The Children's Science Explorium
Inside the Community Center, the Children's Science Explorium is a free, hands-on science museum built for kids ages 5 to 12 and the grown-ups who bring them. Its own exhibits are designed in-house, and traveling exhibits rotate through each fall and spring.
What's here
- Hands-on science exhibits, most of them designed and built by the Explorium's staff.
- A traveling exhibit each fall and spring; fall 2026 is Life on the Edge, through January 3.
- Free weekend science demonstrations for ages 7 and up.
- Eyes to the Skies, free telescope nights in the parking lot.
- Field trips and school programs for kindergarten to grade 5.
- Camps and days-off programs.
Good to know
Admission is free; the Explorium suggests a $5 donation per person. Some workshops charge a materials fee or need advance registration, which the City says can't be completed on a phone; use a computer or tablet. Call 561-347-3912 with questions.
Seasons & hours
As posted by the City of Boca Raton in October 2026.
Hours and what's on
| Monday – Friday | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Saturday, Sunday & holidays | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| Closed | Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day |
| Traveling exhibit | Life on the Edge, Sept. 26, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027 |
| Eyes to the Skies | Nov. 16 and Dec. 14, 2026; Jan. 11, 2027 (evenings, weather permitting) |
Tickets & tips
- Free admission.
- $5 suggested donation.
- Best for ages 5 to 12.
- Phone: 561-347-3912.
Exhibits and event dates change; check myboca.us before you go.
What's inside
The Explorium describes its mission simply: teaching children about the world of science, "from rockets to molecules." Its permanent exhibits are hands-on and mostly designed in-house, so they change over time; regular visitors say something new appears every few months. It's a manageable size, which makes it a good first museum for young kids, and an hour is usually enough.
Each fall and spring a traveling exhibit moves in for about four months. The fall 2026 exhibit, Life on the Edge, runs from September 26 to January 3 and asks how scientists decide what counts as life when they search for it elsewhere, with a microbial colony, Mars missions, rover tests in Chile's Atacama Desert and spectroscopy.
Demos and programs
On weekends Explorium staff run free 30-minute science demonstrations for ages 7 and up. During the week the Explorium hosts school field trips with programs for kindergarten through fifth grade in biology, chemistry, earth and space science and physics, plus camps on school days off and in summer. Program schedules and registration are on the City's site.
Eyes to the Skies
About once a month, the Explorium sets up telescopes in the Camino parking lot behind the building for Eyes to the Skies, a free night of stargazing for ages 8 and up. Local listings mention a 16-inch Meade and an 8-inch Celestron telescope, plus stargazing apps. The next dates are November 16 and December 14, 2026, and January 11, 2027; start times vary between 7 and 8 p.m. and the event depends on the weather, so check the City's calendar that day.
Pairing it with the park
The Explorium opens at 9 a.m. on weekdays, before the carousel, so it's a good first stop on a hot day; the Science Playground is right outside when the kids need to run. The Explorium is free, but the suggested donation helps pay for new exhibits.
See the rest of the park
Explorium is one of 7 featured areas at Sugar Sand Park.