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MuseumsFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

Saint Louis Science Center

5050 Oakland Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110 · St. Louis, MO

Why you should go…

One of the few major science centers in the country with free general admission, this Forest Park favorite packs in animatronic dinosaurs, hundreds of hands-on exhibits and the landmark James S. McDonnell Planetarium. Don't miss the enclosed bridge over Interstate 64, where kids point radar guns at the traffic below. Perfect for curious minds of any age.

  • #science
  • #planetarium
  • #kids
  • #free admission
  • #hands-on

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Saint Louis Science Center, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Foodie Favorite

    The Hill

    Free

    St. Louis' Italian-American neighborhood, dense with family-run restaurants and bakeries.

    0.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    The Muny

    $25–$50

    America's oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, Broadway-scale shows under the stars in Forest Park, with nearly 1,500 free seats every night.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Forest Park

    Free

    Bigger than Central Park and packed with free museums, lakes, trails and gardens, St. Louis's magnificent backyard.

    1.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Museums
    Local Gem

    World Chess Hall of Fame

    Free

    Free galleries celebrating chess in art and history, marked by the world's largest chess piece, a 20-foot king on the Central West End sidewalk.

    1.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Missouri History Museum

    Free

    From Lewis & Clark to Lindbergh and the 1904 World's Fair, St. Louis's epic story, told brilliantly and admission-free.

    1.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Saint Louis Art Museum

    Free

    World-class art, from Monet to Max Beckmann, in a stunning Beaux-Arts palace atop Forest Park's Art Hill. Always free.

    1.5 mi awayMore like this