exhibits. Biology, technology, archaeology, paleontology, geology...they have it all. There is a great museum shop, a cafe, a coffee shop, an omnitheater, and mini-golf.

We went to the Science Museum to watch the movie about the (Canadian) Rocky Mountain Railway in the Omnitheater. A couple quick take-always: you don’t have to go to the Museum to see the movie. It’s $9.95 for just the movie. Second, people start lining up for the movie about a half hour early; and then you wait in multiple ques to get in which is kinda of, we’ll, unfair. Sit farther up in the Omnitheater; the front seats are neck benders. Don’t go if you get vertigo or dizzy easy. Lots of great scenery in the movie, but lots of historical content left out due to time and because it’s an Omnitheater movie. The restaurant upstairs opens at 10:30 am and is real food as opposed to the one in the main lobby as you come in. Great views of the Mississippi River and history of Minnesota! Had fun, take your time, park on 7th level in ramp.

We all love the theater, but also the many, varied displays. This time we spent a considerable amount of time in the space exhibit. There is so much to learn, that when we revisit, we always find something new to learn.

I went here for the Omnitheater. First off, there are no show times listed. The website just says the movie runs all day. So I park in the garage, but I really just wanted to park for an hour and see the movie. I walk out of the garage, to what looks like the entrance, but the doors are locked. I don't see any other way in and no one is around to greet or assist. Now I clearly don't have time to see the movie and be out in an hour, so I go back to the car and leave. I told the parking attendant I couldn't find the entrance. He says I should walk past the flag pole and down a path, but there was no sign or indication that would lead to the entrance.
No signs and no short term parking to see the movie. A big waste of my time.

I loved the exhibit about race and the Exquisite Creatures temporary exhibit. The museum is a bit small, but it was perfect for the time I had to spend there. It’s a little pricey, but that’s not super surprising, since everything is more expensive. It was overrun by kids that were in some sort of Summer camp, which made it hard to see some of the exhibits, but that was not the museum’s fault. It is summertime after all, and many kids go to the museum during the summer. I would definitely recommend going to the museum, just pick a time when it’s not overrun by kids.

Can easily spend and entire afternoon here. Many, many exhibits to keep everyone entertained and curious. Great for all ages but not really great for the very young. I would say 4 or 5 years old is the minimum age otherwise you'll want to visit the Children's Museum (which is a completely different location). Onsite food/drink located in the diner area (even sell adult beverages). Omni Theater is always incredible no matter what is showing!

We have been taking our kids here for decades . It's so interesting to see the updates and also how the kids {who ate now adults} ideas and perspectiveschange as they have grown. For me no matter what age, it never gets old!

I recently had the unique opportunity to have a guided tour of this facility. Thank you Kate for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience around the museum exhibits.
The experience and displays are both informative and intriguing.
Kudos to the staff and researchers at this facility.
I encourage you to take the time and visit this museum. Schedule a few hours.
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You could spend an entire day here! Several floors of sooo many hands on exhibits. Many Learning areas. Everything from dinosaurs to music.

The Pixar exhibit is world class, the dinosaur section is very well designed, and the crackpot medical exhibits are such fun!

I visited this museum on an afternoon this past January. I gravitated to the Weighing the Evidence/Questionable Medical Devices section and the performances of the Science Live Theatre.
I am a retired physician and I was most impressed by how well these two areas of this museum gave useful & factual information in an entertaining and enjoyable fashion that allowed a visitor to leave with a much better understanding of important medical & scientific issues.
The performers at the Science Life Theatre were engaging, enthusiastic and most professional in their presentations.
The museum brochure that states "This is No Ordinary Museum" is an apt description of the offerings one can partake of at this outstanding museum.

This museum has so many interactive displays. You can race a dinosaur, or sports figure, learn about tons of different physics things, see many dinosaurs and various other items.

science of human body, physicals of lighting,motion,garivity, elec, fossil of dinosaur, it is amazing zone to show the world of ours

The Science Museum has exhibits for everyone! The exhibit about race is thought provoking. The current exhibit about mental illness addresses an extremely important issue. The Omnitheater is entertaining. My children loved to visit here when growing up. My special needs friend enjoys visits with me several times a year. Your family will love it, too.

Wow! Great museum. We took three grandkids there and they loved it. They went from station to station enjoying every one. Obvious emphasis on science presented in interesting ways. Several floors of pure joy for kids. We had to pull them out of there!

Various permanent exhibits, hands-on experiences for all ages, and historic overview of science of interest to all ages.

Incredible IMAX! Loved the discovery zone. Great views of Mississippi River. Great exhibits and fossils to view. We certainly enjoyed it! Highly recommend!!

We have found most museums in Minnesota disappointing - we just added this to our list of overpriced museums in MN. Our children did have some fun but it was not worth the admission price.

Arrive early, stay late. There is always so much to see and do! One of our family favorites. Great for grade school to teens, grandparents, Aunts & Uncles.

I love the Omni theater here for IMAX films. The museums exhibits are always top notch and plenty of hands on exhibits for kids to explore and interact with others.

Dazzling array of exhibits, many "hands-on" active learning. So much to see and do here. Very strongly recommended.

My kids and family thoroughly enjoyed this place. We could have spent the entire day here. Wish there was a little more on space exploration and the science of it. My kids loved almost every bit of it and there was plenty for the adults too!

This museum was clearly delightful to the hundreds of kids from local schools who were there, but has a confusing layout with few things of interest to sophisticated adult visitors. The noise level was horrible, and we two seniors did not last long enough to make the $12.50 admission worth it.

The Science Museum does not fail to deliver. We took our 5 year old grandson, knowing many of the displays would be over his head. He was fascinated by the exhibit showing how one acquires a cold, and of course, the dinosaurs and fossils. We could have skipped the Omni Theater (Building of the Canadian-Pacific Railway), which was definitely aimed for adults and old children; still, it kept his attention. Or, he was tired and he enjoyed a little rest!

The Science Museum offers fun and learning for all ages! It's expensive without a membership, so I recommend joining and going often (1-2 times per month) for a shorter time. It's well worth it at least from early elementary - early teen.

I had not been to the Science Museum in a long time. I was pleased with all the exhibits. They have something for everyone, young to old there is something that will capture you.

Don't miss the chance to visit the cinema. Didn't expect much but it was pretty neat. Exhibitions are fun and interactive.

Very cool! Lots of fun and interactive exhibits for kids. The interactive weather show was fun, and there are some updated exhibits that were very cool.

This edition of the Apollo 11 mission is a condensed version of the film that was in theaters about a year ago. It offers highlights of the first moon landing, which is probably better for kids who may get bored with the longer version. However, NASA nerds will probably miss the details.
The exhibit for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing contains interesting artifacts and provides a clear timeline for the US vs. Soviet Union race to the moon. There is a lunar rover you can sit in for a photo op, as well as multiple videos and various equipment and models. Even after having visited the Kennedy Space Center less than a year ago, we still learned something new. Definitely worth a visit to the Science Museum while the exhibit is here.

There was something for everyone to touch, play and watch . The dinosaur fossils were awesome. The constipation chair was hilarious

The museum has a parking garage in which you pay as you exit. The fee depends on the length of stay. When you enter the museum on the first floor you pay your admission fee. The basic adult admission fee is about $20 with discounts available for children, seniors, military, and others. The first floor has a few exhibits but it includes the Omni Theater,, dining, and the gift shop. Floors 2, 3, and 4 are dedicated to exhibits. Most of the exhibits are hands-on like a discovery center. There are many which are museum-like. My favorite was a small version of Velociraptor with the name "Bambiraptor." The entire family can have an enjoyable and educational experience. You could easily spend the entire day.

We were among the first people to arrive on a Saturday morning with our teenager. We intended to spend a couple hours at the museum before checking out other museums. There were so many interactive displays, we spent much more time at the museum than we anticipated. This is not just for little kids, we went with a teenager and would return. The people working were very friendly. After 12:30, there were special tables set up to let kids make different items such as buttons and hacky sacks.
Highly recommend this for anyone who wants to have their kids have fun while learning.

Great science center with plenty to see and do plus views of the river. Very nice gift shop plus a terrific coffee bar with some food and ice cream options make it easy to stay here for a half-day to full day. Other attractions and restaurants within walking distance too!

We visited here with our 7 year old daughter and also got tickets for the Pixar exhibit. The Pixar exhibit was pretty neat, very cool to see what all goes into making their movies. I thought the admission price was a little high, but there really was a lot to see. We went on a Friday morning/afternoon. We spent probably 4 or 5 hours here. It was SO busy though with a day camp or daycares visiting, I'm not sure. It was kind of was a bummer because the children were just running around doing whatever they wanted. Overall though there was a lot of hands on activities and we all enjoyed ourselves.

A day or half day of fun awaits at the Minnesota Science Museum. There are great interactive exhibits for all ages, but the real fun is seeing a “live” dinosaur. The t-Rex youngster is approachable and fun for all ages. Showtimes vary, but it’s easy to find out the schedule on-line (smm.org) There’s a digital Omni theater as well. Don’t miss the view of the Mississippi River and the musical stairway. A great way to learn while having fun. Parking available.

