Sciencenter

We had a fantastic family visit to the Sciencenter in Ithaca, NY! It’s one of those places where both kids and adults can learn and have fun at the same time. The interactive exhibits kept all of us engaged, and the reptile pets were definitely a highlight — our kids loved seeing them up close and learning about them. We also attended a special event on wildfires, which was well organized and educational. The kids came away with a real understanding of how wildfires start. It was hands-on, informative, and perfectly suited for all ages. Overall, this is a wonderful spot for families to spend a few hours exploring, learning, and having fun together. Highly recommended!

The kids loved it and are already begging to go again! As a parent, I just wish there was a little more guidance or signage for some of the activities, we weren’t always sure what the kids were supposed to do or what they were meant to learn from each station. With a bit clearer instruction, it would be even better.

We brought our family with two kids and a teenager, and it was a great experience. We spent about an hour and a half exploring, but honestly could have stayed longer—there was plenty to do. The kids loved the hands-on activities and creative play areas, and even our teen stayed engaged with the interactive exhibits. Overall, it’s a fun and educational way to spend an afternoon together. Highly recommend for families looking for something both entertaining and meaningful.

If you’re looking for a fun and educational activity in Ithaca, the Sciencenter is a fantastic choice. This hands-on science museum is perfect for kids, families, and anyone interested in learning more about science in an interactive way. The museum has a great mix of exhibits that cover a wide range of topics, from physics and biology to astronomy and engineering. One of the highlights for me was the interactive exhibits, where you can experiment with different concepts, like creating electrical circuits or learning about motion. There’s also a great outdoor play area, where kids can burn off energy while learning about how things work. It’s one of those places where both kids and adults can have a great time exploring and learning together. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, and they made sure we had everything we needed to fully enjoy the exhibits. There are also some great hands-on workshops and live science demonstrations throughout the year, which makes it even more fun. If you’re looking for a fun and educational way to spend a few hours, Sciencenter is the perfect destination.

OH. MA. GAWD!! This place was INCREDIBLE!! Of everything we have done with my kids all summer, THIS place was an absolute favorite!! We drove from an hour and 40 minutes away and it was 1000% worth it. We spent nearly all day here. We arrived a little after 12 and didnt leave until after 4, and the kids were NOT ready to go. The amount of exhibits this facility has is insane! And the things to do were endless. And.. these were not just regular "exhibits". I LOVED the variety and ALL the interactive aspects. You had everything from weather and tornados, to light reflection, sound waves, bubbles, robotics, and LIVE ANIMALS. (Just to name a FEW). The touch tank was incredible!! A favorite for sure! And the outdoor "tree house" with all the musical instruments and climbing was such a wonderful area for my two sons who both have SPD to just go wild. Building the damn was super fun, despite up not being able to get it 100% right! Haha. I was incredibly impressed with the size as well. It was massive compared to other museums and interactive science centers we have been to thus far. Initially I was worried about that, given the distance and drive, but we we not disappointed at all! I thought the community room filled with portraits and information on those who navigated the science world to be a wonderful and educational touch. I also appreciated the fact that bathrooms were everywhere in the facility, especially for those of us navigating several children at once, its such a relief not having to run all over trying to get kids to the restroom. We 100% will be coming back again!!

Wonderful and very interactive place for young kids. Lots to play indoor and outdoor. Good learning opportunity for kids with interactive exhibits. Plenty of parking spaces. They also have mini golf which is a separate cost than the science center fee. Not too far from the downtown area.

Highly recommended for children. It’s an immersive learning experience for all the kiddos exploring science. It’s built as an experience so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest. Please pack snacks as you will want to stay 2-3 hours. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Special shout out to the reptile keeper who kept us entertained by feeding all reptiles including a python.

I love the Sciencenter! This place always has incredible exhibits that are both scientific and a ton of fun, and they offer summer camps for a wide range of ages, and lots of opportunities to volunteer. It’s very engaging, especially for young children, I’d say around 4 and up. Even when I was 10 I would still enjoy going to the Sciencenter! This place is amazing and it’s one of the best places in town. I definitely recommend it!

