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The Boston Museum of Science

The Boston Museum of Science, one of Boston’s most popular museums, started out as a stuffed animal exhibit, but it has moved far beyond those roots to become a showcase for science in all its forms. It educates with fun, engaging shows, exhibits, and animals and offers experiences for all ages. It also features a cafe and souvenir shop.

History

The Boston Museum of Science has its roots in the Boston Society of Natural History, which was founded in 1830. The museum initially acted as a spot where its founders, who were all hunting enthusiasts, could display the skins of their trophies after their safari expeditions to Africa and Asia. The museum still has stuffed animals on display today, both of native and exotic animals, but its main focus has shifted to science in all its forms.

The museum moved to a permanent building in 1864, after spending its previous years hopping around among several temporary locations. Its name was changed to the New England Museum of Natural History, and its purpose began to broaden, making it into more of a traditional museum with broad coverage rather than merely a hunting trophy showplace.

The museum was forced to move again after World War II. Construction on the current site, which became known as Science Park, began in 1948, and the facility became the newly-renamed Boston Museum of Science. When the new location opened its doors in 1951, it was another first for Boston: the first museum in America devoted to all facets of science. In addition to its permanent exhibits housed in the new building, the museum had a traveling planetarium that it brought around to Boston schools. A permanent planetarium was added inside the museum in 1958.

The institution adopted a great horned owl as its mascot and the bird, Spooky, lived to the ripe old age 38.

The Boston Museum of Science has expanded many times over the years, updating its exhibits as the world of science changes and advances. The museum incorporated some exhibits from the Computer Museum when that institution closed, although the bulk of the collection went to California.

Exhibits

The museum has many permanent displays and often hosts traveling exhibits as well. Its permanent offerings include:

A Bird's World, which offers a virtual tour of Acadia National Park and includes specimens of every New England bird species.

Bees,”which lets visitor safely observe a glassed-in beehive and the natural behaviors of its inhabitants.

Beyond the X-Ray, which explores new advances in medical technology designed to view the body non-invasively.

Bradford Washburn: The Man Behind the Lens, which celebrates Washburn's lifetime achievements.

Cahners ComputerPlace, which uses virtual guides to educate visitors about computers.

Catching the Wind, a demonstration of how wind turbines produce green energy.

Colossal Fossil: Triceratops Cliff, a 65-million-year-old fossil of a nearly-complete triceratops.

Cosmic Light, which examines the role of light in the universe.

Dinosaurs: Modeling the Mesozoic, which discusses how these ancient behemoths are studied today.

Energized, an exploration of energy alternatives.

There is also a popular butterfly garden, a hands-on discovery center where kids can learn while playing, and a live animal exhibit with 120 creatures, representing 50 species, that can be viewed through windows. The museum has an Imax theater with a rotating offering of movies, and you can even try out a Segway transportation device.

Visiting the Museum

You can buy museum tickets online or at the facility. Hours vary seasonally and are listed on the website. Some of the museum's exhibits, like the Imax theater and planetarium, cost extra and have their own hours or have presentations at specific times throughout the day. Check these times online before your visit or when you arrive so you can plan your day appropriately.

The museum has a restaurant, the Riverview Cafe, with snacks and complete meals catered by Wolfgang Puck. There is also a gift shop across from the eatery that sells a wide variety of souvenirs.

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The Boston Museum of Science