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Spotlight: Great Lakes Science Center With Kids

Thank you to the Great Lakes Science Center for providing complimentary tickets for my family. All opinions are my own.

My boys’ favorite museum in Cleveland is the Great Lakes Science Center. On a recent day off school, I suggested a “field trip”, and they requested the Great Lakes Science Center without hesitation. My kids (ages 4, 8 and 10) especially enjoy the Science Center’s hands on exhibits and projects, the NASA Glenn Visitor’s Center, the Dome theater, the special demonstrations and the rotating special exhibits. My parents decided to join us, and I was grateful for the extra hands and the luxurious 1:1 adult-to-child ratio, especially in a museum where each kid constantly wants to explore something in a different direction. The Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland offers so many opportunities for fun STEM learning, and we can’t wait for our next visit.

Visiting the Great Lakes Science Center With Kids

The Great Lakes Science Center is located next to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Lake Erie’s North Coast Harbor. The Science Center is typically open from 10 a.m. to 5. p.m. every day during the summer and Tuesdays through Sundays during the winter. Note that due to its proximity to FirstEnergy Stadium and the large number of tailgating revelers in the area, the Great Lakes Science Center is closed on the Browns’ regular season home game dates. (I presume if the Browns had a home play off game that the Science Center would close as well, but my dad’s research indicates that the Browns have not had a home post-season game since the current stadium was completed in 1999. His fingers remained crossed that a home playoff game inconveniences the Science Center sooner rather than later).

Great Lakes Science Center Parking

Parking at the Great Lakes Science Center is conveniently available in the 500-car attached garage, and visitors receive a reduced $8 rate with validation. I paid for parking at the Box Office and avoided looking for a pay station or fumbling with my credit card when exiting. Visitors entering through the parking garage arrive on level 0. There are also meters in front of the Science Center, but the two-hour limit really does not provide enough time to fully explore.

Great Lakes Science Center Box Office

The Box Office is located on the first level, and we immediately noticed that renovations since our last visit in the Spring included the removal of the enormous escalator that previously dominated the main lobby and addition of a much smaller staircase. My mom, who struggles with stairs, took the elevator, while the rest of us raced up the new stairs to check out the view out of the enormous window. The Great Lakes Science Center is a member of the ASTC passport program, so members of most reciprocal ASTC museums receive free admission.

The Rotating Special Exhibit

After we collected our tickets, we headed back down to Reinburger Hall on Level 0 to check out the current special exhibit, Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body. Grossology explored the science behind phenomena that kids find fascinating, like flatulence, boogers, burps and stinky feet. My kids all had permanent grins as they literally ran from exhibit to exhibit. Considering this exhibit focused on typically “inappropriate” topics, they felt that they were getting away with something while exploring.

My daughter was particularly enamored with the GI slide, a 30-foot long 3-D model of the digestive system. She got to slide down the esophagus into the stomach and then climb through the small and large intestines.

The 12-foot skin climbing wall was another highlight. This fiberglass replica of human skin included skin blemishes like pimples, warts, hair and moles. I’m not sure how much my four year old “learned” about dermatology making her way from one end of the climbing wall to the other, but she was definitely thrilled to reach the end.

My kids have also enjoyed previous special exhibits featured in this space, including All Aboard! The Science of Trains and Build It. All Aboard focused on the science and engineering of rail transportation and included a ride-on train for kids of all ages, and Built It! offered visitors many opportunities to build with LEGO and check out amazing LEGO art reproductions.

Space Exploration and the NASA Glenn Visitor Center

Next, we headed up to the NASA Glenn Visitor Center on Level 1. The Visitor Center prominently features Ohio astronauts, including, of course, John Glenn. My boys both dressed up as astronauts for Halloween during preschool and are interested in the planets and constellations. We love the National Air and Space Museum and Cleveland’s Shafran Planetarium, so it’s no surprise that the space-themed galleries are a huge hit with my kids. The 1973 Skylab 3 Apollo Command Module dominates one room of the exhibit. It traveled almost 40 million miles in space, and its move from the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in 2010 took over a year to plan.