We took our kids (3 years old and 11 months) to check this place out. What a find! There's a lot of really cool science concepts that they definitely don't understand yet, but they still had so much fun exploring. We spent hours here! There is a section specifically for little, which they loved! The water table and the pet/vet section especially. In the "big kid" sections our 3 year old loved seeing all the fish and lizards, the little penny black hole and the vacuum tubes with the Pom-poms. Even the outdoor area was a blast! So many cute and clever ways for kids to learn and play. We had the hardest time getting him to leave. I ended up convincing him we could get a stuffy at their gift shop to take with us. Never thought I'd buy a stuffed white blood cell, but here we are! Again, super cool! Lastly, the staff was all so pleasant and nice, which is always extra appreciated in a kid-centered place.

It was our first time here, my two enjoyed it but I think it was more fun for my youngest(3). A few things were under construction. It's not a huge place we made our rounds a few times. I can see there's a few things they can update(outdated stuff). The staff were very friendly. I don't know when or if we'll return, underwhelming.

Awesome place to start your children for loving science! They change their exbhits so there's something new to always learn from and explore. They have mini golf too and local places to eat when you get hungry, you can eat inside the community room. :)

On a whim we decided to take the hour drive to Ithaca and check out the Sciencenter, so glad we did! The cost for a child (toddler was free) and 2 adults was about $32. I felt it was a pretty good value, if we lived closer we would definitely go for the membership. The perimeter of the building is a little unkempt but don't let that deter you. The inside is deceivingly large and filled with all things science. The kids loved the aquarium and reptile exhibit which was stocked with a lot of neat animals (pythons and lion fish). There was lot to keep the kids busy, including my energetic toddler. Some of the exhibits felt a little "homemade" but overall, it was a fun, learning experience. I recommend visiting on a nice weather day because the outdoor play area is a lot of fun for the kids. They have a nice gift shop and clean bathrooms. All staff were super friendly. We'll definitely return when we're in the area!

Great place to spend a few hours with the kids! The cool mini golf course is also all about science! Friendly staff and nice volunteers... lots of interactive activities for little ones of all ages. Free for military families and vets! Plenty of free parking and a cool gift shop!

Out of all the children's museums I feel like this one just understands us parents. WIFI! Seriously they had wifi and oddly enough no other children's museums seem to have that or care. WTF are us parents supposed to do while our kid is having the time of his life? Anyway I'd call this our favorite museum ever because of the wifi. We got to just sit down and be on our phones while our son played to his heart's content with water, balls and all kinds of fun things. While enjoying nice indoor AC. I saw they had a cool outdoor area with sand, bubbles but it was hot and we did not want to deal with that lol. I'll forever remember this place as yay wifi lets go again. I'm also now spoiled and will constantly bring this place up when we go other places that do not have wifi. My son wanted to move in here, seriously he even went into a room and locked the door :P staff quickly helped us get him out. Leave it to my son to do something like that. If you are in the area with kids come here! Enjoy the ac, sit down and catch up on emails/fb/insta whatever you're into. Let your kids explore and have a blast :P

Best children's museum we've been to. friendly staff. Great exhibits that really engage the kids. Dedicated space inside and out for toddlers.

The Sciencecenter is such a fantastic place to take small kids. There are so many interactive hands on exhibits and they don't try to bludgeon children with explanations that are too complex for them. Also, everything is surprisingly clean and well maintained. We always spend at least two hours and sometime over three hours on our visits here. My only complaint is that there is absolutely no access to drinking water. They've turned off the fountains and banned outside drinks during the pandemic and they don't sell bottled water. I always leave here dehydrated.

I absolutely love to bring my grandchildren here. They always have a blast, while at the end of the day I sit back and wonder if it was them or if it was me that had the most fun. It's 100% debatable!! It is also outstanding that they have a discounted rate for thise who have an extra card.

Slightly disappointing, I thought it was the center for Scientology but it was just a bunch of little kids on a school trip. Had a good time though. Would recommend.

When my granddaughter stayed with us for a week we brought her to the Sciencecenter. She loved it. We tried out many of the interesting gadgetry and she was quizzed by some students from Cornell. They wanted to see her again but unfortunately she had returned to Canada. It was such a great experience and we all enjoyed it very much. I think anyone who lives in Ithaca and has children should visit this place often!

