McWane Science Center
About
McWane Science Center opened in 1998 in Birmingham's historic Loveman's department store building, transforming a downtown retail landmark into a vibrant hub for hands-on science education. The building's distinctive industrial bones — wide open floors, tall ceilings, and large windows — provide a striking backdrop for exhibits ranging from deep-sea ecosystems to early childhood discovery. The centerpiece of the upper floors is a massive IMAX Dome theater that screens both science documentaries and feature films on its 50-foot domed screen. The paleontology galleries house genuine fossil specimens from Alabama and beyond, including shark teeth, marine invertebrates, and dinosaur remains from the region's rich geological past. The World of Water exhibit brings aquatic ecosystems to life through walk-around tanks and interactive stations. For the youngest visitors, the Itty Bitty Magic City recreates a child-scaled version of downtown Birmingham, complete with a market, fire station, and veterinary clinic for imaginative play. The Tinker Club makerspace invites older children and teens to work with tools, circuits, and construction materials. The center's Homeschool Labs program provides structured science curriculum experiences for homeschool co-ops and families. AZA-accredited and an ASTC affiliate, McWane Science Center is deeply connected to Birmingham's educational community and offers extensive school group programming and outreach. The downtown location is walkable from other cultural institutions and parking is available nearby.
🏠 Homeschool Programs
This institution offers dedicated programming for homeschooling families. Visit the website for details.
Subject Areas
Best For
Hours of Operation
Monday–Friday 9am–5pm, Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 12pm–5pm.
Hours change seasonally — verify before visiting.
Admission
Paid admissionSee website for current admission pricing. IMAX films require separate ticket.
ASTC Travel Passport Program
Members of the Association of Science and Technology Centers' Travel Passport Program offer free or discounted admission to members of other participating institutions. Over 300 science centers worldwide participate.
Learn more →47 other places in our directory accept this membership:
Museum of Science
Boston, MA
Harvard Museum of Natural History
Cambridge, MA
EcoTarium
Worcester, MA
Connecticut Science Center
Hartford, CT
Yale Peabody Museum
New Haven, CT
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Norwalk, CT
ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
Burlington, VT
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
Concord, NH
The Franklin Institute
Philadelphia, PA
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
Wilmington, DE
New York Hall of Science
Queens, NY
Maryland Science Center
Baltimore, MD
Liberty Science Center
Jersey City, NJ
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Houston, TX
Adventure Science Center
Nashville, TN
Science Museum of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN
COSI
Columbus, OH
Saint Louis Science Center
St. Louis, MO
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Denver, CO
Museum of the Rockies
Bozeman, MT
Pacific Science Center
Seattle, WA
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Portland, OR
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco, CA
Science Museum of Virginia
Richmond, VA
Exploreum Science Center
Mobile, AL
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Dallas, TX
Discovery Place Science
Charlotte, NC
Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago, IL
Milwaukee Public Museum
Milwaukee, WI
Indiana State Museum
Indianapolis, IN
Arizona Science Center
Phoenix, AZ
Exploratorium
San Francisco, CA
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Miami, FL
Museum of Life and Science
Durham, NC
Science Center of Iowa
Des Moines, IA
The Tech Interactive
San Jose, CA
Witte Museum
San Antonio, TX
Orlando Science Center
Orlando, FL
Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati, OH
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
Denver, CO
Space Center Houston
Houston, TX
Louisiana Children's Museum
New Orleans, LA
Great Lakes Science Center
Cleveland, OH
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Chicago, IL
Maine Discovery Museum
Bangor, ME
Virginia Museum of Natural History
Martinsville, VA
AZA Reciprocity Program
Some AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums offer reciprocal admission benefits to members of other participating institutions. Participation varies by institution.
Learn more →32 other places in our directory accept this membership:
Museum of Science
Boston, MA
New England Aquarium
Boston, MA
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Bridgeport, CT
Roger Williams Park Zoo
Providence, RI
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Washington, DC
Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia, PA
Bronx Zoo
Bronx, NY
National Aquarium
Baltimore, MD
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco, CA
Tennessee Aquarium
Chattanooga, TN
High Desert Museum
Bend, OR
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey, CA
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Colorado Springs, CO
Museum of Life and Science
Durham, NC
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Virginia Beach, VA
Seattle Aquarium
Seattle, WA
Minnesota Zoo
Apple Valley, MN
Oakland Zoo
Oakland, CA
Oregon Zoo
Portland, OR
Georgia Aquarium
Atlanta, GA
North Carolina Zoo
Asheboro, NC
Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
Kansas City, MO
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance
Denver, CO
Phoenix Zoo
Phoenix, AZ
Woodland Park Zoo
Seattle, WA
San Diego Zoo
San Diego, CA
Oregon Coast Aquarium
Newport, OR
Aquarium of the Pacific
Long Beach, CA
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
La Jolla, CA
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
Columbia, SC
The Florida Aquarium
Tampa, FL
Mystic Aquarium
Mystic, CT