Los Angeles
Exposition Park
Exposition Park has fabulous museums, IMAX theater, and a lovely Rose Garden.
Tip: It's easy to get to Exposition Park by car (south of the 10 freeway, west of of the 110), but you can also ride the metro.Take the Expo Line, get off at the Expo Park/USC stop, it's a short walk to the museums.
California Science Center -
Space Shuttle Endeavour - One of our favorite exhibits is the space shuttle Endeavour, permanent home of a space shuttle that flew 25 missions, and frequently landed at Edwards Air Force base in California.
Start with an excellent introduction to the space shuttle program, with a full re-creation of mission control and real video from the flights. Hop on the simulator (fee), the quickest way into space and feels as if you're really there.
Then go downstairs to a separate pavillion to see the actual Endeavour space shuttle - it's big.
Tip: On weekends, holidays and in busy summer season, reservations for Endeavour are recommended.
In the Air and Space Exhibits, check out space capsules, scale models of telescopes and outer planet spacecraft, sample moon rock, and space suits.
Ecosystems - Each gallery has a different environments and live animals in the kelp forest, icy poles (touch a wall of ice), deserts, rocky shores (touch tank with sea stars, sea urchins), rot room with bugs and fungus, play with water in the river zone.
In World of Life travel through the Life Tunnel to find out what you have in common with an amoeba, and watch newborn chicks running around. On each floor, three different Discovery Rooms have activities designed for little kids.
Tip: California Science center is free.
Next to the Science Center, catch a movie at the IMAX Theater. Voyage into the natural wonders of sapce, oceans, mountains, and animal life on the super-size movie screen. Here's the schedule.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County -
Start with the Dinosaur Hall where kids can see an actual T-Rex skull and skeleton, triceratops, and other huge dinosaur fossils.
Nature Lab (downstairs) is a wonderful exploration of animals that live in the urban environment of Los Angeles - see orange California newts swimming around, live snakes, ants, and rats, and animal videos.
In the North American Mammal Halls, large dioramas show animals in their natural habitats (don't miss the Grizzly bear or bison grazing).
The Gem and Mineral Hall is chock full of colorful crystals and gold goodies.
Rose Garden - Bring a picnic lunch, and sit outside in the warm southern California sunshine. Benches, picnic tables and room to run around.