Cleveland Creates Zone With Kids

In the Cleveland Creates Zone, kids use design and engineering skills to create rockets and parachutes. Each area includes all the materials needed to create and test designs. My kids enjoy the Creates Zone every time we visit the Great Lakes Science Center and could create and then test and tinker with rockets and parachutes for hours. The projects were a bit advanced for my four year old, so we worked together, and I found that making a cone for our rocket was not something that came naturally to me. I had to ask my boys for help, and the results were not overly successful, but my daughter insisted that we bring her rocket home anyway because she loves mementos.

My boys enjoyed watching a special physics program in the Cleveland Creates Zone. The program focused on force and motion. My 10 year old was chosen to be a special volunteer for the program and test a catapult on stage.

Polymer Funhouse

The Polymer Funhouse is an exhibit designed for children under age 8. Because I had my parents as extra chaperones, I was able to take my daughter to the Funhouse while the boys watched the physics demonstration with their grandparents. There were many exhibits for younger visitors, but my four year old spent most of her time in the ball pit waiting for balls to drop on her head. She’s not quite ready for molecular biology, but she definitely has a concrete understanding of how fun it is to play with a heap of colored plastic balls.

Eating at the Great Lakes Science Center

We ate lunch at Spark Kitchen on Level 0 due to its convenience and the frigid temperatures outside. We ordered a large 18 inch pizza and a some hot dogs for our crew. The pizza took about 15 minutes to bake, but my parents were ready for a break and sat with our buzzer in the Kitchen while I took the kids back to the interactive exhibits and felt like a yo-yo as I bounced from one kid to the next, trying to keep an eye on each of them. There must be some connection between STEM learning and appetite because the kids seemed famished as they gobbled their meals.

The Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater

After lunch, we headed to the 1 p.m. showing of Natural Parks Adventure at the Cleveland Clinic Dome Theater. This six-story theater takes “going to the movies” to the next level with its giant dome three-projector, laser-illuminated projection system (the world’s first!). My boys excitedly climbed to the seats near the top of the theater. My daughter, who had a stimulating day and was due for a nap, was a bit scared of the height but also did not want to sit lower in the theater and clung to me until she fell asleep in my arms. It was a rare treat that I fully enjoyed, and the rest also gave her the energy she needed for a bit more exploring before we headed home.

National Parks Adventure was my favorite part of our visit to the Great Lakes Science Center. The film included footage of many of my favorite National Parks, including Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon. Watching the film in the Dome Theater made me feel like I was actually there with the cast or at least made me realize how much I would like to be visiting the National Parks right along side the cast. It was also certainly nice to rest my feet for a bit and enjoy some unexpected snuggle time with my youngest.

The Science Phenomena Exhibits

My kids enjoy the hands on Science Phenomena exhibits on Level 2 each time they visit the Great Lakes Science Center. Perennial favorites include the pitching cage where kids can see how fast they can throw a ball and the shadow room, which uses phosphorescent paper and a strobe light to produce shadows that last 30 to 60 seconds.

My daughter could attempt to make giant bubbles for hours, but the temptation to watch the bubble pop never ends.

The Science Center also takes spirograph to the next level with paper on a moving platform.

Why We Love the Great Lakes Science Center With Kids

Our trip to the Great Lakes Science Center was inspired by my sons’ request to visit on their school holiday. My kids love all the hands-on opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering and math. Looking for more fun family activities in Cleveland with kids? Check out our favorite Northeast Ohio activities.

November 22, 2018
Spotlight: Discovery Cube With Kids! (Orange County)

The Discovery Science Foundation is a Southern California based organization dedicated to hands-on science education for kids. With three campuses located in Southern California, the Foundation has four core initiatives: STEM proficiency, early childhood education, healthy living, and environmental stewardship. On a recent visit to the Foundation’s original center in Orange County, California (Discovery Cube OC), my three year old and I had the opportunity to see first hand the real world implementation of the Foundation’s four core initiatives.

Our visit happened to coincide with “Dino Summer” – a large exhibit dedicated to huge animatronic dinosaurs.

