Museum of Life and Science

The Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina is one of the Southeast's premier family science destinations — a hybrid indoor/outdoor institution with live animals, nature trails, science exhibits, and enough to fill a full family day. Note this listing appears in the Philadelphia regional batch, likely due to a data categorization overlap; the museum is located in Durham, NC, relevant for families visiting the Research Triangle region.

The outdoor sections are the real draw: a walk-through lemur habitat where the animals roam freely and approach visitors closely, a butterfly house with free-flying tropical butterflies, a working farm area, and a nature exploration trail with a dinosaur fossil dig. The indoor exhibits cover physics, chemistry, weather, and biology with hands-on stations appropriate for ages 2-12.

Admission runs approximately $20 for adults and $15 for children. A family of 4 should budget $70-100 including admission and the on-site cafe. Open Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays). ASTC reciprocal admission may apply for members of other science museums.

The Museum of Life and Science consistently earns high ratings (4.7 with nearly 2,000 reviews) because it delivers genuine wonder across a wide age range. Toddlers love the farm animals and butterfly house; older kids engage with the science exhibits and outdoor trails. The lemur habitat is the signature experience — worth timing your visit for a morning when the animals are most active.