Van D.
Yelp
California Science Center is located at Exposition Park in LA. They have a Metro stop right here or you can pay for parking ($15). Admission to the permanent exhibits at California Science Center is free. You have the opportunity to pay for fancy exhibits or activities throughout the museum. No ticket reservations needed. My boyfriend and I decided to come here to explore on a rainy day and it seemed like everyone had the same idea as us, because it was unpleasantly packed and in some areas a bit stinky.
So the four permanent exhibits are Ecosystems, Life!, Air and Space, and Endeavour Together. These exhibits are very family friendly with many kid-height interactive activities. I wish the parents did a better job tending to their kids. They get pretty wild and rough with the equipment, and it doesn't look like there's much staff maintenance or cleaning going on. Bring your own hand sanitizer.
My favorite parts was definitely the section where I was able to pet some starfish, even though this starfish was bumpy and not as soft as the one I saw at the aquarium in Seattle. They had the petting bins sectioned off so it looked like they cared about the sea critters getting rest and rotating. I also really enjoyed and learned about space and the astronaut's experience in space. Super neat.
The section I could have done without is the Life! area where they had this game kids where playing where sperms where trying to invade the egg. Too graphic for my liking. Not sure I would want to expose my kids to that if I had kids.
The downside is definitely the crowds and unkept equipment. A lot of the equipment seemed dated and old, and some broken. Maybe if they charged a lot cost for attendees they can better manage the space. Or if they kept it free, then have the ticket times spread out so admission can be better regulated. I would be okay with paying for special night time hours to avoid kids too, but I'm sure that's an unpopular opinion I'll get heat on.
Overall a nice free adventure, but has room for improvement. Avoid the weekends. Avoid busy rainy days. If you have a kid, it might be worth it to ditch school on a weekday and come here for a less busy experience.