Miami Science Museum (CLOSED)

It may not be the most technologically advanced museum, but where else are you greeted by a giant concrete sloth? The permanent exhibits are of mixed quality, while the displays compiled in association with the Smithsonian Institution are educational and occasionally fascinating. The recently opened Energy Playground—which features a range of interactive exhibits, including the Human YoYo and the Giant Lever—are fun for the kids. The adjoining Planetarium is a bit old-school (it opened in 1966), but benefits from the free observatory viewings on the first Friday of each month (8.30–10pm), a favorite of south Florida teens for decades.