11 Hands-On Science Centers in the U.S. That Work Well for Tweens
Looking for the best science centers that will spark curiosity and engage young minds? These top U.S. destinations offer hands-on exhibits that make science fun and accessible for tweens. From exploring the depths of space to experimenting with physics, these interactive centers provide exciting learning opportunities. Whether it’s through immersive exhibits, real-world simulations, or creative challenges, these science museums are designed to inspire and educate young explorers.
This post may contain affiliate links, which helps keep this content free. Please read our disclosure for more info.
The Franklin Institute – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Franklin Institute is one of the most interactive and high-tech science museums in the country. One of its most iconic exhibits is the Giant Heart, where visitors can walk through a colossal, inflatable heart to gain a deeper understanding of how the human circulatory system works. This hands-on experience not only captures the imagination of young learners but also provides valuable insights into the complexities of human anatomy. Additionally, the SportsZone exhibit introduces the principles of physics through interactive activities, such as measuring how fast you can throw a baseball or how high you can jump, allowing tweens to apply scientific concepts in real-time. The Institute also features an IMAX theater and an interactive robotics lab where kids can explore technology and innovation. These exhibits help connect science with the real world, making learning engaging and accessible for curious tweens.
With its diverse exhibits, the Franklin Institute keeps visitors, especially tweens, engaged for hours. The interactive setups are designed to challenge young minds to think critically and solve problems, whether it’s through physics challenges in the SportsZone or exploring renewable energy through hands-on demonstrations. The museum emphasizes learning through experience, allowing tweens to test their hypotheses and understand the cause-and-effect relationships in the world around them. The Franklin Institute provides a perfect blend of entertainment and education, ensuring that even the most tech-savvy tweens are intellectually stimulated while having fun.
Exploratorium – San Francisco, California
The Exploratorium in San Francisco is a one-of-a-kind science museum designed to engage visitors with over 600 interactive exhibits that explore the wonders of science, art, and human perception. It is a hands-on experience that encourages curiosity, allowing tweens to explore everything from light and sound to human biology and the mechanics of motion. One of the museum’s signature experiences involves exploring the interplay of shadows, light, and color, giving visitors the opportunity to experiment with how their surroundings affect their perception of reality. The Exploratorium is unique because it invites experimentation, providing opportunities for tweens to explore complex scientific phenomena in ways that are easy to understand and fun to experience. Exhibits like the tactile dome, where visitors navigate by touch alone, offer a unique way to understand how we perceive space and movement.
What sets the Exploratorium apart is its emphasis on creating an immersive learning environment. Tweens are encouraged to interact with the exhibits and conduct their own experiments, making science a hands-on experience rather than a passive activity. The museum offers areas for group activities, such as building structures or working with materials to create moving sculptures, fostering teamwork and creativity. These high-tech installations are not only informative but also allow tweens to engage with the scientific method in a real and meaningful way. The Exploratorium is designed to challenge young minds, making it an ideal destination for tweens who want to explore the world through the lens of science.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis – Indianapolis, Indiana
As one of the largest children’s museums in the world, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis offers a truly immersive experience. The museum features a wide array of exhibits, from exploring ancient fossils in the Dinosphere to delving into the world of space exploration in the Beyond Spaceship Earth exhibit. The museum’s hands-on exhibits allow tweens to engage with subjects ranging from archaeology to technology, making it a perfect place to foster curiosity and learning. The museum also provides opportunities for tweens to try their hand at building structures, solving scientific puzzles, and engaging with interactive displays. For example, the ScienceWorks area offers hands-on experiments related to physics, engineering, and chemistry, providing tweens with the chance to test hypotheses and see science come to life.
What makes the Children’s Museum especially appealing to tweens is its combination of educational content and playful exploration. The museum’s exhibits are designed to encourage discovery and problem-solving, offering complex scientific concepts in a way that tweens can easily grasp. From the interactive technology stations to the immersive exhibits that blend history, art, and science, the museum’s dynamic offerings engage tweens with both the present and the past. It’s a place where they can explore ancient civilizations, conduct experiments, and even build and create new technologies. The museum provides an environment where tweens can feel like true explorers, constantly discovering something new and exciting.