My kids LOVED racing a T Rex. It was a hit with my 7 AND 13 year old! The entire Sports Section was fascinating and fun. From balance, reaction time, speed, accuracy the entire gamut was informative and engaging.

We are members and have been enjoying the Science Museum for years. The exhibits are interactive, active and kid friendly. Though very young ones may not find as much to keep them busy. Children from 3 on up will certainly be able to stay busy here for several hours. On busy days it can be a bit challenging to get hands on time with some of the more popular stations.
They offer shows several times throughout the day which are informative and interactive in most cases.
Don’t miss out on the Omni Theater. It is worth the extra money. The films are not too long so even younger children can typically sit through them.
Memberships are a reasonable way to visit here if you plan to visit more than once a year.
There are numerous food places here so you have options... all are a little on the speedy side for the quality of product.

I love this museum, have been coming here for about 25 years. My favorite things about it are the gift shop, the omni theater and the mini golf outside in the summer!

Could spend days here. Beautiful museum with multiple floors and exhibits. Very educational. Something for everyone.

Visited the museum with our family this past week and wow were we impressed ! This science museum is the best ! Lots and lots of hands on learning . Experiments , and action . The 3 story tall astronaut is amazing ! We learned Alot and spent several hours going from exhibit to exhibit it was so much fun . I highly recommend this place for anyone who wants to have a fun family day .

I've been to the Science Museum of Minnesota many times since I was a youngster, and I always love watching movies in the Omni Theater. Recently, I attended a special Murder at the Museum event that was phenomenal. We had a tremendous amount of fun deciphering clues to find the culprit while also taking the occasional break to see other exhibits at the museum.

The month before, their exhibit on the Science of Pixar was fun and educational.

Young or old, there is something here for everyone.

Great time with 10 year old Granddaughter. Collections of dolls & beadwork ( my granddaughter has started to do).
We enjoyed the dinosaurs gallery, having watched the movies Jurassic Park.

The SMM has a lot of exhibits with good signage. Families, couples and solo visitors can all find interesting exhibits. There were a lot of people here during my visit. Yet it did not feel crowded. The staff is professional and friendly. Visitors can easily spend several hours here.

Oh my, where to start. There is so much to see and do in the exhibits hall with lots of hands on demos of science. Plus they have great dinosaurs and the Triceratops is the only complete specimen in the US and one of 4 in the world! And the Tyrannosaurus Rex greets all at the front door. A BIG BOY! And you can't miss the Omni theater shows. What a way to see the world. The staff and volunteers are wonderful and the viewing deck looks right over the great Mississippi River. The River is a National Park you know...NO? well stop in at the National park headquarters. Can't praise this wonderful resource enough and it is for adults as much as for kids.

Cuba has such a colorful history, and I'd hoped to learn a little more. My fault, it wasn't THAT kind of movie, and by all means worth seeing. Very beautiful scenery, photography, and nice stories. Just not very "in-depth". And again, not meant to be.

Have visited many times over the years. Some permanent exhibits and often many fun temporary ones. This time there was an interesting video game exhibit featuring the evolution of gaming. So much fun. The lab is fun too! Watched a cool imax movie on the NPS which was neat. Great gift shop and lots of food and snack options.

Lots of activities for people of all ages. However it felt geared towards younger ages. My teen and I found plenty to do and learned a lot from the volunteers. However, it was sometimes hard to hear because of the excited younger visitors. I definitely would visit again.

Wonderful museum! So many fun, exciting, and educational exhibits. Lots of entertainment for children and adults.

If you're touring St. Paul with your children and feel you can't afford the Science Museum of Minnesota, here's an option to consider. The lobby of the museum holds lots of possibilities. This summer, the winning entries of a state Legos contest are on view. Also available are the mummified remains of the monkey found during the Dayton building renovation in Minneapolis. Worth the trip along.

The jaw of a dinosaur is there for the young ones to explore and manipulate, opening and closing it. Also the full dinosaur skeleton is still there.

Tucked into the corner is a simulated trip down the Mississippi complements of the National Parks Services. Your child or you can simulate an eagle's-eye view down the river. There's also a trip on the river, narrated over the sounds of oars dipping into the water.

And, of course, there's the museum shop. Parking can be a bit pricey, unless you find a free spot on the street.
All this at no cost -- inside the museum, even greater things await the curious.

I wish I would have had more time to explore the actual museum. I only had enough time to view an IMAX movie about the railroads. The theater was well maintained; however, I was with my mom who has balance issues occasionally and I think there probably should be more hand railings available.

Visited with wife and two young sons (1 & 3). We had to come here as our son is at the dinosaurs/trains stage of life. All sorts of things to keep children and adults doing, seeing, and learning for a day. I recommend eating before coming here as the food court is quite expensive for how much food you actually get. That and they are so busy that cleaning the tables area didn't seem to get done very quickly. Even with our poor meal experience this is a five star activity as there are so many things to keep you busy.

We watched the 2017 eclipse here and had a great time. the staff were very helpful, especially with the huge crowd. The exhibits were excellent and cost was not very high. Can't comment on the food as we did not get any, but I do recommend this museum if you are visiting Minneapolis.

I was here for the 2 pm show on a Saturday. I was surprised to find only a dozen other visitors in the theater. At other mid-afternoon screenings I have been to, tickets are often sold out by noon. About 1/3 of the movie concerns the Cuban ballet school. I found the other segments more interesting. Another segment showed scientists investigating the coral reefs. I loved the dancing coral. The movie also presented old cars and Cuban music. Visitors exit the theater at Elements Café--a good stop for hungry moviegoers. Check out the outdoor patio for amazing views of Harriet Island and the Mississippi River.

We brought a guest from India to the Science Museum. The top floor section on Minnesota was a fascinating way for her to experience a sampling of our area from rivers, lakes, wildlife and geology. We all watched the Canadian Pacific train show and it was worth the extra admission. It is hard to sum up everything we saw, beyond the fact that 3 hours was not nearly long enough to see what we wanted to see,

We go every year and are never disappointed. This year we saw 4 movies, wolves, flight, the Canadian pacific railway and caves. I have a hard time picking my favorite! A great experience at a good price.

In addition to fossils, a mummy, and an exhibit on medical quackery, there’s a world class exhibit on human race and its history that shouldn’t be missed. Plus a very comprehensive area with both historical and modern artifacts from local Native American tribes.

Great place for any age or group. Many exhibits an multiple floors with great views over the Mississippi River. Various special exhibits come through which are generally worth the add on for tickets, though none this time. COVID limits food options to basic snacks so plan accordingly but definitely worth a trip. Best to enter the parking garage from the lower level off Warner-Shepherd road.

An embarrassing charge at $30 and $20. No supervision. We were there and a Somali family of ten had the Lego block area thing scattered all over and parents did nothing. Just sat there with no clue or care of their behavior. Not one employee to control either. Never seem anyone cleaning of any kind. A very disappointing experience.

Our grandkids love to go to the Science Museum of Minnesota. There are many “hands on” opportunities that are entertaining and educational for a great range of ages and keep the kids entertained and they are learning while they are having fun! Our grandkids love the Omni theater movies and always enjoy the special events (Pixar was great) as well as repeating the tried and true displays at the museum. The food at the museum is moderately priced and is pretty darn good. We usually spend 3-4 hours here and of course a bit of time hanging out in the gift shop where they have a great array of gifts and treasures. The prices in the gift shop range from a few dollars to upwards to maybe a hundred for the fancier items. The quality of the offerings is quite good. The Science Museum staff who demonstrate and explain items in the various areas are professional and helpful. We also enjoy ourselves while the kids have fun! We think you will too.

Always a nice time for the price, good value and if you have a membership you also get discounted parking in Downtown Saint Paul. As a family expense the Science Museum of MN is well worth it. just over $100.00 for an annual membership which sounds like a lot but if you use it twice (two adults and two children) you come out ahead. Exhibit's change enough to keep it interesting but not too much that you need to relearn the floor plan.

This was good for all ages. There are certainly some exhibits that are more for kids than adults but there were still plenty of interesting adult and interactive displays. We went to one of the documentary movies, the special Pixar exhibit, and explored some of the other floors. I wish I had spent more time on the 4th floor in the area about humans - there was a lot to learn about yourself.

I went with a group of 50 middle school students. We had several chaperones also. We saw a movie in the omnitheater. They provided a place for us to eat lunch. Students had a lot of fun exploring the exhibits. Was very crowded while we were there.

We took our grandsons here for a day. They played the Sports Science activities and we all participated in the Maze. We also saw the movie about the Canadian Railroad and it was fun and educational as well.
They were happy we took them there for the day off school.
A young man put on a show about how animanls walk and it was educational and fun to see. We marked family with teens but our oldest was 13. Not sure if a teen much older would enjoy it as much.

The Race exhibit drastically missed the mark and instead of being factual and finding unity, left me feeling disappointed and frustrated. There was a substantial sense of negative irony associated with this exhibit. Titles like "White - the color of money" were simply appalling. Let's be factual and not agenda laden. Awful all around.

I was unpleasantly surprised by the total price for a family of four, plus parking and a snack, so come prepared to spend some $$. The displays will likely not impress a parent with a science background but the kids seemed to enjoy it and it's better in all respects than playing video games all day.