It was a truly impressive display, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to fully peruse as my three year old decided that the dinosaur noises were too scary! I should have prepared him for the noises and large scale dinosaurs prior to entry, evidently!

Luckily, there was plenty to explore aside from the Dino Summer exhibit. My little one particular loved the full scale grocery store replica, where he could walk around with a shopping cart and ring up items for “purchase.”

He also loved the recycling/environmental hazards center, which prompted him through specific tasks.

Being a rambunctious toddler, however, his absolute favorite section was the downstairs level which was comprised of various STEM activities that he could either observe and/or engage with his hands.

We ended up spending a full two hours at the museum before lunch and nap time forced us to leave. My son loved the museum, but honestly, I think that children ages 5+ would likely benefit from it more as my son, at only 3.5, did not quite fully grasp the concept of many of the things he was engaging with. Nonetheless, Discovery Cube was a great way to spend a few hours on an exceptionally hot day, and I would absolutely encourage anyone to visit Discovery Cube with kids – particularly on hot and/or rainy days! Finally, the Orange County location is close to Disneyland and would be a fantastic “break” from Disneyland, if you find yourself in need of one! We could have easily spent more time there and, an added bonus, Discovery Cube is a ASTC Passport Program participant, so you can take advantage of the reciprocal benefits program if you happen to be a member of another ASTC facility and are traveling outside of your home area.

Discovery Cube OC is located at 2500 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA and is open daily from 10am-5pm (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Los Angeles, California with kids and check out other ASTC centers we’ve visited!

Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fun locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!

August 21, 2018
Spotlight: California Science Center with Kids! (Los Angeles)

The California Science Center located in the heart of Los Angeles is an amazing facility for people of all ages to learn by doing! With over 400,000 square feet of space, the facility has over four major exhibit areas, including a Discovery Room, which is designed for scientists age 7 and under. My favorite thing about the center is that admission is free for all permanent exhibits!

On a recent sweltering day, we ventured to the California Science Center to check out the King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh special exhibit. As it is not part of the permanent exhibit, admission was not free, however, our party of six (immediate family + in laws) loved the exhibit – including my 3.5 year old who was riveted and engaged the whole time.

The King Tut exhibit is separated into two parts – the first part begins on the third floor and you are required to show your ticket in order to enter. The exhibit begins with a short movie, introducing King Tut and the exhibit.

Of the 150 artifacts on display at the exhibit, 66 had never before traveled outside of Egypt. Those artifacts were clearly marked with a “first time out of Egypt” label.

As we made our way through the exhibit, we were blown away by not only the quality of the artifacts which were all in pristine condition. The artifacts were also incredibly intricate and I can only imagine the skilled craftsmanship that went into creating each individual item.

My nine year old was able to really dig into the exhibit – he wandered around and read the signs and descriptions on his own, commenting as he went along. My 3.5 year old spent his time in the exhibit largely on his grandfather’s shoulders, but even he was engaged as his grandpa read him the descriptions and explained to him what we were seeing.

After making our way through the first part of the exhibit, we were given a card that would serve as our admission to Part II – located on the first floor. Before leaving the third floor, however, my nine year old decided he wanted to take a ride on the high-wire bicycle. For $3, he was strapped in and completed two back and forth journeys on the high-wire. He reports that it was great fun and wished that we had the time for him to do it again!

After finding our way down to the first floor, we handed over our cards and were granted admission into Part II – which focuses on the actual work of discovering and excavating the tomb.

Howard Carter is credited as the British archeologist who discovered the tomb, but I was tickled to learn, for the first time, that it was water boy, Hussein Abdel-Rassoul who first laid eyes on the tomb and reported the discovery to Carter and his crew of men.

The end of the exhibit featured a short film which introduced some levity into the whole King Tut fascination. My boys loved dancing to Steve Martin’s King Tut parody, which was playing in the background, as they watched the film.

Our exploration of the King Tut exhibit occupied us for over two hours, so by the time we made our way out of Part II, it was time to leave downtown to get home in time for a certain little one’s nap. Having caught a glimpse of the other exhibits at the California Science Center on our way in and out of the King Tut exhibit, I know that we will be visiting the museum frequently on hot days, as well as the rare rainy day in Southern California.