Museum of Science – Boston, Massachusetts
The Museum of Science in Boston is another incredible destination for tweens looking to explore science through interactive exhibits. The museum offers a diverse range of displays, from the immersive planetarium shows that transport visitors to distant galaxies to the hands-on engineering and physics exhibits that allow tweens to experiment with machines, materials, and forces. The museum’s interactive displays cover everything from biology to technology, making it a great place for tweens to get a comprehensive view of the natural world and the technological advancements shaping it. The museum’s Engineering Design Workshop encourages tweens to think creatively and apply engineering concepts as they work on projects that challenge their design and problem-solving skills.
The Museum of Science offers several permanent exhibits dedicated to fascinating topics, such as human anatomy, electricity, and sound, where tweens can engage in real-world challenges that test their knowledge and skills. One of the museum’s standout features is the ability to combine high-tech, digital displays with physical, tactile experiences that bring science to life. Tweens can participate in interactive demonstrations, like controlling robots, experimenting with virtual landscapes, or solving real-world environmental issues, helping them make connections between theoretical science and practical application. The museum ensures that tweens are not only absorbing knowledge but also developing skills that will serve them in their academic and creative endeavors.
COSI – Columbus, Ohio
The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus is a dynamic and engaging museum that offers tweens the opportunity to explore science through interactive exhibits. COSI’s exhibitions focus on subjects like space, engineering, physics, and biology, allowing visitors to experience science firsthand. One of the most popular exhibits, the “Ocean” area, lets tweens learn about the ecology of our oceans while exploring live aquatic animals and studying marine science. Additionally, COSI offers a hands-on area where kids can experiment with simple machines, conduct chemistry experiments, and explore how sound, light, and motion work in the real world. This immersive approach to science education makes the museum an ideal destination for curious tweens.
COSI provides a stimulating environment where tweens can engage with a wide range of topics that challenge their problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. The museum includes interactive technology that allows tweens to use digital tools to experiment with physics, engineering, and biology. The exhibits are designed to be fun and educational, encouraging tweens to explore new ideas and push their boundaries by conducting experiments and solving scientific problems. Whether exploring the latest in robotics or experimenting with virtual environments, COSI fosters hands-on learning that leaves a lasting impact on visitors of all ages.
Liberty Science Center – Jersey City, New Jersey
Liberty Science Center in New Jersey is another excellent science center for tweens who are interested in a mix of high-tech exhibits and hands-on activities. The museum offers a variety of interactive displays focused on subjects like robotics, engineering, biology, and physics. One of its main attractions, the “IMAX Dome Theater,” takes tweens on a visual journey through outer space or beneath the oceans, immersing them in high-definition cinematic experiences. The “Science of Sports” exhibit is particularly popular, allowing tweens to test their physical abilities against scientific principles in a fun, competitive environment. The museum also provides hands-on workshops that encourage problem-solving and teamwork.
What makes Liberty Science Center stand out is its focus on real-world science, including health, the environment, and technology. Tweens are challenged to think critically and work collaboratively as they engage with exhibits that explain complex scientific topics in an accessible way. The museum’s technology-driven experiences invite tweens to explore robotics, engineering, and other fields that are shaping the future. The interactive exhibits help tweens understand the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through engaging, hands-on activities that appeal to their sense of curiosity and adventure.
Science City at Union Station – Kansas City, Missouri
Science City at Union Station offers a wide array of interactive exhibits that invite tweens to explore the wonders of science through touch and experimentation. The museum provides hands-on exhibits that cover a wide range of scientific fields, from physics and engineering to biology and earth science. One of the standout features is the “Science of Sound,” where visitors can interact with various instruments and tools to understand how sound is produced and transmitted. In addition, the “Health” exhibit allows tweens to explore how the human body works, with interactive stations where they can measure their heart rate or see how muscles function in real-time.
What makes Science City particularly engaging for tweens is its commitment to making learning both fun and educational. The museum uses a variety of tools, from digital games to mechanical devices, that help tweens learn by doing. Whether it’s through experimenting with simple machines or building their own designs, visitors are encouraged to test their ideas and learn from their results. This makes Science City an excellent spot for tweens who love to get hands-on and want to better understand the world around them. The interactive exhibits create a playful yet educational atmosphere that keeps the excitement of learning alive.
