Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science facts for kids
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| Former name | Miami Science Museum and Space Transit Planetarium |
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| Established | 1949 (as the Junior Museum of Miami) |
| Location | Maurice A. Ferré Park, Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Type | Science museum |
| Accreditation | AAM, ASTC |
| Visitors | Estimated 700,000 per year |
| Public transit access | Metrorail access at Museum Park Station (formerly Vizcaya station) |
The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is an amazing place in Miami, Florida, where you can explore science, space, and the ocean! It's a science museum, a planetarium (for looking at stars), and an aquarium (for sea creatures).
The museum first opened in 1960 in an area of Miami called Coconut Grove. Later, in 2017, it moved to a brand-new, modern building in Maurice A. Ferré Park in Downtown Miami. This new location is right next to the Pérez Art Museum Miami.
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History of the Museum
The museum started small in 1950. It was called the Junior Museum of Miami and was run by volunteers from the Junior League of Miami. They used donated items for exhibits, like a real bee hive!
In 1952, the museum moved to a bigger building and changed its name to the Museum of Science and Natural History. More volunteers joined to help with tours and programs.
A special part was added in 1966: the Space Transit Planetarium. It had a unique projector that showed the stars and planets. This planetarium was even home to a national TV show about astronomy called Star Gazers.
The museum also hosted the Miami Underwater Festival, which celebrated underwater photography and the ocean.
In 2015, the old museum in Coconut Grove closed its doors. Its special planetarium projector was moved to the HistoryMiami museum for people to see.
A New Home for Science
In 2011, a couple named Phillip and Patricia Frost gave a huge donation of $35 million to build a new science museum. The new building was designed by famous architects.
The new Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science opened on May 8, 2017. It cost $305 million to build! This modern museum is very large, covering about 4 acres. It has four buildings that are connected, with parking underneath. It's also a "LEED Gold-certified" building, which means it's very friendly to the environment.
The new museum has some incredible features:
- The Frost Planetarium has 250 seats and a huge, round screen that's 67 feet wide. It uses amazing projectors to show 16 million colors, making space look super real!
- The Aquarium is three stories tall and shaped like a cone. It holds 500,000 gallons of water! You can look up through the water to the top, or look down through a 31-foot wide "oculus" lens at the bottom to see fish, rays, and sharks swimming above you.
- The North and West Wings hold many exciting exhibits. They also have classrooms, a gift shop, and places to eat.
Exciting Exhibits
The Frost Museum of Science has many cool exhibits where you can learn by doing and exploring.
The Aquarium
The museum's multi-level aquarium shows off the amazing underwater worlds of South Florida.
- The top level features the huge 500,000-gallon Gulf Stream Aquarium. Here, you can see large ocean creatures like mahi-mahi fish, devil rays, and even hammerhead sharks!
- The middle level has different habitats like coral reefs and mangrove forests. There are almost 30 smaller aquariums where you can learn about the many different animals and plants that live in these places.
- The bottom level lets you see the Gulf Stream Aquarium from below. You can watch jellyfish and other creatures that float in this giant ocean current. The highlight is the 31-foot oculus lens, which forms the bottom of the main aquarium.
The Planetarium
The Frost Planetarium is a fantastic place to explore the universe. It has a giant 67-foot dome screen that tilts forward, making you feel like you're really flying through space. Six powerful projectors create incredibly clear images with 16 million colors. The planetarium also hosts fun laser shows set to music from famous bands like Pink Floyd and Queen.
Power of Science
This exhibit celebrates the amazing discoveries scientists have made and looks at what science might do in the future. You'll find many hands-on activities, rare items, and scientific tools. There's even an interactive floor and a deep dive into the periodic table of elements. You'll learn about how scientists work and explore four main areas: the ocean, the environment, the human body, and the universe.
Solar System and Beyond
In this exhibit, you can see over 20 stunning photos and drawings of planets, stars, and other objects in space. These images come from NASA and show the beauty of our Solar System and beyond.
Feathers to the Stars
This exhibit tells the story of flight, from how animals use wings to how humans created airplanes and spacecraft. You can see demonstrations of how things like lift, drag, and thrust work using a small wind tunnel. There's also a display of cool items and artifacts from NASA's space missions.
meLab
The meLab is an interactive exhibit all about health and well-being. It helps you understand why making good choices for your body is important. On Level 2, you can play games that teach you about healthy living and how different lifestyle choices affect you. On Level 3, you'll find more detailed displays that explain what health means at a tiny, microscopic level and in medical science.
River of Grass
The River of Grass exhibit is designed especially for kids to learn about the Everglades. It has two parts: an outdoor area where you can get hands-on, and an indoor virtual Everglades. Inside, animated animal characters talk to you and teach you about biodiversity (all the different kinds of life) through fun stories.
The Sun Spot
Located on the museum's roof, The Sun Spot teaches you all about solar power and our sun. It has six different exhibits that show how we can use the sun's energy in various ways.
Temporary Displays
Near the museum's entrance, there's a large area that hosts special temporary exhibits and events throughout the year.
Images for kids
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Old location of the science museum prior to closing
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The museum's new location, in the center of the image showing the planetarium dome, along I-395
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Lobby of MSTP before closing
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Lobby of the museum after its closing
See also
- List of Astronomical Observatories
- List of planetariums
- Star Gazers
