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Great Lakes Science Center
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Cinema Arts & Entertainment Museums Hotels & Travel Tours Cinema, Museums, Tours [Edit]
601 Erieside AveCleveland, OH 44114
(216) 694-2000
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
18 reviews for Great Lakes Science Center
18 reviews in English
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Review from Katie D.
1/11/2012
I'm writing this because I cannot believe this place only has 3 stars right now. Granted, there is room for improvement to 5 stars, but a solid 4 it is! Getting youth interested in science is KEY to our success as a nation and young kids do love it here. There are a variety of exhibits from health to space, and the movies are always hits. The more we appreciate places like this, the more we will get! Take your kids, and interact with them at the exhibits, and talk about careers with them.
PS - They house a special science school here for Cleveland public youth and that is so cool! Plus, most of the employees are volunteers! -
Review from Bobby Y.
Cleveland, OH
12/16/2011 1 photo
Huge disappointment on a recent visit.
Many non-working hands on exhibits. Our children were very disappointed. A shame really.
I've heard of other people complaining about the non-working exhibits and getting their money back, I wish I had done the same.
The concepts are in the right place, but gee whiz the place is worthless if their stuff doesn't work.Listed in: Sh*t Holes
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Review from Mike B.
12/1/2011
It might be my Columbus pride, but this is NOT better than COSI in Columbus. There were a lot of broken exhibits, a rather lame feature (goosebumps, science of fear) exhibit, and steep prices on their theater features.
The two shining stars here are the NASA related exhibits, and the second floor array of exhibits (some of which mixed in as much math as science).
Beautiful location and building right on the lake, could use a bit more variety and live shows like COSI has. -
Review from Kelly M.
12/4/2011
A couple of years ago some family came into town to visit and my sister and I took my two younger cousins here (9 and 13). The 13 year old was apprehensive since science isn't cool at that age. Needless to say we were dragging her out of there. Tons of interactive stuff that makes science fun and interesting. It reminded me a lot of COSI in Columbus (is that place still open?). I haven't been down there since NASA moved in but I heard that it is pretty awesome. I wonder if 16 year old's think science is cool...
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Review from Shawday B.
San Francisco Bay, CA
5/1/2011
I hate to rate an educational place as lame...but it was! My husband is here on business with a group of people from his company (about 15 total) and we all decided to go downtown for the Westside Market, lunch, and a museum. We ended up here and were very unimpressed. Granted we didn't o to the IMAX movie or on the ship portion of the museum - and maybe those were the best parts - but none of plan to go back to find out.
We all did the general admission and the Mars portion of the museum and none of us were impressed. It's a very large building but there isnt really much to see at all. In fact, the entire group of people - about 15 were all he way through and ready to go in under and hour.
I am a fan of museums, particularly science museums, but this was the leas impressive one i have ever been to. Im sure kids enjoy it more than adults, but for me that isnt saying much because I more often than not enjoy museums and expected much more. -
Review from Annalise P.
Austin, TX
6/9/2011
I really wish this place was more fun for adults as it really is dreadful to give two stars to a science museum. It's unfortunately not much of a science museum and for adults it gets boring quickly. They do occasionally put on a great exhibit like the Body Worlds, but I think this place requires some serious revision before I'd consider going back.
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Review from Dick S.
7/14/2011
I love museums. I worked at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and at Turkey Run Farm Museum in McLean, Virginia. I have been to the British Museum and the museums of the Smithsonian. I am a frequent visitor to the museums of Cleveland.
The Great Lakes Science Center is in one word BORING--at least for adults. Many of the exhibits are things easily found at educational stores such as glass balls with electrical arcs that follow your finger. This should be called the Great Waste of Lake Front Museum. In typical fashion, Cleveland politicians used downtown lake front for a stadium and two museums that should very well be located on less desirable property. Every city on the water builds complexes offering shopping, dining, and entertainment exploiting the waterfront except Cleveland. We have a stadium sitting vacant most of the year, the Rock and Roll Museum with exhibits underground or facing the city, and most meager is Great Lakes Science with an IMAX showing films better suited for Discovery Channel. If you are highly amused watching people stand on a platform that makes their hair rival Marge Simpson's, you will like Great Lakes Science Center.
One more example of Cleveland making sure anything of value is abused to bring further disrepute. -
Review from lilly k.
Parkersburg, WV
9/21/2011
much more interactive then cosi was. had awesome stuff going on like they had this Tesla coil and other electric experiments going on and it was super fun!
This other guy in a lab was doing various experiments with dry ice and he even abused marshmallow peeps because he hated them! it was awesome when he put them on dry ice and they froze and he busted them up with a sledgehammer and the pieces flew everywhere!!! AWESOME SAUCE!!!!
the place was packed with interactive exhibits and stuff and was less sterile looking than cosi. I would love to go back!
oh and when we went it was totally free on MLK day! so that made it even better!
visit date:MLK.2004 -
Review from Stefanie C.
Euclid, OH
4/12/2010
I appreciate the Science Center being here. I really do.
However, it could be and should be so much more. Everything is broken, run down, and just plain boring. I think that maybe, just MAYBE, they should have commisioned actual scientists when designing/setting up this place. There is a dire need for updating and tweaking -- I'm sorry to say that it is a sad excuse for a "science" center.
The IMAX is pretty cool though.Listed in: Eeks! + Mehs., Where All The Lights Are…
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Review from Tate D.
Cuyahoga, OH
12/23/2010 3 Check-ins Here
THis is a great place to take kids. I actually go here quite often. It deserves 3-3.5 stars but I give 4 because somehow find it worth visiting on any given Saturday.