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County – Los Angeles, California
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County offers a unique experience for tweens, combining the excitement of exploring the past with interactive learning. The museum features an expansive dinosaur exhibit, where visitors can engage with fossils and learn about the history of prehistoric life. Tweens can touch and feel life-sized models of animals, explore the complexity of ecosystems, and even watch simulated volcanic eruptions or earthquakes in action. One of the standout features is the “Nature Lab,” where tweens can interact with scientists and work on hands-on experiments to understand everything from ocean ecosystems to animal behavior.
What makes this museum particularly well-suited for tweens is its combination of physical exhibits and high-tech, interactive learning stations. The museum focuses on providing experiences that encourage tweens to think critically and apply scientific concepts to real-world situations. Exhibits like the “Gem and Mineral Hall” offer young learners the chance to explore earth sciences by examining rocks and minerals, while interactive tools allow them to study the patterns of the natural world. The museum’s engaging design and blend of traditional displays with modern technology make it an ideal spot for tweens interested in learning about the natural world in an interactive setting.
Discovery Cube – Orange County, California
Discovery Cube is an excellent destination for tweens looking to explore science through hands-on activities that encourage learning through play. The museum’s exhibits focus on the intersection of science, technology, and the environment, offering a variety of interactive stations that teach about everything from energy conservation to space exploration. One of the most exciting exhibits is “Eco Challenge,” where tweens can learn about sustainability by engaging with eco-friendly technologies and understanding the impact of their choices on the environment. Additionally, the “Science of Sports” exhibit challenges visitors to understand the science behind movement and performance, allowing them to test their physical limits while learning about human biomechanics.
Discovery Cube’s exhibits are designed to be engaging for tweens by providing real-world applications for scientific principles. The interactive setups allow tweens to solve problems and experiment with scientific concepts, making learning feel like an adventure. Whether it’s testing energy-efficient vehicles or exploring how natural systems work, the museum provides a wide array of interactive activities that invite kids to become active participants in the learning process. Tweens can experiment with real-world challenges, and the hands-on exhibits encourage them to think critically, solve problems, and develop a deeper understanding of the science behind everyday life.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science – Dallas, Texas
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is an exciting and interactive venue that brings a hands-on approach to learning about the natural world. With exhibits covering everything from space exploration to ancient civilizations, the museum offers an array of complex and interactive displays that are perfect for tweens. One popular exhibit is the “T. rex: The Ultimate Predator” display, where visitors can explore one of the most famous dinosaurs through interactive touchscreens and models. The museum’s “Engineering and Innovation” hall allows tweens to test their knowledge by building and experimenting with physical structures, learning about the laws of physics and engineering as they go.
What sets the Perot Museum apart is its integration of cutting-edge technology with hands-on learning experiences. Interactive displays allow tweens to experiment with scientific concepts, such as the mechanics of motion or the behavior of materials under pressure. The museum’s layout invites visitors to follow their interests, with each exhibit designed to challenge them to think deeply about the topics presented. The Perot Museum’s immersive experiences, such as virtual reality spaces and digital simulations, help tweens engage with difficult scientific concepts in ways that are both entertaining and educational. This museum makes complex science feel accessible and fun, encouraging tweens to develop a lifelong interest in the natural world.
The Science Museum of Virginia – Richmond, Virginia
The Science Museum of Virginia offers a dynamic and interactive space where tweens can engage with exhibits on a variety of topics, from the solar system to human anatomy. One of the highlights of the museum is the “Health & Wellness” exhibit, where tweens can explore how the body works through interactive displays that allow them to measure their own health metrics, such as heart rate and lung capacity. The “Connect! Digital Lab” provides opportunities for tweens to experiment with programming, robotics, and digital art, introducing them to the world of technology in an engaging and accessible way.
The museum’s exhibits encourage tweens to think critically and apply their knowledge to real-world problems. They can test principles of physics by experimenting with different forces and motion, or simulate space exploration by piloting a spacecraft. With a combination of digital tools, hands-on activities, and educational displays, the Science Museum of Virginia creates an environment that makes science both fun and challenging. Tweens are encouraged to participate in demonstrations and engage with exhibits that push them to expand their scientific knowledge, making it an ideal destination for young learners with a passion for discovery.
This article originally appeared on Avocadu.