This place exceeded my expectations. We had 11-18 year olds and above and everyone found something to enjoy.. My favorite was the sham medical treatment section as wee as the sports section. We had a great time and will come back.

Went on a cold snowy day at the end of December and had a really good time with my daughter and two grandkids from Los Angeles. The highlights were watching a gravity demonstration in the stairwell area, the Giant Screen movie about sharks and the display on sports and motion. The kids really loved sprinting against the Trex and sports stars. My 8 year old granddaughter also enjoyed the mental illness exhibit and found the hand on activities very helpful in better understanding what it might be like to live with a mental illness. The dinosaurs were fun to see as well of course. Great way to spend 3 hours on a snowy day or really anytime. Only downside was a few items were closed up top - not sure if do to construction or weather. Prices are ok but not cheap for a family of 4 if include the movie.

We went mainly for the Pixar exhibit. I wish they had had more characters in the exhibit and more things for young children to do. We were able to take a few photos with Buzz, Dory and some posters but that was about all the characters there. My kids (2 & 5) didn't have much interest in all the exhibits besides the robot making station and the color changing station on Dory.

Kids will always love the dinosaur fossils.

Actually saw 2 movies, Apollo 11 and Cuba. Both are first rate. Also did the Genius exhibit that featured Leonardo di Vinci and also 100 top inventions. Great hands on of fantastic machines of the middle ages. Grandchildren always have a great visit.

Cool place to go see. If there is a film showing that your interested in, totally worth the extra money. There are many cool permanent exhibits at the museum.

Decided to visit here on a Sunday afternoon for a few hours to see the replica dinosaur skeletons, which are SPECTACULAR!!! I was floored to see how large a replica tooth of the famous T Rex, Stan was!! It was longer than my hand, clean up half of my forearm. There is a large T Rex skeleton near the entrance of the museum, as well as what appears to be a pterodactyl overhead near the front doors. You can see a Edmontosaurus, a giant Pleistocene Beaver, a Triceratops, a Stegosaurus, a Diplodocus, an Allosaurus, a Camptosaurus, a Glyptodont, a Gavialsuchus, a Champsosaur, a Leidyosuchus, a Pteranodon, a Thescelosaurus and a Menoceras replica skeleton. I don't know about you, but I never even heard about more than half of these dinosaurs until visiting the museum. Pretty awesome. There is a gentleman who will show you different insects if you desire. I learned the difference between a caddis fly and May fly. As a trout fisherman, that is important to know. There are other aquatic insects you can see as well. I am very impressed with so much of this museum!!! A display explains how the dew point works. Ever wondered how to make a mummy? You can find out here. There's great information on how and why the sun changes. There are some really weird things to see: 1) the psycograph (spelled correctly), 2) phrenology, 3)body vibration sessions, where you can sit down and have a try at it , 4) the electric hygienic machine. There is a very nice section for learning about the Native Americans in the area and the hardships they had to endure. There are a couple nice interactive audio recordings to use that put you in the place of one of the Native Americans. It's frustrating when the white man corners you into doing what they want you to. If you don't, you starve to death. It can change a person's perspective on things. There are some other nice aspects of this exhibit as well. There's also a nice exhibit explaining just how much we all have in common. There are some great hands on displays to show how different organs and systems in the body work. There's much more to enjoy for adults and children alike. Many hands on exhibits to enjoy throughout the museum. It costs around $20.00 just for the museum, more for seeing a video(?). I think it's worth it. You will learn a lot, no matter how smart you think you are. I know I did.
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I took my kids to the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) many, many times. Now I am taking my grandkids there. Some of the exhibits are permanent and are favorites for the kids (dinosaurs, the tug boat, the river exhibit). Others come in for a while and then are replaced by new things to explore. The traveling programs are wonderful. We have seen mummies, Disney, skeletons posed as if doing sports, and much, much more. The Omnitheater with its 90-foot screen makes you feel like you are in the action. (I love the underwater ones because I can feel like I am diving without getting wet.) The Visitors Center for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is in the lobby of the Museum. There are a couple of cafes and a coffee shop in the SMM so food is available though it can be a bit pricey. People are allowed to bring in their own food and drink. Visitors can "pay at the door" and memberships at various levels are available for purchase. We have been visiting the SMM for over 30 years and I still manage to see something new nearly every time.

We visited the Science Museum with our two girls 8 and 14. They both had fun, both me and my wife enjoyed the interactive exhibits but wished we visited later in the day without the summer camp field trip kids, they were all over the place. My youngest daughter enjoyed the check cell experiment where she prepared a slide to view under a microscope. I enjoyed the electrical experiments and the wind turbine. I recommend you park in their lot as I did the meters and had to move the car every two hours, we stayed almost 5 hours and I could have stayed all day.

So many hands-on activities at the Science Museum! It is a wonderful place. It was a school holiday so the museum was packed with people, but there is plenty of room for everyone there.

I enjoyed watching my 17yo son jump for basketballs to determine how high you can jump. My 9yo and 5yo loved running back and forth to make colored waves up on a screen. They also found the slow-motion video of their own sport moves fascinating. I got a kick out of watching them tape the news.

The attached Omni Theatre is a bonus too. We watched The Greatest Places on Earth. The visuals are incredible.

The Science Museum is in a great locale too, downtown St. Paul on the Mississippi. We headed a few blocks over afterwards to eat a Cosseta’s, which was packed.

Highly recommended.

Every time I go to the Science Museum l have fun. Between the omnitheater, the rotating special exhibit, and all the classic exhibits this is a winner. I always end up spending the day there and there are 3 cafes or food areas for when you are hungry. You pay a little for the convenience, but I think it's worth it. I still get into the interactive exhibits after all my visits and I've especially liked the special exhibits like Pompei, Mummies, Bobyworks and Pixar. I would recommend this for children and adults.

The Science Museum of Minnesota is a remarkable local resource; also a worthy tourist destination. I have had a membership for years; I never tire of the static displays, and always welcome the traveling exhibits as well. One of my favorite Science Museum memories was of departing the elevator with my 3-year-old grandson to hear his astonished gasp -- "It's a STEGOSAURUS!" That's as far as we got that day; just marveled at the remarkable skeleton, and their whole paleontology department. Other visits have involved microscopes, tidal waves, tornados, local wildlife . . . it's endless. I also attended a wedding reception there; guests were free to wander the exhibits before gathering in a reception hall for a wonderful party. There's something for everyone here; and more than I will ever be able to fully appreciate.

The boys enjoyed the sports section the most. Some great views of the river. The educational part about MN wildlife and river was neat.

The Science Museum of Minnesota is an amazing place with many floors of discovery and knowledge of all the things around us. Take your children and spend the day!

If you visit MN especially in winter and want to go out and do something with the kids, this is a great place to go. Plenty of hands on exhibits. It gets pretty crowded on a weekend afternoon though.

Nice museum in great setting overlooking the Mississippi River. Lots of interactive exhibits for kids to do.

Went as a couple without kids and had a great time. The live shows were entertaining and just the right length to hold your attention. I loved the musical stairs coming down from level 6. Café was fabulous, the fish tacos were made fresh in front of me and were absolutely delicious. The view of the Mississippi River was breathtaking. The gift shop had lots of science related toys, which seemed to promise parents, “Your kid will be smarter if you buy this item.”

The Science Museum of Minnesota has so many exhibits that are hands on and very easy to spend a day. There are many special exhibits such as the Lego Exhibit where we spent 8 hours with our 6 year old grandson. You can learn about your body and how it works, about nature and Minnesota, about dinosaurs and one of the highlights is the Omni Theatre. Add a visit to the Science Museum to your summer list of things to do.

The programs and Omni theater is a wonderful thing to experience. The theme changes in some rooms and the layout with the view of the river is beautiful. No ages will be disappointed. They also have catering, meeting rooms and restaurants

Very well done exhibits and lots of hands on experiments to do. All ages can finds something they will like here from the Sportsology section to the Human Body and Science Labs to the Dinosaur exhibits Visited on a rainy Saturday so it was very crowded but would expect this on any Saturday. All in a all a great learning experience.

Even on a snowy and freezing cold day the museum offered not only a respite but an educational, relaxing and fun day! Parking is convenient underground so we just left our coats in the car. Due to covid we had a reservation time and went right in. We were not disappointed. The dinosaur exhibit, interaction with various other exhibits and general information displayed throughout the museum was first class. As with others, we older kids (65+) easily navigated and participated in all the hands-on exhibits. Highly recommend and would go again. Great location and easy access.

There are so many things to see and do. Kids just keep going from one thing to the next. Sometimes they are all excited and sometimes they just sit quietly and work on something. Very cool place.

Our family lives out of state, but we purchase an annual family membership and try to get here a couple of times per year. Our kids are 12, 10, and 7 and they enjoy stations in every section. They especially like the lab area where they can do little experiments. The Omni Theater is fun and included with our membership. We are happy they can experience Science in an exciting way!

