Science Museum of Minnesota

There is plenty to keep both adults and children entertained here at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Marvel at huge dinosaur skeletons, get your hands dirty in one of the many interactive exhibits or sit back and enjoy a top-class educational film in the IMAX theatre.

Founded in 1907, the Science Museum of Minnesota has spent decades tracing the development of natural history, technology and science. One of the first pieces acquired by the museum was an ancient mummified body, shipped all the way from Egypt. Today the museum is home to over 1.75 million artifacts, so wear comfortable shoes as you lose yourself in a day of exploration and wonderment.

A definite highlight is the Dinosaur and Fossils Gallery, which has many genuine mounted skeletons on show. Check out the amazing bones of a Triceratops and a Stegosaurus, pre-historic animals that once roamed the earth. Head over to the Primeval Swamp exhibit where you can learn about crocodiles in North America, the giant reptiles sometimes referred to as "living dinosaurs".

The Science Museum of Minnesota has lots of attractions for kids, from the Perception Theatre, which investigates the depths of your mind, to the interactive Collection Gallery, home to the Questionable Medical Devices stand. Command the power of tornadoes and energy waves over at the Experiment Gallery or check out your microscopic DNA at in the Human Body and Cell Lab.

Outside the museum you'll love the Earthscapes mini-golf course which combines geography with play. When you're finished there, see what its like to live on a riverboat, over at the Mississippi Gallery.

Give those legs a break and grab a seat in the 9-storey-high IMAX Convertible Dome Omnitheatre. Sit back and feast your eyes on the rotatable dome as you watch fascinating films on science, nature and technology.

Situated in downtown St. Paul on the Mississippi River, the Science Museum of Minnesota is easily accessible. Public transport services the area and there is also pay-as-you-go parking. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday expect during school holidays when it is open every day. You can buy a joint entry ticket to the Omnitheatre and the museum or you can pay for each separately.