The Frost Science Museum is Miami’s most-visited family attraction, and once you are inside it is easy to see why. The 250,000-square-foot bayfront complex packs a 500,000-gallon Gulf Stream aquarium, a high-resolution planetarium, a walk-in hurricane simulator, and dozens of hands-on exhibits into one building. Officially the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, it opened in 2017 next door to the Pérez Art Museum and remains the only place in the city to combine a planetarium, an aquarium, and a science museum under a single roof. This guide walks through tickets, hours, the standout exhibits, and how to plan a half- or full-day visit.
Planning Your Visit at a Glance
The museum sits at 1101 Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami and is open daily, generally from 10am to 6pm, though hours shift seasonally, so it is worth confirming on the official site before you go. Standard admission runs $29.95 for adults and $24.95 for youth ages 4 to 11, with children three and under free; that ticket covers the exhibitions, the aquarium, and one planetarium show. Most visitors spend two and a half to four hours here, and it is an easy win for families, curious kids, and anyone looking for a great rainy-day option. If you only remember four things to seek out, make them the Gulf Stream aquarium, a planetarium show, the hurricane simulator, and the open-air rooftop terrace. It also slots neatly into a broader cultural day out, which our Miami arts and culture guide maps in full.
The Gulf Stream Aquarium
The aquarium is the heart of the museum, and it is built to be experienced from the top down. You start at the open-roofed Vista level, where a wedge-shaped tank sits exposed to the sky and the local birds, home to tarpon, mahi-mahi, and jacks. The middle Dive level brings you eye-to-eye with hammerhead sharks through interactive viewing windows. At the bottom, the Deep level puts you beneath a 31-foot oculus, looking up through 500,000 gallons of water for an ocean-floor perspective. Don’t skip the touch tank, where kids can meet stingrays and hermit crabs up close. Time your visit around the feedings, which usually happen near 11am and 3pm and draw the biggest, most animated crowds.
The Frost Planetarium
The 250-seat Frost Planetarium is a genuine showpiece, with 8K projection that ranks among the highest-resolution domes in the United States. Shows run about 30 minutes and rotate through the calendar; recent programs have included the Liam Neeson-narrated Dynamic Earth, Black Holes, From Earth to the Universe, and Worlds Beyond Earth. One show is included with standard admission, and extra screenings cost roughly $5 to $8. Because popular times fill up, head to the visitor center as soon as you arrive and lock in your show time before you start exploring.
Hands-On Exhibits
Beyond the headline attractions, the permanent galleries are where curious kids lose track of time. MeLab digs into the human body with personalized, interactive stations, while the Power of Science gallery turns physics and chemistry into something you can touch. Fueling the Future tackles renewable energy and climate, and the River of Grass exhibit brings the Everglades and Florida’s ecosystems indoors. Aviation and aerospace fans gravitate to Feathers to the Stars, and the Knight Learning Center and Frost Engineer Studio round things out with hands-on lab and STEM activities aimed squarely at younger visitors. Families building a whole trip around stops like this will find more ideas in our Miami family vacation guide.
The Hurricane Simulator
Few exhibits get the line that the hurricane simulator does. Step into the sealed booth and it ramps up to 100 mph winds, giving you a safe, very memorable taste of what South Florida’s storms can throw around. It is free with admission, so the only cost is patience: expect a wait on busy weekends.
Rotating Special Exhibitions
On top of the permanent galleries, the museum hosts large traveling exhibitions that change throughout the year, and some carry a $5 to $10 add-on. Past blockbusters have ranged from Leonardo da Vinci’s machines to “Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures” and immersive VR experiences, which gives you a sense of the scale. Because the lineup turns over, check frostscience.org for whatever is on during your trip. When the weather turns, a special exhibition makes the museum one of the better rainy-day activities in Miami.