Pros: interesting activities in a spacious, beautiful building. The wind turbine and solar panels are symbolic of a nice green use of energy and are showcased well.
Open and unstructured atmosphere allows for parental interaction with kids. An iMax theater - although I have never been in it.
The location is nice- right on the lake and right near downtown and the Rock Hall.
Cons:
Some of the activities are goofy and / or not taken care of. I think they need some upgrades.
They have employees that seem to know rules like "no kids over 7 can play in this area" so they will not let cousins from out of town participate with their family (yes this happened to us) but then they don't monitor kids that appear out of control and interfering with the good fun that many other kids are having. Of course one could argue that parents should be watching and I agree -but it just seems goofy to enforce rules arbitrarily.
Overall, I think this is a place worth visiting. But once you've been there a few times, it gets kind of old. THis is probably common among Science centers - yes they do have special exhibits all the time to freshen things up but i usually don't partake because the extra cost isn't worth it since my kids generally have fun regardless. Myself on the other hand could probably sleep through it ;) -
Review from Matt O.
Wadsworth, OH
7/22/2011
This museum, like many other area attractions are becoming, is a rip-off. $31.00 for a family of three to only see what I'm guessing is one-third of the museum. If we wanted to see everything, it would've been about $100! After about an hour and a half, we had seen and done everything our general admission would allow. Good thing we didn't stay long enough to get hungry, I caught a glimpse of the outrageous food prices also.
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Review from Nicole M.
1/4/2009
One of the many things I love about being a parent is being able to do completely silly, childish things under the auspices of parenthood. Then I can safely say "No I didn't want to build a robot, make a waterspout, generate electricity, experiment with random motion, test my balance and reaction times, make music using vacuum force OR go see a cool movie about dolphins at the IMAX... I did it all for my daughter!"
Such a saint I am.
Seriously, this is a cool, fun place to spend a grey Cleveland winter's Staurday-- or frankly any other day. Tons of hands on exhibits. Very cool offerings at IMAX. If anyone asks, just point to some random kid and look saintly.Listed in: Bebe OK
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Review from Claire Z.
Saint Louis, MO
6/11/2010
I love this city museum for being a science museum. On a great Saturday, kids shouldn't be inside playing video games, they should be outside or HERE, where they can have fun and learn something.
However, this city lacks a lot of things other museums have. It's old and doesn't have anything that makes it uniquely Clevland. It's great to go once, but don't fool yourself into thinking this is the best science center. -
Review from Amy B.
9/30/2007 2 photos
I didn't have time to go into the Science Center - but I wish that I had! It looked REALLY cool. Great big wind turbine outside, an IMAX, and lots of hands on exhibits make it cool!
Looks like a great place to take kids. Great location - between the Brown's Stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - on the shores of Lake Erie. Very walkable and nice area. -
Review from John K.
Kent, OH
12/5/2010 1 photo
I love science museums and this one doesn't disappoint. Always good and relevant exhibits and the omnimax theater is a must. The Hubble movie there was amazing even though they didn't offer it in 3D like some other theaters. Very kid-oriented exhibits but science is always fun for all ages.
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Review from Leslie A.
Madison, WI
4/11/2010
First off, I have only been there for Yuri's night, which is pretty fun. 10$ for entrance, two omnimax shows, and all the exhibits. Not bad.
The exhibits were pretty cool, but I felt they were not ample enough. There are only two real floors of exhibits, and I found myself bored after an hour or so. Perhaps this is because of other, larger science centers i have visited, or perhaps my attention span is simply too short.
Regardless, it was fun, but if i had paid the usual entry fee, I would have been less pleased. -
Review from Andrea W.
Atlanta, GA
1/15/2009
This Science Center is the best thing in the world! Let me just say I used to hate science, but found this center to be very intriguing. Had my teachers taught me science in such a hands on method as this center does, who knows what I could have become. From the static box that shows how static is created (stand in the glass box and watch your hair stand on end, less you have a weave!), learn about the various senses on your tongue, learn how light travels, polymers, the stars and galaxies afar, how the body works, an Omnimax Theatre, and much, much more but all while really learning/retaining it, and its all hands on!
This place was everything but boring and I think anyone who likes to learn will learn plenty at this Center and have a wonderful time doing it. I am so glad this Center came to Cleveland. The best part is for less than $20, you can get a lesson well learned on science and all its various areas of science. I paid $300 a credit hour to learn nothing in college about Biology! This center is excellent for children and less that $10 for those ages 2-17.
Located conveniently between the Rock & Roll Bore of Fame and Browns Looser Stadium, this Science Center is truly a stand alone winner! -
Review from Patrick B.
Hudson, OH
2/10/2008
The Great Lakes Science Center is a great hands on museum located on Cleveland's lakefront. It's wedged between the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Browns Stadium. It is three stories and has a ton of permanent exhibits. There's an IMAX theater here that always has some interesting movies. It's the only IMAX theater in NE Ohio. There is a wind turbine and several solar panels just outside the museum. There is also a walkway along the lake just outside of here. The exhibits here range from the Great Lakes to Biotech to physics, with many things in between. There are plenty of temporary exhibitions that go through here as well, so I recommend visiting the website before you come here to see what temporary exhibit is on display during your visit. There is a parking garage that is not very expensive. It really pays off because it's hard to walk here from surrounding parking lots. One last thing to keep in mind before coming here, it is very kid friendly and it shows in some of the exhibits. Overall, if you're looking for something interesting to do, especially on a day where you don't want to spend time outside, visit the Great Lakes Science Center and expand your mind.
