(This is a sponsored post. Please see full disclosure below.)

I was so excited when I found out that the Science Museum of Minnesota was hosting a special presentation of The Science Behind Pixar this summer! We are huge fans of Pixar, and my husband and I in particular are both very interested in the filmmaking process. We’re the kind of people who actually watch all those special features on our DVDs. 😉

So, we and our two kids took some time on a weekday to make the drive down to St. Paul to visit with Mike, Sulley, Buzz, and our other Pixar animated friends, and we had a great time!

The aim of the exhibit is to show the science and technology that Pixar uses to create an animated film, and what it takes to bring these characters and stories to life on screen. The exhibit begins with a 5-minute video that takes you on a tour of the Pixar studios in California by two members of its animation team. The video also introduces you to the stages of production that an animated film goes through, from story creation to final rendering.

Within the gallery, you are guided through each step of the animation process and given a chance to interact with these concepts to learn how they were applied to all of your favorite Pixar films—you’ll find examples from movies like Toy Story, Cars, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Inside Out, and more!

The tour takes you through more than 40 interactive elements that provide hands-on experience, from modeling and character design to set lighting and camera movement. We took turns building robot models, manipulating on-screen characters’ body and facial movements, and so much more! My daughter’s favorite activities were creating lighting schemes for the Up living room set (pictured below) and making stop-motion animations of the iconic Pixar lamp.

On the back wall of the gallery we came across a DIY animation table, where a museum staff member was helping kids create their own little drawings that would then appear to move when you spun the images quickly. I thought this was a nice little make-and-take element for kids that let them continue exploring how animation works even after leaving the museum.

One other feature I personally enjoyed were the video screens throughout the exhibit labeled “Working at Pixar,” which featured a series of Pixar artists and technicians talking about they do and how they got into animation. What a great way to introduce kids to this career field and show them the incredible variety of opportunities available there! I particularly loved seeing how many women were featured in this series. Parents, please point out to your daughters how prevalent women are in what they might otherwise assume is a male-dominated field.

My recommended age range for the #ScienceOfPixar exhibit is 6 and up. While kids of all ages will enjoy manipulating images from their favorite movies and posing for a photo with the larger-than-life characters like Buzz Lightyear, Dory, and Wall-E, you won’t find much else here for the younger crowd. Most elements of the exhibit assume a basic understanding of concepts like how lights, camera, and even computers work, and all of the displays have explanations that you have to read to know what’s going on. One of my kids is a (pretty intelligent) 4-year-old, and I spent a LOT of time reading signage and then having to translate concepts down to a level that she could understand.

All in all, my family had a great time touring The Science Behind Pixar exhibit, and we learned even more than we expected to about how animation artists’ dreams become a reality. This exhibit is only at the museum through Labor Day (September 4) so now is a great time to plan your visit. This Saturday they’re hosting a special event, Pixar Costume Day!

Oh, one more thing… When you tour the rest of the museum, make sure to check out the cool activities in the new Sportsology exhibit, where you can learn more about the physics involved in athletics and body movement. And don’t miss your chance to race a T-Rex! This was by far the most popular activity I saw in the whole museum.

Recommended age range:
Pixar exhibit: As I described in detail above, it’s my opinion that kids ages 6 and up will get the most out of The Science Behind Pixar. There is no upper age limit here—teens and adults will learn lots as well!
General exhibits: The rest of the museum is best suited for ages 4 and up. School-aged kids and younger teens will certainly get the most out of the information and experiments, but your little ones can find some things to enjoy here as well, particularly within the Experiment Gallery. (Note: Kids ages 0–3 get free admission)  Again, no real upper age limit.

Where to eat at the museum:
Java Lab is a coffee bar in the lobby that has an extensive coffee menu, baked goods, sandwiches, and ice cream. Java Lab opens an hour before the museum does and serves breakfast items. (see menu)
Chomp is located within the museum on level 3 and serves sandwiches, pizza, salads, and more. The kids meals are $7.25. (see menu)
Elements Cafe, located on level 6 above the museum and has a dining room and patio that overlook the Mississippi River. The menu here includes burgers, wood-fired pizza, tacos, burritos, and more. Kids meals here are also $7.25. (see menu)

Here are a few tips for visiting:
1. Call ahead to find out which days have the fewest groups scheduled, even during the summer. We were surprised to run into a few large school groups when we were there in July.
2. Grab a map when you arrive, or consider viewing once in advance of your visit using this link. You will enter the museum on level 5, which can be a little disorienting if you’re not already familiar with the building’s layout.
3 If you have very young kids, there is a small area within the dinosaurs exhibit (level 3) that has books, puzzles, and some comfy seating to take a break.
4. Some good places to nurse a baby are the cozy space I mentioned above^ or in the family restrooms on level 4 just outside the Pixar exhibit. (I don’t typically suggest nursing in restrooms, but these have a dedicated chair that is separate from the toilet and are your best bet if you want some quiet privacy.)
5. Don’t miss the musical stairs between levels 5 and 6. They’re a science museum classic but have been moved to a new location.

Museum Website / Museum Map (pdf) / Admission Prices / Hours

Disclosure: The Science Museum of Minnesota provided my family with free admission to the museum and The Science Behind Pixar exhibit in exchange for this article. All opinions and photos in this post are my own.

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