Its been a long time since Ive been to the science center, and was actually very pleasantly surprised.Decent amount of stuff to do and explore. And there was some good stuff for my daughter to interact with.We all had fun.

Just visited June 2021, fun kids play & learning. Cafe closed for summer & center closed at noon hour makes lunch & learning/play days impossible. I wish they had facilities to run summer camps without abandoning regular members.

Very friendly staff. They had lots of live animals, which I wasnt expecting so that was a fun surprise to see. The lego exhibit was neat. The planetarium was the best part, but i wish that there would have been staff inside of the planetarium enforcing quietness, because lots of rude people with loud kids ruined things to the point of not being able to hear the shows. One thing I will say about the science center as a whole is that it was very much geared towards little kids, not much for adults. But still fun to see.

This is a location I wish I could visit more often with my son. Its fun, interactive and provides plenty of creative freedom in terms of activities. As an avid astrophotographer I especially enjoyed the IMAX dome theater with a presentation of the night sky. There are plenty of activities to keep one occupied for an entire day and there should still be something to enjoy next time.

Primarily kid oriented, lots of hands on stuff. Simple science experiments like creating electrical circuits and building/flying paper rockets.360 degree planetarium theatre with interesting videos.Needs more content but you can kill a couple hours here.

Im writing this review after hosting a birthday party for my son at the Science Center. Patrick Rice is a stellar employee. I couldnt have asked for a better experience or better communication. He made it so easy for us to just show up and have the party. I recommend the Science Center for kids birthday parties!

My daughter works at our local science center and wanted to stop here during our vacation to see what Iowa has to offer. What a great place. There is so many things to do and see. We had a great time here.

My children and I frequently come to The Science Center. The exhibits are fun interactive and educational. Something to do for all ages.

I didnt like the way they keep their snakes. The enclosures were very lack luster. No enrichment and not enough hides. For being a science center you would think they would keep them in a more naturalistic environment.

I am a local guide in Carroll Co. But I sure enjoy visiting Des Moines for some culture, activites and restaurents when I can. I visited here in October 18, (2 weeks ago today). My son and I wanted to see the Lego Exhibit, Brick By Brick that opened Labor Day weekend. He is an adult Lego enthusiast and member of the local Lego Club in Des Moines. We both really enjoyed our day there. It s just an amazing display. The Science Center of Iowa made a commitment to accept this as a permanent display with the designer and builder. It is a great addition to the Center. Famous world-known structures have been built to scale with Lego bricks. If you have not seen it,---please do!! This is not just for kids! I hope to post some pictures I took from that day.

Had a wonderful time. Staff are very helpful, and they are on top of keeping the place clean and safe for everyone. Many interactive areas. Fun for all ages!

Awesome place to visit. Not too many exhibits to feel overwhelming. Great shows and movies!

Enjoyed the science center, fun for the kids and clean environment!! Will be back

Great place to visit - Legos were amazing.

Membership​ only makes sense if you have younger kids. Older kids would get board of regular visits. Our 2 year old loves making visits. The toddler area gets over run by older kids. We wish they monitored the area a bit to keep the toddlers safe. The build your car area is a favorite for our boys but its very frustrating the blocks fall apart very easily. Best ending it the stars theater! Always our last and favorite bit. The traveling exhibits have never disappointed!

Decent for the area, definitely for younger children.

Was advertised as a museum with dinosaurs on various platforms. Has none.

Great front door staff and the best volunteers.Warm and very engaging. Answered all our questions. Gave us ideas of where else to visit. Actually said Than you for visiting Iowa😃

Fun place definitely would recommend!

Their mixology night was a good time.

Super fun for all ages!!

First and last time I come to the science center. Went there today with my three year old son and I was very unimpressed.1.Overpriced to get in too only know that one or two of the activities in each exhibit have repairs. Look I understand that some things need to have maintenance but I wonder how long they were under repair.2. The biggest disappointment was the dinosaur exhibits were no longer there. Yet in Google photos they still have them there and my three year old was a bit sad.3. The upkeep looks like it hasnt been done in years. From paint, cleanliness, and activities broke down.4. Overcrowded, look I expected it to be a bit crowded but man it was pretty busy so it just wasnt fun trying to do things cause there were so many kids.Now I will end on an okay note, still tried to make the best out of it but overall I wont come back and much rather try the Omaha childrens center.

