Explora Park is an interactive science museum located in north Medellin.
The architect’s inspiration was San Francisco’s Exploratorium. It has the largest freshwater Aquarium in South America. It’s a great place to enjoy with kids as it has many activities for the little ones.
The museum has over 300 interactive attractions, a planetarium, a television studio, and a vivarium. You can recognize the facade for the four red cubes it has; those are the science and technology rooms.
Keep reading to know more about this Park: activities, open hours, and what is a must-see.
Explora Park story
The Explora Park is an initiative by the Medellín mayor’s office to promote culture and science in the city.
In 2002, the architect Alejandro Echeverri designed the plans for the interactive science museum. The Park has different attractions for older adults, young people, and children. It also has the largest aquarium in South America.
During the 2000s, Medellín changed. In the 1990s, the city was feared as the cradle of drug trafficking, especially the stories of Comuna 13; however, the local government and private businesses got to work.
In 2004 there was a new mayor in Medellín, Sergio Fajardo. In the second stage of the metro cable, the parks with libraries, pedestrian walkways, and the Botanical Garden were also open for the first time during those years. And that is when Science Park emerged as a project.
The name “Explora” Park comes from the house where the professionals involved in the project worked: architects, designers, social communicators, creatives, scientists, and the entire team led by the architect Echeverri.
In 2004, the architect Echeverri showed him the final design: four red boxes where visitors and people working in the Park could do scientific experiments and interactive activities; small squares, gardens, trickles of water, and a vast aquarium complemented the Park.
Explora Park FAQs
Why do people visit Explora Park?
Explora Park is perfect for young people, seniors, and children. It is a space where people can learn, play, and interact with nature and science. Visitors enjoy doing educational activities organized by the Park. We recommend you check the billboard, as they carry out particular activities every month.
If you visit the Park, you can do educational activities about the fauna and flora of Colombia and also learn about science and natural phenomena. Also, see the largest aquarium in South America, where you will see native species.
What can you do in Explora Park?
By purchasing the entrance ticket, you can enjoy all the attractions of Explora Park: Aquarium, Vivarium, Dinosaur Exhibition, and other rooms that explore art, weather, music, and cultural activities.
What are the areas of Explora Park?
- The children’s room is a particular room for children from 0 to 6 years old.
- The 3D projection room has a pioneering concept in the city of Medellin.
- Open room: it has a native forest and a cloud forest.
- Music room: this is a preferred room where you can dance and record your shadow. You will experience conducting the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra musicians, playing and listening to ancient instruments, and even playing music with your family.
- Mind room: It is an experimental science room: brains, the distorted world, the remembered and planned world, the expressed world, the dream world, and the experienced world
- Scene room: this room collects stories about communication.
- Time room: an exhibition on time from philosophy, biology, and physics.
What are the open hours?
The Park is open every day except Monday. It has a weekday schedule, from Tuesday to Friday, from 8:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon. The Park closes at 4:00 in the afternoon.
During weekends and holidays, the Park is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The ticket office closes at 5:00 in the afternoon.
Note: on Mondays or Tuesdays after the Monday holidays, and the Park is closed for maintenance.
How long is the Explora Park tour?
The tour of Explora Park is free. You can choose which attractions and activities you want to do. The Park recommends visiting for at least two and a half hours. If you’re going to see the largest aquarium in South America, we recommend taking more than three hours.
What animals can I see in Explora Park?
You will see aquatic animals in Parque Explora. The aquarium has an emphasis on species found in the Amazon River.
Explora Park has the largest aquarium in South America. There, you will see native freshwater fish such as arowanas, tucunarés, cachamas, catfish, and pirarucus, species from the largest rivers in South America.
Marine species include urchins, jellyfish, moray eels, clownfish, starfish, anemones, and other organisms.
Is there anything not allowed?
It is not allowed to damage the facilities: scratch, hit, dirty, or disturb or feed the aquarium animals. In addition, you cannot smoke in enclosed spaces and feed aquarium animals.
What clothes should I wear?
The Park is on the outskirts of Medellin. We recommend comfortable clothing, sunscreen, and a bottle of water.
The climate in the city of Medellín is like an eternal summer. Winters, which are the rainy season rather than winter itself, are cloudy months. The temperature ranges from 16 degrees Celsius to 26 degrees Celsius.
If you visit the Park with small children, they should wear comfortable clothes because going through the entire museum will take hours. Restrooms are available at no additional cost.
Are pets allowed?
For the safety of the Park’s species, pets are not allowed.
However, you can enter with your companion dog for medical purposes.
First, you must present a certificate proving the dog’s need. Then, you will be able to enter without problems.
What is the entrance fee?
There are two rates. The general rate includes a tour of all the spaces in the Park: music room, stage room, mind room, time room, children’s room, open room, aquarium, and vivarium, as well as scheduled complementary activities offered by the Park.
A more exclusive ticket includes one ticket to Explora Park and another to the Planetarium.
Is the park wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the Park, with all its facilities, is suitable for people in wheelchairs. In addition, the guides are ready to help any user with reduced mobility or who has a companion dog due to medical needs. Feel free to consult with the park staff.
General Recommendations
- Use official transport. Due to the insecurity present in the city, we recommend only using an official vehicle; otherwise, you may expose yourself to danger.
- Do not wear expensive clothing or devices: jewelry, brand clothing, or cell phones. Avoid attracting attention to your purchasing power.
- You must present your payment receipt before entering the spaces.
- The planetary dome requires a reservation.
- Don’t stop in Explora Park, since you are on the outskirts of Medellin city, get to know all of it, especially those touristic destinations for nature lovers:
- From this point, you can get to Medellin’s Botanic Garden; it’s less than a 10-minute drive.
- Visit Arvi Park, or take a 20 min drive to Comuna 13.
