If you have a child who asks endless “why” questions, there are few better answers than a day spent at one of South Africa’s interactive science centres. Designed to make learning exciting, both the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Johannesburg and the Cape Town Science Centre transform complex ideas into experiments, games, and hands-on fun.

Located in an old power station in Newtown, Sci-Bono Discovery Centre is Africa’s largest science museum and an official UNESCO Centre of Excellence. It houses more than 350 interactive exhibits covering everything from space and robotics to energy and anatomy. Families can build circuits, test their reaction times, or explore virtual-reality displays. The centre also runs weekend workshops and holiday programmes that help children connect what they learn at school with the real world.

Meanwhile, the Cape Town Science Centre in Observatory offers a similar mix of discovery and creativity. Kids can experiment with physics in the “Energy Cube,” explore coding in the computer lab, or tinker in the popular Maker Space. The centre’s Science Theatre hosts daily demonstrations that turn ordinary materials into spectacular experiments, perfect for sparking a lifelong love of science.

Both centres cater to all ages and are affordable, with family tickets and group discounts available. They are open most days of the week and feature cafés and play areas for breaks between exhibits.