Great staff and exhibits with lots to see and do even with social distancing.

I love this place. It is/was my favorite place to be when I was a child and perhaps one of the early inspirations that led me to become the engineer that I now am. I would love for this place to grow, as it seems rather smaller than what I remembered as a child. In my honest opinion, the dome theater should be ditched and converted into an exhibit / virtual exhibit.

Well intentioned but needs improvement!The ball wall never works. The legos dont fit together to actually build cars to race. The paper to trace the leaves in the nature area arent big enough to actually color the whole leaf. For the price of admission, I would really love to see more happen here. After several visits, I can no longer give the benefit of the doubt. It is a great place to just let my 3 year old run wild but that is about it. We feel a little disappointed every time we visit.

I had an idea for a proposal under the stars . Libby and Justin were helpful , very professional and made it happen. It turned out perfect as the future Mrs will tell you.

Its a great place to bring the kids on a rainy day. Perfect for my kids ages 3&5. Very hands on and a very easy day out. Dont forget quarters for the lockers because if you do go on a rainy day its nice to be able to put all the wet gear in a locker and not carry it around with you. The dinosaur Attraction they have at the moment is very fun and its in a great place because the kids have something fun to do while you wait for the imax movie

I see some people giving negative reviews here just about the pricing and I feel the necessity to point out these things.(1) The Science Centers main goal is NOT, in anyway, shape or form, to make money. They strive to spread knowledge and the amazing world of science in every aspect.(2) A LOT of people do not know this so PAY ATTENTION!!The science center offers a completely free preschool that is not like your average preschool. I can remember that my experience with preschool was just playing around and filled with toys. The preschool here is nothing but educational, and sends kids on the most deserving paths they need to succeed in life. The free preschool is offered in aid to Des Moines Schools low income demographic and it really does make a difference(3) They also offer opportunities for students of all ages.My junior year of high school, I was aided by a STEM grant to participate in an internship at the science center. I conducted research and learned more about the science and important of museums than I ever will.Furthermore, the cost is not set high for these reasons. NOT to drain your wallets!

We come here once each year with our kids. Our biggest complaint is the amount of things that dont work. Also we questioned how often some of the stuff were cleaned, such as the Legos and pretend food. There is a lot of good potential here but feel like its not being properly maintained.

A great place to spend a few hours or the day. Weve been members for several years and it is worth the money. Lots of great exhibits, IMAX movies, and events. If the weather is crappy and cold it is even better to come here and let the kids get their energy out while learning.

A good distraction for the youngsters. Dedicated toddler area with some nice activities is often overrun by middle-school kids. Upstairs features native animals, a TV news weather report stage, and a variety of interactive physics and motion activities. IMAX theater is a great place to take in a documentary or the occasional blockbuster movie (Star Wars was great in this format). Nearby parking structure is easily accessible. Word of caution: my nephew recently had his jacket taken from the front coat area, so leave personal belongings at your own risk. The center did find his coat a couple days later and called on the lost-and-found form we filled out.The Science Center, along with Living History Farms and the Blank Park Zoo, is part of the Tri Membership plan, which is a great annual pass program for families.

I went to the old science center as a kid and this is a vast improvement! I do very much miss the laser light shows though that took place at the old science center. Mixology night is super fun for adults. Love the star theater and all of the rotating exhibits. I also very much enjoy the childrens bubble area. Cool gift shop as well and easy to bike to with a giant dino bike rack out front.

The science center is awesome!! I want to thank them for the sensory-friendly hours they have. We went for the first time and the kids loved it and I got to play with them stress free. I highly recommend the science center, it makes learning fun!

We had an awesome time at the Science Center! Not sure who had more fun, me or the kids, but either way it was a win. The staff was so great working with all the kids and inspiring creativity and learning. If youve never been, I think its money well spent; our kids (3,5,8) all had a great time!

Awesome time

The visits I ve had to the Science Center have been great. Very informative,---I learn something new every time I stop in. It really is a facility for all ages. Of course there are the regular staple displays that have been there for some time,---which is fine. But in addition to those, there is something new to see and learn. Keep up the great work you do to educate children and adults!! Make sure you stop in and check out something new, and ENJOY!!!The only improvement I can suggest,---get that IMAX back running. That is a great asset to the facility. I am sorry it is not up and running smoothly.PLEASE BRING BACK IMAX THEATRE!! THANKS!!

