Science Museums and Planetariums

Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, 60605
The Adler opened in 1930 and was the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Donated to the city of Chicago by Max Adler, the planetarium was an attraction at the great Chicago exposition of 1933-34.

Biosphere 2

Oracle, Pinal County, Arizona, 85739
Biosphere 2 is an Earth systems science research facility. Its mission is to serve as a center for research, outreach, teaching, and lifelong learning about Earth, its living systems, and its place in the universe.

Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences

Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia, 25301
The Clay Center complex includes the Avampato Discovery Museum, which features two floors of interactive science exhibits and an art gallery.

ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center

Burlington, Chittenden County, Vermont, 05401
ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is located on the waterfront in northern Vermont. It is home to more than 70 species of fish, amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles, major traveling exhibitions, and the multimedia Awesome Forces Theatre.

Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium

St Johnsbury, Caledonia County, Vermont, 05819
The Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium is a combination museum and planetarium located in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. It was founded in 1891, by Franklin Fairbanks. The museum and its building are on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Griffith Observatory

Los Angeles, California, 90027
Griffith Observatory is a facility in Los Angeles, California, sitting on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in Los Angeles' Griffith Park.

John Gorrie Museum State Park

Apalachicola, Franklin County, Florida, 32320
John Gorrie received the first U.S. Patent for mechanical refrigeration in 1851. A replica of the first ice-making machine is on display at the museum, as well as exhibits chronicling the colorful history of Apalachicola.

Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center

Hutchinson, Reno County, Kansas, 67501
The Cosmosphere exhibits the 2nd largest collection of US space artifacts in the world (second only to the National Air and Space Museum), and the largest collection of Soviet space artifacts outside of Moscow.

Lowell Observatory

Flagstaff, Coconino County, Arizona, 86001
Lowell Observatory is among the oldest observatories in the United States. It was founded in 1894 by astronomer Percival Lowell, and the Observatory's original 24-inch (0.61 m) Alvan Clark Telescope is still in use today for public education.

Maine Discovery Museum

Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine, 04401
The Maine Discovery Museum is Maine's largest children's museum and the largest located north of Boston, Massachusetts. It opened in 2001 in the converted Freese's Building department store following several years of planning and fundraising.

Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi, 39202
The museum was founded in 1933 by Francis A. Cook as a part of the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission.

Montshire Museum of Science

Norwish, Windsor County, Vermont, 05055
The Montshire Museum of Science is a hands-on, self-guided science museum located in Norwich, Vermont, in the United States. It has roughly 150,000 visitors annually. The museum, including the building and nature trails, is located on over 110 acres (445,

Museum of Discovery

Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, 72201
The Museum offers 25,000 square feet of interactive exhibits and over 30 programs designed to provide learning experiences for all ages.

National Atomic Testing Museum

Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, 89119
The National Atomic Testing Museum documents the history of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site in the desert north of Las Vegas. The museum operates as an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 87104
The Museum houses changing exhibits, a cafe, a gift store, and the Lockheed Martin DynaTheather, a giant screen theater similar to IMAX. Permanent exhibits include a "journey through time", covering the birth of the Universea, a planetarium and two floors

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

Portland, Oregon
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a science and technology museum. It contains three auditoriums, including a large-screen theatre, planetarium, and exhibition halls.

Science Museum of Minnesota

St Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, 55102
The Science Museum of Minnesota is an American museum focused on topics in technology, natural history, physical science, and mathematics education. Founded in 1907 and located in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

W. M. Keck Observatory

Kamuela, Hawaii County, Hawaii, 96720
The W. M. Keck Observatory is a two-telescope astronomical observatory at an elevation of 4,145 meters (13,600 ft) near the summit of Mauna Kea. They are considered the two most scientifically productive telescopes on Earth.

Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57104
The Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science opened in 1999 and houses an art gallery, concert hall, large-format theater, and science museum in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.