We brought our 6 and 10 year old daughters for the first time and it's a really fun place! We spent almost two hours there. The touch tank was a big hit as well as the live reptiles. Lots of fun things to play with. Definitely glad we stopped here while we were in town. Oh and bonus if you are a teacher. It happened to be "Ithaca Loves Teachers" week so we were able to get in for free. (Teacher plus a guest and since we are both teachers we got our kids in for free too.) Not sure if we'd come back just because it probably wouldn't seem as fun the second time around, but again, something fun to do while in town.

Definitely would be a fun place for kids under normal circumstances. However, if you as much as take a drink of water, the staff will ask you to leave- because it means you took your mask down momentarily. In fact, the staff went as far as to say if even a baby needs to take a drink of their water or milk, we must take them out of the facility. I witnessed the staff patrolling and telling children to pull their masks up because the masks had simply fallen slightly below their noses. There are a thousand things here that the children are touching, one after the next. And no, I didn't see any parents chasing their kids around with hand sanitizer. Therefore, kids are much more likely to spread germs with their hands than they are if their mask drops a little bit too low, or if they take a quick sip of water. It doesn't take a genius to understand that this logic is beyond outrageous. A place that should represent positivity, wonder and joy instead now represents negativity, guilt and oppression. Disgusting and shameful. Note: at the time of writing this, state-wide mask mandates are no longer in effect.

Best science museum for kids ever! Every single thing is interactive and unique. Fun for all ages, even the parents. The outdoor play area is awesome for getting some energy out... Bubbles, drums, climbing, echo machines, and more. I was most intrigued by the brain power activity... Moving a ball using your brain activity! We spent a couple hours here. Our local science museum has reciprocity with this location, so it was free admission with our membership. Kids already want to return!

We decided to visit the Sciencenter on a quiet Friday afternoon. We had flown in from Oregon two days before and wanted to let our 2 year old play and run off some steam as she adjusted to the time change. We have a membership to a museum in Oregon which granted us free access to the Sciencenter so we set off. I remember going to the Sciencenter just once as a kid, on a school field trip so I wasn't sure what to expect. The lady at the front was extremely friendly and helpful. She let us know that the tide pool was open, but only for another 20 minutes so she recommended we check that out first. We headed in that direction and had a great experience. There were all sorts of sea creatures for the little one to touch and the lady working the exhibit was fantastic. She provided fun age appropriate facts about the animals and helped our little one touch them. We moved into the animal room and all of the enclosures were clean and well maintained. We worked our way upstairs and back downstairs again. It flowed well and I couldn't help but comment on the huge amount of space they had for their exhibits. We were especially impressed with the two story Rube Goldberg machine that they had, I must have watched it for at least ten minutes on each level. We eventually made our way to the toddler area, which housed the usual stuff, a water table, a little kitchen, some books, puzzles, and a cool little vacuum table in the middle. Our little one played in there for quite some time before we were able to get her out to the playground. It was a little on the cold side when we visited, but we went outside anyway. The playground is fantastic and so unique! We loved the music area with the steel drums and giant xylophone. There's also a sand table, which garnered much attention. I loved jumping on the suspension bridge and the pendulum exhibit. There's a big spider web in the middle that was fun to climb, even as an adult. We had an absolute blast outside. This is a great place to bring kids for a day of fun. The playground in particular is really special and I wish more Sciencenters had something like it. It's ironic that a museum in upstate New York would have such a great outdoor exhibit! Overall, we had a blast and had to take our little one out of there kicking and screaming!

Great place to go with kids if you are in Ithaca, NY! We were visiting friends with our 2 kids (5 and 2 years old) and they suggested we go here. We are members of the Providence Children's Museum and were happy to find that because of that we were able to get in for Free! My friends had to pay $8 each, but even that is not such a bad deal. It is a large building and they also have a huge outside area. It was pretty cold, so hubs and the 5 year old went running around outside while the 2 year old and I went into the Toddler area. Really great and interesting activities for the kids. Something that I noticed and liked was an area that said "put a toy here if your kid puts it in their mouth... these items are cleaned nightly". I am not sure how much this is utilized, but it does give the aura of cleanliness. And it was very clean there despite being a kids place. Even though it was busy it did not feel crowded like our fave Prov Museum because it was so large. Definitely worth it.

