Children’s Museums in Massachusetts
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM of BOSTON (http://www.bostonkids.org/index2.html)
This is the big kahuna of children’s museums in Massachusetts. The Children’s Museum of Boston is located right near the South Station train/T stop at 300 Congress St, Boston, making it easily accessible by public transportation. This large museum can entertain your kids for several hours with exhibits like Arthur’s World, based on the PBS series, Supermacado, which allows kids to play supermarket with Spanish food items, and grandparent’s attic, where there’s tons of vintage clothes for dressing up fun. Those are just some of the many exhibits which explore things like nature, multi-culturalism, and the arts in fun hands-on ways. The Children’s Museum of Boston also allows reservations for special events like birthday parties and family overnights. Admission to the museum is $9 for adults, $7 for kids ages 2-15, $2 for one year olds. Infants get in free. Check the site for the latest special programs and hours of operation
NORTH SHORE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM IN SALEM (978.741.1811)
If you live north of Boston and want to take the kids to a children’s museum, there’s this one in historic Salem, MA. Affiliated with the Salem YMCA, this museum provides kids with exhibits and interactive fun involving sea life, drama and theater, fire trucks, and other cool kid-friendly things. The museum is available for kid’s parties, overnights and group visits. Check with the museum for schedules and prices. (Discounts available for Y members.)
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM IN EASTON (http://www.childrensmuseumineaston.org)
Located south of Boston in historic Easton, former home of the Ames Shovel empire (seriouslyâÂ?¦), this Children’s Museum is built in an abandoned firehouse – and still has the pole to prove it. Cute, small-town-sized, the Easton Children’s Museum manages to pack quite a lot of fun in its three floors. There’s an action figure animal room, a face painting station, a pirate ship, a giant wooden xylophone, an upstairs play room where kids can run the kitchen, ride a wooden fire truck and deliver mail. There’s also a handy-man’s dream room where kids can use nails, hammers, nails, and other construction stuff. The brightly painted museum will entertain elementary aged kids for several hours. It also has different programs throughout the year like magic shows, Native American dance and information sessions and other visiting performances.
THE CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM OF ACTON (978-264-4200)
This museum, part of the two-museum DISCOVERY MUSEUMS OF ACTON has all sorts of fun for kids. Located on Rte 27, the Children’s Discovery Museum is based in an old Victorian home. It’s got all the cool exhibit rooms a kid could want: a safari room, a train room, a play diner, and a pirate ship, and special rooms for toddlers and babies. Visitors may want to also check out the second part of the Discovery Museums – the Science Museum. This include cool interactive exhibits like a fog machine, electricity works, musical instruments and an inventor’s room. The price for adults and kids is $8 for one museum, $12 for both. Discount for seniors. The Children’s Discovery Museum and the Science Museum both have special programs. Check the website for details. (http://www.discoverymuseums.org/index.html)
OLD DEERFIELD CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AT INDIAN HOUSE MEMORIAL
Old Deerfield’s child-friendly museum focuses on history-related interactive enjoyment for kids during the summer months. After labor day, the museum is open to school groups only. The exhibits focus on things like Native American culture, the textile industry, and nature. Craft fairs and concerts also take place in the same general areas, so you may want to check the website for schedules. (http://www.old-deerfield.org/events.htm)
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AT HOLYOKE
For 25 years, the Children’s Museum of Holyoke has been providing kids in western Massachusetts with entertaining and educational experiences. Among the exhibits are “cityscape” which includes chunks of a typical city neighborhood including a bodega, a diner, an apartment, and a post office. Science-related exhibits are found in The Scientific Company area where kids can explore things like shadows, bubbles, dinosaurs, and kaleidoscopes. Special programs at the Children’s Museum at Holyoke include parenting workshops, birthday parties and vacation clubs. Check out the site at: http://www.childrensmuseumholyoke.org/information/index.html for hours, ticket prices and directions.
AMELIA PARK CHILDREN’S MUSEUM IN WESTFIELD (413-572-4014)
Leaping lizards are just one of the things kids will see at this museum on 99 Elm St in Westfield. There’s a lizard display and a “touch tank” with sea creatures like star fish. Interactive rooms here include the doctor’s office, the bank and the reading tree house. Special events include things like playgroups, field trips to amusement parks, and school vacation week activities. Contact the museum for schedules and more information: (fun@ameliaparkmuseum.org)
CAPE COD CHILDREN’S MUSEUM IN MASHPEE (508) 539-8788)
Anyone who’s a regular Cape Cod vacationer knows you’re bound to have at least one rainy day. If you come across yours, try this museum for some indoor fun. Located on 577 Great Neck Rd in Mashpee, this museum has a puppet theater, playrooms, traditional hands-on exhibits and it’s own planetarium. You can’t beat a planetarium! Summer is filled with special programs involving things like frogs, butterflies, arts, storytelling and more.
