Orlando Science Center

Love the Adult night they had recently. Much better experience for me versus all the children running around. My husband’s favorite is still the dinosaur exhibit.

This place is for young families with young children. There are lots of activities and learning experiences for kids, but not much for adults. There is a Subway Sandwich shop inside. They also have a café but it was closed. One of the theaters shows dome movies that are included in your admission. The dome part was kind of neat, but the movie was definitely not HD and I was really surprised how much the blurriness strained my eyes. We saw the National Parks one. The other theater has a separate entrance fee. Parking was pretty confusing to figure out… the GPS took us through the parking lot of the Shakespeare Museum, it was weird. They could use more signs in the area.
This is not on the list of things that adults visiting Orlando would enjoy… even though we’re very into science and animals.

This should be renamed a children’s museum because that’s exactly what it feels like. It’s very kid friendly and hands on for kids of all ages. I have two young boys and an infant daughter, everyone was all smiles the entire time. There’s also a lot of cool exhibits for the parents to read and play with. There’s four levels, all of which are different and equally fascinating! The price seems expensive but I do think you get what you pay for. Parking is $ 5 in the parking garage, FYI. Military is $ 3 per ticket within your group.

I’m a big nerd, so when I was looking for things to do around my campground and saw a science center, I was intrigued. When I discovered it was reciprocal to my home science center membership, I was absolutely in. Free science!
Well, it wasn’t 100% free, as I did have to pay $ 5 to park at the official lot. I don’t know if there’s other parking nearby, but it was nice to have the walkway straight into the building so it was worth it.
The husband and I got to the science center just in time for the animal feeding in the nature area, which was super awesome — it started with just pellet feeding and we were a little disappointed, but soon enough the frozen mice came out and the alligators (and an enterprising turtle) were very excited and so were we.
After the feeding, we wandered through the other exhibits, which were of varying interest to us – smartly, the center puts suggested age ranges for the exhibits on their maps, but we went to all of them anyway! My favorites were the Science Park and the Engineer It! area. The whole center is pretty hands-​on, but the absolute best part of my day was finding the areas where I could actually make something. There was a station to make paper airplanes, with instructions for different styles, that you could then put through a machine to make them fly super fast, and there was another station for making whirligigs in different styles that you could put in a sort of air tube and see how they flew. It was SO COOL.
If I’m ever in the area with time to kill again, I’ll probably stop in to see what’s new. I need to borrow some small children to come with me, too, so that I can watch them enjoy all the stuff that’s just too young for me!

(¹⁄₁₀₀)
I’ve been living in Orlando on and off for the last 7 years and finally took my first trip the Science Center today.
The admission price was almost $ 20 for an adult — higher than I expected. There are four floors of excitement though, so it wasn’t a rip off.
Today is Saturday. Clearly, not the best day for four adults to go to the Science Center. If you want to take the kiddos though, Saturday is all for you. I couldn’t play with (yes, I’m a big kid) all of the exhibits because there were so many children wanting to play with things, as expected.
On the first floor, there are lots of animals. I had never heard of some of the animals I looked at before today. There was even a staff member holding a sort of sandpapery gecko for visitors to pet. The staff was friendly and so was the gecko!
On the second floor, we saw a short film about space in the Cinedome. The Cinedome is amazing. There are rows of seats like any other movie theatre, but the screen is a huge dome that stretches from the front of the room across the ceiling. I felt like I was soaring over the mountains and floating among the stars. I’m looking forward to other films they’ll be showing next time I go.
The third floor would have been very fun if I was twenty years younger or visited on a week day. There were all kinds of exhibits where you could, more or less, play with science. They also had Xbox Kinnect and a life sized Chess board. I will definitely be back for you, my friends.
My favorite part of the day was the 4^th floor Dinosaur exhibit! There is a room full of dinosaur skeletons-​some are put together and others are in pieces. At each exhibit, there are signs explaining what the animal was and how the bones were discovered. I had a great time learning and looking at the giant structures.
All in all, great experience. I’m planning to go back for a Science Night Live event soon!

This was my first time checking out Science Night Live. Its from 8−11pm, however doors open at 7:30pm. We arrived to the science center at 7:15pm and was surprised that their wasnt much of a line, but by 7:30pm, the line was down the corridor. I recommend arriving early to beat the rush.
We had a lot of fun here. We started off on the Observatory deck and the view of Orlando at night was breathtaking. We saw the Moon, Orion, and Jupiter through the telescopes. The man at each telescope gave us a knowledge and tidbits about what were were looking at and were very knowledgeable and friendly. I recommend starting from the 6^th level and working your way down to beat the crowds, since we noticed that the first level was PACKED.
Food was provided by Hard Rock (extra fee) but it was really good! I had the pulled pork sandwich and my boyfriend had a beer.
The ambiance was great. Music, demonstrations, food, alcohol. Definitely a great and unique way to check out the science center. We will definitely be back!