Good assortment of exhibits, mostly interactive. Many targeted for younger kids. Clean and spacious. Extensive schedule of public programs and demonstrations. Very reasonable admission price. Inexpensive on-site parking garage, (a BIG plus). Overall, impressive and enjoyable experience.

What an awesome place! Fun for absolutely everyone! The interactive exhibits are designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages. We are both young adults without kids and loved every minute! Definitely worth the admission price, highly recommend!

Fantastic Place for Kids! Lots of hands on exhibits and a permanent Lego exhibit with large Lego models even adults can appreciate! Get your inner architect on with the build centers and test out some structures with the wind tunnel and the earthquake simulator!

An amazing place to bring your kiddos. There is a ton of science themed activities for your children to play with. You can explain as much about each one as you would like. When we went there was a dinosaur exhibit that was too fun. Highly recommend especially on a nonpeak time.

I bought a membership 2018 I and my children enjoyed during a school outing in December 2017. The dinosaur display was on way to long the lego display was not exciting to older children and adults its still there since last September 2018 the theaters were closed for remodeling 2 months in late summer and early fall 2018 was a very boring place that i will not buy another membership. Once you get a lot of memberships you close things to remodel so sad no ever good recommendation for your place just over priced food.

Seriously, tourists or locals, if you have a free day and only ONE place to go, hit the SCIENCE CENTER.. welllll worth it. Got kids? Theres plenty for them to amaze and keep them occupied. Admission rates are reasonable too.

Call ahead to be sure the mobile website is correct! Drove 2 hours for certain things on website just to find out it was not updated on mobile site! Kids still had fun but didnt get to see what we went for.. 😣

Clearly meant for younger kids. Not much to do for older guest. Eventhough its not much fun for kids older than 11 (depends on the child I guess) there are still some interesting things to look at and learn. My little cousins have never had so much fun.

As a father of infinitely curious children, this place was an endless fascination for them. A real wonderland for them. Will return the next time we are in Des Moines as there is yet much to be explored.

We love visiting the science center--the I max theater is the reason for 3 stars. We saw transformers in IMAX at the science center like 8 years ago and I had forgotten about the horrible film conversion until reading these reviews. When we saw Transformers, it was very obvious that they projected regular format--not imax--onto the dome. I know this because theres a scene where a helicopter is descending straight vertical but the projection skews it so much its dizzying to watch. I hope they fix the issues with the IMAX theater. It has great potential but not worth vomiting over.

Great deal for the content. I went on a weekend with my boyfriend and there was plenty of fun stuff for adults to do as well as kids. Sure its not as big and fancy as some science centers but nor was it anywhere as expensive. Definitely worth the trip.

This is a great place to take your young ones! I think this place is mostly just for young kids and parents. There really wasnt much to do there for young adults to adults without kids, I thought. Although the star theater was one and it was amazing. Nice environment with friendly employees. The room When Things Get Moving, had legos everywhere and kids running all over the place with hardly any guardians in sight. It was kind of busy for going during the week but that doesnt really surprise me with schools starting to release for the summer.

The only reason for the low rating is that I came here to see a movie in IMAX omnidome and was made incredibly nauseous within the first few minutes of the film and had to leave the theater. I was told I could not get a refund for the tickets I purchased but was given some vouchers to come back for a documentary. Seems odd to me that they give vouchers for another film in the dome theater to people who couldnt even make it through one movie. Was disappointed that I didnt receive a refund because I probably wont use the vouchers since I was made very sick by the first experience. Again, not their problem that I was sick but a refund would have been nice...

Our science loving kids enjoyed this first stop of our family vacation very much! And mom and dad enjoyed the fun pass discount very much. Thank you! Great memories made here.

I was extremely disappointed in my experience watching Star Wars: the Force Awakens at the Science Center of Iowa IMAX. Despite arriving early and choosing what would be the best seats in any other theater (smack-dab in the middle just below the projector), the viewing experience was horrendous. From that location, my friends and I were only able to see roughly 20% of the screen at once. Close-ups were were blurry and action sequences were disorienting. We had to constantly scan left and right to take in the entire scene, which made for a very unpleasant experience. I can only imagine how viewers closer to the front must have felt.I have watched several films at other IMAX theaters in Madison, WI, and Washington D.C. and had a great experience. I wish I could say the same for this venue. I will definitely be avoiding this IMAX in the future.

