California Science Center
add photosOne of the largest hands-on science centers on the West Coast.
Tips from the website:
- Good times to visit: weekends or weekday afternoons after 1:30 p.m.
- Special Exhibits Gallery and the Art & Science Studio change throughout the year, offering new and interesting ways to learn about science.
- The day's special activities are available at the information desk.
17 Reviews for California Science Center
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1 family found this helpful
"Best cheap entertainment in LA!"
I've lived in SoCal my whole life & never went here until last weekend. Have I been misisng out!
The CA Science Center is a huge (3 story) science & discovery museum in LA's Exposition Park. There are tons of exhibits - many of them hands on. The best part---it's FREE! I grew up going to the museums in Balboa Park in San Diego - at about $10 per person plus parking - and this place blows them out of the water.
The only cost is $10 to park at Exposition Park. You can also take public transportation & bypass the parking.
Entrance to the museum & all exhibits is completely free. There are some extras that cost, such as IMAX movies (about $8.25 per person) and riding the tightrope bicycle (only $2) three stories above the ground. However, you can save $1 on any activity by grabbing a free paper "passport" by the elevator & getting it stamped throughout the museum at different exhibits.
There are so many cool things for the kids - an entire wall made of ice that you can touch, a huge fish tank that takes up an entire room (and a tube that you can walk though so that the fish are all around you), a touch pool full of starfish & other sea creatures, a "goop making table" where kids learn about chemical reactions while making their own goop to take home (free), an incubator with live hatching chicks, real space suits & even the Gemini 11 space capsule!
There are even several family areas with exhibits & activities strictly limited to kids 7 & under.
You can take a break downstairs for lunch at either McDonald's, Taco Bell Express or the Rose Garden Cafe - all inside the museum.
We were there for over 5 hours & still didn't see everything. Exposition Park is also a great place to wander around. There are rose gardens (free), the Natural History Museum (entrance fee), and African American Museum (free), as well as walking paths & green areas.
This is deifinitely one to see if you're looking for a cheap way to pack in tons of entertainment!
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0 families found this helpful
"End of the summer is great"
We visited during a week day on one of the last weeks in August and we found the halls and exhibits fairly empty and the staff ready to help us out. This place can often be crowded with day camps and school field trips but August was great!!
My kids loved all the hands-on exhibits but their favorite place was watching the divers, the fish and the sharks in the 2 story aquarium. I loved it too.
On the down-side: I noticed that several times my children didn't understand the concept of the display that they were interacting with because the actual "experiment" was behind plexiglass and my child was just pressing a button. I had to read the display to help them interpret what was happening. But for the most part, my children's interaction with many exhibits lead to a lot of learning!
Some tips we learned from our experience:
*Find out where the "kids play" areas are in the center. I believe there are 3. They are great for giving little ones a chance to manipulate lots of objects, use large muscle groups and generally get the wiggles out. And it gives parents a bit of a break. Plan your visit to stop at these places often!
*If you end up in the ecosystems exhibit where the aquarium is, right before lunch, don't try to get to the restaurants by going down to the first floor like we did. You have to cross over on the second floor and then go down to the first floor where the McDonalds and Taco Bell is.
0 families found this helpful
"Great free entertainment"
Love coming here - it's the right price - free! I usually will put a donation in the box though to give back. And you do have to pay a small fee ($5?) for parking. There are some pretty cool exhibits, including the human body and motion, and there is an IMAX Theatre on site (this you have to pay for). Great to keep kids entertained for a few hours.
0 families found this helpful
"learning experience."
California Science Center is an amazing learning experience. It's free and it allows your children a hands-on approach to science. Even as an adult, I enjoy it. This is a perfect weekend activity because they offer lots to do. Your kids will have a great time.
0 families found this helpful
"nice for my class"
I visited California Science Center in Los Angeles on Thursday October, 26. After visiting the Museum, I decided to take my class to the museum in near future. One the reason that I would like to go there again is to make them interested in science, available interesting exhibits, where students physically experience and interaction with each other. Students can spend at least half day and enjoy every minute of this visit. This museum has different section that any student can be interested. They can feel free to walk by themselves or as a group. The information regarding any subject is easily available to visitors. As a science teacher, I know how these activities are valuable to students which can make them interested in learning science subjects. Take the see through escalator, or the elevator, to the second level for the World of Life gallery featuring interactive exhibits that show there are basic functions all living things must do in order to survive. Younger kids will enjoy watching incubated eggs hatch into baby chicks or tadpoles turn into frogs. This place has a lot of things to see as well as things to play around with. I recommend for people who like to learn by doing. MUMMIES EXHIBIT - very cool!