The California Science Center is located at 700 Exposition Park Drive in Los Angeles and is open to the public seven days a week, 362 days a year, with free general admission to its permanent exhibits. The King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh is a limited time engagement and I strongly encourage those who are able to visit! Note that once you leave the exhibit, re-entry is not permitted.

Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Los Angeles, California with kids! And, be sure to visit the California Science Center with kids!

Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fun locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!

July 17, 2018
Best Science Centers in the World
Science museums offer interactive and hands-on exhibits to inspire excitement for STEM learning. Many science museums also participate in the ASTC Travel Passport Program, which provides members of participating museums free reciprocal admission to hundreds of natural history, science and children’s museums around the world. We asked some of our fellow family travel bloggers for favorite science museums they’ve visited and came up with this list of the best science centers in the world (asterisked museums are participants in the ASTC Travel Passport Program).

Best Science Museums for Kids

#1: Arizona Science Center With Kids* (Phoenix, Arizona)

There are two things that make for a great science museum: interactive exhibits and engaging explanations. We found both of those in spades at the Arizona Science Center! We visited with our 3 and 5 year old children and found meaningful, hands-on stations to suit everyone in the family along with easy-to-understand signage everywhere. There’s almost an entire floor dedicated to the human body, a huge section on mechanics and even a large area covering extreme weather (perfect for my Storm Chasers-loving husband). The Center always shows interesting and age-appropriate films at its IMAX theater and has a fantastic cafe on-site that offers food that is both healthy and fun. A visit to the Arizona Science Center is the perfect way to escape the Phoenix heat with kids, and bring your ASTC member card for free admission!

Recommended by Melissa Conn from The Family Voyage. Find out more from Melissa about great family activities in Phoenix.

#2: California Academy of Sciences With Kids (San Francisco, California)

The California Academy of Sciences is both a natural history museum and a science museum all in one! The Academy has a rain forest, aquarium (with a touch and feel tide pool), planetarium, living roof, and a section where they provide African wildlife exhibits – including real penguins! The playroom is a favorite with our 1 and 3 year old children, too. Visitors can’t forget the albino alligator, Claude, who lives in the swamp of the Academy. We’ve had a membership to this museum since before we had kids, and we now continue to renew it because there is truly something for everyone. It’s located in a central part of the Golden Gate Park, so it’s a perfect spot to stop while you are exploring San Francisco.

Recommended by Emily Jenks from Henry and Andrew’s Guide. Find out more from Emily about San Francisco with kids.

#4: Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie With Kids (Paris, France)

Housed inside a giant concrete block, the Cite des Sciences is the largest science museum in Europe. It has several permanent exhibits featuring sciences, mathematics and technology. Visitors can explore the human brain, learn about the origins of the universe and see how man has developed technology, among other things. Don’t miss the Geode at the back of the museum; this enormous reflective globe contains a state of the art IMAX and virtual reality cinema.

Children will be especially interested in the Cite des Enfants (Children’s City) where they can join a 90 minute session and explore experiments and interactive tasks, while learning about their bodies and the physical world. Older children can also play in a TV studio and a garden. The sessions are split by age: ages 2 – 7 and 5 – 12. Kids don’t want to leave!

After exploring the exhibits in the museum, take a walk in the Parc de la Villette behind the museum to see its modern, industrial architecture. The Cite des Sciences is a little off the main tourist trail in Paris, but it’s reached easily enough from the Gare du Nord. There’s no general admission fee, but individual exhibits do require admission, and pre-booking the children’s city is a good idea to avoid the long queues.

Recommended by Emily Cole from Kids and Compass. Find out more from Emily about Paris with small kids.

#5: The Franklin Institute With Kids* (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

The Franklin Institute is a science and technology center in Center City in Philadelphia. It’s named for Philadelphia’s beloved citizen and Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, who wore many hats but most notably as a scientist and inventor. When we go to Philadelphia to visit family in the suburbs, my children always insist on visiting the Franklin Institute.

