Science Museum of Minnesota, Saint Paul

The Science Museum of Minnesota/Omnitheater is located right in the heart of St. Paul and easy walking distance from any downtown hotel. It's packed with visual and hands-on exhibits that'll keep the kids busy for hours, and the 9-story Omnitheater runs entrancing, giant-screen flicks that all ages will enjoy.

Among the favorite exhibits are dinosaurs, Experiment and Human Body Galleries, a collection of "questionable medical devices," and Sound Stairs twhich create music just by stepping on them. There's a great museum store for all things scientific and explorational as well as lockers, strollers, a coffee shop and 2 cafes. During the summer, the Big Back Yard features Earthscapes mini golf and a prairie maze. Special exhibits, such as Artifacts from Pompeii, change every 6 months or so and cost extra. That particular event was $24 for adults - kind of steep - but included an audio guide, entrance to all of the other exhibits and an Omni theater ticket.

A combo ticket for the museum and Omnitheater is the best deal. You can also get tickets JUST for the Omni or JUST for the normal exhibits. Special exhibit tickets prices vary. Check the website for hours, current schedules of exhibits, Omnitheater shows and prices. Ramp parking is available, and fees run by length of visit.

Tips: If going to the Omni, make sure to be in line early as you don't want to sit at the very bottom or very top of the seating tier. For the very young, the excellent Minnesota Children's Museum is probably a better choice.

The Science Museum of Minnesota is the most popular museum in the Upper Midwest and I am sure it is one of the best. This is an absolutely wonderful museum and I would recommend it for all ages.

The current special exhibit – and the reason we went – was The Dead Sea Scrolls, described as the most important archaelogical discovery of the 20th century. The exhibit – as expected – was fascinating and so well done. We spent quite some time taking it all in. (A free audio guide was included with this exhibit. No food/drinks or photos.)

The museum itself was packed with hands-on exhibits. Even our 15 month old was able to enjoy – everything from building to the puzzles, dinosaur puppets and books.

The exhibits include: Mississippi River Gallery, Human Body Gallery, Collections Gallery, Science on a Sphere, Dinosaurs & Fossils, Experiment Gallery, and Big Back Yard. There is also an Omnitheater, gift shop, and 2 cafes.

This is a very family/child friendly museum with all facilities.

Hours:

Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Monday: Closed
Thursday - Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.


Museum Admission:

Adult $11, Child (4-12)/Senior (60+) $8.50, Under 4 free

Special Exhibits & the Omnitheater have an additional charge. Check website for additional details. Tickets are available online.

Science Museum of Minnesota is wonderful. There are so many great things there for the young and old. I learned some things there. Any time I learn some thing and enjoy it I feel I got a bargain. I saw this giant fossilized fish about three meeters long. The fish fossil was found in Kansas. The sign over the fish says, 'Not in Kansas Any More'. I just had to take a photo of it.
I did not go to the movie theater there or to the 3D laser show. Those things are available when you are buying your tickets.

Visit the Science Museum of Minnesota. This is a place you will enjoy no matter what your age.
The following information is taken from the Science Museum Website:
At the Science Museum of Minnesota, learners of all ages can discover their changing world by touching a
tornado, coming face to face with a polar bear, exploring the Bloodstream Superhighway, or navigating a
virtual towboat down the Mississippi River. Through a combination of interactive exhibits, live theater
presentations, science demonstrations, and Omnitheater films, visitors can enjoy a unique combination of
natural history, environmental science, biology, physics, and high-tech fun. And in addition to the museum's most popular exhibits and films, exciting educational opportunities abound, making in-depth, creative exploration of a variety of topics possible. The best way to experience all the museum has to offer is to dive right in!

It is a great place full of fun things to make science fun!! You can touch a tornado, see a mummy, or go to the new Human Body Gallery.

The museum is full of interactive displays and features an Omni Theater. It covers everything from natural history, and environmental science, to biology and physics.