Entry No. 2 — the San Antonio file — filed under: science supply store
Analytical Scientific, Ltd.
A skeleton wearing Mardi Gras beads greets you at the door of this family-run science-supply store, open since 1970 — two full floors sell a real articulated anatomical human-skeleton replica, break-your-own geode boxes, GloGerm UV 'germ' exposure kits, and what's billed as the largest telescope display in Texas.
The story
Pull up to 11049 Bandera Road on San Antonio’s Far West Side, and you might think you’re stopping at an ordinary suburban storefront. Step inside, though, and you’re greeted at the threshold by a full-size skeleton draped in Mardi Gras beads. Operating since 1970 and maintained in memory of George Aldrich, Analytical Scientific, Ltd. is a family-run operation that straddles the line between a serious scientific distributor and an authentic cabinet of curiosities.
The shop spreads across two packed floors, favoring raw inventory over polished retail design. On the shelves, you’ll find real laboratory chemicals, dissectible owl pellets, GloGerm UV exposure kits, break-your-own geode boxes, and Apache tears sitting beside actual fossils. Up on the second floor sits what is billed as the largest telescope display in Texas, making this as much a temple for backyard astronomers as it is for rogue lab technicians.
What it's like
Expect an unvarnished, high-density warehouse vibe where lab glassware and biological specimens share space with heavy-duty optics. You can spend an hour hunting down bizarre specimens across both floors, but mind the clock: doors close at 6 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. on Saturdays, and they are closed on Sundays.
The move: Hunt the two floors together for the weirdest specimen on the shelf — real fossils vs. lab skeletons vs. Apache tears — then pick a star chart and plan a telescope night with your pick.
- 📍 Far West Side, San Antonio
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 11049 Bandera Road, San Antonio, TX 78250
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Government Canyon State Natural Area — after-dark ranger programs — Pair a trip for star charts and astronomy gear with an after-dark ranger hike through 13,000 unlit acres just six miles away.
- Mystique Moon — Contrast hard lab optics and biological specimens with metaphysical crystals and walk-in tarot readings five miles down the road.
- Scobee Planetarium & Scanlan Observatory — Follow up a visit to Texas's largest telescope floor by catching a full-dome show at San Antonio College's planetarium.
- Día de los Muertos Museum — Pivot from anatomical lab skeletons to traditional folk-art calaveras hidden on the second floor of a Mexican grocery store.
Good to know
What are the operating hours?
Analytical Scientific is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is closed on Sundays.
Is this store open to the public or only for school orders?
It is a retail storefront open to anyone, whether you are a local teacher, a home researcher, or just someone looking for oddities.
What specific oddities and scientific gear can I buy here?
Inventory includes articulated anatomical human skeleton replicas, telescopes, lab chemicals, owl pellets, geodes, fossils, and educational experiment kits.
Where is Analytical Scientific located?
You can find it at 11049 Bandera Road on the Far West Side of San Antonio.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · mysanantonio.com
last checked: 2026-07-20