Tickets and Combo Passes
Standard tickets are $29.95 for adults, $24.95 for youth 4 to 11, and free for children under four. Buying online in advance through frostscience.org typically shaves off about 10 percent, and a combo ticket with the neighboring Pérez Art Museum saves a few dollars more if you plan to do both. Frequent visitors should weigh a membership, around $145 a year for an individual and $250 for a family, which pays for itself in roughly four visits. The museum also runs periodic free-admission Saturdays, and offers discounts for active military, veterans, and first responders, plus a senior discount for guests 62 and up. It is always worth checking the current schedule before you buy.
Eating at the Museum
The on-site Frost Café handles casual lunches with sandwiches, salads, and snacks. For something better, Verde at PAMM next door serves modern Mediterranean plates with bay views at slightly higher prices. Bayside Marketplace is a five-minute walk away for food-court variety, and if you would rather pack your own, the shaded picnic areas at nearby Bayfront Park are a pleasant option.
Tips for Visiting
A few habits make for a smoother visit. Reserve your planetarium time the moment you walk in, and build the rest of your day around the roughly 11am and 3pm aquarium feedings. Arriving at the 10am open means the smallest crowds, and a weekday generally beats a weekend, with the caveat that school field-trip groups dominate Tuesday-through-Thursday mornings. Bring a reusable water bottle to use the filling stations. The building is fully wheelchair accessible across all floors and stroller-friendly, with rentals at the front desk, and photography is welcome everywhere except for flash inside the planetarium. It is also a stop worth slotting into a wider look at the city’s best institutions in our best museums in Miami guide.
How to Get There
Getting to the museum is straightforward from almost anywhere in the city. From South Beach it is about 15 minutes and roughly $20 by Uber or Lyft. From Brickell you are five minutes away by car, or you can ride the free Metromover and step off at Museum Park Station, which drops you at the front door. Miami International Airport is about 20 minutes out by rideshare, and Brightline passengers can walk over from MiamiCentral Station in around 15 minutes. If you drive, on-site garage parking runs about $10, with the Bayside Marketplace garage as a nearby backup.
A Sample Half-Day Visit
If you have half a day, this rhythm works well. Arrive at the 10am opening and reserve your planetarium show first. Spend the next 45 minutes on the ground-floor hands-on exhibits, then head to the aquarium around 11am to catch the shark feeding. Break for lunch at the Frost Café or Verde around noon, settle in for your planetarium show at 1pm, and hit the hurricane simulator right after. Use the early afternoon for the second-floor permanent exhibits, and by around 3:30pm you will have seen the highlights, with the option to wander next door to PAMM if you still have energy.
Combine It With PAMM
Because the Frost Science Museum sits in the same park as the Pérez Art Museum Miami, the two pair naturally, and combo passes trim the total cost. Allow four to five hours if you want to do both without rushing. Our PAMM guide covers what to expect across the lawn.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Frost Science Museum cost?
Standard admission is $29.95 for adults, $24.95 for youth ages 4 to 11, and free for children three and under. Buying online in advance usually saves about 10 percent, and a combo with PAMM saves a little more.
How long does a visit take?
Plan on two and a half to four hours, including a 30-minute planetarium show. Families with young kids who want to do everything should budget toward the higher end.
Is it good for kids?
Very much so; it is the city’s top family attraction. Children three and up tend to love the touch tank, the hurricane simulator, and the planetarium especially.
When is the best time to visit?
Arrive at the 10am opening for the thinnest crowds. Tuesday-through-Thursday mornings draw school field trips, and Saturday afternoons are the busiest stretch of the week.
Are planetarium shows included?
Yes, one show comes with standard admission. Additional screenings run about $5 to $8 each, and popular times fill up, so reserve on arrival.
Can I bring my own food?
Outside food and drink are not allowed inside the exhibits. The Frost Café covers lunch on site, and Bayfront Park’s picnic areas are a short walk away.
Is parking available?
Yes. The on-site Museum Park Garage runs about $10, with the Bayside Marketplace garage nearby as an alternative.
For current hours, show schedules, and ticketing, see the official Frost Science website.