press trip| The Frost Science Museum in Miami is one of the best things to do in Miami with kids. This museum is designed to be aesthetically pleasing, making room for plenty of Instagrammable moments in its three distinctive sections.
If you are looking for a rainy day activity, a way to beat the heat, or learning in a fun way whilst on a trip, then local museums are a great way to engage kids.
For one of the most fun things for kids in Miami, look no further than the Frost Museum, as it has exhibits, shows, and aquariums that will suit all ages.
Interaction is positively encouraged with many hands on exhibits from touching rays, deciding what to do in a hurricane, experimenting with water flow and the effects on land, to making colourful lights move on the interactive floor as you move and so much more.
A Bit About the Frost Museum in Miami
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The Frost Museum—previously known as the Miami Science Museum but now officially known as the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science—opened in 1960. However, it relocated from a previous site to its new site on Biscayne Boulevard in 2017.
Sitting on four acres, the new and improved Frost Museum was completed at a cost of $305 million. And has four interconnected buildings with parking underneath.
Although there are seven different exhibits to explore, the museum is mainly split up into three sections: the aquarium, the planetarium, and the museum itself.
Frost Museum Miami
Throughout the museum portion of the Frost Museum, your little ones can learn all about the dinosaurs and evolution, as well as the human body, scientific experiments, and the environment that we live in.
In the museum are the following current exhibits:
- Mummies of the World – The Mummies of the World exhibit houses 40 mummified human and animal remains. But you can also see the rare artefacts that are on display and the exhibits multimedia stations that will take you on a 4,500-year journey.
- Power of Science – The Power of Science exhibit lets you explore how science pushes the boundaries of possibility. You’ll learn all about groundbreaking discoveries of our four scientific frontiers: our oceans, environment, bodies and universe and have the chance to ask questions in order to gain further insight. Engage with hands-on exhibits, cutting-edge interactives, rare specimens, an interactive floor, a deep dive into the periodic table of elements, a showcase of collection pieces and scientific instruments used across various scientific fields and more.
- Feathers to the Stars – Feathers to the Stars is an interesting exhibit that covers how evolution gave animals flight, how humans got airborne, and how rockets actually breach the Earth’s atmosphere.
- Mammoths: Ice Age Giants – The Wooly Mammoth roamed North America over 10,000 years ago. And its exhibit in the Frost Museum delves into these giants’ life and how they dominated the landscape. There is even a mammoth skeleton on display.
- MeLab – The MeLab explores the way the human mind and body work. Your kids will understand all about things that affect our health and the connection between our bodies and brains.
Frost Aquarium Miami
The second part of the Frost Museum is the Frost Aquarium. The Frost Aquarium is up there as one of the top things to do in Miami with kids, as the three-level aquarium takes you from the surface of South Florida’s waters all the way down to its depths.
The top level of the aquarium is known as the Vista—where you’ll learn all about the ecosystems in Florida’s Gulf Stream. In the centre of the Vista is a 100-foot wide, 500,000-gallon Gulf Stream aquarium that houses everything from fish to devil rays and hammerhead sharks.
Moving down a level takes you to the Dive, which is home to nearly 30 aquariums. The Dive is a great place to learn more about predators that move through Mangrove Forests. And the extreme diversity of aquatic species in Florida’s subtropical sea.
The third section of the aquarium is the Deep, where you’ll see drifters, such as jellyfish, which ride the flow of water from Florida’s east coast into the North Atlantic Ocean.
And finally, to end the aquarium is a 31-foot oculus lens that forms at the bottom of the aquarium—giving you views of the entire aquarium from below.
Frost Planetarium Miami
The third instalment to the Frost Museum is the planetarium—IMAX with a 250-seat, start of the art 16-million-colour 8k projection, surround sound dome that makes you feel like you’re in outer space.
There are two different shows that run in the planetarium: Dynamic Earth narrated by Liam Neeson and Black Holes. These planetarium shows run for around 25 minutes and are limited. So I highly recommend purchasing your tickets to the museum in advance to avoid missing out.
Frost Science Museum Miami Tickets
Tickets to Frost include the museum, the aquarium, and the planetarium. And on weekdays (Monday to Thursday), adult tickets are $29.95, and kids tickets (ages 4 to 11) are $22.95. On the weekend, however, the tickets are slightly more expensive at $32.95 for an adult ticket and $24.95 for a child ticket.
As I mentioned previously, if you can, then do book your tickets in advance. By booking in advance, you get first dibs on planetarium slots. So it’s definitely worth it!
Frost Science Museum Parking Options
If you’re visiting the Frost Museum by car, then you can park in the museum’s garage. However, the car park does have a $15 fee which you can only pay by credit card. If the museum car park is full, then there are other parking options nearby.
The Best Time to Visit the Miami Science Museum and Planetarium
The Miami Science Museum is a popular destination-especially during school holidays/vacation time. So, the best time to go is when schools start back up in the US, which is towards the end of August or mid week.
In terms of time, it’s best to get to the museum when it opens at 10 AM. Some of the exhibits in the museum are outdoors. So visiting the museum early means you can see those exhibits in the morning before the sun reaches its highest point.
Tips for your visit to the Frost Science Museum
- All bags or purses must be smaller than 14″x 12″. If your bag exceeds these dimensions, complimentary bag storage is available. (Medical bags exempt.)
- The location is really nice overlooking the water and is directly in front of a Metro People Mover station.
- Walking portions are outside, but they are covered by overhangs so you won’t get wet!
- A fantastic public park is right next door for when you have finished your visit.
- Look out for new exhibitions. Past ones have included a fabulous mirror maze!
- Pack a picnic: there is an onsite restaurant which can get busy at peak times, but there are plenty of spots to take a seat and enjoy your own lunch or a snack.
First seen on Flying With A Baby – Family Travel
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