I haven't been to this place since I was in grade school, so it was such a treat to come back as an adult with my 5 year old! The outdoor playground isn't as magical as I remember as when I was a 5th grader, but it was obvious my son's mind was blown. He loved the bubble and drum station. We did some of the water activities- building a dam, watching ducks float. A new section that wasn't always there is the live animal exhibits. T got to pet a few snakes and see some cool animals from different countries and parts of the world. There are two or 3 floors of fun. You pay once price for all day entry, so you can go and come back. We weren't there for too long- a couple of hours or so. We probably won't go back next summer unless he requests it but we had a great time!

I enjoy the SC with the two year old I take care of at least once a week. It is clean, the employees are kind and the exhibits change every couple of months. Additionally, the SC runs programs for little ones during day time hours. The Sciencenter is a must if you're Ithaca with kids (under 12 or so)!

This place is awesome. Kiddos were 10 months and 2.5 yrs. We were in town for a wedding and it was conveniently located and great for indoor and outdoor play!

We loved it! Sad the outside part was closed, even though the weather was fine. We spent hours here! Lots of hands on things for my 3 and 1 year old. And us old folk found plenty of interesting things too!

Fun place. Our son loves it here which is all that really matters. Would be nice if they fixed some of the interactive stations and changed it up a little more, a lot of the stations do not work. Also the landscaping outside is in desperate need of some love and it's looking a little run down. Aside from those few details, it is educational and fun for kids.

Great place for kids ! Even for adults lol I learned a few things here ! There is many things to do here and sometimes on weekend they have hands on actives you and your child can do .. It's a really great place.. If you should your EBT card you can get in for $1

We were visiting the Finger Lakes for a week, and wanted to have a day trip that didn't involve wine tasting. You know, for the kids. Our five year-old liked looking at the beehive on the second floor. We weren't able to find the queen, but it was fun looking at them. She actually laughed out loud and ran over to the different-colored shadows and the mirror exhibit (convex and concave). One thing she suggested was that the playground should have some slides. Our three year-old liked the playground best. Actually, it was pretty cool. There were echo tubes, gongs, and exhibits of simple machines that used the kids as the weights... but no slides. The first room was by far the most interesting. Games about histograms and place value as well as puzzles and dam building. Some of the exhibits seemed to be getting a little out of date, and I'm the guy who thinks of 2004 as recent. Seemed like a lot of it was Ask The Question, Flip The Placard. Also, some of the space exhibits on the second floor were either difficult to figure out or didn't work. We'd go again, and we did spend all day there, which says a lot.

Came here with a group of 7 adults, a 5 year old, a 2 year old and a toddler yesterday. The 5 year old was entertained for the full seven hours that they're open and wants to go back again today (which isn't happening, lol). There were enough interesting things for the adults as well. Great place for families. Only thing I'd say, which is mentioned in at least one previous review, is that they had a couple of exhibits that weren't working properly, so it would be great if they could get these fixed.

Great little museum in a small town. Especially enjoyed the discovery center upstairs where kids could borrow experiment boxes. Closes a few minutes before the museum, but lots of fun, hands on activities and experiments. Fun!

I have been to the Sciencenter many times as a child and with my child. It is a wonderful place to go to where your kids are able to actually touch and learn about science. They also have a small area with reptiles and a touch pool where you can touch sea life. They have two floors and change exhibits from time to time so it doesn't get boring. There is also a play area so children can burn off extra energy if need be. We love going to the Sciencenter.

I love the Sciencenter! The first time I went it was smaller - I was in college and they had just built the Sagan Planet Walk. My mathematics professor assigned the walk to his students, and when I got to Pluto there I was at the museum! What fun! Then it got even bigger and was a regular Sunday afternoon stop for my husband and I (haha it IS great for kids, but we always had fun even just ourselves). Hubby really likes exhibits where you can build things - I think his favorite ever was a Kinex bridge building exhibit. My favorite part is the Saturday Showtimes with John Alvarez, who is awesome. He does shows about plants and food and animals, full of information and always with fun & humor. In the summer Galaxy Golf is also fun, and if you want to hold a sea star you should visit their Touch Tank! I used to work here and loved to see kids at the Touch Tank, they were so amazed and humbled by getting to hold the animals.

