Pop up tank in Aquariums of Atlantic exhibit

The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium provides curious minds of all ages with an entertaining and educational journey through the latest discoveries in science and technology. Named South Florida Parenting’s 2017 & 2018 Kids Crown Winner for Best Museum, SFSCA features more than 100 interactive exhibits, an immersive fresh and saltwater aquarium, full-dome planetarium, Florida conservation-themed miniature golf course, the world’s most advanced exhibit on the human brain and much more. Experience the latest upgrade – a quarter-mile long outdoor Science Trail with 15 new exhibits including a Physics Forest, FPL SolarScape, gem panning station, splash pad, and more! Now serving over 300,000 students and visitors annually, providing a mind-opening experience for all.

The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is a non-profit educational institution. Our mission is to open every mind to science.

Founded and incorporated in 1959 by the Junior League of the Palm Beaches, the South Florida Science Museum (SFSM) opened in 1961 as a learning environment specific to natural science and natural history. In 1964, a new wing housing the planetarium opened, originally dedicated by and named after astronaut Buzz Aldrin. In 1971, a third phase of the facility was unveiled, more than doubling the floor space of the Museum to its current size, and adding exhibit space, classrooms, an auditorium and organizational support areas. The institution eventually became known as the Science Museum and Planetarium of Palm Beach County and in the 1980s, was renamed the South Florida Science Museum, reflecting the organization’s increasingly broad subject matter, educational purpose and geographic appeal. In 2008, the planetarium and theater were completely renovated and renamed through the support of the Dekelboum Family Foundation. The rapid growth of the Science Museum is a testament to the significant role that it assumed and continues to fulfill, within the community, serving as an educational and cultural resource for visitors of all ages and backgrounds. Now, The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium (SFSCA), formerly the South Florida Science Museum, operates as a “best-in-class,” community-based science center providing visitors with engaging and interactive science education experiences. Since originally opening our doors, we have hosted over six million visitors and we are on track to serve 325,000 this year with 130,000 public and private school children from Palm Beach, Martin, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. In April 2012, with a successful $6 million capital campaign, we broke ground on an exciting expansion project that led the way towards the transformation of the South Florida Science Museum into the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium. With a grand re-opening on June 6th, 2013, guests now enjoy a 6,000 square foot building addition that houses the 3,000 square foot “Aquariums of the Atlantic” gallery and a 3,000 square foot Florida-themed permanent exhibit hall complete with a “River of Grass” Everglades exhibit, an interactive NOAA Science on a Sphere exhibit, and a Student Science Showcase area for winning science projects from the Palm Beach County School District. We also completed re-construction of our 5,000 square foot Hall of Discovery, containing 30 new and rehabilitated hands-on exhibits, an upgraded planetarium, a 1,000 square foot early childhood education room with water play, photo booth, seating area and a light/bright wall; an upgraded theater and upgraded amenities. In November 2016, we completed the one-of-a-kind Conservation Course, an 18-hole miniature putting green with a major conservation mission. Designed by local legends Gary Nicklaus and Jim Fazio, each hole on the course is named for an animal or plant native to our Everglades and includes a large butterfly haven and landscaping strategically designed to replicate the wetlands found in the grassy waters. The course is open for play during normal Science Center hours. Most recently in October of 2018, we completed the second half of our backyard, the quarter-mile-long Fisher Family Science Trail. The fully upgraded trail connects 15 new exhibits, including a Physics Forest, FPL SolarScape, interactive splash pad, gem panning station, dinosaur walk, and more! We are not stopping there. In 2019, guests can expect a beautiful, open-air amphitheater to complete the backyard featuring live science shows, music, and more. We also just completed a $2.5 million permanent indoor exhibit, in collaboration with FAU’s Brain Institute, Quantum Foundation, Palm Healthcare Foundation, Stiles-Nicholson Foundation, Max Planck, and Scripps. “Journey Through the Human Brain” takes a bottom-up approach to the anatomy and functions of the brain, featuring interactive stations and high-tech displays – recently dubbed the most advanced exhibit on the human brain in the world. The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach and is open Monday – Friday from 9am-5pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-6pm. For more information, call 561-832-1988. Like the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium on Facebook and follow us on Twitter & Instagram @SFScienceCenter.