Visitors can easily spend an entire day at this center because there is so much to do. The Institute has special exhibits that rotate regularly. For example, we have enjoyed exhibits on Pompeii and the Terracotta Warriors. There is an IMAX theater, a planetarium and many interactive exhibits. For example, there is a giant human heart that visitors can walk both around and through, while exploring the different parts of the organ. Even though the Institute is very popular, it never feels crowded because it is so large. It’s easily one of the best science centers we have ever visited.

Recommended by Shobha George from Just Go Places Blog.

#6: Luray Caverns With Kids (Luray, Virginia)

Luray Caverns is basically the Geology Hall of Fame. Located in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, Luray is the largest and most visited caverns in Eastern America. This one of a kind attraction combines geology, chemistry and even music. Admission tickets include a guided tour, which departs every 20 minutes after 9 a.m., and access to the The Luray Valley Museum, the Car and Carriage Museum and Toy Town Junction. Families can also buy additional tickets to the Rope Adventure Park and Garden Maze. The guided tour leads visitors through well lit, paved walkways to view and explore towering stone formations and natural wonders. Our family stopped at this one of a kind center on a road trip to Georgia, and I literally had to drag my kids out of there. My science and history loving children were in awe of the enormous chambers filled with towering stone columns, draperies and crystal-clear pools. For visitors looking for a unique science museum that offers hands on and experienced based learning in a stunning environment, Luray Caverns should be on your East Coast itinerary.

Recommended by Ruth Mendes from Have Kiddos Will Travel.

#7: Magna Science Adventure Centre With Kids (Rotherham, England)

We love the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, Yorkshire. It’s based around air, fire, water and Earth with different exhibit areas for each. The Centre is set in an old steel works, and the space is massive and actually a little spooky. There is a big melt every hour with fireworks and other sounds to demonstrate how they used to melt the steel. Each of the pavilions has different interactive displays for young and old to play with and explore. Our particular favourites are watching a tornado of fire ignite in the fire pavilion, playing with pretend rocks and blowing holes in rocks in the Earth pavilion and shooting water canons at targets in the water pavilion. There’s also one of the biggest playgrounds I’ve ever seen that has a splash park in the warmer months. The added cherry on top is that once visitors have paid for one visit they can return as many times as desired for the next 12 months without charge.

Recommended by Suzy McCullough from Our Bucket List Lives.

#8: National Science and Technology Museum Leonardo da Vinci With Kids* (Milan, Italy)

The National Science and Technology Museum Leonardo da Vinci is the biggest science museum in Italy. The outside of the 16th-century monastery that houses the museum is nothing to look at, but the inside is amazing. The Museum has a huge collection of sixteen thousand technical scientific objects, dating back to the 19th century. There’s a gallery with drawings by Leonardo Da Vinci and 130 scale models that are based on his sketches. Furthermore, the Museum has exhibits about energy production, communication, computers, iron and steel industry and space travel. The transportation section takes up a large part of the museum, with various (parts of) ships, a collection of locomotives and train carriages, numerous airplanes and even a full-size helicopter. Our son was also really impressed by the huge military submarine Enrico Toti that sits in the garden. We only spent a morning at the museum with our toddler and did not nearly have enough time to see it all.

Recommended by Lisa van den Berg from Flip Flop Globetrotters. Find out more from Lisa about things to do in Milan with kids.

#9: Nagoya City Science Museum and Electricity Museum With Kids (Nagoya, Japan)

The Nagoya City Science Museum in Nagoya, Japan houses the biggest planetarium in the world. The 30 minute planetarium show about the galaxy and constellations, featuring a highly realistic starry sky, will leave the viewers in awe even though it isn’t dubbed in English. Visitors will also enjoy various exhibits such as the Tornado Lab, Deep Freezing Lab and Electric Discharge Lab.

For Nagoya visitors who love science, the Electricity Museum is a family-friendly attraction in Nagoya, Japan where kids and adults can enjoy learning how electricity works and its importance to the people of Japan. We toured the museum through the Nagoya Sightseeing Tour Bus, and the entrance ticket is free for everyone. It offers hologram images where visitors can see the pioneers in Japanese electricity and there are interactive tools on display and a science plaza where kids can experiment and be familiarized with different science laws. The main attraction of this museum is the OHM Theater where guests can participate in quizzes and competitions as video game characters on their impressive 29-foot screen.

