Four Great Family-Friendly Science Museums to Visit in the Midwest

Aug 19, 2024

Looking for a fun way to exercise your brain while being fully entertained? Look no further than these creative and fun science museums! Today’s blog is all about interesting destinations to visit for both kids and the kid at heart, and learn a little more about our world at the same time. Whether you want to learn more about the earth sciences through fossil exploration or historic artifacts, or you want to try your hand at a science experiment, or maybe you’d like to wonder what it’s like to wander amongst the stars, you’ll find a little something to satisfy every curious mind. Check out our picks for great science museums in the midwest and plan your next family fun outing.

Great Science Museums in the Midwest for Families to Visit

Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago IL – Plan on spending a full day exploring at this incredible science museum. There are so many incredibly immersive exhibits, films, and experiences to try that you will never want to leave! For those who love the trending VR experience, check out the “VR Transporter” or the “Flight and Motion Simulators.” Catch a film in the theater and learn about history and science including “D-Day: Normandy 1944”, “Superhuman Body” or “Space: The New Frontier”. Learn about the power of music on the human brain at the “Notes to Neurons” exhibit, step into a fantasy world with “Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle” and find the intersection between math, art, and creativity at the “Numbers in Nature Mirror Maze” exhibit. Currently on display through the end of October, the 007 Science exhibit explores the inventions, gadgets, cars, and props utilized in the James Bond film franchise, so make sure to visit ASAP to catch that fun! There are so many interesting things to see here that we could spend hours describing them all, but it’s best that you go experience it in person for yourself.

The Science Center of Southern Illinois in Carbondale IL – This hands-on, fully interactive museum is designed with families in mind, specifically with kids aged 3 through 13. We love this exploratory center because there’s something to satisfy scientists of all ages in its 65+ exhibit repertoire. Enjoy activities such as fossil and rock exploration, learning about the sun and solar energy for electricity, view insects and animals up close and personal at their special demonstrations and events, learn about dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, and take a hands-on approach to practical science and chemistry aimed at budding young scientists. You’ll want to spend at least half a day here to get the full experience and come back again and again for the updated exhibits and demos.

Science Center of Iowa in Des Moines IA – Featuring a 50-foot planetarium called the Sun Theater, this incredible center in the downtown area features multiple science exhibits, special live programs, educational film series, a conservatory with plants and flowers, science demonstrations, and much more. Permanent Exhibits include “What on Earth”, “When Things Get Moving,” “Why the Sky”, “Small Discoveries”, “Brick by Brick: LEGO”, and the “Makers Studio” each providing a different perspective on science and creativity. Be sure to check the schedule and catch one of the live demos to enjoy a snapping turtle feeding, experience the science behind fireworks, a live demonstration with liquid nitrogen, and even more exciting presentations. Most visitors spend about 2 to 4 hours here with plenty of time to explore and participate in hands-on activities.

Imagination Station in Toledo OH – Where to begin when it comes to exhibits at this fine facility? With more than 300 different exhibits and displays to see, this is a top notch facility for not only kids but the kids-at-heart! Many of the exhibits are experiential and encourage hands-on exploration and participation from visitors. Your kids will be so busy having fun they won’t even realize they’re getting an educational experience! You can defy gravity and ride a bicycle 20 feet off the ground on a 1 inch cable for a truly memorable experience, or perhaps you’d like to ride the virtual coaster at the Simulator Theater for even more thrills and chills. Try your hand at creating a unique cardboard creation such as a structure for the future, a miniature theatre for shadow puppets, and push boundaries by creating stained glass works of art and sculptures with cardboard. The museum also specializes in a unique brand of demonstrative experiments with the exciting “Extreme Science Demonstration” area, putting a new spin on the basic fundamentals of each of the sciences. There’s also a movie theater on site and a rotating calendar of special events and plenty of unique photo-ops like the Ames Room! You can easily spend all day here and still not see everything, making it a wonderful day out for families. If you’re short on time, you can still see and do plenty in about 2 to 4 hours, though.

Looking for even more cool science museums to check out? Here are some others to explore: