- Attraction: Adventure Science Center
- Location: 800 Fort Negley Blvd, Nashville, TN 37203
- Industry: Museum
- Website: https://www.adventuresci.org/
Picture this: a futuristic white structure perched atop a hill like something out of a sci-fi movie, overlooking downtown Nashville with panoramic views that’ll take your breath away.
Since 1945, this nonprofit science museum has been sparking curiosity and inspiring wonder, transforming from the Children’s Museum of Nashville into the powerhouse of hands-on learning it is today.
With 80 years of bringing science to life, the center now houses over 175 interactive exhibits spread across 44,000 square feet—and trust us, you’ll want to touch absolutely everything.
What sets this place apart from your average museum? Instead of hushed galleries where you tiptoe past roped-off displays, you’re encouraged to get your hands dirty in the Tinkering Garage, experience what it feels like to walk on the moon, and literally slide through a human colon.
Whether you’re eight or eighty, preparing for a rainy day adventure with the kids, or looking for something beyond Nashville’s honky-tonks and hot chicken, this hilltop haven delivers science education that’s anything but boring.
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Keep Exploring →Interactive Exhibits That’ll Keep You Engaged For Hours
Body Quest: This isn’t your high school anatomy class. Characterized by vibrant neon colors and graffiti-style design, Body Quest features interactive displays teaching about various systems of the human body.
You’ll feed balls to a giant mouth, squeeze food through an esophagus complete with burping sounds, and churn it up in the stomach before taking the infamous colon slide to finish your digestive journey.
The immune system game transforms learning into an epic laser tag battle where you choose between playing as pathogens or lymph nodes, shooting at targets alongside other guests. It’s gross, it’s educational, and kids absolutely love every disgustingly informative minute of it.
The Moonwalk Simulator: You can strap in and get a firsthand experience of what it’s like to walk on the moon without Earth’s gravitational pull, and the best part?
It’s included in your general admission. Watching someone bounce around in near-weightlessness never gets old, whether you’re the one strapped in or cheering from the sidelines.
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Discover MoreSound Exploration: In Music City, it only makes sense that there’s an entire exhibit dedicated to sound and music. You’ll see what singing looks like through imaging that resembles an x-ray and watch visual representations of your own sound waves.
Kids can create augmented reality band performances, step inside a giant guitar, and walk on piano keys that actually play notes. The wind tubes that play a pipe organ will have you experimenting with different air flows to create unique melodies.
The Tinkering Garage: Roll up your sleeves and put on safety goggles because you’re about to build something from scratch.
The garage provides bins filled with pieces of wood, dowels of different sizes, string, plastic caps, paper towel rolls and many other materials that you can combine however your imagination dictates.
Build a toy, construct a gadget, or engineer a sculpture—the only limit is your creativity.
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Keep Exploring →Physics In Action: Who says you can’t lift a car?
The physics exhibits let you actually lift a car using mechanical advantage, plus engage with displays focused on light, color, and heat. You’ll discover how simple machines multiply force and see scientific principles in action rather than just reading about them in a textbook.
Space & Planetary Exhibits: Learn about all the planets with diagrams at scale that really give you a feel for how we measure up within the universe.
Step onto special scales that show not just your Earth weight, but flip a switch and discover how much lighter or heavier you’d be on Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn.
You can even take a selfie with a real Mars Rover, making this one of the coolest photo ops in Nashville.
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Discover MoreWeather Phenomena: Experience the raw power of nature through exhibits on tsunamis, earthquakes, and tornados. Virtual reality headsets take the immersion to the next level, letting you feel what it’s like to be in the middle of extreme weather events from the safety of the museum floor.
The Sudekum Planetarium Experience
The Star Attraction: The state-of-the-art Sudekum Planetarium features a 63-foot dome theater that’s been wowing audiences since the 1950s.
This isn’t just a ceiling full of projected stars—it’s an immersive experience that transports you across the cosmos.
The Nightwatch live show will help you learn to locate and identify naked-eye constellations, planets, and stars, changing with the seasons as the night sky shifts.