We'd recently been to a different science museum in another state that people had told us was "the best." They obviously have never been to the Science Museum of Minnesota! Our family loved this place! We spent almost the entire time just on the bottom floor! A 5, 8 and 11 year old all finding so much to do in one area and as the museum was closing and we were placing the other floors they were disappointed we didn't get to stay and do those, too! That's when you know you've got a winner!

omg me and my son learend somethig eseshaly me. the sceinse musume was becuse he was failing in sciense know hes a boss

This is a child friendly museum and is very interactive. Great for school children. Not much of a museum for an experienced museum goer

At Science Museum of Minnesota — Great science museum. Well done with hands on activities. Three stories. The art created using butterflies, insects, sea life is beautiful. truly keeping kids of all ages interested.

We visited with three generations of family and everyone enjoyed the experience. The museum had several different displays and the rotating exhibit featured Pixar. There is a parking ramp under the museum, as well as some good restaurants within walking distance. Also near the river, so there are some nice views and photo opportunities.

It’s always fun to go to the science museum, but I especially love watching the movies on the 90’ screen.

The science museum can be a great all day event. There is convenient parking. The Imax theater usually has great performances. The Museum is well curated with local Minnesota items and items of global interest. There are so many fun hands on exhibits to entertain and teach kids with. The restaurant is good for kids, and there is indoor and outdoor seating. A great view on the Mississippi from the deck. The river features in several of the exhibits. Things are divided thematically which helps target specific interests. Highly recommended.

Came here for my daughters 9th birthday after a trip to MOA the previous day. Normally it would have cost us (a family of 5) $185 for the omnitheather tickets + museum admission. Thanks to a discount online it only cost us $41 for all 5 of us. That's $8 each for both attractions. *check their website to see if you qualify*

This place was far more crowded than the MOA and it had so much stuff, and so many people that it was hard to maneuver through half of the exhibits.

I told someone about the exhibits once I got home and they said they saw the same stuff when they went many many years ago! Other reviews mention that not much changes over time too.

If you're coming with kids, pack a lunch and skip the cafeteria there. Expensive!!

No crowd control at all.

Extra cost for additional exhibits, such as virtual reality.

If going with kids, skip this place and check out the childrens museum instead!

Very interesting place for the family with a lit of ineteresting activities in science and sports. You can spend the whole day with the family inside.

Excellent museum with tons of different exhibits and sections. There’s a new, inexpensive VR exhibit as well that is pretty cool. There are also several options for food which was a treat. Would definitely recommend taking the time to visit.

We went to the museum while visiting our daughter who’s going to university of Minnesota! At first we were a little hesitant because it looked like it was for little ones, but we had a great time with our teenagers! Highly recommend, it’s a great museum!

Did you know that when you enter the Science Museum of MN you are entering on the 5th floor if you come in on the street level. You may think you are coming in on the 1st floor but the 5th floor is where the Omni-theater is located. Go down to the other floors. There are so many things to see and do for you and your young minds that you better get a membership, because you won't be able to see everything on one visit, and it will cost you much more than getting a membership. Check out the Science behind PIXAR going on now thru September 2017 and go to the Omni-theater. If you don't want to pay for parking, go on a Sunday and park on the streets near the place, just remember that on Sundays they closed at about 5pm

We only got the basic ticket for the museum but it was well worth it. There are several interesting exhibits, including one on race that was poignant and informative. Plus, who can go wrong with dinosaur fossils? It's a fun time for all ages.

This was my second visit to SMM - and was again fabulous. The exhibit on Race is very well done and eye-opening for all in my family group. The OmniTheater is very comfortable and we thoroughly enjoyed Journey to the South Pacific about culture and coral reefs in West Papua. There was a preview of a movie about the railroad across the Rocky Mountains that looked great, too.
We had lunch in the main cafeteria - a large delicious salad and a yummy chicken wild rice soup. All the staff were friendly. A great place to visit, whether you're young or old.

First time was after the remodel. Went there for a wedding reception and it was awesome. The views are amazing and just so many options for kids of all ages. My son was 4 at the time and he loves the store and the musical stairs the most. However, aside from sitting in the captain's chair in the boat and oh! the incredibly large dinosaur skeleton, he was not interested in anything else.
As an adult, I appreciated the design and the food and relaxation options.

I had a day off work and took my niece to the Science Museum. We had so much fun! Parking and navigating was easy. Dinosaurs were her favorite. There is something for every age. LOTS interactive activities to keep kids busy all day. We had a blast walking around!

I visited here with teenagers and they really enjoyed themselves. The Mississippi River Gallery was excellent with lots of hands-on activities. We also loved the mineral and fossil exchange and if we had known ahead of time, would have brought some extras from our collections to trade. The Lego tall buildings exhibit was astounding. Overall, we could have spent much more than the 1.5 hours that we had before the museum closed at 5pm.

Our family group (three adults and four kids ages 12, 10, 10 and 7) visited this museum and was impressed by all there was to see. There are a variety of topics covered, from rocks to "quack" medical treatments to dinosaurs and more, and many interactive exhibits that the kids especially liked. With three floors of exhibits, it took us several hours to tour.

This museum is fun for adults and children alike. Far better than a larger one we went to in Seattle, this one always has something good to see. In the summer there are outdoor activities, in the winter it is a great escape from the cold. There are adult nights that are a blast.

We were actually there to visit the Mississippi National Riverway - which is located inside the Museum foyer. The foyer had a few exhibits that you could do without purchasing tickets to the very extensive museum - we LOVED the musical stairs, seriously...so incredibly cool and unique. We were a little short on time, so we had no intention on entering the museum, except a lady with her child had won tickets from an auction and had 4 more than they could use and asked if we would enjoy them, we graciously agreed. Huge thanks to that sweet lady.

The museum is HUGE, we didn't get to do everything because again, it's huge! And the tickets included the IMAX film on Apollo 11 which was great! What we did get to do was very enjoyable, with several volunteer run stations where kids could make their own crafts or be part of an exhibit - very well done museum, enjoyable for kids and adults of ALL ages. If ever in the Twin Cities again, we will DEFINITELY return, to finish the rest of the museum!

From the moment we walked in we were entranced. For one thing there is a 2-story tall astronaut costume in the main area. The museum is built for kids, we 60+ older kids had a great time too. There are dinosaurs all over the place. And then there were the toys. My husband played for an hour. The museum is right on the river, so the outside gets a little gusty.

We have a group of children from age 2 yr. old to 16 yr. old. They all enjoyed it very much, lots of things to do and see, we spent a whole day there.

I forgot how much I love this place. We used to take our kids often when they were younger. Husband and I saw the IMAX show Rocky Mountain railroad. It was an interesting, informative , and beautiful movie. My husband has back issues so they let us take the elevator to enter the show. Much better for him. Everyone was so nice and helpful.

I was recently in Winnipeg and visited the Manitoba Museum. It reminded me of what the science Museum of Minnesota used to be: A spectacular and comprehensive display of history in nature, provided in an engaging and detailed format. The redesign of SMM a few decades ago gave a beautiful building with spectacular views of the river, but dumbed down the science to simple, spectacular Exhibits to satisfy today’s low attention spans.
My daughter certainly enjoyed going to the science Museum of Minnesota until she was 11 or 12, but after that the repetition and simplicity no longer held her interest. It’s sad to say, but this format simply reflects the loss of interest, Knowledge and understanding of science in current American culture.

Lots of new options at the Science Museum! The dinosaur and other standing exhibits are still popular with our grandson but the new sports exhibits were a lot of fun. Enough to do that kids don‘t get bored and don‘t have to wait in long lines to have fun and learn new things. We‘ll keep going back!

If this museum was free, or way less expensive I'd give it a higher score. We spent a lot of time waiting in line for the interactive displays, and then felt we should hurry, because of the people waiting behind us. And then...most of them just weren't that cool.

Wow. What a wonderful place. We've been in a lot of natural history museums and this is possibly the best we've ever seen.
So many things to see and so many 'hands on' opportunities. If you are visiting the area, put this at the top of your list. Lots of things are oriented towards kids so they should have a blast here.

I was expecting more on exhibit. I had heard about it from a previous time. Good descriptive displays. There were just not as many as I had expected. They definitely were on a specific mission with what was displayed. Agenda based. You could see the agenda building as you went through. We all were there together, yet when leaving, I felt that I was being separated from all those around me. More display, less agenda.

I went to this museum as a man in my mid 30s with someone else in their mid 30s and we enjoyed our time but were not blown away. This museum is made for kids! I cant wait to take my nieces and nephew there. There are so may activities for kids and the museum is very interactive.

I grew up visiting this museum. Loved it as a kid. Hands on science experiments are everywhere. Tornadoes, waves, piano stairs, etc... so much fun. Many memories were made here. It was that nostalgia that brought me back as an adult. Word of warning to those of you without children... do not visit during school hours. This museum is a go to for field trips and thusly can be an absolute zoo! You will pay for the full experience but only get to enjoy the dinosaurs (your only refuge in the sea of chaos).

Don't debate on going to the Omni theater. It doesn't matter what they are showing... it will be awesome. Pay the money. Get the ticket. You will not be disappointed.

Go see Super Power Dogs at IMAX. We took our 3 year old grandsons to see it - a perfect first movie - and great for all ages. We maybe spent an hour in the museum itself including a “how to train your dinosaur “ presentation - very cute but they were a little afraid of it. This is a nice museum for all ages with hands on activities throughout.