I was las night at the Night Live Science only for adult. Wasn’t my first time. Hard Rock Café provide the food mack & cheese burgers sliders, and cup cakes. And the drinks beers, wine, cocktails, water and soda. Was many people last at the museum that I even feel the A/​C. I don’t know if the A/​C was working or not. Everything was in control, organized. But next time please check the a/​c feels to hot at the museum…

It was first weekend of the month. So I got in free showing a bank of america credit card. I parked at the lot of a nearby museum (museum of art) cuz it was free to park there. Then a 3 min walk from my car to the door of science center. I went by myself, most were family visiting with kids and babies in strollers. At admission I was given a schedule with shows going on that day. I watched the 45 minutes Robots documentary in 3D. No robots fights broke out as I hoped but the show was interesting. The museum is filled with things not only to see but you can play or interact with, get down and dirty. The kids were having a lot of fun.

Took our 19M old twins here today since we are Bank of America cardholders and loved that the 1^st Saturday of each month is free for cardholders. Score!
Was scared that the exhibits would be too advanced for our toddlers and I was wrong. They LOVED it!!! They could’ve stayed there all day if we let them.
We will definitely be back next month. Early. We left at noon and it was PACKED. Parking was a $ 5 fee but for 2 hours of entertainment and exercise for our twins with guaranteed naps as soon as we got in the car is a good day for these parents of twins!!!
I think my husband was just as amused with the exhibits. Fun time for whole family!!!

I’ve been once for the OSC for a special artifact production of Star Wars. The cost was reasonable to get in and this place does offer a lot of fun things to do. There are about 4 floors to explore and learn as you walk about. There are some fun exciting demos to try.
Overall, I think this place is great for kids and families to spend some time away from the theme parks. It is not too far away from the Orlando attractions. I recommend coming here if you love science and want to have some fun.

We recently visited with our 16 month old daughter. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience, but I have a few djsclsimers:
1– we went on MLK Day during Ontronicon, so it was packed. Parking was terrible and lines were long. The areas designated for small children were filled with aggressive, hyper older children who were knocking over smaller children.
2– Although there are areas for small children, as mentioned above, I feel like they can’t appreciate the value of the Science Center. It is expensive to go and small children can be entertained similarly for less (or no) money.
All of this being said, the place is really cool. I personally loved seeing all of the exhibits and wish I had more time to explore on my own. I also loved seeing young kids (ok, especially the girls!) loving science.
A very cool place to have in our town.

Underwhelming experience. Nothing here caters to the age group of 16 – 19 year olds. All of the fun stuff has been long gone and replaced with advertising and video games. Didn’t get to see any good exhibits either. Miss the old days…

An awesome attraction for kids, but also great for adults to bring out the inner kid in all of us. The Science Center brings fun to science and turns learning into a bit of a game. Their attractions are hands-​on and all serve the purpose of teaching kids about a variety of scientific topics, from paleontology to doppler radar to tornadoes and everything in between. Having grown up in Orlando, I remember going to The Science Center at a very young age. And I had a blast back then! It really did peak my interest in science. So much so, that I did want to be a scientist for a while (alas, a dream that never even came close to bring reality).
But this place is just as much fun as an adult! Last year on my birthday I told my boyfriend I wanted to go on a random adventure. So we just hopped in the car and started driving. We stopped at any place we passed that grabbed our attention. We ended up at quite a few cool spots that day, one of them being the Science Center. It was a weekday so the place was filled with children… and us. But we didn’t care! We ran around that place playing with everything. It felt like we were kids again.
Bottom line: Whatever your age, you need to check this place out.

I had never been to the Orlando Science Center before the Gatsby event. However, I had heard how beautiful the building was and the great variety of exhibits they showcase. In this respect, they were telling the truth.
As soon as we walked across the sky bridge from the parking garage, we could see the atrium. I found the building highly organized and easy to walk around.
The best part was how edible the exhibits were. Anyone could understand the complexity of the topics. For instance, census data. It can be very difficult to explain exactly what a census is, let alone what type of benefit. However, this exhibit definitely starts things off very nicely!

