Saint Louis Science Center, Saint Louis (must see)

The Saint Louis Science Center is a collection of buildings which incorporates a science museum and planetarium in the southeastern corner of Forest Park. With over 750 exhibits in a complex of over 300,000 square feet, it is among the largest of its type in the country, and according to the Association of Science and Technology Centers, is one of the top five science centers in the United States. As of 2007, the complex hosts 1.2 million visitors each year, with another 200,000 served through offsite programs at schools and community centers.

The first building of the current complex, the Planetarium, opened in 1963, hosting about 300,000 visitors per year. In 1983, it was combined with an existing Museum of Science and Natural History that had been located in Clayton, upon which the Planetarium was renamed the Saint Louis Science Center. In 1991, a major expansion increased its size seven-fold, adding a main building and Omnimax theater. In 1997, an air-supported building, the Exploradome, was added next to the main facility, and in 2003, a Community Science Resource Center southeast of the main building was added to the complex. The northern and southern sections of the Science Center are connected via a pedestrian bridge over the interstate, which also has science exhibits, such as radar guns that the visitors can use to investigate traffic patterns.

Why You Should Visit:
You can easily spend the entire afternoon here with your kids. The staff gives talks that are appropriate for every age and level.
Most everything is hands-on and educational – and of course, the IMAX and Planetarium are good for all but little kids.

Tip:
If you are traveling by yourself, breeze through quickly at a less crowded time; maybe book a Night Sky show, which is better than the kid-oriented planetarium shows.