We had the bestest time and I do know how to spell but it begs the extra spellege...that isn't a word either but who cares?! We acted like children and we ranged from 60-90 years of age. Dang it was fun and entrancing and just such a dang good family thing to do. Kids were having a ball and so were the adults. You can challenge yourself mathematically, physically, mentally, artistically, visually, musically...just everything! Wowee again. Extremely highly recommend for EVERYBODY OF ALL AGES!

We visit the science museum at least once a year...and we all love it. There is so much to do! My 7 year old loves the mummy and the human body exhibit, and my 10 year old loves all the experiments. We usually spend 5 hours at the museum and the time flys by. We no longer eat at the museum because we do not really care for the food.
We especially love how the exhibits change. Right now there is a sports exhibit which the kids loved, and the LEGO room.
Always a great time had at the science museum!

Great place to bring my daughter to say interested in the Sciences out in the world very educational very helpful on explaining certain items had a great time wish they had a good coffee shop

The MN Science Museum is arguably the best in the U.S. It’s got everything! Things for kids and adults, new exhibits, consistent exhibits. It’s interactive and covers so much information! The Omnitheater is a must. Staff are all friendly and knowledgeable. It’s clean and accessible.

Bring anybody of any age and enjoy the surroundings and interactive toys to learn neat science stuff

Cant say enough great things about this museum. So much to see and do!! Highly recommended for any age!

Such a fun place - my inner child was squealing with delight. Really well-organized and so many hands-on activities. Absolutely worth a visit, whether or not you have kids.

My friend and I had a great time here. Certainly it is geared toward a younger audience/families, but we still enjoyed reading and interacting with the exhibits. We spent about 2 hours there and could have easily spent more time. Definitely a good option for a non-summer day in Minnesota!

Strangest review you may ever see ... I go to the Science Museum on a regular basis. I go to visit the MUSEUM STORE. It has interesting stuff; the best toys, books and puzzles ... better than most toy stores. Every year, I luck out and buy several of my family's Christmas presents at the store. And usually, gifts that come from the Science Museum are the most popular with my family!

Reading other reviews, I wasn't sure if this was the place for a 36-year-old and his mom. It sure was! Before it opened, we walked literally across the street to see the Mississippi River. Inside the free part of the museum is a free National Parks exhibit about the river. One could easily spend a large part of the day here, especially with kids. The exhibits are interesting and many feature a hands-on demonstration of the science involved. Even as adults we played with many of the exhibits. It's science so there's something for everyone, whether it be health, sports, or history. When we went there were two adult-oriented exhibits about race and mental health. Very important topics and they did a nice job with them. We bought the package that included a 40-minute film and I'd recommend that as it was only about $5 more for admission. The best exhibit was the watershed rocks...move the rocks and they change color based on elevation. What an incredible little exhibit and what a fun place. Kids? The sports floor was like an amusement park so seems like they were having a great time as well.

This place was a bit spendy and the movies and other exhibits cost more on top of the $60 we paid for a family of 3. We had a few hours to kill before we flew out of MN, so it was fun for my daughter. The food there was terrible - the $9 "croissant" sandwich was a bun and the kids mac n cheese was flavorless and overcooked (she wouldn't eat it). I would bring your own food or just wait to eat elsewhere. I like the slow motion camera exhibit and the weird stuff was fun too look at too. My husband like the dinosaur stuff. I'm not sure we'd go back, but it was good to visit once.

The museum is large and offers many hands on exhibits. They also have two theaters, one an OmniMax with Journey to the So Pacific and the other with The science behind Pixar. The movie schedule changes so best to check before you visit.

This ranks with the top three destinations for museums in Minnesota along with the MIA and Walker for sure.

I am an avid science enthusiast so I come here at least every few months. Its a great place to take your kids, family or even a date. Full of local, MN and world history, culture and obviously science related facts, games and fun things to touch and see. There are 4 floors full of exhibits, bones, artifacts, books and contraptions. Exhibits designed for kids, families and adults alike. Great and interactive even for people who don't like, know about or enjoy studying scientific disciplines.

This is a science themed museum with permanent and rotating exhibits. There is a store, cafe and attached parking ramp. Every MN resident and visitors should check out this museum if you enjoy exploring all things science, climate, geologym biology or geography related. It is especially a fun place for kids; lots of hands on activities. Our kids always especially loved driving the large screen video barge up the Mississippi River -- it isn't easy for kids or adults! The Omni Theatre is a must see too; films are always very high quality 3D productions. I recommend the museum entrance package where the movie is part of the ticket price. Their dinosaur skeleton collection is superb. It is a blue ribbon museum in my opinion.

Fun museum for kids, not so much for adults that come without kids. A lot of hands on things for kids.

My husband and I spent a few hours here today and loved the kid friendly staff. We really enjoyed the time seeing everything.

Went with my husband and my son. We are back at the hotel and discussing our visit. My husband and my son wanted me to leave a lower review because they both felt it had a “racism” wing. (I am white, they are not) It was an exhibit about Race and they found it insulting and felt this was feeding an agenda of division. I actually enjoyed that exhibit, particularly an interactive display where you listen to someone talk and try to guess who is speaking . (I got all of them wrong!)
I struggled with an exhibit showing dead insects and birds and fish, and that was my husband’s favorite exhibit.
That being said, I think this museum has something for everyone and just skip through areas you aren’t interested in.
We all enjoyed the hands on areas as well as the dinosaurs and the medical exhibits

We pent 6 hours there, and still didn't want to leave at closing time! Definitely the treat of the whole entire 6-day visit in Minnesota.

My daughter loved the medical exhibit (with some hands on demonstrations she could do). We saw a great film at the theater. The exhibits, overall, flowed well and kept our interests. It's a bit spendy - I think museums should be free, but I digress - but worth a four-hour tour.

As someone who grew up in Duluth, Minnesota we always went to the Science Museum when we would make a trip to the twin cities. As an adult I still appreciate all that it has to offer. From great films to informative exhibits it's still a delight to check out. It is more aimed towards kids, but my wife and I enjoy checking out the movies and new exhibits.

We took our grandchildren to the Science Museum and spent most of the day there. The kids did not want to leave; there were so many wonderful gthings to explore. We went to the special exhibit on Pixar and watched the Omnitheater on the South Pacific. Both were great. All the other exhibits in the Science Museum were so much fun; the kids especially liked the sports exhibit.

Science Museum of Minnesota is a fun place to spend the day! There's lots to learn and entertain and it's a beautiful building. The IMAX theatre is really cool too.

We spent the whole day (8 hours) here and still didn't get to all of the exhibits. our two early teens especially enjoyed the Sportsology and Game Changers (temporary) exhibits! They spent the better part of the day within these two areas. This museum is well curated with great signage, interesting facts and hands on opportunities. I would recommend that ages 5-16 and then adults would enjoy this museum the most. There were many school groups there while we visited but most left after lunch freeing up the exhibits a bit in the afternoon. We enjoyed the IMAX show (National Parks). The theater is large, clean and comfortable - worth the additional charge admission! There are short (maybe 10-15 minute) shows/demonstrations in the museum. Make sure to stop by and catch one. We watched the one on fire, but there were plenty more going on throughout the day. The museum food was good and reasonable in price. You can also bring in your own food but can only eat in designated areas - not within the exhibits.There's fun to explore and learn at every corner - including the musical stairs! I would recommend the parking structure. There is a narrow entrance just to the left of the front entrance of the museum.

This is a really cool museum located near the Xcel Energy Center. I loved the numerous hands-on interactive exhibits this place offered, from seeing how a tornado forms to trying out musical instruments to see different kinds of sound waves to even racing Minnesota Wild hockey players, the Twins mascot and more! The museum was not crowded when I was here, which may be a good thing if you have a strong dislike for crowds. There is also a nice gift shop here with lots of stuff for kids to get, and you can even pretend to be an eagle flying over the Twin Cities. How cool is that! A terrace is also available that gives you gorgeous views of the Mississippi River and St. Paul. You'll leave feeling more than satisfied with your visit here, and even though the price may be high for some, I think it's totally worth it. You won't leave disappointed.

I did not experience the omnitheater as I did not have enough time to check it out. I will have to stop by here another time!

TIP: Don't forget to check out the musical stairs. It is located in an easy-to-miss location and is definitely an attraction you don't want to miss while here! It's located by the gift shop on the floor you enter the museum.

All in all, nice job, Science Museum of Minnesota!

Enjoyed a quick Sunday morning visit. History of local area, dinos, music, science, athletics, experimentation etc.

The best part was the special exhibit which had to be paid extra for. Think it was almost as much as regular admission. Plus omnotype theater showings as well.

Some decent food options.

This was a great place to bring kids and to explore if you're a kid at heart! There are several floors of interactive exhibits and many different things to take in. The cost was a bit expensive, but worth it for the time spent.

Great place to visit, kids loved it and the theater is mind blowing. I brought a season pass for 2018 for my step son and 4 children. Great deal. Can't wait to go next month.

Went here with my wife and another couple and we had a blast. There is fun and information to be had for individuals of all ages.

