Nine reasons to visit the Saint Louis Science Center
Hours of all-ages FREE interactive fun: Why the St. Louis Science Center should be your next family road trip
File this one away for that time that you’re itching to get out of town or go on vacation but you aren’t looking to spend a ton to find things for your family to do. The Saint Louis Science Center is a stellar educational and interactive experience that we think kids of all ages will be begging to return. So we’ve put together a list of nine things we love about the Saint Louis Science Center so you have an idea about how it might fit into your next family road trip.
1. Free
The first thing we love is a no-brainer because the Science Center is completely FREE to visit. What?! There is no admission, every day the museum is open, all year long. Some extra activities or exhibits will require a ticket purchase if you choose to do them, but you can easily fill an entire day without spending a dollar inside the museum.
2. Hands-On Everywhere
“Please touch” is a sign you will see all over this museum… a parent’s dream! This is a very hands-on place and your kids will love that, too. Touch a triceratops horn? Why not! Build a kid-size replica of Gateway Arch with foam blocks? Yes, it’s possible! This aspect of the Science Center is why it takes our family so many hours to make our way through. The kids want to touch EVERYTHING!
3. Everyone Will Learn Something
Whether it’s outer space or the human body, whatever piques each member of your family’s interest will give them something to dive into at the Science Center. One particular visit, my kids loved the area of the museum where music beats literally came alive and they could see how sound waves move. We’ve visited the Science with toddlers and teenagers, and nobody (including my spouse and I) were disappointed on the way out the door!
4. More FREE Stuff for ASTC Reciprocal Pass Holders
If you’re a member of a participating children’s museum or science center (like the Orpheum in Champaign) with the ASTC (Association of Science-Technology Centers), you will get free parking and up to six free tickets to a “discovery room” or planetarium show, your choice. To learn more about reciprocal museum membership, read our article here.
5. Epic Dinosaurs
Words can’t describe how awesome the dinosaurs are at the Saint Louis Science Center. The two large dinos, including a T-Rex, are *very* realistic though, so be warned if you have littles that may be afraid of such large creatures! We love that you approach the dinosaur area from the upper level, so you get an elevated view of the dinosaurs as you walk towards them, and they don’t appear quite as menacing as when you’re standing right next to them and they’re towering over you.
Dig for fossils, touch real dinosaur bones, look at books about dinosaurs… skies the limit! Just get used to the continuous roaring.
6. Be Active
This isn’t your typical museum, as it incorporates plenty of exhibits (like building the kid-size arch or rock climbing) where kids can MOVE. That makes the Science Center an even better option if you find yourself in St. Louis during hot/wet/cold/snowy/whatever weather and need a place to burn off some energy.
7. Stand Over the Highway
The way the Science Center is designed, you cross a bridge right over the highway to get from the Planetarium area to the majority of the rest of the museum. I don’t know why this is so cool and appealing, but it is… for all of us! There are even parts of the floor cut out and replaced with clear material so you can see the cars zooming under you.
8. The Giant Marble Ball Machine
At least that’s what we call it. I’m sure the Science Center has another name for it, but the towering structure will suck you in from various points at different levels on the museum and you’ll love watching it. I know we do! Go see it for yourself!
9. Come Back Again
When you leave the Science Center, you’ll want to come back again the next day… and if your schedule permits, you can do exactly that since its all FREE! Usually, when we leave a “fun place” with our kids, they’re asking to return on our way to our parking spot. Sometimes (not all the time though!), our schedule in St. Louis works out to be able to say “YES, we can come back tomorrow!” when we’re leaving the Science Center. But when we are visiting other awesome St Louis attractions like the Gateway Arch Museum, St. Louis Zoo, City Museum and more, we can’t possibly get TWO museum trips in, too!
