Simply overwhelming—in the best possible sense—is this ultra-high-tech (and fetchingly designed) conglomeration of every single science known, all done in an accessible, fascinating manner. Seriously, it’s an unbelievable place.
Discovery World (500 N. Harbor Dr., 414/765-9966, www.discoveryworld.org [1], 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Fri., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat.–Sun., $17 adults) is the best freshwater education center in the United States—hands down. (I cannot tell you how many museum-resistant kids I’ve seen who adore this place!) And it’s actually limnological as well as the usual natural/human history. It’s got 120,000 square feet of exhibits (more than 200 ultimately)—including two massive fresh- and saltwater aquariums—all of them the cuttingest of cutting edge. (And it’s not just biology—students have exhibits from communications technology to astronomy, most of it active rather than passive.) My fave is the exhibit on local-boy-done-good (from Waukesha, west of Milwaukee) Les Paul (he is the musician and designer of the same-named famed electric guitar).
Either moored outside or off on some research jaunt is the Denis Sullivan, a floating classroom and the only Great Lakes schooner recreation anywhere. Check out the website for the un-oft occasions to climb aboard.
Links:
[1] http://www.discoveryworld.org