Engage Your Kids’ Sense of Wonder at 5 Ohio Science Centers

From getting lost in the enormity of space to being wind-whipped by a simulated hurricane, the wealth of immersive exhibits and activities at the science centers across our state aim to instill a sense of curiosity in the youngest learners in our lives. Each of these destinations offers insightful, hands-on exhibits that help kids uncover the mysteries of the world and the adventures waiting to be discovered in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland
Rising along the Lake Erie shore, the Great Lakes Science Center looks like something out of a sci-fi novel with its domed theater, solar panels and 150-foot-tall windmill standing out front. Inside, kids 7 and younger can head to the Polymer Funhouse to dive into the ball pond, climb into a lighthouse to play with lenses and mess around with the gear wall. Cleveland Creates celebrates the city’s contributions to science. The NASA Glenn Visitor Center is also located on-site, allowing kids to embrace their astronaut dreams and get a close-up look at an Apollo Command Module. 601 Erieside Ave., Cleveland 44114, 216/694-2000, greatscience.com

COSI, Columbus
Columbus’ Center of Science and Industry, more commonly known as COSI, is made for the curious, from fun hands-on exhibits that teach scientific principles to huge exhibitions that offer fascinating and immersive perspectives on our planet and the life that thrives here. Ocean teaches about the power of water, while Progress’ two streets offer a timeline that evolves from 1898 to 1962. The planetarium takes audiences to the far reaches of our universe, and the one-of-a-kind Dinosaur Gallery (a partnership between COSI and  New York’s American Museum of  Natural History) offers a unique look at these creatures. 333 W. Broad St., Columbus 43215, 614/228-2674, cosi.org 

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Dayton
Visit ancient Egypt or spy distant constellations. Learn about unusual animals or watch a paleontologist work in a lab. The two-level, approximately 100,000-square-foot Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton is packed with scientific wonder. Visitors can embark on a trip into the past in the Bieser Room of Wonders, a fascinating space filled with fossils and preserved animal specimens that offers a nod to the institution’s Victorian-era 1893 founding. Other favorites include the Hall of the Universe and the Discovery Zoo, which showcases animals such as armadillos, sloths and more. 2600 DeWeese Pkwy., Dayton 45414, 937/275-7431, boonshoft.org

Oh Wow! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology, Youngstown 
Across 13 topic areas — known as Wow Zones — kids can engage with 65 interactive exhibits at Oh Wow! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology in downtown Youngstown. Kids can assemble a gear train at the Engineering Zone, while the Earth and Weather Zone offers the chance to get (safely) swept up in a simulated hurricane and play as a TV meteorologist. The River of Knowledge Zone teaches youngsters about erosion, while the Avionics Zone offers kids the chance to climb into the cockpit of a biplane. 15 Central Sq., Youngstown 44503, 330/744-5914, ohwowkids.org 

Imagination Station, Toledo
It doesn’t take long to spark fascination at Toledo’s Imagination Station. Just look up. Hovering 20 feet in the air, Imagination Station’s High Wire Cycle runs across a 1-inch cable and teaches a memorable lesson about counterweights. Located downtown along the Maumee River, Imagination Station offers an Idea Lab for tinkerers, while the Mind Zone challenges the brain. The 80,000-square-foot center provides little ones the chance to climb a tree at Little Kidspace, while kids who are a bit older can create whirlpools, forecast weather and sail model boats at the Water Works exhibit. 1 Discovery Way, Toledo 43604, 419/244-2674, imaginationstationtoledo.org 

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