Museum of Arts and Sciences, Daytona Beach

The Museum of Arts and Sciences, or MOAS, is not world-class, but is a hodge podge of paintings and decorative arts in unattractive rooms. It is fun to visit with kids, nonetheless, because of the children's wing.

In the art building, there is a cool model of the Hershey sugar mill in Cuba, created by one of the workers and owned at one time by the president of Cuba. The mill was built during World War I when sugar beets from Europe weren't available for Hershey to source. There is also a giant sloth that was found in the Daytona Bone Bed in 1975. This is not a replica but the real bones! The African masks are impressive to see.
The children's wing of the museum is better than the art wings, which are musty. In the children's wing there is a large window letting in light and there are a good variety of interactive science exhibits aimed at school-aged children. Kids can play a laser-light harp that sounds beautiful. Racing a car you designed up winding tracks is another fun option. In the pizza parlor, kids can make a pizza, bake it over red-lit coals, pack it in a pizza box, and deliver it to parents sitting at tables! There are pulley systems kids can use to pull themselves up, and there is a rope to tug to make a ball shoot way up. The vertical wind tunnel is fun with its badminton shuttles that shoot up into the air.
Afterward, splash and play in the shallow water at Daytona Beach.

Directions

The Museum of Arts and Sciences is located at 352 S. Nova Rd, Daytona Beach FL 32114, call (386) 255-0285.
Open Mon-Sat 10-5, and Sun 11-5. Closed Jan 1, July 4, Thanksgiving (fourth Thurs in Nov), and Dec 25.
Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors and students, and $7 for children aged 6-17.
Admission is free the first Tues of the month for Volusia County residents, with proof.

Click on map for interactive view