My kids (both under 6) loved it here and keep asking to go back! It's the perfect size - lots to do, but not overwhelming. Favorites included the water area and the motion-deisgn your own roller coaster. The outdoor area is big with lots to do - bubbles, sand, music area. We were entertained for at least 3 hours. You can bring lunch and they have an indoor seating area. No food served, but they do have a "healthy" vending machine (hey it had a better selection than most!) also for an additional fee there is mini golf. We will be going back.

This science museum was a BLAST! Tons of interactive exhibits from solving crimes, to building dams, to blowing bubbles. I love science so this place was perfect for me. It was obviously geared towards kids (which I am not), but museums for adults are boring. It also has a space-themed golf course which looked awesome but we decided to get burritos instead of play. For a fun, cheap, and educational activity in Ithaca, look no further!!

This is an amazing gem in Ithaca. The kids love it and it's a lot of fun for adults as well. Some of the exhibits don't work on occasion. But they are regularly refreshing the space. If you're in town go there. If you live there and have kids, get an annual pass.

We are members of the Sciencenter and really enjoy bringing our son there. A membership is really the way to go if you are local and plan to go there even once a month. We even got to go to a wonderful Children's Museum included in our membership when we were traveling -- there are many museums that allow you to enter for free with a Sciencenter membership. The exhibits grab kids' attention and it looks like the museum is well maintained and very clean.

The Sciencenter is a gem to find in a small town like Ithaca. They feature a bunch of exhibits, including a Live Animal exhibit (I saw and touched a huge snake once!), interactive exhibits, ocean and outer space exhibits. Sciencenter also features a summer camp. Their playground outside is also a lot of fun. Great for kids and the family.

While going here as a field trip, this is a great way for children to learn how science works. It has so many activities for students to observe and children cant get enough of it! Built in reptillian room, science interacted playground, and amazing sculptures to do and see, how can you not love it? One downside was leaving, I really enjoyed this field trip and would like to go back again. Looking for a fun science-interacted place to go? Just go to the Ithaca Sciencecenter!

Went with 2 5-year olds and several adults. Grandparents had a great time, as did the little ones. A little small and quite low-tech, but in our screen-saturated world I liked this aspect a lot. Touch tank was cool, as were interactive exhibits on how dams work and the workings of toys. Recommend you bring a change of clothes or plastic apron if your kids like playing with water like mine do. Don't let your watch or credit cards get close to the 2nd floor magnet display or they're toast. Perfect for kids and young-at-heart, too bad the outdoor playspace is not open till April. Took 1.5 hours to get through most of it.

It was really just ok. The exhibits seemed very old, used and worn. The place needs a update and overhaul. There were some computer type modules that had tube type monitors???? There was nothing using modern technology(I-Pads) flat screen / touch screen. Not that every exhibit needs an I-pad but it shows its age. The touch tank had little to see a star fish and a horseshoe crab. The outdoor playground was a duck drop that was overgrown with algae, a bubble display that didn't work, a pendulum that didn't work, and again overall poor upkeep. Also there was a group of students from nearby college looking for volunteers to do a study, were approached about 3-4 times and asked to participate, slightly annoying, recommendation - post a sign and a discount $1 off, or a free second visit, and you will get a ton of volunteers, don't "harass" people having a family day. I would give the place a 2 except my kids did have fun and that was the goal, I hope the staff read this review and work towards updating the facility.

The people behind the Sciencenter are absolutely lovely and dedicated. What's there is lots of fun - for its target audience, but that seems to be just children under the age of 8. Science is for everyone, not just little kids. Could we please have more displays and interactive stuff for adults and for teens? I don't feel that I can take my teenage granddaughter here without her rolling her eyes at me.

We've been members on and off for 8 years while raising children. A nice place to visit if it isn't too crowded. Staff is uneven in terms of helpfulness and courtesy. A craft helper, probably a teenaged intern, was really helpful and friendly, while a staff member at the desk was grim, almost comically slow, and while holding my member card with my name on it, addressed me as "pop". The exhibits change infrequently, the place is kind of grubby, but for a twin the size of Ithaca, it's nice to have. Membership provides reciprocity at other children's museums around the country.