This was my first time coming to the Orlando Science Center and I didn’t know what to expect.
When I first walked in through the «tube» I knew I was in for a fun time! There are 6 level of amazing interactive activities for you to partake in. The best part about them is the fact that you are learning new things while having a great time. It’s a perfect place to bring the kids and teach them about science. Trust me, the kids will LOVE it. Make sure you check everything out.
My favorite part of the whole thing was the telescope! I know, I know, I’m kind of lame and I don’t need to go to the science center to look at the moon, but it’s not the same. Walking up to the telescope and seeing the night sky filled with stars and being able to see planets and stars and the moon right there in front of you is amazing. It’s an opportunity that I wish everyone experiences.
I’m sure there is a lot more that can be said about this great place, because as I mentioned there are 6 levels, but all you need to know is that once you’re in, you’re going to have a great time and learn lots. It’s totally worth it.

This is such an awesome place for kids! My kids love coming here and learning new things. From dinosaurs to building and engineering and watching movies or just playing without even knowing they are learning. There is plenty for any kid of all ages to do here.
They pick great educational videos to watch her in the CineDome. When you walk in the room you think «How cool!» with the small theater and dome shaped screen. When you pick a seat, if you’re not used to it, after awhile you can start to get dizzy. There is also a regular theater that plays different movies throughout the day.
I would recommend buying the annual family pass if you have many days where you don’t want to be outside in the Florida sun, yet get your kids out and playing and learning. Knowing we can come back anytime being pass holders, we aren’t worried when there is any area/​room packed that my kids can’t get to.

WARNING TO BOA CARDHOLDERS: If you visit OSC on BOA Free Museum Weekend you can get in free but you can’t see the Mummies of the World Exhibit which is supposed to be included with admission. OSC did not have August 1 and 2, 2015 flagged as «black out dates» on their calendar either. If you plan to use your offer for «Free» Museum Weekend at OSC I suggest you pick up the phone and call them to determine what is — or is not — included. I ended up having to pay $ 20 to see the mummy exhibit and was told I was receiving a $ 7 «discount» for being a BOA cardholder. That’s far from being «free».
I arrived at OSC on Saturday afternoon and was horrified at the line to purchase tickets. I guess because it was a rainy day a lot of people were looking for something to do with their kids and I had to stand in line for an hour to get in. If you are planning to visit OSC I would recommend you purchase your tickets online at their website. Then you can use the express line for entry.
I was told by a relative that the OSC isn’t just for kids but if you don’t enjoy being surrounded by noisy children and hemmed in by a sea of strollers I would suggest you go during off hours, not on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
The Mummies of the World Exhibit was interesting but pretty pricey even with the «discounted» ticket. We usually think of Egypt when we think of mummies so it was educational to learn about mummies from other lands as well as Egypt and there were animal mummies and shrunken heads on display too. There was information on «natural» mummies vs. those created by human intervention. I spent about an hour in the exhibit and was able to read all of the information provided in that amount of time.
There are movies and laser light shows included in admission but I was unable to view them due to the way they were timed and I didn’t want to sit around waiting for the laser light shows which don’t start until 7:00 PM.
I enjoyed the displays of dinosaurs in the «DinoDigs» area and all of the nature displays on the first floor. There were aquariums and terrariums filled with frogs, lizards, snakes, tortoises and more. There was an open area in the middle of the building with a fake tree that soared up through the four levels of the center. An artificial pond at the bottom held alligators and turtles.
There is a lot to do and see for children of all ages and great interactive displays for teaching as well as digging in the dirt. The price of admission is expensive but I do think the science center is a good venue for families. They also offer accommodations for birthday parties and meetings. If you want to avoid the parking garage you can park for free in the nearby lots for OMA, the Reperatory Theatre or Mennello Museum.

They are the best! I had my wedding there and not only they helped me organize and make sure everything was goo, but also took the time to go above and beyond to make my wedding day perfect. If I could I would give 6starts :)
Everybody loved the venue and how different and memorable it was.

Not what I expected
Kinda pricey. I’ve been to other kids muesems and this one was ok
Lots for kids to do. We must have been there on kid camp day cause the place was jammed with kids. The mummy exhibit was great though (that’s most of the price) they do have movies scheduled during the day but we didn’t make it.

I LOVE THIS PLACE! Definitely the perfect location for the curious person or science lover at any age. I came here for the Mummy exhibit and it was outstanding… the sheer amount and different kinds of mummies they brought in from all over the world was outstanding, I had never learned so much about this topic before spending a few hours around this featured area. I also had an incredible time at the OSC previously for a Unilocal event (Otronicon) where we were able to participate in various «futurology» science exhibits, as well as check out the solar system through high powered telescopes. The Orlando Science Center is a must-​stop location for the explorer in all of us!

