Saint Louis Science Center: A Free Museum for All Ages in Forest Park
Forest Park is maybe the most full-featured spots in the St. Louis area. The Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Muny, and the Missouri History Museum are just a few of the top-tier attractions to be found the expansive green space. They’re all terrific, and the best part is that most of them are free to enter.
It’s impossible to talk about Forest Park without also talking about the Saint Louis Science Center. Located in the southeastern corner of the park, the Science Center offers activities for young and old alike. We’ve been there dozens of times over the years, and it remains to this day an iconic, must-see St. Louis location.
Getting There
It’s important to understand that there are two entrances to the Saint Louis Science Center, and for reasons we’ll get to in the next section.
One of them is the one Google Maps will default to: the South Entrance, off of Oakland Avenue (Google Maps Link) south of I-64. There are a number of ways to get there, the most straightforward being taking I-64 to Kingshighway, heading south, and then turning right onto Oakland. The Science Center is hard to miss and will be on your left.
The other is the North Entrance: the James S. McDonnell Planetarium on Clayton Ave. (Google Maps link) north of I-64. If you take I-64 to the Kingshighway Exit, heading north will take you to Hospital Drive, which intersects Clayton. Turn left onto Hospital Drive, follow it around until it hits Clayton, turn right on Clayton, and the North Entrance — the James S. McDonnell Planetarium — will be on your left.
Parking
The Science Center operates two parking lots next to each of the entrances. One of them is paid, the other is free.
The South Lot is next to the South Entrance. It’s a large lot and costs $15 to park, with Science Center members able to park there for free.
The North Lot is right next to the Planetarium entrance. It’s a moderate-sized lot and is free to park in.
Given the design of the Science Center, we always try to park in the North Lot, as it is free and it is, in our view, equally easy to access everything the Science Center has to offer. Because it’s free, it can fill up, although it depends on the day and time of day. If you get there at opening, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting a spot on the free lot.
If you have a RV, bus, or trailer, you can’t park in either lot. Instead, you’ll either need to park on designated spots along Oakland or on Macklind west of the South Entrance, or at the Muny Upper Lot (Google Maps link). Keep in mind that if you use the Muny Upper Lot, you’ll want to drop people off at the Planetarium first, as it’s a good one-mile walk from that lot to the North Entrance.
Costs and Considerations
The Saint Louis Science Center is open Thursday through Monday, with hours that vary depending on the day of the week and the time of the year. As of 2026, the Science Center is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Like most things in Forest Park, the Saint Louis Science Center is free to enter, and most of the exhibits are free as well. In addition, there are paid experiences inside the building should you choose to take them in. You can get free or discounted access to those paid experiences by becoming a Science Center member.
There are multiple levels to the facility, accessible through stairs and elevators. It’s not a strenuous space, but do expect to do some walking, including, at times, through crowds.
Speaking of which: the Science Center is a popular attraction, and it can get busy. In the middle of the day — on weekends, especially, but even during weekdays — you’re liable to see people all up and down the hallways. It’s navigable, but you may also find yourself waiting for people to clear out to see an exhibit or use a manipulative display. If you prefer quiet, weekdays and mornings are likely to be your best bet.
Things to Do
There are four levels to the Science Center: the Lower Level, First Floor, Second Floor, and Third Floor. Note that the map above doesn’t show the Third Floor, which doesn’t have much to see.
The Lower Level. The Lower Level sits on the south side of the complex.
Major attractions on the Lower Level include:
- The Energy Stage. This space hosts shows and demonstrations, which run all day long. There’s also seating here to watch those shows. You might find shows on fire, ice, sustainability, or other science-related topics. We’ve seen many of them and they’re fun to see. Show times are displayed on the screen just above the Energy Stage.
- Dinosaurs. A space devoted to all things dinosaurs, headlined by a large T-rex.
- Earth Sciences. Here you can see and touch various displays related to the planet, including some incredible information on the vast history of our world.
- Dino Den. This room currently hosts an eSports room, which visitors can often use for free. Keep in mind that activities may require signing in and / or a free ticket. You can learn more about the eSports offerings for a given day here. Groups can also rent out the space for a fee. When we visited in 2025, we saw a few games being played on both PCs and consoles, including Fortnite on PC and Mario Kart 8 on Nintendo Switch.
