4.5California Academy of Sciences(6.003 reviews)from $38.75 - Great activities all under one living roof Spent More than 3 hours Science Museums
The world’s only aquarium-planetarium-rainforest-living museum. Come nose-to-beak with penguins and parrots, watch sharks and sting rays cruise beneath your feet, and feel the spray of the California coast. Fly to Mars (and beyond the Milky Way!) from the safety of your planetarium seat, take a virtual safari in African Hall, or climb into the canopy of a living rainforest. Face your fears—and an albino alligator—inside the Swamp, and meet scientists as they return from research expeditions around the world. From the depths of a Philippine coral reef to the outer reaches of the Universe, it's all inside the California Academy of Sciences.See more..
4.5Exploratorium(3.538 reviews)from $39.95 - Their jiggle bug project was fun! Made kids think! Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Speciality Museums • Science Museums
The Exploratorium is more than an iconic San Francisco museum perched by the Bay—it’s an all-ages gateway to joyful exploration of science, art, and human perception. Let your curiosity roam free through hundreds of exhibits in six spacious indoor and outdoor galleries. Watch, listen, notice, experiment, and play with wondrous phenomena from the world around you: from living cells to cosmic rays, from bubbles to human behavior, from optical illusions to electricity, from playful machines to rainbows, and much more. Plus observe the Exploratorium’s open shop, where our exhibits are designed, built, and tinkered with. You’ll find thoughtful safety protocols for visitors and staff, our unique museum store, excellent dining, and beautiful San Francisco Bay views. Located in the historic Pier 15 along San Francisco's Embarcadero, between Pier 39 and the Ferry Building, the Exploratorium is easy to get to by public transportation, and there's ample parking nearby.See more..
4.5La Brea Tar Pits and Museum(3.226 reviews)from $15.00 - Free access to tar pits and paid entry to the museum Friday: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Natural History Museums • Science Museums
Explore the world's only active, urban Ice Age excavation site. Inside the Page Museum is where we showcase the best fossils, animals, and plants that have been discovered here - mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and more. Experience the Ice Age come to life with our Ice Age Encounters show. Outside check out the La Brea Tar Pits where tar is still bubbling and our active fossil excavation sites to see what our excavators have uncovered today. Get the behind-the-scenes story and see scientists working on recently excavated fossils, walk around our famous Lake Pit, and visit our live dig site where scientists discover new Ice Age specimens every day. Free with museum admission.See more..
4.0The Tech Interactive(963 reviews) - bring the kids! Friday: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Speciality Museums • Science Museums
There's always something tech-tastic happening at The Tech Interactive, a science and technology center located in the heart of Silicon Valley. Voted Best Silicon Valley Museum by Metro San Jose, it's a must visit! The staff offers facilitated experiences like the BioTinkering Lab as well as hands-on experiences in genetics, earth sciences, alternative energy, virtual design, and lots more. It's also home to the largest IMAX Dome Theater west of the Mississippi, which plays a variety of educational films and the occasional Hollywood blockbusters. The Tech Interactive offers field trips, kid birthday party packages, an onsite cafe, and special event rentals. Whether you are planning a slime-filled birthday party for your 8-year-old or a sci-fi themed wedding, The Tech Interactive delivers!See more..
4.5Children's Discovery Museum(460 reviews) - Great place for young children Friday: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Spent 2-3 hours Science Museums • Children's Museums
Since opening in 1990, Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose has become one of largest and most respected museums of its kind in the nation. With interactive exhibits and programs encompassing science, humanities, performing arts, and health and physical fitness, the award-winning Museum offers new exhibits each year that respond to children's diverse educational needs. With the broad themes of community, connections and creativity, hands-on exhibits invite self-directed, open-ended explorations.See more..
4.5Turtle Bay Exploration Park(456 reviews) - Worth Every Penny Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Science Museums • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Gardens
Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a fun, non-profit 300-acre gathering place featuring the Sundial Bridge, a museum, forestry & wildlife center, arboretum and botanical gardens. At the gateway to the Sacramento River Trails, Turtle Bay celebrates far Northern California as part of the world we share. We envision Turtle Bay Exploration Park as a vibrant gathering place where our community is strengthened through education, cultural engagement and economic growth.See more..
