Sci-Tech Discovery Center

Sci-Tech Discovery Center in Frisco is a hands-on children's science and technology museum that punches above its weight for the DFW area. Located in a shopping plaza along the Dallas Parkway, it's an easy drive from north Dallas, Plano, Allen, and McKinney — with free parking to boot.

The museum is built around doing, not watching. From the moment kids walk in, they're at interactive exhibits — building circuits, launching balls through pneumatic tubes, designing structures to survive simulated earthquakes, and experimenting with simple machines. The engineering and building zone is the clear crowd-pleaser for kids 6–10, where open-ended challenges let kids work at their own pace.

For younger visitors (ages 3–5), there's a dedicated toddler science area with sensory play, water tables, and discovery stations calibrated for little hands and short attention spans. It's well-executed and keeps the toddler experience distinct from the older-kids sections.

One thing to know upfront: there's no food on-site. The museum is in a shopping plaza with several restaurants nearby, but plan accordingly — kids get hungry after two-plus hours of science activities, and there's nowhere to grab a snack inside.

Weekday visits are the sweet spot. The Frisco location attracts fewer weekend warriors than a downtown museum, but weekend afternoons during school year can still feel busy. Mornings are reliably quieter.

Sci-Tech is an ASTC member, meaning reciprocal admission benefits apply if you have memberships to other participating science museums. The annual membership here is reasonably priced and pays for itself in two or three visits for a family of four.

For north Dallas families looking for a solid STEM day without driving downtown, this is one of the better options in the suburbs.