We are only here for 3 months in summer. Grandchildren love this place.
Always something new. Omni movies great and hope inspires their young minds.
Don't miss free Mississippi exhibit in foyer.
Will make several more trips this year.

The Science Museum of Minnesota provides hours of educational fun. Definitely worth the day trip. Personally attended to see the various skeletons and bones they have on display for an evolutionary comparative anatomy course, but I found the musical stairs to be exceptionally entertaining.

We were in a Minneapolis with two young adult children for a quick business trip and decided to check out this museum. We all loved it! We went because of the special Pixar exhibit but stayed for several hours to look at the other exhibits too. There were a wide variety of topics such as weather, sportsology, human body, race/ethnicity,etc, and the exhibits were all very interactive and hands on. I'd say there is something for everyone, although the older kids would understand more of the math and science concepts. The Pixar exhibit is excellent but not for preschoolers or younger. It seems a lot of people were disappointed by the parking. We parked a couple blocks away on the street because we ate first and then went to the museum. We had to pay but it was only $0.75 per hour. If you use the app you can keep adding time as necessary.

An excellent museum filled with FUH Facts and Activities. Not just for kids but for adults as well. Interaction was the key theme for a fun filled day!

This science museum is exceptionally well organized with diverse displays, interactive displays, and a wide range of topics. The museum is larger than you initially think, as it is built into the side of the hill.There are six levels and the entrance is at the street level or level 5. It has a large dinosaur exhibit which is a must see. There are so many features, you understand why the place is busy. For example, there is a Collector's Corner staffed with folk to help you identify your own specimens of fossils, rocks, bugs, or whatever. The Human Body exhibit is also well assembled.The Cell Lab is open at various hours, so check ahead to ensure you can enjoy it. There is an exceptionally well done display of racial differences and similarities. There are movies (at additional cost) and special exhibits. The exhibit on American Quackery in Medicine was fun and current. You can easily spend most of the day here. Not cheap ($34.90) but worthwhile!

Good food is available. The Elements Cafe on the 6th level offers lunch. We enjoyed the Aldo Burger combo with fries. Try the soup -it is good too. Later we snacked at the Java Lab on Level 5 where we had an incredible Chocolate Torte.

Hint: make sure you take your kids (and your spouse) to the musical stairway between the 5th and 6th levels. It is a surprise, and really fun for all folk.

Excellent, interactive museum about all things science. Fossils, space, light, magnets, perspective, math, etc. Best part was the sports science. Race a T Rex! Have to book times to keep numbers low due to covid, but this meant the hordes were out as well. Win!

During the spate of cold weather I took my 11 yr old and 13 yr old to SMM. We went first thing in the morning and the kids went to their favorites: the cell lab and Sportsology. The Science Live presentations had changed since our last visit and were a lot if fun, too.

My wife and I spent five hours at the Science Museum of Minnesota, and didn’t see or do everything which was offered. It’s WAY more than just the old dino skeletons! There are things geared to kids, of course, but the museum is really for all ages. Examples of what was on site when we visited: an area devoted to medical quackery, complete with devices and their stories of "curing powers;” an area studying Race; an exhibition on Mental Health/Illness; and a huge room dedicated to huge LEGO structures and places you could build your own skyscraper. And the Omnitheater showing IMAX films is well worth the extra admission price.

Be prepared to spend at least three hours at the Science Museum of Minnesota. It will renew your inner wonder of how things and concepts work, and bring out the Kid in you!

We come back to this museum every season because they change their exhibits frequently. So much to look at, and activities for all ages! If you live near by, think about purchasing the season pass as it will save you money. They also offer lower rates for families with low income or on assistance. This place is very big, plan on staying the whole day and doing a lot of walking!

This was not on our plans, but the forecast looked like it would rain all day. I am so glad that we made this choice! There was something for everyone to enjoy! There is dinosaur fossils, human body labs, rocks, animals to look at (not alive), physical activities, and a Pixar exhibit. We had so much fun playing with and touching everything! We also did the optical illusion show, and my husband is still talking about it! There is something for all ages to enjoy here, and you could get lost all day long inside!

If you are visiting Minneapolis soon, don't miss the Pixar Exhibit. It is interactive, educational & impressive for kids And adults! Then Spend time in the main museum.....we spent 4 hours with family & grandchildren ages 8 & 12. They loved it as much as we did.

We felt it was a little expensive for the amount of time we spent there (about 4 hours). However my kids (age 10 twins) really enjoyed how hands on this museum was! The "Sportsology " section was by far their favorite. Note that the Pixar traveling exhibit was there when we visited and we really enjoyed it, which definitely added to the experience. The museum was very clean and well maintained. I would say this is a good museum for an age of about 8 years and up. Note that you will pay at least $10 to park.

Amazing place, so many of the exhibits were interactive. Brought a 9 year old and 5 year old, both had a blast.

We love coming to the Science Museum so much we are now members. It's a great place for all ages - it's always on our list to bring our out-of-town guests. The Omni theater is especially fun in the winter during "Omni Fest" when they show multiple films each day.

I nearly skipped this as we are two adults with no children and I was unsure whether it was mainly for the kids or not. Having been, I can confirm that it's for everyone! Some really great exhibits - from native fauna/flora to sports science, lego skyscrapers, fake science/quackery, optics and so much more. Most activities could be enjoyed by people of all ages, and we didn't look too strange (I hope!) trying them out as adults. Some were among the best interactive exhibits I've seen in science museums.

Could have spent a whole day here. Highly recommended!

Fun, exciting and just plain old great family entertainment. Staff was amazing and extremely helpful. Reasonably priced & the Omni theatre was incredible. I would have give it 5 stars but the establishment was a little warm and stuffy. They could work on the air circulation going through the establishment.

We took a large group of out-of-town family to the museum and there was something for everyone to enjoy. From Legos for the youngest to sports focused science for the teens, the Science Museum of Minnesota does a great job making science fun and interesting.

Took my grandson here for a day long visit. All in all a very enjoyable day. The one negative (a super negative) is trying to park my rental car. To call it a nightmare would be an understatement. The parking lot was full...all nearby lots were full...after driving around for over 30 minutes, we decided to park on the street with foreknowledge that there was a two hour limit. We walked a distance to the museum. Once in, we went to the cafeteria on level six for a nice cafeteria lunch. Then we started to work our way from top to bottom. While we enjoyed the exhibits and hands-on experiences on every level, my grandson thoroughly enjoyed level three with a focus on sports experiences. He did everything available and some over and over. The place was as crowded with kids as one would expect for a warm day in July. After several hours we returned to the car for a drive back to our airport hotel. A good time was had by all.

We spent the afternoon here while visiting friends. It wasn't too busy & it was easy to access / use all of the exhibits. We spent a lot of time in both the local & dinosaur areas, very educational. We liked seeing the science area too. It was fun to play with the different stations & learn some new terms. We watched children play in the Lego area for awhile & marveled at the premade structures. The price plus parking was a little steep, but we were there about 2 hours, so mostly worth it. We didn't see the Omnimax film this trip, but will add it to our list next time.

While visiting the twin cities, went here with our kids (10 and 12), loved it. Many hands on experiences. We spent 5 hours there and never made it to 2 of the floors. Highly recommended!

Three boys 10, 11, 13 love this hands-on museum. Always ready to go. The OMNI show was good. PIXAR costs to add-on but worth it. Costly for one visit but get membership and make more than couple of stops and you are ahead. Also has Mississippi River exhibit. Always something different that combines fun with learning. Docents great.

Our family loves going to the MN Science Museum! We have an annual family membership and visit often. We have three children 5, 7 and 12. They all have a good time and there is always something for each age group.

This is a great science museum with lots of engaging and interactive displays to keep everyone of any age entertained. One kind of “hidden” exhibit is the “seismofon” - a sort of suspended from the ceiling xylophone that is connected to a computer and each “note” corresponds back to a location on earth where seismic activity is being registered, which is also displayed geographically on a connected set of computer monitors. We also took in one of the omnimax movies for an additonal fee which is always well worth the splendor of that experience.

We've been members at the Science Museum for a few years and have established a routine. We consistently enjoy the IMAX movies, especially during the IMAX festival each winter when the selection expands. One child really enjoys the Collectors Corner and is always on the look out for things to trade. The volunteers staffing that desk are always very engaging and knowledgeable. The downside to our routine is that we had gotten into a rut, but visiting with out of town friends last week reintroduced us to exhibits we had been skipping.
The science lab area was new to us this visit and I was impressed by the range of experiments offered. All of the kids in our group were engaged and excited with the results of their experiments. I plan to return soon to try others.
I recommend the membership to local visitors - it includes IMAX tickets every visit and admission to other ASTC museums around the world. Likewise, if you are visiting from out of town and have a membership to a museum in your home city, check to see if it's ASTC affiliated to gain access to the Science Museum too.

My husband and I visited the museum as a part of our "spring break" trip. While the museum is certainly geared towards a younger audience, there's a lot of interesting things for adults as well! I always love a good hands on museum, and this one certainly has that. It has 3 levels of main attractions. There were a ton of school groups there when we visited but it still didn't seem to chaotic. Our favorite section was the sports science area, where we could compare our skills to those of professional athletes! They also have several different dining areas and the main lobby also contains a visitor center for the Mississippi National Recreation Area. Be sure to give that a browse as well to learn more about that mighty river outside the museum.

