The Ontario Science Centre is located about 10 kilometers northeast of downtown Toronto and is easily accessible by car or public transport. Visiting science museums is always a highlight for our family when we travel and our Toronto trip was no exception.
Parking onsite cost $8CAD. While I would say the outside of the building was not all that impressive, the interior was full of interesting exhibits, gadgets, and family fun!
The highlight for our son was the area called KidSpark. Imagine a large area filled with kids running from exhibit to exhibit, making noise, and squealing with delight. Okay, it was hectic, but, hey, that's what parents do for their kids. Some of the kid-friendly exhibits included: a mock grocery store, complete with cash register and check-out lane; a large metal tub where kids direct the flow of water and play with floating items; a "musical" area made out of pots, pans, spatulas and whatnot; plus, a whole lot more.
Other exhibits included optical illusions, the science of hot and cold (and what it feels like when you touch something that is both hot and cold), the human body, the earth, dinosaurs, and more. We spent about half a day touring the museum, including a temporary exhibit about roller coasters.
The total cost for entry was C$50 (US$40) and included an IMAX film. We saw "Forces of Nature," which was pretty interesting. It was a little disturbing for our son to see how destructive tornadoes and earthquakes can be, but to be fair, this was nothing compared to the images he later saw of Hurricane Katrina’s destructiveness.
Official website