I like the place it gives me and my boyfriend a fun time to reminisce on our childhood but I just wish it didn’t close so early so we could actually spend the whole day after work and school is done.

Love it here.. it provides hours of entertainment for my 4 year old. Love that there are some exhibits that always stay the same and some exhibits that theyve changed everytime we go. Pricing seems very reasonable.. Its only $20 for the two of us to get in and eating in the cafe is pretty cheap as well. So thankful we have something like this in Des Moines.

I feel bad posting a negative review, but feel like this place isn’t being run as well as it could be.1) The exhibits never change. There is a Lego one there that really isn’t that great and has been there about a year. If it’s a money issue, do some fundraising!2) They have poor rules about where they can do activities. For instance now they have this giant, kind of creepy doll name Stuffie and you have to go into a dark and lifeless theatre with no music or anything kid friendly about it. No one really goes to it, but if they had it out in the open area it would surely attract more kids and might have a chance of being fun.3) Their snow closures. We drove into town one day to find a sign in the door that they were closed due to snow. No schools were closed, the public library was open...it just felt likesort of lazy and really frustrating as a member.4) The upkeep of the building. I am going to attempt to post a picture, but some stuff is really looking run down and could use a fresh coat of paint at least.I don’t know who runs the place, or who is on the board, but I think they could all be doing a better job to stop the decline of this place.

Great place to take kids and the young at heart. Bundle with an IMAX show for extra fun. My only complaint is the cafe was slammed and a burger took 45 minuets. They had healthy food options, which is nice.

My family and I have visited the IMAX which was a great time and would recommend going early to get some seats that are more in the center of the theater. They do have many fun exhibits but I was disappointed to find that there were no exhibits geared towards the human body and how it works. Overall it was a fun experience.

Lots of neat things there

Love all the hands on science activities! But it does present evolution and big bang as facts, not theories. Be aware and prepared to discuss it if you dont support these theories.

The pro: Interactive. The con: Not enough Science. There were things to do for young children. Not much fun for general adults. The room with the open sky was the most at keeping attention.

Fun for both kids and adults! You also get to learn a lot about the various aspects of science through experimenting and playing. Though it is a little pricey, you can spend hours there having all of the fun.

Great place to bring children. Very interesting and informative. Spent 3 hours there and will go back

Just had a wedding at the science center. The planetarium and sky room we rented was beautiful but the service was under par. No one told our guest about the free beer and wine so they were forced to buy their own beverages. Also no parking were handed out even after we pre paid for them.

Good place to take your kid out and let them run around. Explore. And learn new stuff

Fun for all ages I dont care if your 36, 6 or 14 its fun and educationalAnd Ive made a mosaic Mario here so extra good

Great place for children of all ages. We especially like the young discovery area where you can run a supermarket, blow bubbles, milk a cow, and cook dinner.

Very fun place for kids interested in science or learning. You can easily spend several hours to a whole day there.

We have the annual pass. Wonderful outlet for the family during winter months. Kids find their favorite spot and go right to it and play and interact.

Great place for kids and adults alike. The iMax theater is always showing something new and fascinating exhibits stop here frequently.

Great experience for all kids under 12. Rather clean and mostly everything works. Lots of spots for adults to relax and watch the kids have fun.

Fun for the whole family. Extremely friendly and interactive. Everyone will learn and enjoy the trip.

Fun place to come with the kids. Lots of activities for them to do. Also has a planetarium space. The IMAX dome shows some big budget movies as well.

The IMAX National Parks Adventure was an eye opening experience. Good place for children to learn more about science. Would like to have checked out the planetarium.

This is a good place for very young kids, 3-8. It has three main areas earth, space, and a creative space. I expected a lot more from a city this size.

My family goes multiple times a year and the kids are never disappointed. Great for cold or rainy days and I recommend the yearly pass.

Its great if you get there when a new exhibit just opens but if the exhibit has been open for more than a few days expect lots of breakage.The Science center is a great place for field trips for the kids but just taking them in and trying to catch shows can be difficult unless you hit at the right time then its show/demonstration after show. There are plenty of things to touch and try but like I said earlier, lots of breakage and when things break it doesnt seem like there is much priority in getting them fixed.

No main attraction until September. Not much to see or do unless you are a child. Best to check IMAX times before you go otherwise its a long wait for the one you want to see.