Recommended by Catha Buti-Uy of Team Uy Travels.

#10: Oregon Museum of Science and Industry With Kids* (Portland, Oregon)

The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (“OMSI”) in Portland, Oregon, is not somewhere visitors might think of bringing a child, and we worried whether our son would enjoy it. We wanted to visit the special exhibition OMSI had about Pompeii, but we were delighted to find lots for kids to enjoy. We were totally blown away by it. The Science Playground was by far our son’s favourite section. Designed for kids ages 0-6, there were water tables, sand pits and lots of different sections for free-play, learning and discovery. The Planetarium was also a hit with our young son, and the rest of the museum was filled with different exhibits for children of all ages. One thing we missed during our visit was USS Blueback, the submarine that was featured in The Hunt for Red October and now permanently docked beside the museum. I was gutted to learn that we had missed it, but it’s a perfect excuse for a return visit!

Recommended by Catherine from Passports and Adventures. Find out more from Catherine about the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

#11: Perot Museum of Nature and Science With Kids* (Dallas, Texas)

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is not merely a science center. This awe-inspiring, 160,000 square foot structure is a state-of-the-art experience intersecting the worlds of engineering, science, architecture, nature and sustainability. With eleven permanent exhibits, six learning labs and one traveling exhibit, the sprawling six floors deliver excitement. My fourth-grader loves the Rose Hall of Birds where visitors can build and fly their own bird. The Leap Frog Forest enchants my toddler as kids of all ages can crawl, jump and play life-size leapfrog. Both kids agree that the top attractions are:
- Sports: Practice an athletic move then film yourself in “Motion Lab” or challenge a T-Rex, Dallas Cowboy or cheetah in a timed race at “Run.”
- Life Then and Now: Build your own dinosaur then send it to battle.
- Engineering and Innovation: Lead pre-built robots on missions or program one yourself using visual coding stations.
But, don’t forget to squeeze in some other special engagements. Marvel at the Perot Dinosaur, a new species found by Perot Museum Paleontologists. Crack open an Amethyst Geode that stands 5 feet tall. Visitors can also get their groove on at Harmony Park, watch a 4D Film at the National Geographic Experience Theater or view a real brain and stem at “Being Human.”

Recommended by Brandy from Kid Allergy Travel.

#12: Science World at TELUS World of Science With Kids* (Vancouver, Canada)

Science World at TELUS World of Science is one of the best science museums we have visited. Not only does it stand out in terms of location and architecture, but it also has diverse displays, hands-on experiments and award-winning playgrounds. Most displays are designed to be intuitive, and children and grown-ups are encouraged to try things out and have fun while exploring the museum and learning. Kids can try to weigh a hippo, climb on a rotating climbing wall and crawl through a beaver lodge. There are regular live demonstrations throughout the day, and we planned to visit for 2 hours and end up staying for 4.5. Science World is one of Vancouver’s must-do kid-focused tourist attractions.

Recommended by Jules from Shades of Courage.

#13: Scienceworks With Kids (Melbourne, Australia)

For parents of children constantly asking “why” about everything, Scienceworks in Melbourne feeds the curiosity of young minds. Offering a wide range of kid friendly exhibits with hands on activities, and live demonstrations, this child-focused museum makes learning about science fun and exciting.

For little space lovers, the planetarium teaches kids about planets, constellations, and their home planet Earth through a kid-friendly animated film. With reclining seats and a domed roof, visitors can sit back and enjoy the show. Kids also love the “lightning room” which is a 120-seat auditorium that presents demonstrations to teach children about electricity. Learn about dinosaurs, the ocean, bugs and insects, and much more. For those visiting Melbourne, Scienceworks is a great day out for the whole family.

Recommended by Chontelle from Mum’s Little Explorers.

Best Science Centers For Kids

There are so many of these best science museums in the world that are now on our travel list. For more amazing museums for young scientists, check out the Best Natural History Museums in the World!
June 24, 2018