Relocated in 2013 to hip concrete-and-glass digs on Pier 15, the “world’s greatest science museum”—according to Scientific American magazine—is cooler than ever, though it’s also annoyingly crowded. This hands-on museum is all about demonstrating scientific concepts in such a sneaky way that kids think they’re just playing. They learn about the properties of motion by swinging a pendulum through sand or watch a chicken’s heart beating through a microscope focused on an egg yolk. (Warning: That exhibit may put them off scrambled eggs.) With myriad rooms loaded with things to play with, you can spend an entire afternoon here—and may want to plan on it, since you’ll likely need to wait your turn to play with bubbles or discover how sound travels.
If anyone needs to refuel, there’s the Seismic Joint Café for grab-and-go fare or the Seaglass Restaurant if you’re in the mood to sit down and enjoy a meal. Also, if you’re looking for something unique to do at night, there’s an adults-only event every Thursday evening. My favorite is Pairings nights (every second Thursday of the month), when the focus is all about science and food.