Show Variety: You can enjoy planetarium shows, laser shows, concerts, and even host your own private event.
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Keep Exploring →The laser shows set to music are particularly popular, combining visual spectacle with your favorite tunes in ways that make the dome come alive.
Planetarium tickets cost $9 for both adults and youth for regular shows, and $13 for laser shows, with members receiving a $2 discount.
Why It’s Worth It: The Nightwatch show is absolutely mesmerizing, often inspiring kids to ask thoughtful questions afterward and revisit the planetary exhibits right outside to dig deeper into what they learned. The combination of education and entertainment hits just right for all ages.
The Adventure Tower & Special Features
Climb Your Way Through Science: The 75-foot-tall Adventure Tower is an experience in itself, connecting all three floors of the museum through the center of the building. Full of ladders, slides, ramps, and spiral staircases, it’s an energy-burner that kids will tackle again and again.
The first floor section caters to younger children with age-appropriate activities, while upper levels challenge older kids and adventurous adults. From the top of the tower you can climb through the roof and get a spectacular view of downtown Nashville—a reward well worth the climb.
Live Science Demonstrations: Daily live science demos, labs, and science cafes are presented by talented scientist educators, adding another dimension to your visit. These aren’t stuffy lectures but engaging, hands-on demonstrations that bring concepts to life in unexpected ways.
Special Programs: Adults can participate in Science of Beer and Science of Spirits events showcasing an array of spirits, brews, specialty cocktails, and inventive mocktails alongside exhibits, live demonstrations, and light shows in the Sudekum Planetarium.
The Way Late Play Date events for ages 21 and up explore the science behind popular movies and cultural phenomena, proving that science isn’t just for kids.
Location & Practical Details
The Setting: Perched atop a hill with spectacular views of the city, the science center sits on historic ground—the site of Fort Negley during the American Civil War.
The building itself is architecturally striking, with its futuristic white exterior that makes it look like a command center from a science fiction movie.
Parking Situation: Unlike many downtown Nashville venues, parking here is straightforward and free. You’ll find parking right outside the museum in the main lot, with tons of overflow parking across the street that can accommodate even RVs.
Food Options: There’s a full-service Subway restaurant on the second floor, but you’re also welcome to pack your own lunch.
You can enjoy your meal in the outdoor picnic area located off the lower parking lot with views of the Nashville skyline. You can also leave and return—just show your wristband for re-entry.
Time Investment: Plan to spend at least 2-3 hours here, though many families find themselves staying much longer. Don’t be surprised if your quick visit turns into a three or four-hour exploration, and that’s without even stepping into the planetarium.
Other Considerations
Pricing & Value: General admission costs $22 for adults (13+) and $18 for youth (2-12), with toddlers under 2 entering free.
The pricing sits in the mid-tier range for science museums, and given the sheer number of exhibits and the quality of the experience, you’re getting excellent value for your money.
Membership provides unlimited free admission all year long, making it a smart investment for locals or frequent Nashville visitors.
Age Range: While primarily designed for children, there’s genuinely something for everyone here. The exhibits work beautifully for kids aged 2 through middle school.
Teenagers might find themselves less engaged unless they have a particular interest in science, though the adult-only evening events prove that grown-ups can have just as much fun exploring scientific concepts when the exhibits are tailored to mature audiences.
Accessibility: The building is fully accessible and the majority of exhibits are accessible. However, some experiences like the Moonwalk, EVA Experience, and flight simulator require full leg range of motion.
Three of the seven levels of the Adventure Tower are accessible by ramp, and there’s wheelchair accessible seating in the Sudekum Planetarium.
Best Times To Visit: The center is open Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, with closures on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Timed entry tickets are available online and encouraged, though you can also purchase tickets upon arrival. Weekday mornings tend to be less crowded than weekend afternoons.
Special Perks: Tennessee educators and MNPS students enter free during field trips, and the center provides reduced or free admission to more than 20,000 guests annually. Seniors (ages 65+) receive a discounted ticket price of $13.95, and military discounts are available for planetarium tickets.
Adventure Science Center
📍 800 Fort Negley Blvd, Nashville, TN 37203