I love the science center! This is a really fun place that’s great for people of all ages. I came here often as a child. Now, I come here as an adult for a bunch of their 21+ evening events! These are always really fun and a great way to meet fun people.
There’s also a planetarium with a huge telescope. It’s pretty cool. There’s also a giant IMAX theater that plays educational movies. There’s just a ton of stuff to do and I cannot really oversell this place. Everything is interactive and interesting and just really engaging.
Also, the Orlando Science Center is really close to the Orlando Shakespear Theater, a couple wonderful art musueums, and botanical gardens. The grounds are also gorgeous and really fun to walk around. The oak trees are beautiful and you can get some great photos.
Overall, parking is convenient, the Orlando Science Center is super fun, and I will definitely return.

We love coming here with all of our children! They also have great events for adults and exciting travelling exhibits. We have year passes and have been several times. Every time we come, our children get just as excited as they did the first time they came! They range in age… 2, 6, 7, 9.
You can pack a lunch and eat picnic style outside (or in the large café) or pick up lunch at their Subway shop. They also have select Hollywood movies, cool laser light shows, and awesome educational movies in their CineDome!
Definitely would recommend this to a friend!

5 Stars for a center that brings out the scientist in big and little kids.
I’ve been to the OSC for special events including Science Night Live and the Science of Wine. Their events are a good way to engage adults and show off one of the best views in the City (on the Terrace). They’re also great because they include great leaning stations focusing on the theme of the event.
One thing to note is that the parking is across the street– connected by a skybridge. When I take Über I make sure to ask then to drive me into the garage so I can get inside quickly and there is no fee if there isn’t a location.
A favorite feature has to be the wetlands created in the center featuring a giant tree that goes up four floors. When you look down from the staircase you may see a small gator or two but as you get closer you’ll find the exhibit teaming with different kinds of turtles and other creatures too.
There are certain days that the OSC is more full than others, but if you get a slow day make sure to tour around the outside terrace and fourth floor terrace– both are unique and little gems!

Wow, can’t believe I’ve never written a review for our local science center. If you come from a big city I guess it is on the small side, however you can still kill a whole day here if you have kids with you.
The bottom floor you’ll find Nature Works where you’ll encounter reptiles and fishes. I had my nieces with me and they spent a ton of time here. There is also a small room where many years ago you could trade bones and artifacts with Science center staff. Today it displays all the bones, shells, minerals, and artifacts collected over the years. You’ll also see more reptiles, arthropods, and other crawly creatures. As you leave this area you may find science center husbandry staff holding a gator you can pet. My nieces had a lot of fun with that. Don’t worry if you forgot hand sanitizer, there is a staff person there with a huge bottle of the stuff.
The next floor you’ll see Dino Digs where you can see some artificial and real dino bones. The center piece being a HUGE tyrannosaurus as you enter. Little kids will spend the most time digging in the fossil play area.
My other favorite areas: Our Planet/​Our Universe: you can play around with magnets, play in flight simulators, projected pianos, play with sound waves, and race cars down a huge race track slope (keep in mind there are stairs to climb up). So much fun stuff here!
Engineer It: You can solve design puzzles and build bridges and other structures.
Then there is KidsTown for the little ones where they can climb crawl and play house, build, and use their imaginations. They can also play with boats in water and learn about waves and crate little obstacle courses.
They also have the usual IMAX movies with a huge CineDome. The movies may not hold the attention of a child 5 and under who may want to look around and jump on the chairs, but older kids like it.
I’ve never once seen the Crosby Observatory, sadly, it never seems to be open when we go. It may just be open during certain times/​dates. So it’s important to check the website if that interests you!
There are always traveling exhibits as well. We just missed Bats Live, but we’ve had the chance to see other interesting exhibits such as the Star Wars traveling exhibits that blended science and movie memorabilia. We also saw Bodies when it was here. My nieces LOVE LOVED the Curious George traveling exhibit. Currently you can see Dora and Diego in the same spot. They liked it but I think they’re bigger Curious George fans lol.

I haven’t been here for many years. used to come here with my sons when they were little boys. Now that they are grown men I came here with them to a Unilocal!event. I was very impressed on how the Orlando Science Center remained the same, but at the same time I noticed some improvements.
I had noticed that they have a movie theater on the second or third floor. we were also outside on a very large deck they have enjoyed the view from there. I did notice that they have a very large dinosaur exhibit now. I was very impressed with all of the large dinosaur skeletons and the different fossils and artifacts that they have there now.
My visit there brought back many memories, and now that I have a grandson I hope to make many more.

Such a cool venue!!! Thanks for hosting the Unilocal Orlando extravaganza!!!
The layout, high ceilings, exhibitions and stairways are all cool. The terrace rocked and was a great place for a band and some bites. Parking and crossing over from the second floor if the garage via air bridge was even fun and dramatic.
This is a lovely asset and had lots of fun things to look out, hands on exhibits to experience and friendly enthusiastic staff. Rock on Orlando Science Museum! I look forward to seeing you again soon.