It's almost 'Merica's birthday, and one of the best places in Miami to see fireworks is in downtown, where a barrage of neon explosions illuminate the night sky every year. But where in downtown is best to view the spectacle? It might very well be from the Vista Level — the fourth floor — of the new Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, which has panoramic views of the Magic City skyline and Biscayne Bay.

Frost Science has announced it will host an Independence Day celebration, complete with a live DJ, that will not only give guests access to the Vista Level to see the fireworks but also allow them to check out the museum's innovative exhibits, including "Seeing" — it has robots that sketch visitors' portraits — and "Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience," which explores space colonization.

In addition to giving guests access to the exhibits, which will be open from 6 to 9:30 p.m., the party will also offer barbecue-style food for purchase, and the museum's state-of-the-art planetarium will continuously play laser light shows every 15 minutes. Think of it as a nice complement to the light show that will take place across Biscayne Bay beginning at 9 p.m.

Museum admission will be reduced for the holiday evening. The cost will be $21 for adults, $15 for children aged 3 to 11, and free for Frost Science members.

Independence Day Celebration
Tuesday, July 4, at the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science, 1101 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-434-9600; frostscience.org.