USA TODAY 10Best
A must for science lovers: 10 best science museums in the US
Best Science Museum (2024)
From ancient dinosaurs to futuristic technology, science and natural history come alive at these 10 museums. They've been selected by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best across the country for offering engaging exhibits, hands-on and immersive experiences, and stellar programming.
- The Bakken Museum - Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Exploratorium - San Francisco, California
- The Franklin Institute - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Great Lakes Science Center - Cleveland, Ohio
- Discovery World - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Saint Louis Science Center - St. Louis, Missouri
- Tellus Science Museum - Cartersville, Georgia
- Michigan Science Center - Detroit, Michigan
- Center of Science and Industry (COSI) - Columbus, Ohio
- The Wild Center - Tupper Lake, New York
Photo courtesy of The Bakken Museum
No. 10:
The Bakken Museum in Minneapolis has a focus on inspiring a passion for innovation with its interactive exhibits and top-notch STEM education programs. The space also houses a collection that includes 2,500 artifacts and 1,000 pieces of art and ephemera all around science topics. New activities are made available each month in the weekends-only Science Studios.
Photo courtesy of © Exploratorium, www.exploratorium.edu
No. 9:
San Francisco's Exploratorium is a public learning lab that invites visitors of all ages to experience over 650 exhibits spread throughout indoor and outdoor galleries. Visitors can listen to a 27-foot-tall harp that's strummed by the wind or go inside and encounter their reflection in a giant mirror.
Photo courtesy of The Franklin Institute
No. 8:
The Franklin Institute is a hands-on science museum that seeks to create a passion for science and tech in everyone. It holds the distinction of being Pennsylvania’s most visited museum, featuring many interactive exhibits that explore science — from sports to space — plus top-notch experiences and special exhibitions.
Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze for Great Lakes Science Center
No. 7:
The Great Lakes Science Center offers a community where real scientific challenges provide a learning culture to encourage curiosity, creativity, and innovation. Visitors enjoy exploring hands-on exhibits, as well as the NASA Glenn Visitor Center.
Photo courtesy of Discovery World Milwaukee
No. 6:
Milwaukee's Discovery World is a science and technology center that the whole family can enjoy visiting. The 120,000-square-foot space also houses the Reiman Aquarium and includes hands-on exhibits that focus on two main areas: technology and freshwater sciences.
Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Science Center
No. 5:
At Saint Louis Science Center, visitors can choose their own adventure, whether it’s through full-scale replicas of a Mars rover, observing the creatures in the Pacific Coral Reef Aquarium, or even watching live STEM demonstrations. With 10 galleries featuring hundreds of interactive experiences, movies about aquatic animals and dinosaurs and more playing in their OMNIMAX theater, and an impressive planetarium, you’ll never run out of scientific discoveries here.
Photo courtesy of Tellus Science Museum
No. 4:
This 120,000-square-foot museum in Georgia comprises four main galleries dedicated to minerals, fossils, science in motion, and backyard science. Visitors to Tellus Science Museum can also explore space in the 120-seat digital planetarium or gaze at the stars through a 20-inch telescope. Other highlights include an 80-foot-long apatosaurus and a replica Wright flyer.
Photo courtesy of Michigan Science Center, Shelby Dubin
No. 3:
The Michigan Science Center promotes creative and dynamic STEM learning through a series of interactive exhibits. This Detroit cultural district institution features live stage shows, an IMAX Dome, 4D theater, planetarium, and exhibit space with more than 220 hands-on activities and exhibits.
Photo courtesy of COSI
No. 2:
The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) offers a wide array of permanent exhibits and hosts a few traveling ones, too. Check out the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery and Ohio’s largest Planetarium, or maybe take a tour of the ancient stories of the sea hosted by Poseidon himself. Lift a 2,437-pound car with the help of a lever in the outdoor Big Science Park.
Photo courtesy of The Wild Center
No. 1:
Located in the Adirondacks, The Wild Center is situated on a beautiful 115-acre campus that's home to more than 900 live animals. A 54,000-square-foot building houses the center's main exhibits, while trails, a private pond, and river frontage form the outdoor experience. From naturalist-led walks to animal encounters, there's always a special event happening here.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Jenny Peters
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los... Read More
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).
Jenny Peters
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).
Joanne and Tony DiBona
Joanne and Tony DiBona know a thing or two about... Read More
Joanne and Tony DiBona know a thing or two about creating photo galleries to share their personal travel experiences around the world with their readers. Their articles have been featured on 10Best for the past decade, as well as in national and international print and online media. Their awards for photography and journalism fill up an entire wall in their office, the most recent being a top national award for their US and international galleries published on 10Best. Follow their travel adventures on their scenic photography website and travel blog. Have a question about travel? Contact them on their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Joanne and Tony DiBona
Joanne and Tony DiBona know a thing or two about creating photo galleries to share their personal travel experiences around the world with their readers. Their articles have been featured on 10Best for the past decade, as well as in national and international print and online media. Their awards for photography and journalism fill up an entire wall in their office, the most recent being a top national award for their US and international galleries published on 10Best. Follow their travel adventures on their scenic photography website and travel blog. Have a question about travel? Contact them on their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Karen Dawkins
An avid traveler with an eye on getting the best... Read More
An avid traveler with an eye on getting the best bang for the buck, Karen Dawkins shares destination guides, activity reviews and travel tips at Family Travels on a Budget and in many other publications. Writing since 2012, her family travel blog has evolved in recent years to include popular articles on travel with teens and adults only getaways in the United States and beyond.
Karen Dawkins
An avid traveler with an eye on getting the best bang for the buck, Karen Dawkins shares destination guides, activity reviews and travel tips at Family Travels on a Budget and in many other publications. Writing since 2012, her family travel blog has evolved in recent years to include popular articles on travel with teens and adults only getaways in the United States and beyond.
Kyle McCarthy
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of... Read More
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations and The Family Vacationist e-newsletter provide destination reviews, tips and seasonal roundups for all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravelforum.
Kyle McCarthy
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations and The Family Vacationist e-newsletter provide destination reviews, tips and seasonal roundups for all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravelforum.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