A very fun place to go to. There is a ton to do. It feels like you can never get through it all! The iMax theater is really awesome and super immersive. Its a great place too take you kids and they may learn stuff!

Great place for children. Had a great time as adults. Staff was helpful and friendly.

Be aware they changed their membership policy. If the primary member is not there they will not allow your children to use the card. Maybe there has been a management change, because in addition to the new membership rules many of the displays do not work or they are damaged.

We love the science center!

A monumental waste of time and money! $32 for 3 people and my kids got to play with some balls, look at a lego bridge, and pet a snake. Yippee!

Great for wide range of ages! Awesome activities. Only negative was the selection at the cafe, thought it lacked a little.

Mythology is generally a good time for 21+. Theres a different theme each month.The IMAX dome is quite unique and makes for an interesting experience.

This is an excellent place to take your kids for learning and entertainment all in one. We have been coming for years and its always enjoyable!

My kids have loved the rocket making exercise at the center for a long time now but the exhibits are the ones that bring us back again and again - the RACE exhibit was one of the best Ive seen anywhere.

Very nice. A ton of things for the kids to do. Was great for our 3 and 5 year olds.

This place is actually really cool. The movie theater is great, but be forewarned you can not re-enter the theater once movie starts

One star because I had to! Show was good... Parking was terrible and then had to go back inside and buy a day pass because thats all they sell inside to leave because credit card would not read on the exit machine...

Lots of fun, especially for little kids (and adults who wish they were little kids again). Easily accessible off the Skywalk, with a parking garage across the street.

What ever you do dont book an event here!! The event coordinator does not know how to do her job and she flat out lied to us about what would be available. We spent 8 months thinking we would be married at the star theater. Apparently it broke down months ago, but we were never told this. 2 weeks before the wedding (still unknowingly) we talk to her manager about her inability to respond to emails. This is when he told us the star backdrop is not available. In addition we also find out that there will be no exhibit up in the founders hall. The next exhibit goes up the day after my wedding. And to top it off the attraction in the $1000 Atrium is also broken. With 2 weeks until my wedding what are my options? Never received an apology for anything. I loved the science center as a child, even went to pre-school there but this event manager has ruined my wedding and my opinion on the science center as a whole. Please save yourself the trouble...go somewhere else.

Changes constantly so it doesnt get old. Mixology Night for adults are very fun!

Went to see Interstellar in IMAX. Left after 10 minutes in because the projection was so bad. The film did not seem fitted correctly for the dome screen - seemed out of focus and you had to look back and forth just to see all characters in the scene... when I left I asked for a refund. They stated they didnt give refunds for IMAX... At the very least they gave us tickets to the science center itself... but was still $26 wasted when I have no intention of going to the center... and then had to drive to another theatre to spend more just to see the film we wanted to see. Not impressed.

One of the few places in the whole country that carries IMAX 70mm projector and they project films perfectly with pure amazing sound system.

Upstairs section has a some interactive things for the kids to do. Would be nice if there would be announcements before the start of movies in the theaters.

Staff went above and beyond to resolve our issues with the summer camp. I would like to personally thank Rachel McCarl for her help and Paula in the sales office.

Being part of the tri membership pass to Living History Farms, Blank Park Zoo, and Sci Cent. of Iowa is a wonderful idea for families. A lot of memories made here, things to learn, camps, clubs, classes, etc.

Everything about this place is amazing! Kids learn so much and its fun/interesting for everybody.

Me and my family had fun here! I just dont understand why it closes at 5:30 PM.

Well the Science Center was a little high priced admission but really cool now the whole parking thing was ugly.I parked in the garage when I got there I put my credit card in because They would not take cash. Odd but ok well got put my card in it lifted I parked .When leaving 2hr later .Put my card in did have or get a ticket. Put my card back in the gate would not lift. Pushed the help button 5 times 15min later no response .I backed up went though another gate . Put my card back in finally got a ticket lost ticket worked cost 25.00 usd. I was furious !! It almost ruined my whole experience with my family. My 10 yr old said she would pay me back out of her piggy bank if I would be happy again and not mad. Realizing this was her spring break day. I calmed down. There must be a better way to fund the parking other then robbing people trying to leave. If you have a HELP button then someone should answer it when pushed. Needless to say we will not be going back to here for a very long time. Thats a shame.

Love the imax, give me a headache sometimes but very cool nonetheless