IMAX movie about the building of the Canadian railway was outstanding. We managed to spend about 4 hours in the exhibits and we were all adults. Exhibits were well staged for children with plenty of interest for adults. Be sure to play on the musical stairway and go to the NPS Mississippi River area.

It's a nice museum although a few of the displays on the top floor are feeling a bit dated. There is a very clever "Quackery Museum" including explanations and equipment you can touch. Enjoyed the fossils, and talking with one of the paleontologists on staff about them.

When I told my son about where we were going he was less than enthusiastic. Once we got there we all had a blast. It seemed like we blinked and four hours had gone by! There are so many interactive things that help young and old alike learn while having a lot of fun. Please go, bring your family. We have gone back multiple times and will again.

We started taking our kids here when they were in elementary school, but the science museum is nice for all ages. They offer multiple levels and the hands-on opportunities are different on each. The special, travelling exhibitions are extra, but we have enjoyed them. There are also films shown in the attached Omnitheater, if you choose.

Great place regardless of age, very interactive and unique exhibits. IMAX Theater is usually playing interesting movies. An underrated place for a date as well.

Beautiful museum that is well organized and nicely designed. There’s a little bit of everything to view and explore. It is enjoyable, but not inexpensive - $15 parking, $39/adult, $29 teens. Not sure if there’s any kind of discount (we didn’t qualify for anything). We spent most of the afternoon here, so all in all got our money’s worth - but at the same time, price might be a factor for some people.

We went mainly to see the Pixar exhibit, but we purchased a membership and also got free admission to the Omnitheater as well. Many of the exhibits remain the same throughout the years, but with things like new exhibits, it keeps it pretty fresh. If we go 2 more times, the membership will pay for itself.

My daughter was here with friends and said I had to go back with her to see the Leonardo DaVinci exhibit. It is WONDERFUL! you can see some of his inventions, some of his quotations and some of his writings. I will return again to take more in. We also did the Sport-ology (lots of fun to run against other athletes who are on film) and some musical stations. THIS PLACE IS FUN!

We came to the science museum with our 1 year old and 4 year old on a rainy weekday. I recall coming here as a kid myself, and there is both and new. It isn't cheap for what amounts to a half-day of activity, but I do support its cause. I thought the Mississippi River exhibit looked like it needed a dusting, notably was not as well kept or updated as other exhibits like the sports area or the race exhibit. The sports area including the racing and video cage activities was very impressive, as were the dinosaurs. But I have to say that there was not much for the youngest of our group or others I saw there, with the under-2 set, trying to get them to engage on exhibits meant for older kids. A little-one play area with a science theme would have been nice. The 4 year old loved all of the hands-on experiments, but due to her age and being antsy to just see everything, we struggled walking through the more reading-heavy exhibits with her.

No matter when you go, you will NEVER be bored here. There is just so much to see and do. So many things are interactive on all FOUR floors. Great gift store for ALL ages. The Omni-theater is there with new movies every couple of months. Plenty of helpful staff there to answer your questions. Also a small café to suit your fancy. You have to go here. When asked by my family if I want to go -- I always say YES!!

This is one of the nicest science museums I’ve been to. It’s a beautiful structure with nice views. Great interactive exhibits for kids (fun for adults too). Only downside is it is expensive. Absolutely worth it to visit at least once. But things don’t change much all that often.

This place is incredible, you almost need a week to really see everything!! They always have new exhibits and almost everything is interactive. Sensitive kids with noise anxiety may struggle because it is quite busy and loud but there are quiet areas and lots of one on one interactions available. Give yourself 4-6 hours to see a majority of it.

I started going to the science museum on school trips as a child, it was in a different location then but is still just as engaging if not more so. I am delighted every time I come to see that there are still younger generations just as excited for the future as I was. I haven't seen it advertised in a while but they used to host regular "Social Science" Nights for adults with food and beer/wine. I hope they bring this back as it was a fantastic way to spend an evening around like minded individuals.

We already have a children's museum in the Twin Cities. Why do we need another one? There is nothing for adults at this museum. It's all a bunch of toys. I'm glad I was there for a work function and didn't pay for admission. I would have felt ripped off!

We love this place!! There is something interesting to learn and do for all ages! We brought our 4 year old grandson for the day to learn, explore, interact, and have lasting memories with us, and we achieved all!

Took grandkids 11,13,13 to see Pixar
They loved it we were there for hours
They also loved the new sports themed exhibits on the bottom floor
Had lunch on the top floor 3 of us had pizza
Portions were large and price was reasonable

I purchased a family membership and we can bring 2 grandkids to any Omnimax movie for no extra cost and get a discount on parking. there is so much to do and see, you can visit several times and not view all exhibits. This a world class place and you need to visit if you have never been there!

We went to the Science Museum to visit the Lego Exhibit because we have some Lego lovers in our family. It was worth it! The kids totally loved it and even asked to go back a second time. The other exhibits were good as well. And during the summer, they have an outdoor exhibit and the little ones can have fun with water. All in all, a good visit, but it is expensive.

I visited the space for a fundraising event. The facility is beautiful and modern with plentiful parking. The rooftop boasts epic city and river views. Definitely coming back to see exhibits!

Our day at the Science Museum began in the Omni Theater to see "Living in the Age of Airplanes," a fascinating movie for adults but not so for toddlers and young children. After the movie, we worked our way to "Chomp" on the 3rd level for a lunch break. Food was fresh with plentiful options for young children. It was noisy and crowded throughout the day, and most exhibits were 'stand in line and wait your turn.' We spent most of our visit on level 3. We had a 5 year old, 4 year old and 1 year old in our group. For out-of-towners who don't have a membership, this was an expensive museum.

this is a must see. been there twice. you can push and pull buttons find out how things work very educational its brilliant

Visit every time by grandchildren are in town. I and they love it. Be sure to view the "famous" mummy. They keep that in shielded corner so the youn children are not spooked.

We went to visit the Science Museum of Minnesota thinking we might spend a couple of hours there instead ended up spending the entire day there! Our family had a blast! Entertainment for all ages!

We have season passes. They are worth every penny. We go see the movies. We recently saw the Pixar event and learned so much.

I have a 2 year old to 17 year old. Six children in all. Everyone can find something to do here and it's always a family winner.

Went there for a three days workshop and love the interactivity and events offered by the the museum. Great place for kids & family. Will definitely come back again!

This place is crammed full of things to learn and experience. I would recommend and parent with children 3-15 to go and watch your child enjoy learning.

My goodness there is so much to see and do here. We were here on a Sunday and actually enjoyed the kids around. It was really fun watching them microscopes, dinosaur bones and especially in the "sportsology" section. Really interesting was the exhibit on medical devices and thoughts before more scientific methods were established. Of course, some of these still exist like magnets helping cure maladies. We also saw an IMAX film which was great. There several places to eat, great views of the river and just all around fun.

The Science Museum is a gem in downtown St. Paul. Excellent exhibits. Convenient parking. Nice gift shop and cafe.

The Science Museum of Minnesota's temporary exhibit for the summer of 2017 on Pixar is a fascinating look into the making of Pixar movies!

We arrived at 4pm and left at 7:30pm. There was SO MUCH to see and do. We didn't even get to do half of the stuff bc we just ran out of time with our schedule. The body exhibit was fascinating. The sports area was a lot of fun. We will definately return. If you live in the area, a membership sounds like the easy to go.

We stayed for 3 hours and could have stayed many more! So many hands on activities and fun for younger elementary kids, middle schooler and adults. We just wandered through various exhibits and spent some time at the LEGO building section. My husband and I took turns checking out the Native American exhibit alone while the other stayed with the LEGO builders. We had to pry ourselves away from the museum because it was closing time. They had a cafe but we didn’t try it. Would definitely return!

I've been to the SMM many times over the years, with family, as a chaperone for middle schoolers, as a chaperone for high school students, and by myself, and I have always found it worth the visit. A recent trip with my 3-year-old granddaughter and my elderly father-in-law made me look at this treasure anew. In addition to the traditional exhibits of many dinosaurs, Egyptian artifacts, and such things, there are so many amazing hands-on activities for experimentation by children of all ages. We were there for three hours and it wasn't nearly long enough. Depending on the number of people in your group, it might be more cost effective to purchase a family membership, even if you are only there for a day. The best part of that is, the membership can also be used at other museums around the country. A number of free omni movie passes are also included in membership purchases. The features are usually fast paced and are able to sustain the interest of a child as young as 3. The special exhibits are usually good; however, they do cost extra and often require advance reservations.
We had one member of our group who had mobility issues, and the SMM was easily able to accommodate him with elevator service and ample benches for resting. Aisles are plenty wide for wheelchairs or walkers.
There are two restaurants within the SMM with indoor seating, and plenty of tables to have a picnic lunch if you choose to take that route.
Many local schools take advantage of the great educational programs that the SMM offers, so if you want a quieter time to visit, you might want to come around 1pm and stay until closing, since most student groups leave around 2pm. Parking beneath the museum is very convenient.