4.5Seymour Marine Discovery Center(255 reviews) - Go Here When Visiting Santa Cruz! Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Science Museums • Aquariums
Come touch a friendly shark, see how marine scientists work, and take in the spectacular Monterey Bay. Our exhibit hall offers a deeper dive into the adventure of ocean research here in Santa Cruz and around the world. Visit us and explore the fascinating world of marine science and conservation. We look forward to meeting you! The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is a community-supported marine science education center of the University of California, Santa Cruz.See more..
Go before it gets dark, to watch the transformation of the lights illuminating. So cool! It was quite cold, and several in our party weren't dressed heavily enough, so we didn't get to stay and enjoy the live music and games. We all agreed it was awesome, but $49 is pricey, it should be in the $20-30 range.See more..
4.5Lawrence Hall of Science(182 reviews) - Great view of Berkeley Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Science Museums • Educational sites
The Lawrence Hall of Science is UC Berkeley's Public Science Center. Join us and discover your inner scientist through fun and hands-on explorations in engineering, physics, astronomy, and more! Visit the Hall's Science on a Sphere® and take control of a planet on a 6-ft diameter globe, meet an animal friend in the Animal Discovery Room, and design, build, and test your own creations in Design Quest. Looking for even more ways to explore science? Add a Planetarium or National Geographic 3D Theater show to your visit (Planetarium and 3D Theater admission is extra).See more..
Chabot Space & Science Center inspires and educates students of all ages about our Planet Earth and the Universe. Its historic telescopes and observatory, planetarium, hands-on interactive exhibits, and natural park setting are a place where students, teachers, and the public can imagine, understand, and learn to shape their future through science. Chabot's three large telescopes are open to the public on Friday and Saturday evenings.See more..
4.5Jet Propulsion Laboratory(165 reviews) - Take the tour if you can secure tickets. Very good! Science Museums
We toured after snagging tickets online when they became available. It is a free tour, but you must secure your tickets as soon as they become available. They will be gone right away. Our tour guides were fun, knowledgeable and friendly. We had Greg and Brian. The tour was from 1-3:30 pm and required some walking and stairs. We loved it. I would go again, if I could get tickets again. This facility makes robots to explore space.See more..
CuriOdyssey is a science playground and zoo in San Mateo where families see wild animals up-close and real scientific phenomena in kid-friendly exhibits. CuriOdyssey's wild animals are rescued native wildlife that include bobcats, a river otter, fox, opossum, eagles, owls and more. CuriOydssey is open to visitors with advance reservations required on Wednesdays - Sundays, 10am-5pm. Make reservations at: https://curiodyssey.org/visit/hours-admission/See more..
4.5Aerospace Museum of California(112 reviews) - Planes, food, and fun for the family Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Science Museums
Come experience aviation and aerospace history in an interactive setting. With an airpark and rotating exhibits, your family can engage with our STEAM activities for all ages and let your imagination soar!See more..
Western Science Center is home to a fascinating array of Native American artifacts and Ice Age fossils that were unearthed at Diamond Valley Lake. You'll be moved by "Max", the largest mastodon found in the Western United States, as well as "Xena", a Columbian mammoth. Let your imagination run wild as you walk on tempered glass which houses "Little Stevie", a large mastodon installed beneath the museum floor to re-create the actual dig site.See more..
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration Innovation, is a one-of-a-kind museum for all ages designed to ignite learning through interactive experiences in science and creativity. The museum's three floors are filled with 17,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits that encourage open-ended discovery, analytical assessment, experimentation, play and just plain fun.See more..
5.0Mt. Shasta Sisson Museum(67 reviews) - Great for Kids of All Ages - Don't Miss a Visit Here! Temporarily closed - Closed until Apr 1, 2023 Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Science Museums • Children's Museums • History Museums
The Museum is open from early spring to the second weekend in December. Mt. Shasta Sisson Museum is a self-supported, volunteer operated museum with a 501(c)(3) tax status. To fulfill its mission, the museum has exhibits on the history and science related to Mt. Shasta and the surrounding areas. There are many hands-on activities for children and adults. The museum shares the same grounds as a state fish hatchery, where visitors love to view and feed the fish. The Museum consists of three large exhibit halls and an events room for special activities and displays. New exhibits are installed at the museum on a regular basis. A changing array of special installations including quilt shows and art displays are arranged every 6 weeks in the Events Room.See more..
The mission of the World of Wonders (WOW) Science Museum is to offer hands-on, science-based exhibits and programs to stimulate discovery for all ages.See more..