- Experience Energy. A space devoted to energy of all kinds, including electricity and kinetic energy. The cameo appearance by the roller coasters of Six Flags in one of the wall videos is a treat.
- Boeing Hall North and South. This section frequently plays host to ticketed exhibitions. As of mid-2025 the Science Center is running an exhibition on Pompeii, complete with artifacts from the storied doomed Roman city. The space has hosted many varied events over the years. They can cost some money, but can be a lot of fun.
- Lockers. The Science Center offers lockers on the Lower Level accessible via kiosk. In 2025, the cost is $1 for a single use and $5 for unlimited daily use.
The First Floor. Just above the Lower Level, this space also occupies the south side of the facility. The South Entrance also enters in through the First Floor.
Activities on the First Floor include:
- GameXPloration. A tribute to video games old and new, including one beautiful oversized Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) controller and television. There’s a lot here that will appeal to gamers young and old alike, although during our visit in 2025 we found that not all of the controllers were working.
- Life Science Lab. A section devoted to plants and animals, including a few live ones.
- Food Court. Located next to the South Entrance, you can find The Science Cafe, which serves an assortment of sandwiches, salads, pizzas, snacks, and drinks, including a few alcoholic beverages. Another food spot here, Cup and Cone, serves coffee, lattes, refreshers, and hand-scooped ice cream.
- Energizer Ball Machine. Located next to the Food Court, this contraption includes a rideable human-sized hamster wheel.
The Second Floor. This expansive floor stretches from the south side of the Science Center across to the North Entrance. It’s the largest floor of the Science Center, and includes both indoor and outdoor activities.
Activities on the Second Floor include:
- GROW. This outdoor space includes chickens, gardens, farm vehicles kids can sit in, and the GROW Pavilion, an indoor building with displays devoted to agriculture and soil. Be sure to check out the fascinating collection of soil samples that lines the far wall of the Pavilion.
- Gift Shop. Located across from the Food Court, this is the biggest gift shop in the Science Center.
- Dream It, Build It. A space full of large wooden blocks and shapes that let creators build all kinds of things.
- Makerspace. Next to Dream It, Build It, this space has all kinds of contraptions that can be assembled into various things. At one point we saw a kid pulling another kid on a wheeled flatbed they’d created.
- Discovery Room. This is a paid space for kids 6 months old to 6 years old, along with their caregivers. You can find out more about ticket prices and times here. Be aware that slots for this room can and do fill up quickly.
- The Loft. The only eatery on the Second Floor, The Loft serves an assortment of snacks and drinks.
- OMNIMAX Theater. This enormous theater projects films on a five-story, 80-foot-wide dome. It shows a few rotating documentaries alongside the occasional feature film. You can learn more about ticket prices, shows, and showtimes here.
- Structures. Just down the hall from the OMNIMAX, this hallway holds all kinds of interesting displays, including a buildable arch.
- The Highway 40 / I-64 Skybridge. This windowed bridge crosses over Interstate 64 between the Structures hallway and the Planetarium. Here you can look out windows and watch traffic go by, including through floor viewports.
- The James S. McDonnell Planetarium. This unique structure occupies the northern part of the Second Floor. There are a host of both free and paid experiences here, most of them devoted to flight and space. Mission: Mars is a personal favorite among the free experiences. There’s also a smaller gift shop here.
The Third Floor. The Third Floor doesn’t offer any attractions of its own. Instead, this floor hosts the exit from OMNIMAX, wheelchair access from OMNIMAX, and administrative offices. If you see people descending the stairs, they’re likely coming out from a film showing.
Our Thoughts
We’ve visited the Science Center many times over the years, and in our view it’s always a treat. The exhibits are beautiful and informative, and more than a few places are just plain fun.
It’s easy to assume this is a place for kids, and certainly you’ll see plenty of children around, especially in the areas where there are things to touch. However, we’ve also spotted teens trying out eSports, young couples taking in the exhibits, and older visitors catching a film at OMNIMAX. There’s plenty to do here, regardless of age. The rotating exhibit adds to the variety.
If you haven’t been to the Science Center before, or not in a while, it’s worth dropping in. You can do a lot for free, or pay for a few premium experiences if you’d like. Either way, we think its one of the best spots in a park that boasts a lot of great spots.
