Saint Louis Science Center - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
United States
Missouri (MO)
Saint Louis
Things to Do in Saint Louis
Saint Louis Science Center
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Saint Louis Science Center

See all things to do
See all things to do
Saint Louis Science Center
4.5
#29 of 539 things to do in Saint Louis
Science Museums
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:30 PM
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About
With the mission "to ignite and sustain lifelong science and technology learning", the Saint Louis Science Center is one of the top five science centers in the United States, and has been named one of the Top 10 Science Centers for Families by Parents Magazine and one of America's most visited museums by Forbes Traveler Magazine. The complex includes over 96,000 sq-ft of interactive science-technology exhibits that are part of the Science Center's free general admission. The most recent major permanent exhibit is GROW, a one-acre outdoor exhibit that will take visitors on a journey of food, to gain a deeper understanding of our food supply. The Science Center's ticketed areas include the OMNIMAX, a four-story IMAX Dome theater; the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, one of the world's largest planetariums; and the Discovery Room, an activity area for families with younger children.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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See what travelers are saying
  • Greg2117
    Pace, Florida754 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This place is amazing and free
    Highly recommend taking kids young and old to the science center. My 4 year old had a blast and so did my 14 year old. The dinosaur exhibit is awesome and the gaming center. I also encourage to make it outside to the farm area and to the building across the walkway on the third deck. Definitely worth a visit.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written May 22, 2023
  • Alyssa630
    Hoffman Estates, Illinois117 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good stop if looking to do something besides animals
    Very hands on and a lot of different exhibits. Parking was $15 the science center was free. We did not buy anything additional and there was still plenty to do. Loved the video game area, the chickens, and learning about earth.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written June 30, 2023
  • Laura Kehl
    Winfield, Missouri78 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A total blast! 🚀
    We had such a great time at our visit recently! Our group included 4 young kids (infant-5 years old) and 4 adults and everyone had a great time! We really enjoyed the Discovery Center, which does cost. It is totally worth it! I was also really pleased with the science center being both gluten free friendly (unsure for celiac disease if there is cross contamination, we have someone in our group with a gluten intolerance) AND had a really comfortable room specifically for nursing infants. Definitely will be going back!
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 28, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,527 reviews
Excellent
856
Very good
445
Average
177
Poor
39
Terrible
10
Alex L Moss
New Salisbury, IN50 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
It’s free and worth a stop if you need to waste time for a little bit.
May 2021 • Family
The Science Center is free to enter, but be prepared to pay for any of the special attractions(I.E. The Mummy exhibit to enter is $20 a person). They have some neat stuff that is free and it’s worth a stop if you are looking for something to do to burn some time. The planetarium is also included in the science center which is also free.

Expect to pay $10 for parking.
Written May 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Milissa R
Fort Worth, TX175 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Your kids will love it
Mar 2021
It's a fantastic museum for kids. If you are over 10 years old, you'll still be entertained, but the museum is really for kids. There are hands on activities for every age group and you can spend all day there. There was no entry free, but did have a parking fee. There is also a fee if there is a special exhibit.
Written March 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly G
Saint Louis, MO1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
They took my money for bad service..
Mar 2022 • Couples
We wanted some food before leaving for the day, we stop by the food court and make an order of 2 meals, and they had us waiting for about 45 min for nothing.... Cause apparently they missed our order? I honestly was giving them a chance, but then I see how long it's taking! So I start asking for my food... And had to wait another time for them to actually make the food..They didn't even offer to give me a refund, I should've demanded and regret that I did not demand for it! Pretty upset with that place..
Written March 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah F
Ankeny, IA209 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Great place to visit with kids
Oct 2022 • Couples
We only visited the planetarium for a constellation show. It was good, but it would've been nice to only pay for that and not a visit to the rest. It's very kid-centric, which is great, but for adults wanting to see a show it's not worth the cost.

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

The outside of the planetarium was cool with the Blue Angels jet and the art sculpture.
Written July 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kylie K
30 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Fun & Playful - But Mostly For the Little Ones
May 2021
This place is super cool and a great stop to see the Dinosaurs! It's a free attraction and that's hard to find - so it's worth the stop in! My husband and I went, but it seems this cool place is more designed for little ones - like 10 and under. The planetarium is very cool and very interesting and felt like it was directed more for adults. On the weekends you can get roadside parking for free - otherwise parking is $10 which isn't much considering the whole place is free entrance!
Written May 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
T Smith
313 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Family Fun Day
Jun 2021 • Family
We enjoyed our visit here. There were fun items for the kids & adults alike. We spent about two hours here & didn’t get to do everything. My husband and son played an oversized set of checkers. We played on a huge Nintendo, ping pong in a tunnel and other fun activities. We also had the chance to speak with two staff members about the gardens, chickens & the human anatomy. There were hand sanitizers everywhere and we felt the museum was clean. The museum is free and parking is $12.
Written June 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Henry S
Topeka, KS176 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
It's a good one
Jun 2022
Parking is $15; we were lucky to find street parking within a block.
We stuck to the free exhibits, but the IMAX, planetarium, and hockey exhibits looked fun.

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

Gift shop is robust.
Didn't try concessions.
Written June 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RileysMom915
Tulsa, OK25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Great surprise place!
Jun 2021 • Friends
This place was amazing! I have an 11 and a 4-year-old! They both LOVED this place (who am I kidding, we parents enjoyed it, too)! It was a wonderful surprise. We were in town for Six Flags, but needed to take a “sunburn healing” day. This showed up as an option via Trip Advisor. We took a chance and it became the kid’s favorite part of our entire trip (more than Six Flags)! The parking is $12, but totally worth it since the facility is free for most things!
Written June 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa K
Ringle, WI39 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Parking can be a challenge
Mar 2023 • Family
If you can’t find parking, come back later! We tried to visit the museums around noon during our spring break trip and their was not parking available, we left and spent a bit of time at Union Station and were able to park later. We spent about 2 hours at the museum and enjoyed our time. My pre-teen daughters were able to wander the exhibits on their own and had a nice time. Definitely worth a stop while in St Louis.
Written March 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ErinIndiana
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Great fun!
Mar 2022
The Science Center was a lot of fun for our family of four (2 kids, 12 and 7). They enjoyed the dinosaurs, and the gaming exhibits. The Omnimax and planetarium were also a hit. They have dining options there, and the kids loved the pizza (although pricey). We would definitely go again!
Written March 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Saint Louis Science Center - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Saint Louis Science Center
Saint Louis Science Center is open:
  • Sun - Sun 11:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Mon - Mon 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Thu - Sat 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
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