There is a food court area on the first level with McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and the Rose Garden Cafe. There are plenty of indoor tables as well as outdoor picnic tables. Don't forget to stop by the beautiful Rose Garden and fountain outside; I have my lunch at this garden. I am obsessed with mummies and this one was a pretty good one. In this place also are Lots of baby mummies, which I'd never seen before, and more non-Egyptian/Middle Eastern mummies than I expected. It is very neat. Parking is $8 per car. It was not too crowded although most of the rooms were small. It seems like a great place to be spend time looking, watching, and playing. I probably won't go again unless I'm showing some guest around, but I do like and enjoy this place. They event built a huge tank filled with different forms of sea life swimming about. Professional divers jump in at scheduled times to feed all the creatures and put on a mini spectacle for your viewing pleasure. I must say, the ecosystems exhibit was quite impressive. They have added a lot of new exhibits since my last visit and I especially enjoyed the coastal habitat aquarium that reminded me somewhat of the Monterrey Bay Aquarium.
0 families found this helpful
"Educational Fun"
One of the most fun and educational experience you share with your children for FREE!!! But please donate when you get there - it's such a valuable resource.
My 4 year old and 10 year old LOVE it there!
• They host Great exhibitions
• There is an IMAX theatre in the same building
• It is adjacent to other FREE and fabulous museums
• There is a magnificent rose garden behind the center
• There are places to eat in center.
... so basically spend a whole entire fun day there!
The ONLY downside is that holidays get super crowded since it's free, however, my children didn't care about that at all!
2 families found this helpful
"Exploring Trees Inside and Out"
Our family loves being outdoors exploring nature. Lately, my 5-½ year old son has become especially interested in trees – everything from the feel of their bark to the differences in leaves to why some have flowers and others fruit. So imagine my excitement at learning of a special exhibit at the California Science Center, “Exploring Trees Inside and Out?” I couldn’t get my two kids (aged 5 ½ and 2 years) there fast enough!
This special exhibit, which runs through September 26, 2010, was designed by the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation and developed with a generous grant from Doubletree Hotels. The purpose? To create a better understanding of the importance of nature among children – a goal I couldn’t more heartily support. The exhibit has traveled around the country and the California Science Center is its only southwest stop.
To reach the “Exploring Trees Inside and Out” exhibit, you must enter the Science Center’s newest gallery, Ecosystems. Nowhere else that we’ve visited here in Los Angeles has provided such a complete overview of the world’s varied ecosystems in such an interactive and kid-friendly way. The new gallery transports you to eight zones – including deserts, polar regions and islands – each designed to illustrate a different ecological principle.
Our journey started with a 2-minute video of the ecosystems we’d be touring. This first room consists of two enormous video screens on either side of you. The kids couldn’t help but to shout out the names of all the things we were seeing around us (luckily we were alone!). If your little ones are sensitive to loud noises or dark places, you might want to skip this introductory experience.
After the video, we headed straight to the “Exploring Trees Inside and Out” exhibit, which is designed specifically for kids ages 2 to 7. I can’t say enough wonderful things about it! I mean, what kid wouldn’t be excited to climb around in a tree house?
The goal of this exhibit is to teach young kids the significant role trees play in the environment. We listened to the sounds of the trees (think birds, leaves falling and squirrels), smelled tree scents (like sap, bark, wood and apples) and looked at parts of the tree under a microscope. The 5-½ year old loved playing in a larger-than-life bird’s nest.
He also got a kick out of pretending to be a forest creature as part of a blue-screen flying experience. The exhibit provides the costumes, the blue screen and the video. All your child needs to do is to get dressed, flap his arms and watch the screen to feel like he’s flying through the forest. (Don’t forget to take video of this if you can!)
The highlight for our 2 year old was the giant tree house play structure smack dab in the middle of the exhibit. He ran through the “branches” and slid down into a pile of “leaves” more times than we could count! The best part? Getting there right after the Center opened meant we had the exhibit pretty much to ourselves.
I also appreciate all the little touches they’ve added to this exhibit to really make it feel like you’re exploring trees, like kid-sized stools in the shape of acorns and pinecones.
The hubby and I later agreed that the “Exploring Trees Inside and Out” exhibit was our favorite part of the day because both of our kids were equally entertained. The small space, with only a single entrance and exit, also made it much easier to keep an eye on both kids at once.
After about half an hour playing in the trees, we moved on to check out some of the other Ecosystems exhibits. I highly recommend a visit (or two) – we spent about 2 ½ hours at the Center and still didn’t see it all!
