USA TODAY 10Best again honors best science museums, planetariums, children’s museums, and more

Once again, ASTC members were well-represented in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice awards in several museum categories (see bold, below), including another clean sweep in the Best Science Museum category.

Twenty nominees in each category were chosen by a panel of experts, including a combination of editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, and other relevant contributors—and were put to a public vote.

Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients!

 

Best Science Museum

As usual, all of the top science museums are ASTC members,. This includes COSI, which regained the top spot after being last year’s runner-up.

1. COSI (Center of Science and Industry), Columbus, Ohio
2. Exploratorium, San Francisco, California
3. Michigan Science Center, Detroit, Michigan
4. The Wild Center, Tupper Lake, New York
5. Saint Louis Science Center, Saint Louis, Missouri
6. Discovery World, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
7. The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
8. Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland, Ohio
9. Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas, Texas
10. Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville, Georgia

 

Best Planetarium

A new category honors readers’ favorite planetariums, including both stand-alone planetariums and those embedded in larger science centers. The McDonnell Planetarium at Saint Louis Science Center is the inaugural winner, with nine out of ten as ASTC members.

1. James S. McDonnell Planetarium, Saint Louis Science Center, Missouri
2. INTUITIVE Planetarium, U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama
3. COSI Planetarium, COSI (Center of Science and Industry), Columbus, Ohio
4. EOS Foundation Planetarium, Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, University of Arizona, Tucson
5. GSK Fulldome Theater, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
6. Fels Planetarium, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7. Adler Planetarium, Chicago, Illinois
8. Strasenburgh Planetarium, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester, New York
9. Hansen Dome Theatre, Clark Planetarium, Salt Lake City, Utah
10. Faulkner Planetarium, Herrett Center for Arts & Science, College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls

 

Best Children’s Museum

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has again taken the crown as the top vote-getter for best children’s museum, with a total of seven ASTC members making the top ten.

1. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Indiana
2. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
3. The Strong National Museum of Play, Rochester, New York
4. Mississippi Children’s Museum, Jackson, Mississippi
5. The Children’s Museum, Cincinnati Museum Center, Ohio
6. Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh, North Carolina
7. Exploratorium, San Francisco, California
8. Children of Gettysburg 1863, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
9. Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10. Glazer Children’s Museum, Tampa, Florida

 

Other categories

ASTC members were also recognized in four other museum categories:

Best Free Museum
#2. Saint Louis Science Center, Missouri
#3. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh
#5. California Science Center, Los Angeles

Best Museum Ship
#4. Intrepid Museum, New York, New York

Best History Museum
#3. Cincinnati History Museum, Cincinnati Museum Center, Ohio

Best Open-Air Museum
#10. Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Delaware

 

Additional Information:

• “Indulge your curiosity at the best museums across the US,” USA TODAY 10Best, February 19, 2025.