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Best Science Museums for Kids in Nassau County  

1. Center for Science Teaching and Learning — Rockville Centre

This science museum, located on the 17-acre Tanglewood Preserve, offers instructional nature-focused programs and clinics for kids. The Sunday Science monthly drop-off series features year-round programs in ecology, geology, zoology, and more. Kids will love a trip to the dinosaur exhibit with the family to see robotic and skeletal life-size dinosaurs. 
Best For: Dino-loving kids to learn about prehistoric and modern animals. 
Special Features: The Discovery Summer Camp program offers full-day, interactive learning, fun, and experiments for budding scientists. 
Age Range: Classes and camp are offered for ages 5-12. 
Tips for Planning Your Visit: Admission to the dinosaur exhibit is $12 for kids and $15 for adults. The exhibit is available daily 10 AM to 4 PM, except Wednesdays. 
Where to Eat: The museum does not have a cafeteria but sells some snacks and offers a classroom space to eat if you pack a lunch.

2. Cradle of Aviation Museum — Garden City

Kids can explore and pretend to take flight at the Cradle of Aviation, which celebrates Long Island’s aviation history. Exhibits feature airplanes and space vehicles, a hot air balloon, and even an Apollo lunar module. Hands-on exhibits include actual cockpits to explore and the Junior Jet Club, a soft play area designed for kids ages 2-6. The planetarium includes an immersive theater experience. Themed events are held throughout the year and birthday party packages are available.
Best For: Aspiring young pilots and kids interested in aircraft and space.
Special Features: The museum offers a lot of interactive opportunities on air crafts and the Planetarium offers an amazing, full-dome experience. 
Age Range: Offers fun and learning for toddlers to teens.
Tips for Planning Your Visit: Cradle of Aviation is located on Museum Row in Garden City. The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 5pm, with free parking available. The planetarium has a separate cost or you can buy a combo ticket to both the museum and planetarium show.
Where to Eat: There is a Mars-themed cafe where you can purchase healthy and kid-friendly lunch options. You are also able to bring a lunch and eat that in the cafeteria space as well. 

3. Garvies Point Museum and Preserve — Glen Cove

This nature center on Nassau's North Shore is a great place for kids to learn about Long Island's geology and archeology. The center especially highlights Long Island's Native American roots through impressive dioramas. Older kids can learn about glacial history and see dramatic displays of changes in its climate and sea levels. 
Best For: Kids that love exploring nature, hiking, and the outdoors. 
Special Features: The preserve hosts a summer camp with hiking, crafts, scavenger hunts, hands-on exploration and more. 
Age Range: Most activities are good for ages 5-12. Note that some classes, like the summer camp skills and survival 101 class, are for ages 7 & up. 
Tips for Planning Your Visit: Free parking is available at the preserve. Bonus: one of our favorite playgrounds, Garvies Point Playground, is just a 5-minute drive away. 
Where to Eat: A picnic area near the museum is a great place to enjoy a fun outdoor lunch.

4. Hicksville Gregory Museum— Hicksville

This museum, founded more than 50 years ago by Dr. Gardiner Gregory and his wife, Anne, was originally set in their Hicksville home. The museum has since moved to its current location, the Heitz Place Courthouse. The museum’s focus is on earth science, with exhibits that include fossil collections, seashells, fluorescent stones, and more.
Best For: Great for kids looking to learn more in-depth about rocks and earth science.  
Special Features: Look out for themed and seasonal events throughout the year offered by the museum. 
Age Range: Tours and children's programs are best-suited for kids ages 5 and up.  
Tips for Planning Your Visit: Open Tuesday-Sunday during specific hours, so check ahead of a visit. The museum is free to Hicksville residents.
Where to Eat: You can pack lunch to bring and enjoy at a nearby park or head to town for a snack after your museum visit. 

5. Long Island Children’s Museum — Garden City

The Long Island Children's Museum is packed with interactive exhibits, programs, and play spaces for kids to learn and explore. The popular "Bubbles" exhibit teaches all about the interaction of light and molecular structures. Another museum highlight is the TV station exhibit, where kids can pretend to be a news anchor or meteorologist. The museum also features exciting rotating exhibits throughout the year, so check ahead on the official website. Birthday party packages, STEM programs, and live performances are also available. 
Best For: This museum has something for everyone, with a fantastic variety of exhibits from climbing structures to art to learning all about animals. 
Special Features: TotSpot is a great play space for toddlers. In the summer months, the museum has an awesome "backyard" exhibit outdoors with water play! 
Age Range: Best for toddlers to young tweens to explore.
Tips for Planning Your Visit: Parking is free in the lot adjacent to the museum, but weekends can get crowded, so if you have a little one, a weekday visit is a great option. 
Where to Eat: The museum has a cafeteria space with vending machine snacks and drinks to purchase on site, but feel free to pack lunch and bring it along as well. 

6. Science Museum of Long Island — Manhasset

This learning center located on the Leeds Pond Preserve introduces kids to STEM subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics through hands-on experimentation. On offer are after-school programs, family classes, and summer camp options. Separate classes are offered for kids in grades K-3 and those in grades 3-7. Kids can also participate in holiday-season workshops. Birthday party packages are available.
Best For: Unique classes and family programs, like the Nocturnal Critters workshop and a hands-on program all about how syrup is made.
Age Range: Kids 3 & up, but age requirements vary depending on if the class is with caregivers or independent. 
Tips for Planning Your Visit: Note that the Leeds Pond Preserve is open to the public, but the museum does not have public exhibits to visit, so you must be registered for a program. 
Where to Eat: Families can grab a bite to eat at the Buttercookey Bakery & Cafe or nearby pizza place on Plandome Road.

7. Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center — Wantagh

This nature center is free year-round for kids to learn and explore. The learning center is located right on the Jones Beach coastline. It features hands-on exhibits like a sand station, puzzle area, and a discovery table. Classes are offered for toddlers and kids ages 3 to 6. Family programs include marine-focused crafts and science classes. 
Best For: Animal-loving kids interested in marine life and learning all about the beaches on Long Island. 
Special Features: Offers an incredible touch tank where kids can pick up little sea creatures! Check ahead for touch tank hours. 
Age Range: Best for kids ages 3 and up
Tips for Planning Your Visit: There is a parking lot, but in the summer months there is a charge. 
Where to Eat: Pack a lunch and take a walk down to the beach for a picnic. 

Best Science Museums for Kids in Suffolk County  

8. Long Island Explorium — Port Jefferson

The hand-on exhibits in this explorium teach kids all about the land and sea. Kids can manipulate gears, experiment with measurements at the boat play station, and learn Morse code at the signal center. There is even a sensory garden that teaches all about flower aromas. This science museum offers a preschool exploration program with a focus on STEAM activities for little ones. Also on offer is an innovative STEM camp option on school breaks. 
Best For: Kids who love to explore how things work and the science behind it. 
Special Features: The Girls do Steam program is designed for elementary-school aged girls. Discovery Days are offered on school holidays and the First Mondays program is for homeschooling families.
Age Range: From toddlers to teens, depending on the program. 
Tips for Planning Your Visit: The Long Island Explorium is open weekends from 1pm to 5pm for the public to visit the exhibits. Admission for kids is $6 and adults are $8. 
Where to Eat: Port Jefferson is a great destination for kids restaurant options, a visit to the Rocketship Playground, and other fun activities for the whole family. 

9. Long Island Science Center — Tanger Outlet Center, Riverhead

This Suffolk County science center pop-up space is located in Riverhead at the Tanger Outlets. Kids can take a break from shopping and enjoy a fully immersive STEM and STEAM experience that features experiments, virtual-reality exhibits, magnet displays, maker spaces, 3D art, and more. Science Saturday Workshops offer kids different themed programs each week for an additional $5 with the museum admission price.   
Best For: Young scientists will love the programs where you can learn to make ice cream or create galactic slime. 
Special Features: The museum has a special focus on educating about opportunities for girls in STEM fields. 
Age Range: Best for 4 to 12 years old depending on the programs.
Tips for Planning Your Visit: The science museum is open 7 days a week from 11am to 5pm. Parking is available and free in the shopping center. 
Where to Eat: Tanger Outlet Center has a food court with fast food options for lunch or a snack break. 

10. Children's Museum of the East End — Bridgehampton

This museum in the Hamptons offers kids an opportunity to learn, explore, and role play with 14 interactive exhibits. Little ones learn all about wind power, what grows on farms and how to run a farm stand, how to use math and physics during a game of mini-golf, and more. They offer building classes for little tots and a Lego program for drop-off age. Birthday parties and a summer kids club are also available. 
Best For: Young kids beginning to be interested in interactive museum exhibits and hands-on learning. 
Special Features: The outdoor mini-golf course is a lot of fun for the whole family. The stART program teaches little budding artists all about using their senses while creating little memorable masterpieces. Sensory Saturdays are offered on the second Saturday of the month. This free program is designed with neuro-divergent guests in mind. 
Age Range: Best suited for younger kids from babies to 7 years old. 
Tips for Planning Your Visit: CMEE is open daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm, except Thursdays. Weekends can get crowded so a visit during the week can be easier with little ones. 
Where to Eat: The museum does not have a cafeteria, but you can pack snacks or lunch to enjoy outside or visit one of the kid-friendly restaurants in the Bridgehampton town. 

11. The Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium — Centerport

A visit to the Vanderbilt Mansion features touring the Habitat and Stoll Wing filled with animal dioramas, seeing artifacts in the galleries, seeing The Hall of Fishes marine museum, and awesome Planetarium exhibits. Admission to the museum also allows you the ability to explore the beautiful grounds and gardens. The museum runs various programs throughout the year for kids of all ages. 
Best For: Kids who love to enjoy learning about science and history.
Special Features: Guided mansion tours are available for an additional price at admission. These tours are recommended for kids age 8 & up. 
Age Range: Museum programs range in age from Pre-K to 12th grade. 
Tips for Planning Your Visit: Days and hours vary depending on the season, so check ahead before your visit. 
Where to Eat: There is a cafe located in the lobby of the Planetarium that has sandwiches, baked goods, snacks, and ice cream for purchase. 

12. Quogue Wildlife Refuge - Quogue 

This beautiful wildlife refuge teaches kids all about zoology and nature. The refuge has 7 miles of trails to explore, plus an outdoor area housing permanently injured wildlife that have been rescued. Kids can see and learn about animals like owls, foxes, hawks, and more. Inside the nature center, kids will find even more wildlife exhibits to explore. A butterfly garden and greenhouse with four tortoises to visit is another highlight for the kids. 
Best For: Animal-loving kiddos who also love being outdoors and learning about habitats and conservation.  
Special Features: The refuge runs a wildlife camp over spring break and in the summer for kids in grades K-4. Check the website for registration information and cost. 
Age Range: Toddlers to teens can enjoy various aspects of this nature center and its programs.  
Tips for Planning Your Visit: The trails and outdoor wildlife complex are open daily, while the indoor nature center is open to the public Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11am to 4pm. Free parking is available across the road and admission is free, but donations are always welcome. 
Where to Eat: Picnics are not permitted on the preserve, but a quick drive to nearby Westhampton Beach Village offers kid-friendly meal options. 

This piece was originally published in 2018. Writer Lisa Mancuso contributed reporting.