Image of the giant astronaut at the Science Museum with a family walking up the stairs nearby

Turn on the science: our top 5 Science Museum favorites

biology, physics, earth scienceZoe Harvey, Marketing Communication SpecialistAug 17, 2020

The Science Museum is reopening! And all of your favorites are still here—from our giant floating astronaut to the RACE: Are We So Different? exhibit. Your favorite science museum (that’s us) is still working to inspire learning, inform policy, and improve lives by looking at where science, education, and equity meet through our physical museum space, programs around the state, and at-home learning resources.

Before you stop back in, let’s do a virtual tour of our top five museum favorites (all of which are included in general museum admission) to get you excited about science.

1. Dinosaurs & Fossils gallery

Imagine: you’re enjoying downtown Saint Paul when you stumble into the Mesozoic era, filled with the sights and sounds of ancient dinosaurs and other creatures from 250 million years ago. There are so many favorites to explore at the Dinosaurs & Fossils gallery: See how long it takes you to get from the tip of Diplodocus’ tail to its snout, measure yourself against the toothy and giant Xiphactinus fish, and see one of the only real Triceratops on display in the world.

2. Giant Astronaut

The giant astronaut is exactly as cool as it sounds. More than 60 feet high, it floats in the center of the museum as if there wasn’t gravity holding us down here on Earth. and it also provides one of the most out-of-this-world selfie spots in the Twin Cities.

3. Science Superheroes

Dive deep into Minnesota lakes, see the frighteningly large life-size model of the 42-foot long Titanoboa, and most importantly, meet scientists! Our Science Superheroes exhibit brings you alongside our scientists as they conduct fieldwork, evaluate their findings, and make discoveries. 

4. Sportsology

Play + science = tons of learning opportunities. Get your heart rate up and learn about sports from the scientific perspective in Sportsology. This is a museum favorite not only because of the fun you’ll have testing your athletic skills, but because it integrates so many scientific fields in one place: physics, thermodynamics, human biology, and more.

5. Collectors’ Corner

Part trading post, part nature find bragging rights station, the Collectors’ Corner is a museum staple. Anyone (of any age) can bring in rocks, leaves, bugs, or other found objects AND some knowledge about them to receive points that can be used to trade for other objects. Even if you don’t have anything to trade, there are tons of natural objects to learn about, from Emily the two-headed turtle to rocks that look like hamburgers. Isn’t nature amazing? We also love seeing your nature finds on social media. Tag us and use #MyCollectorsCorner to share your sightings!

Get excited and come visit
We hope you are hyped up and ready to come and explore our four levels of science. The best way to do that is by becoming a Member. As a Science Museum Member, you’ll get one free Omnitheater movie showing per visit, access to Member-only hours, behind-the-scenes content, and so much more.

If you’re looking for more information about safety before you visit, check out our reopening safety guidelines

And if you're just ready to check out your favorite experience, go ahead and reserve or purchase tickets today!