One of the biggest perks of the California Science Center – and all of its exhibits – is that entrance is free! There is a suggested $5 donation for adults only, which we gladly paid and encourage you do as well. Parking is $8 per car.
1 family found this helpful
"Fun hands on learning!"
We came here during the past Memorial Day Weekend. Even with the holiday weekend, most exhibits were not super crowded, with the exception of the Ecosystems gallery, which is the newest exhibit at the Science Center. Our toddler guy and girl really enjoyed this place and not just the discovery rooms, which are geared mostly for the younger crowd. There is plenty for little hands to touch and explore! It makes learning fun and meaningful. We didn't even make it to the third floor on this visit. We will definitely be back again.
There is a food court area on the first level with McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and the Rose Garden Cafe. Plenty of indoor tables as well as outdoor picnic tables. Don't forget to stop by the beautiful Rose Garden and fountain outside. Actually, since it was a hot day there were kids playing in the fountain as if it were a pool...I wouldn't recommend it. The water looked dirty and I'm almost positive there was no chlorine in it!! Ick-ick.
Parking is $8 per car.
0 families found this helpful
"Not just for schoolers"
There's also fun for tots. There's a specific enclosed room for toddlers to play but they can also explore all through out the museum. Very interesting place to learn about things and science and best of all, it's free. You may also visit the adjacent Natural History Museum for a fee. We'll go back again.
1 family found this helpful
"A fun place to take the kids for some hands on learning"
We took our kids to the California Science Center and Natural History Museum in the same day since they are right next to each other. I personally preferred the Natural History Museum but the California Science Center is alot of fun. To say its free is a bit misleading because they exist entirely on donations and suggest a donation of at least $5 per adult. It is important to donate to these programs to keep them going so please plop in at least a few bucks when you visit. There is a great discovery room for the kids to play in. My son loved helping build a house while my daughter played with magnets. You can ride a bike on a tight rope for a small fee which is always alot of fun. The earthquake simulator was cool fore those who have never experienced one but cheesy for those of us who have. There are plenty of neat ways to learn about science with your kids from a hands on approach so I do encourage you to visit because at least a couple things should leave a lasting impression.
0 families found this helpful
"FREE"
This is a great place to take kids of all ages and its free. I haev taken my son there at lest three times and he has enjoied it everytime. The best time to go is durring the week. However, the weekends are not to busy if that is the ony time you can go.
0 families found this helpful
"Kid Friendly"
I went here years ago and it was awesome! There is so much to look and and touch. I can't wait to take my daughter. This is definately a fun place for kids to learn in a fun way. There are many exhibits to look at, you could stay there for hours and not see everything.
1 family found this helpful
"Awesome Free Museum"
I can't belive it took me soo long to visit this attraction. We just went the other day, and it was amazing. The body section included "TESS", a huge robitic girl that helps explain how each part of the body works. The best part about this museum, is how hands on it is for the children.
0 families found this helpful
"Amazing and free!"
This would be an amazing museum if it cost $10-$15 to get in. The fact that it is free makes it a must-see thing for anyone visiting or living in LA. The exhibits are fun, interactive, and educational. Be warned, it is nearly impossible to walk into the gift shop and not come out with some cool, science/tech toy.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
Popular for its fun, innovative, and interactive exhibits, including the Air and Space Gallery with NASA capsules and a real jet fighter plane. The Explore Store is enlightening shopping. There is also a wide-screen IMAX theater here. For current IMAX production schedule and admission fees, call (213) 744–2019. Attractions includ
e High Wire Bicycles, Motion-Based Simulator, and the Cave Climbs.
2 families found this helpful
"Superb Free activity!"
I think this has to be one of the best science museums in the country! Plenty of hands-on activities for all ages. The toddler area is great! My older children just absolutely love the World of Life exhibit. I always learn something new when we go, and I know my children do too! The Creative World is lots of fun, especially building strong structures that can withstand the shake table! Seriously, you can spend all day here and not experience all there is to see and do! Your children will want to come again and again. We also have attending several of the traveling exhibits, including BodyWorlds, and even my youngest child enjoyed it! Just one of the best museums you can find anywhere!
1 family found this helpful
"Wonderful Science"
This state-of-the-art educational foundation is a treasure house of Science Education for young and old alike. There is a climbing wall and virtual rides for older kids. On the 2nd floor, toddlers can enjoy a special fenced off area for age-appropriate activities. Hands-on educational presentations teach technology of sound, cars, boats and airplanes, etc. that would engage any child with both eyes open. There is a fog machine next to a huge sculpture on the 3rd floor, as well as display of an MRI showing how the brain functions in the changing exibit, "Brain on Drugs". Admission is free to the museum. http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/
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