Saint Louis Science Center

One of the only free admission, science-based museums in the nation, the Saint Louis Science Center is an innovative place for children, teens and adults in St. Louis. There are over 700 experiences across 10 galleries, all covering different fields of science. With exhibits ranging from modern technology to earth science to physics and more, the Science Center offers an exhilarating adventure for everyone. The museum features outdoor spaces such as the skywalk bridge across Interstate 64. With its commitment to free access to hands-on education, it is a beloved St. Louis institution for families, schools and science enthusiasts.

OMNIMAX Theater

The OMNIMAX Theater at the Saint Louis Science Center offers an immersive movie-viewing experience. With a massive 79-foot screen that fills the viewer’s entire field of view, it allows the audience to truly dive into an interesting and thrilling experience. Whether it’s soaring through mountain peaks, plunging into the ocean or observing a T-Rex from afar, the OMNIMAX Theater provides mesmerizing screenings with sharp images and unmatched quality of sound. Tickets can range from $8 to $15. 

James S. McDonnell Planetarium

The James S. McDonnell Planetarium is where St. Louis reaches for the stars. The planetarium has unique displays such as realistic star projectors,  globes and a high-quality telescope, free for anyone to use. The planetarium also presents live shows, where audiences are guided by skilled astronomers, viewing the extraordinary celestial events that happen all the time. Tickets can range from $5 to $6.

Missouri Botanical Garden

The Missouri Botanical Garden is located in the heart of St. Louis and is where art, nature and science collide. It features more than 27,000 plants, all spread across the Japanese gardens, the Shaw Nature Reserve and the Butterfly House. A day at the Missouri Botanical Garden is a day of peace; visitors can feed koi fish and ducks, travel through traditional bridges and experience numerous water features across the gardens. The garden hosts seasonal events every year, such as the Japanese Festival and the Chinese Culture Days. There is also the festive Garden Glow festival, held during winter for the holidays.

The Magic House

The Magic House is the perfect place for a family-friendly, interactive and creative experience. It has exhibits which cover physics, geometry, technology and organic science. It is a destination not only for young children, but also pre-teens and teenagers to get introduced to various fields of science and pique their curiosity. Visitors are able to experience the physics of wind, learn the history of simple machines and engineer their own gadgets with recycled materials. The Magic House disguises learning with fun projects such as water tables and hands-on math activities. These workshops and exhibits not only are a blast, but they exercise the mind with puzzling challenges and surprising information about the STEM fields.