Gateway Science Museum, a remarkable partnership between CSU Chico and the community, hosts engaging hands-on traveling exhibitions, featuring programming about our region and offers STEM education to people of all ages. Exhibit galleries, a hands-on Discovery Room, Saturday Investigation Station Activities, and the Gateway Gardens are the backdrops for quality science education. The gardens surrounding the museum include the Native Plant Pollinator Garden, Glenn E. and Ruth Gray Cunningham Memorial Exhibit The Foothills Garden, and plantings that are representative of four distinct eco-regions of Northern California. Become a member with unlimited free general admission for one year.See more..
We had such a fun afternoon at the Alf Museum. My son loves dinosaurs and was amazed at everything there. They had some fun interactive kid friendly activities like digging for fossils in the tar pit, Dino skeleton building, dinosaur sound making and more. It’s a small place but a must see!See more..
Our mission is to ignite curiosity and imagination in Central Valley youth by providing hands-on STEAM experiences. We are a small science center located on 5.5 acres. Kids love to run around and play in our meadow, dino dig, and playground. Everyone enjoys the Deutsch Cactus Garden, Garden of the Sun, turtle/koi pond, hands-on exhibits, and great activities facilitated by our friendly staff.See more..
4.0Boron Aerospace Museum(20 reviews) - My first Draken sighting! Friday: Science Museums
This museum operates on a VERY limited schedule so it is essential to plan ahead if you want to see the treasures on the inside. Outside the exhibits include an F-4 Phantom and a SAAB 35 Draken so I was quite happy having never seen the SAAB previously.See more..
We stopped by the Raptor Center om the way to Sacramento and it was well worth the visit. The raptors are here because they were injured. If they cannot be safely released back into the wild, they remain in residence. We especially enjoyed seeing the owls. There were several types, including the smaller ones. Really cute!See more..
4.5Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center(13 reviews) - All is well in the world and nature is in control Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Natural History Museums • Science Museums • Children's Museums
Peace and solitude, such valuable commodities, every-and-any-where it con be found, these are the treasures upon which no monetary value can be set. This is one of those little slices of paradise. It is small now but it has bigger aspirations. We wish them well and much success. Under the bridge, sit a spell and watch the ocean and lagoon interact. There are some incredible views under the bridge, looking out to where the lagoon battles with the current. Along this short path (for now, until expansion eventually happens), we watched as a heron seemed to be fishing with a pole (never leave those things untended), and life just quietly played out at a much less hectic pace. Dial it down, sit and breath deeply and enjoy the moment. Once more, we did not visit the Discovery Center but spent our time in the Lagoon environs. Sit on Titus (the dog's) bench and ponder how many happy walks that canine spent waiting to hear those magic words.See more..
The R. M. Bohart Museum of Entomology is located on the University of California, Davis campus. The museum is dedicated to teaching, research and service. We have the seventh largest insect collection in North America, which is worldwide in coverage. The collection holdings total approximately seven million specimens, and focus on terrestrial and fresh water invertebrates. The museum is home of the California Insect Survey, a storehouse of the insect biodiversity of California’s deserts, mountains, coast and great central valley.See more..
4.0Explorit Science Center(10 reviews) - Great for Kids Friday: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Science Museums
Here at Explorit, we create excitement for science and nature through interactive exploration for all. Visit our Center in Davis for fun interactive experiences, animals, backyard habitats and more. We also provide off and onsite programs to schools in 18 Northern California counties.See more..
5.0Joshua Hendy Iron Man Museum(3 reviews) - Historical Site: Joshua Hendy Iron Man Museum, Sunnyvale, CA Spent < 1 hour Speciality Museums • Science Museums • History Museums
We drove by to see the historical plaque by the Joshua Hendy Iron Man Museum in Sunnyvale. This is an interesting part of local history. It is a heritage landmark.See more..
5.0DigiBarn Computer Museum(2 reviews) - Wow Look at all the neat old stuff! Spent 2-3 hours Speciality Museums • Science Museums • History Museums Bruce and Galen have put together an amazing collection of vintage computer equipment and accessories. Anyone who enjoyed the computers of the 70s and 80s, from PETs to TRS-80s to Macs to the iconic Cray will enjoy a visit to this special place. Got any vintage hardware gathering dust? Donate it to the museum so it can be appreciated.See more..
Virtual Science Center(0 review) Temporarily closed - Closed until further notice Science Museums
Virtual Science Center offers guests an interactive experience into the magical world of Virtual Reality. Explore how this incredible technology works, learn why virtual worlds feel so believable, and choose from a selection of thrilling full-body VR experiences in this extraordinary pop-up science exhibit.See more..
