Disclosure: My family was provided free admission to the Science Museum of Minnesota to help facilitate my review. All opinions, as always, are my own.
Oh my goodness…if you are in the Twin City area you have to visit the Science Museum of Minnesota! We spent the majority of one day at the museum and did not come close to seeing everything that they have to offer. There are so many hands on exhibits with everything from human body to dinosaurs to cell lab to collections. My daughter (age 5) and niece (age 15) both enjoyed the Science Museum of Minnesota. They experienced science together and with both being able to participate in experiments. Below are a couple of their favorite areas of the museum:
Dinosaurs and Fossils Gallery
S loves dinosaurs and I have been wanting to take her to see dinosaur skeletons for quite some time. I was so excited to see that the Science Museum of Minnesota has several skeletons including one of only four real mounted Triceratops specimens in the world which is the largest complete Triceratops specimen on display. Even the Dinosaur exhibit features hands on activities with piecing fossil fragments together to create a Champosaurus and fossilized specimens that you can touch. The shear size of the dinosaur skeletons are amazing!
Mississippi River Gallery
With a real towboat to explore, a river boat simulator and collections of rocks, bones and fossils to examine there is no shortage of items to keep your kids attention in the Mississippi River Gallery. As an added bonus your child can bring in two natural items to trade in the collector’s corner.
Big Back Yard
Located in the Big Back Yard area (opened seasonally) are multiple gardens, a maze, a hands on ground water experiment and mini golf. EarthScapes Mini-Golf does cost extra, but the 9 holes are wonderfully done and designed to teach how landscapes erode and how sediment is transported.
Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience
This special exhibit open until September 7, 2015 does have an additional admission, but it is so worth the cost. This exhibit allows a hands on experience that shows how life is possible in the vacuum of space. Experience what it is like to be on board the International Space Station and the challenges of space exploration. We could not get the girls out of this exhibit they loved the hands on activities.
Journey to Space Omnitheater Film
Space has always been a fascination of mine, so my husband and I really enjoyed the Journey to Space film. However, the girls were not as enthralled in the film as us. It is a wonderful reminder of past space exploration, but what I really enjoyed was seeing what NASA is currently working on – exploration of Mars. Journey to Space is showing until August 23, 2015.
We had a wonderful time! I wish I lived closer because I would definitely purchase a yearly membership to the Science Museum of Minnesota!
Do you have a science museum near you? What is your favorite museum to explore?
This looks amazing! We have a very small ‘somewhat Science-y’ museum for the kiddos, but I wish I could take them on an experience like this one. We have cousins in Minnesota, so we’ll have to put it on the #BucketList
I hope you get to visit your cousins soon. There is so much to explore in the Twin Cities.
My family loves museums. It’s always great to get a change to learn new things in a fun environment. My kids would love the dinosaur and space exhibits.
Two wonderful exhibits!
This place looks like so much fun! My daughters loves going to science museums so they would have a field day visiting this one.
It was a blast!
We love visiting museums in other cities when we travel. The Twin Cities are only 6 hours away from us – we’re due for another visit!
Sounds like a great plan Scott!
I loved going on similar trips to museums as a child and look forward to doing them again when I am a parent!! 🙂
It’s as much fun as a parent as it was when I was little. 🙂
Oh how awesome! I love Science and museums. Totally geeking out over here!
Thank you Nicole! It was so much fun and it was great timing with everything happening with Pluto.
Oh wow that museum looks brilliant. Our plan is to go to one this summer holidays
I love science museums always so many hands on activities.
Wow! That looks fun. We love science museums too. That dinosaur looks awesome!
The dinosaurs were so neat to see.