Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science Tours

More than 200 interactive exhibits await families at this Fort Lauderdale museum, which is dedicated to curiosity and exploration. With the largest captive live Atlantic coral reef habitat, an IMAX theater, an Everglades Airboat Adventure, and an FA-18 cockpit 7D simulator, the museum offers children and their parents a day of exploration.

Located on Las Olas Boulevard in downtown Fort Lauderdale, this two-story art and science museum is family-friendly. On the main floor, you’ll find the permanent exhibits, including the Discovery Center (for kids 6 and under); an Everglades Airboat Adventure, which simulates a ride through the Florida swamps; exhibits on Florida’s ecosystems; a glimpse at live otters at play; and a Storm Center with a hurricane simulator. Don’t miss getting your photo in the mouth of the Megalodon.

MODS is located in the Arts & Science District in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Second Street, across from Riverwalk’s Esplanade Park. From Miami or Palm Beach, take I-95 to the Broward Boulevard exit, then drive east to SW Fifth Avenue and turn right. The museum is on your left, with a parking garage on the right. The Brightline express train stops two blocks away from the museum.

The museum is open 10am–5pm Monday through Saturday and noon–5pm on Sunday; it’s closed only closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and special events. If you can, catch an IMAX 3D show in the largest theater in Florida. In March, the museum hosts an annual Wine, Spirits, and Culinary Celebration, with a Grand Tasting featuring more than 40 South Florida restaurants.

One of the best photo opportunities at MODS is in the mouth of the Megalodon, considered to be the largest sharks that ever lived on earth. Some of their teeth alone measured seven inches (17 centimeters) long, and their jaws are estimated to be about three times as big as the Great White Shark. Occasionally, visitors to South Florida find fossilized Megalodon teeth washed up on area beaches.