Location
39th Street & Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90037
(323) 724-3623
Free
Parking
$8
Stroller/wheelchair accessible
Yes
Restroom facilities
Restrooms throughout center
Food/concessions
Activities
Hands-on activities and interactive displays are scattered throughout the three-story museum. Each exhibit has it's own theme and displays/activities have a brief description to help parents explain the concepts presented.
Our family experience
We went with my cousins and nephews (ages 8, 5, and 2) on this adventure; even before we stepped into the museum, the kids were already engaged. In the parking lot is a lever; on one end is a flat bed truck, and on the other end are 3 ropes you can pull to try and lift the truck. The kids had so much fun testing their strength trying to lift the truck that it was a challenge to get them away from it. Right outside of the entrance the kids marveled at the Dichroic Skylight and Aerial. They played for a while, we took pictures, and finally was able to go inside.
There were so many exhibits and we knew we couldn't visit all of them, so we went to only a few. We went to 2 special exhibits, Science in Toyland and Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear and 2 permanent exhibits, Creative World and Ecosystems. In Creative World, we went in the following rooms: Transportation, Tech Lab, Structures, and Discovery Room. We explored all of the rooms in Ecosystems, as that was my son's favorite exhibit. In the four hours we spent at the museum, we drove a solar powered vehicle and a hover craft, experienced a California earthquake and dessert flash flood, rode a bicycle 43 feet off the ground, broadcasted news as anchors, planted a garden, rebuilt a rooftop, swam with sharks, and many, many more. Although he was too young to fully understand the scientific concepts behind the displays, he enjoyed pushing buttons to see what would happen, playing with the toys, and exploring as many things as he possibly could. We will definitely come back again and again. As we were exiting the museum, my son said, "Nice museum, Mama. Nice museum." I couldn't agree more.
Tips
Although admission is free, donations are welcome. If you make a donation at the ticket booth, you will get a tax donation receipt. Pack a lunch and have picnic outside in the Rose Garden. Benches and tables are available. There are a lot of exhibits to see. Although it is possible to see all of them in one day, it is not suggested for toddlers. There will be certain displays/activities that they will not want to leave. Do a bit of research and see which exhibits your children will like the most or you think they will get the most out of. If going in the morning, be prepared to be surrounded by students on field trips. The museum website recommends going after 1:30 PM for a less crowded experience. Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. The opinions expressed in this post are solely mine. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.