This was our first time back to the science museum in a long time and now I remember why. We bought 3 adults tickets and one child and it was 139.00$. We did get Omni theater tickets too. But still not worth the money. After the movie the kids wanted something from the snack bar so they chose the 7.25$ grilled cheese sandwich, cheapest thing on the menu. When we got to the seating area almost every table was dirty and needed to be wiped down. We only came for the Pixar attraction. I don't think we will be back for a very long time. Disappointed

I was a bit unsure of the museum at first. It starts on the top floor and you work your way down through three floors of exhibits. The top floor is quite small so there’s not really a lot to see. The next floor down was engulfed with children! It’s a very good museum for children to be fair as their loads of hands on activities and interactive exhibits to entertain them. But by this point, I was beginning to think that’s all there was. Until I reached the Native American exhibit. The exhibit itself is good but the staffed activities are what really makes the place. I started chatting with Norma, a retired volunteer who does a spinning demonstration once a week. The demonstration was interesting but what was even more fascinating is learning about how they dye their yarn. The yellow yarn is coloured from an onion skin and the blue yarn is coloured by an indigo tree but do you want to know what they use to dye the red yarn? The cochineal bug. Yes that’s right this tiny little bug when squashed produces a red liquid (not blood) which is then added to water to colour the yarn. But that’s not all it’s used for. We actually eat this bug as it’s common to use for colouring food. For example, Starbucks used to use this in their strawberry drinks until a vegetarian took them to court because the drinks were advised as being vegetarian when it in fact had an animal in it. It’s a little bit extreme. Anyway Starbucks lost the case and now they use artificial colouring instead.

Another interesting exhibit was the Placebo Effect which contained a lot of research and information on medications and people’s reactions to them. Now I’m a big believer in the placebo effect and I honestly think a lot of mild pain symptoms could be resolved without an actual medication. For those of you who don’t know, the placebo effect is when you feel better because your mind thinks you’ve taken medication to stop the pain. For example, imagine you had a headache and you took tablets, shortly after you start to feel better but it turns out the tablets aren’t real, they were just sweets, yet your pain is gone because your brain thought you were taking something to stop the pain.

On the next floor down, there was a little tornado simulator which was pretty cool. But by far my favourite was the liquid nitrogen demonstration! The science is actually called cryogenics but the guy was just showing the crowd some fun ways to play with a really cold liquid (approximately -200C). First he poured some of the liquid onto a chopping board where it instantly evaporated due to the difference in temperature. He put a bouncy ball in it and then bounced it once it was frozen and it shattered into multiple pieces. For his grand finale, he put some boiling water in a tube with some washing up liquid and then added the liquid nitrogen and it created a frozen soapy volcanic eruption which was pretty cool. But by far my favourite was the trick with the balloon (obviously)! So if you’ve ever ordered balloons from me and it’s been freezing outside, I may have mentioned that the balloons will go soft because the air compresses inside the balloon due to the cold. Well he inflated a small balloon (just with air) and poured liquid nitrogen over the top of it and it went completely flat then when he exposed it back to the warm air, it re-inflated back to its original size! I need to get my hands on some liquid nitrogen and I should do that for party tricks! Amazing!

We were looking for something fun to do during MEA last year and we hit the jackpot here! Hands on! Interactive, Age-Appropriate, well labeled. Our 6 year old was so excited by some of the items, we had to be sure and stay close as he bolted on to the next attraction or exhibit. Definitely worth the visit and the return!

Great facility. Reasonable price ($9.95 each). Parking cost $20 because of an Xcel Center event - so just be aware. The theater is very nice - clean - good visibility. I would call the National Parks movie entertaining (kid focused - plenty of cute animals) but not informative. Overall - good for the price.

We have been here several times, with groups of adult friends and with children. There are hours and hours of fun interactive exhibits here. It is a large, beautifully designed, and naturally bright space. The Museum of Questionable Medical Devices is especially unique and fun.

A great place to take kids along to, similar to many other science museums with interactive exhibits for the little one. Enjoyed finding the Lego sets hidden throughout to get a little prize. The IMax theatre was terrific too.

This was our first visit to the Science Museum. In addition to enjoying hands-on, interactive museums with the kids, we were drawn by the current Pixar exhibit. We were vacationing in the MSP area, and had read that this museum needed around 90-120 minutes to enjoy. Well, our kids (10 and 7) loved it so much we ended up being there for around five hours, and enjoyed every minute of it!

Pixar really was a great highlight, and I strongly recommend everyone taking advantage of that awesome exhibit while it is available.

Tons of other hands-on exhibits which the kids really loved! It made for a great day!

My 6 and 4 year old loved most of the displays. Some of them were over their heads but we still enjoyed our time. There is so much to look at and do. Don't forget to find the musical stairs.

IMAX is always a lot of fun. We took our 5 grandchildren and everyone really enjoyed the experience. It was really neat to see how dogs are used in so many special ways in protecting and serving people.

The "Northern Pacific Railroad" was spectacular. Though the quarters are tight, it is really something to see.

The Pixar exhibit right now is so much fun, very educational, and very hands on for littler visitors. The layout and signage were a little confusing to follow when you're trying to navigate with a toddler in tow. Also, it's quite annoying that you have to pay for parking in their lot and also pay admission into the museum. However, the exhibits are great and are good at simultaneously keeping kids interested while also teaching the adults something.

Good trip. We arrived at approximately 4 pm and parked in a parking ramp near the science center. It costs 10 dollar to park for the day. We then proceeded inside to buy our tickets into the center. The admission tickets were very pricey, as they were over 30 dollars for an adult. We received a map that detailed what there was to see/do on each floor of the science center. The science center consisted of three floors, with each floor having a different learning theme. Each floor had multiple artifacts as well as hands on activities for kids and adults alike. There were also multiple informational plaques scattered around each exhibit, that detailed exactly what we were seeing in front of us. There were topics related to nature, race, native Americans, questionable medical devices, the human body, dinosaurs and sportsology. There were also two absolutely amazing short films that we watched in their omnitheater for an additional cost. One of the short films called “Dream Big: Engineering Our World” actually moved me to tears. The film was so wonderfully well done, and the scenery that they managed to capture in the film was breathtaking. There were multiple restrooms as well as a cafe on site. The reason I am giving this attraction 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the cost. When you factor in the high parking and admission cost, as well as the additional fee to watch the short movies in the omnitheater, the cost can easily reach over 60 dollars for one person.

Tip: I recommend spending 4 hours here if you truly want to see everything.

If you Love Science than you will Love this place. It’s a great place to take the kids and an even better place to go as an adult to learn more about science and refresh your mind.

My "guy friend", his parents, brother, and I, saw Dream Big, which was so cool. You would think that you were moving, but you weren't, and it was very informative. The staff was gracious to us, as my guy's father uses a wheelchair, as he can't walk long distances. The staff had us at a place in the theater, where he wouldn't have to get out of the wheelchair, and we all got to sit together. There is not a bad seat in the theater, and I would highly recommend this.

As a single parent this was a perfect outing! Both kids were totally amazed & excited with every turn! The TV station, tug boat, full size polar bear & of course the dinosaurs! And the science lab !! They still are talking about it months later.., I ended up with getting a membership & looking forward to Omnifest!! A great family time... and when they ask for more, it’s a sure sign of a WIN!

We have a membership, which pays for itself after a few visits. We enjoy the omni theater. There is a sports-themed area that is great for kids who try to outrun the dinosaur projected on the screen. There is currently a Lego exhibit that goes well with the engineering “Dream Big” imax movie. All ages will enjoy the museum but it's most fun with kids.

So many things to see and do, we didn't know where to start! We should have done a quick walk-through and gone back to the highlights. We were under a time restraint and didn't get to fully enjoy the favs. We'll be back with a better plan!

This is a wonderful place for all ages. Everyone can learn from and experience the exhibits. Check out any special exhibit. Take at least a couple hours.

The events here are for all ages! You will always learn something and the children want to return. The Omni Theatre is sold out most times sonyou need to get reservations.

We travel full time, so we have been experiencing museums all over the country. This is a great museum! We will come back to the area just for a second visit. Great for the whole family. I wish we had been able to spend more time!

The science museum is really good. There are so many hands on activities for the children to take part in and learn. The lady who did a lot of the science shows was fabulous. Molly I think her name is. She engaged the kids and was funny with it. They learned a lot and really enjoyed it.

One of the criticisms is that some of the displays and items in the shop were more suited to a history museum than a science museum.

Now the reason my rating was so low was that some of the staff were really outwardly rude. Evan and Violet. Evan thought it appropriate to shoot a comment to his colleague about us and then Violet was just so impatient and miserable. If my kids hadn't bought there own money to spend I would of just walked out. It's so disappointing to find staff that treat customers that way. It really puts a downer on a trip. We hadn't even asked them for anything or caused a problem so goodness knows what they are like when people actually need help!

A beautiful setting on the river bluffs in St. Paul. This museum is good for hours of enjoyment. Make sure to take in a film in the Omni Theater, which is quite a bit more spectacular than the regular IMAX as the Omni screen comes down all around you in almost 360 fashion. Beware if you get motion sickness however.

If you have young kids, you should invest in a membership, you will get your money’s worth in just two visits! My grandkids love going there. There is so much to do and see.