Looking for a place where the kids can press buttons that aren’t yours? Look no further than Jacksonville’s Museum of Science & History located downtown. Locally known as MOSH, the museum offers interactive exhibits, educational experiences, and a history of Jacksonville that is truly suitable for all ages.
MOSH has a Wide Variety of Exhibits
The core exhibits at MOSH give you the chance to explore space and time with interactive opportunities. These include the space science gallery where you can touch a real moon rock and learn about the cosmos above. See a showcase focused on health and wellness where you can learn about your body’s systems and living healthy lifestyles. You can also engage in an electrifying exhibit educating visitors on energy sources. As you’re making your way through the museum, the dinosaur lovers won’t be able to miss the large-scale replicas.
One of our favorite MOSH features is a science theater that also moonlights as a planetarium. Here you can immerse yourself in the stars and skies from the comfort of your seat. The Bryan-Gooding Planetarium features regular cosmic concerts for those comfortable with lasers and sounds for a sensory stimulating musical experience. Check out the events calendar for more happenings in the planetarium and beyond.
We Love the Interactive Areas of MOSH
MOSH also has some great interactive areas! There are two indoor interactive sections with live animals featuring a touch tank with the coastal creatures of Northeast Florida. In the naturalist exhibit, the curious can check out land explorers including opossums, owls, and more. In the outdoor courtyard you can explore animals and plants native to the First Coast. Keep the local learning coming as you walk through the history of Northeast Florida exhibit. From the settling of Florida’s first Native Americans through modern-day, the history lovers will be sure to learn something new.
For those with young ones, located next to the entrance of the museum is Kidsapce. This is a toddler zone where young ones can explore a play tree house, and the Creation Station for the budding creatives for DIY learning. MOSH even offers Little Learners, an early childhood program promoting STEAM concepts, skills and development.
Be Sure to Check Out the Latest Traveling Exhibits
While packed with above core and signature exhibits, there are traveling exhibits that change every few months. So you’ll get something new to see throughout the year. Currently featured is the Animation Academy giving you a glimpse of how everyone’s favorite cartoons come to “life.” The nostalgia will be strong as you engage with your favorite Saturday morning magic-makers, from Looney Tunes to Spongebob. Coming in the spring is Expedition: Dinosaur, Rise of the Mammals®, a showcase of the lifelike creatures through the Cretaceous period.
As you plan your journey, it’s recommended to reserve about 1.5-2 hours to explore the museum. The time spent through each exhibit is age-dependent. Where little ones may breeze through some of the exhibits, those eager to learn may spend more time, especially through the feature exhibits. With bathrooms located on every floor, making a pit stop is easy peasy. Heads up: the museum is closed on Tuesdays so plan for any other day of the week. Children under 2 are free and if you plan on visiting the museum more than 4 times in a year, consider a membership. There are various levels of memberships depending on the size of your family that includes several additional benefits such as 10% off at the museum store, discounts on programs, and more. Memberships make also make a great gift! You can also plan to visit during Kids Free November and save a few bucks.
MOSH Offers Great Indoor Fun
Of the estimated 1.5 hours, reserve about 15 minutes for parking. There’s a free, smaller lot located adjacent to the museum and a second free lot located underneath the Acosta Bridge expressway. There’s additional paid parking located nearby at the River City Brewing Company lot and the Kings Avenue Parking Garage. If you opt to park in either of these lots, you can get a head start on the fun by taking the Skyway to the San Marco stop.
After making memories at MOSH, stop by the Friendship Fountain around the corner for the best views of Bold City. As there is not a restaurant in MOSH, head across the Acosta Bridge and hit up Sweet Pete’s after a day of fun and learning.
Located on the east side of the river, MOSH is located at 1025 Museum Cir, Jacksonville, FL 32207.
Callie is a Northern Virginia native, Sunshine Park regular, mom of a toddler and four-legged pre-teen, and golf wife to her husband who is the house favorite. They moved to Jacksonville from the DC area in December 2018 and trading the beltway for the beaches was the best decision of their dog’s life. She spends weekdays working in marketing and weekends working as the activity planner in search of the best nap-inducing events. This typically consists of beach in the morning, soccer and splash pad in the second morning, pool after lunch, Target, and golf carting to get Mayday in the evenings. During the moments to herself she’s listening to podcasts, watching Bravo, laughing at Tik Toks, or adding to cart. She prefers her Roundbird iced and my TacoLu “dilla” style. And if you ever want to discuss niche 90s and 2000s references or anything pop culture related, she’s your Jacksonville Beach Mom. Follow Callie for a mix of all the above!
