Frequently Asked Questions

General admission to the Science Center is always free. We have a wide variety of free attractions for you to take advantage of when you visit.

Some special attractions are ticketed, including special exhibitions, OMNIMAX® Theater films, James S. McDonnell Planetarium Shows, the Discovery Room, the Experience Flight Simulators, the Virtual Reality Transporter and the Tractor Run in our GROW exhibit.

For more information or pricing, visit our Ticketed Attractions page or call 314.289.4400.

General admission to the Science Center is always free, but tickets to special exhibitions, OMNIMAX films and McDonnell Planetarium Shows can be purchased online any time.

Tickets for the Discovery Room, the Experience Flight Simulators, the Virtual Reality Transporter and the Tractor Run in our GROW exhibit must be purchased on site at the box office in the Oakland Building lobby or the McDonnell Planetarium lobby. If you’re running late or forgot to get tickets for an OMNIMAX film, you can use the self-service kiosk outside the theater, across from The Loft. Credit and debit only.

For more information or pricing, visit our Ticketed Attractions page or call 314.289.4400.

Parking at the Oakland Building at 5050 Oakland Avenue costs $10 during our regular season (Labor Day to Memorial Day), $12 during the summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day), and is free for Science Center members year-round.

Free parking is available at the McDonnell Planetarium, which is connected to the Oakland Building by a walkable Skybridge over Interstate 64/Highway 40.

The Oakland lot features parking for fuel-efficient and low-emission vehicles, as well as vehicles displaying disabled placards. Visitors may wish to drop off individuals with mobility concerns in the circle drive in front of the Oakland Building entrance.

The McDonnell Planetarium is located within Forest Park and is connected to the Oakland Building at by a walkable bridge that spans Interstate 64/Highway 40. The bridge, also known as the Skybridge, takes people across the highway, through a tunnel and into the Planetarium – and right into Forest Park.

From April through September each year, the Forest Park Trolley makes a stop in the circle drive in front of the Planetarium. For a small fee, the Trolley can take you to other various Forest Park attractions, like the Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri History Museum, the Muny and more. Tickets can be purchased at any Saint Louis Science Center ticketing station.

Learn more about the Forest Park Trolley.

No outside food is allowed inside of the Science Center, but you are welcome to eat outside of the McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park while enjoying the Planetarium Grounds.

The Science Center has several locations that offer a variety of food and drinks, including sandwiches, salads, pizza and more. Food Service is available Monday through Saturday, 9:30 AM until 4 PM, and Sundays 11 AM to 4:30 PM. You may bring bring food and drink that you have purchased into the OMNIMAX Theater.

It depends on you – and how much time you have. If you want to see the entire Science Center and experience all of the ticketed venues, you might be here all day. However, you can experience several activities in just a few hours. Most paid venues take an average of 30-45 minutes, and time spent in the exhibits and attractions will vary depending on your interest in the subject and how much you interact with the various activities.

In short, no matter how much time you spend at the Science Center, you’ll have a blast – and you’ll want to come back for more.

Photography is allowed in most areas. Look for signs prohibiting the use of photography in certain areas and exhibitions. For example, most traveling special exhibitions do not allow photography within the actual exhibition space.

Professional photographers or videographers are advised to contact our staff in media relations.

Our nursing station is located on the lower level of the Oakland Building. Please go to the Information Desk in the Oakland Building lobby, and a Visitor Services Agent will assist you.

While we do provide a private, secure area for nursing mothers, it is not required that you use this area. There are plenty of benches and/or chairs throughout the Science Center that should be easily accessible during your visit.

Wheelchairs and strollers are free to rent and are available in the lobbies of the Oakland Building and the McDonnell Planetarium. The Science Center also has a limited number of motorized scooters available for a $25 fee. Please ask a Visitor Services team member and they will be happy to assist you. Please note that supplies are limited.

Learn more about accessibility and amenities at the Science Center.

If you lose something during your visit, please visit the Information Desk in the Oakland Building lobby, or call our hotline at 314.286.4636 or 800.456.7572 extension 4636. Leave a message along with your phone number. Calls are returned on a regular basis.

The Saint Louis Science Center is proud to honor donation requests for charitable fundraisers. Preference is given to non-profit organizations with educational missions who are using the donation to raise funds (through an auction, raffle, or similar activity) for a specific charitable cause. Note that donation requests must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the date of the fundraising event.

Learn more about our donation policy and submit a request.