While visiting family in St Louis in October of 2014, we all went to visit the Saint Louis Science Center with my aunt and uncle. It is a complex with over 300,000 square feet, 750 exhibits, opened on November 2, 1991, and is among the largest of its type in the country. It wasn’t quite as big as the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, but according to the Association of Science and Technology Centers, is one of the top 5 science centers in the United States. I was quite interested in checking it out.
We were happy to learn that general admission to the Saint Louis Science Center is free, however, as an FYI, not everything is free. There are charges for parking, tickets to shows in the Omnimax Theater and the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, tickets for the flight simulators, admission to the Discovery Room, and admission to special exhibitions in Boeing Hall. It is still a great deal and a great way to spend part of the day.
When walking in you can’t miss the Energizer human hamster wheel that powers the Energizer Ball Machine, It is interesting and just the start of a fun afternoon. We eventually made our way around, checking out all of their interesting exhibits. Here is a list of the said exhibits:
- Grow
- Math Alive
- Mission: Mars
- Life Science Lab
- Markerspace
- Discovery Room
- Ecology and Environment
- Structures
- Experience Energy
Although they were all enjoyable, I really enjoyed the Marker Space exhibit, and Gene really enjoyed the Experience Energy.
After we walked around for a while, we set down and grabbed a quick snack at one of the food court areas before our Omnimax movie started. We were seeing the Rocky Mountain Express, which we thought was interesting as we live in Colorado at the base of the Rockies. However, we soon learned that the movie was about the Rocky Mountain Express train which propels audiences on a steam train journey through the breathtaking vistas of the Canadian Rockies and highlights the adventure of building a nearly impossible transcontinental railway. It was interesting and glad we were able to see it.
Sadly we didn’t have time to check out the James S. McDonnell Planetarium or their flight simulators. That would have been fun. Apparently they project more than 9,000 stars onto an 80-foot dome creating a brilliant starfield. It would have been cool to see the night sky without the interference of weather, pollution, or city lights. They also have a telescope viewing party on the first Friday of the month. That sounds like a fun thing to do and will have to remember that for a future trip.
Even though we missed a few things, we had an incredible time at the Saint Louis Science Center and look forward to visiting again one day in the future. We will be back! Here is a link to their website with hours, directions, parking, prices, etc.
St. Louis Science Center Visitor Information
Address:
5050 Oakland Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
Phone:
314-289-4400
Hours:
Tuesday – Wednesday: CLOSED
Thursday – Monday: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Last Entry Times Thursday – Monday: 4:00PM
Price:
Free:
Directions:
By Car
From the North
- Take Interstate 170 south to Interstate 64/Highway 40 east.
- Take the Kingshighway Blvd. Exit.
- Turn right at South Kingshighway Blvd.
- Make a right on Oakland Avenue.
- The Science Center is on your left.
From the South
- Take Interstate 44 east to the Kingshighway Blvd. Exit.
- Turn left at South Kingshighway Blvd.
- Make a left on Oakland Avenue.
- The Science Center is on your left.
From the East
- Take Interstate 64/Highway 40 west to the Kingshighway Blvd. North / South exit.
- Turn left at South Kingshighway Blvd.
- Make a right on Oakland Avenue.
- The Science Center is on your left.
From the West
- Take Interstate 64/Highway 40 east to the Kingshighway Blvd. Exit.
- Turn right at South Kingshighway Blvd.
- Make a right on Oakland Avenue.
- The Science Center is on your left.
Parking:
The cost for parking at the Oakland Building at 5050 Oakland Avenue is $10 during regular season (Labor Day in September to Memorial Day in May), $12 during the summer season (Memorial Day in May to Labor Day in September), and is free for Science Center members year-round.
Parking is currently not available at the McDonnell Planetarium, which is connected to the Oakland Building by a walkable Skybridge over Interstate 64/Highway 40. The Planetarium entrance is closed.
The Oakland Building parking lot features parking for vehicles displaying disabled placards. Visitors may wish to drop off individuals with mobility concerns in the circle drives in front of the Oakland entrance.
Accessibility:
Strollers, Wheelchairs, and Motorized Scooters
Elevators and ramps serve all public areas, including the Omnimax Theater, McDonnell Planetarium, and GROW Pavilion and Gallery. Convenient wheelchair-accessible seating for the Ominmax is available via the third floor theater entrance.
As noted above, wheelchairs and strollers are free to rent and are available in the lobbies of the Oakland Building and the McDonnell Planetarium. The Science Center also has a limited number of motorized scooters available for a $25 fee. Please ask a Visitor Services team member and they will be happy to assist you. Please note that supplies are limited.
Service Animals
Service animals are welcome inside the Science Center as they are specifically trained to aid a person with a disability. Pets are not allowed.
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