Located in San Diego’s Balboa Park, the Fleet Science Center combines serious learning with hands-on fun. The center is part-museum and part-theater/planetarium, both of which offer immersive experiences tailored to explorers of every age. With a motto of “please touch,” the Fleet Science Center uses tactile techniques to help visitors better understand our world and how it works.
When the center’s Heikoff Giant Dome Theater opened in 1973, it was the first IMAX Dome (or OMNIMAX) in the world. Today, the theater—which still boasts the largest IMAX screen in San Diego—continues to transport viewers with films about nature, technology, and more. For a special experience, head to the Fleet Science Center on the first Wednesday of every month for The Sky Tonight show and listen to astronomers as they lead you through a journey to infinity and beyond.
The museum features a mix of roughly a dozen permanent and visiting exhibitions. The permanent areas include Design Zone, which explores what goes into creating a video game, a music track, or even a skate park, and Kid City, a play-place dedicated to children age 5 and under, complete with firetruck and ball wall. Each exhibit challenges children (and adults) to master difficult concepts like electricity and the power of air flow by balancing power grids and creating miniature tornados.
True to its mission to realize a San Diego where everyone is connected to the power of science, you'll find Fleet programs across San Diego County, bringing accessible STEM learning to people of all ages. Some cater to locals and even visitors, like the Fleet on the Go in libraries and Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar®, which are talks to in local bars.
While at the center, browse the North Star Science Store for quirky, science-themed souvenirs and books, while hungry future-astronauts can try the outer space ice-cream sandwiches. For a more down-to-earth option, the museum's attached café Craveology serves fresh options like five-grain salad, yogurt parfaits, and turkey lasagna. (Ed. note: North Star Science Store and Craveology are both temporarily closed for renovation.)