EcoTarium
222 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA
Worcester, MA
A hands-on museum of science and nature with a planetarium, live animals, and a walkway up into the treetops.
The EcoTarium is a science and nature museum unlike most others, a place that spreads across both indoor galleries and a wooded outdoor campus on a Worcester hillside. Inside, hands-on exhibits explore the physical world and a digital planetarium projects the night sky onto a dome. Outside, trails wind past live wildlife habitats, and a narrow-gauge railroad loops the grounds.
The museum grew out of one of the oldest natural history institutions in the country, and it has evolved into a lively, family-friendly place focused on science, nature, and the environment. Its signature feature may be the Tree Canopy Walkway, a suspended path that lets visitors climb up among the treetops and see the forest from a squirrel's point of view, one of the more memorable experiences in any New England museum.
What Guests Love
- A planetarium show under a dome of stars
- Live wildlife on the grounds, including animals that cannot be released to the wild
- The Tree Canopy Walkway, a rope-and-cable path up among the treetops
- A ride on a narrow-gauge railroad that loops the wooded campus
Worth Knowing
- The museum mixes indoor exhibits with outdoor trails and habitats, so dress for the weather
- It is designed with families and young children in mind, with plenty of hands-on activities
- The canopy walkway and railroad run seasonally and may have their own guidelines, so check ahead
- Allow a couple of hours to see the exhibits, the planetarium, and the outdoor grounds
Details
Worcester, MA
Learn about EcoTarium
A long history of natural science
The EcoTarium traces its roots back to the mid-nineteenth century and the Worcester Natural History Society, one of the older organizations of its kind in the nation. For generations it gathered and displayed natural specimens and taught the people of central Massachusetts about the living world, evolving through several names and homes along the way.
In its modern form the museum has broadened from cabinets of specimens into a hands-on center for science and the environment, keeping its deep roots in natural history while embracing interactive learning. That long heritage shows in the depth of its collections and its steady focus on the natural world, even as its exhibits have grown more playful and modern.
The planetarium and science exhibits
At the heart of the indoor museum is its digital planetarium, where a projector fills a domed ceiling with stars, planets, and the sweep of the night sky. Shows guide visitors through the constellations and out into the wider universe, an especially welcome experience on a cloudy day or for anyone who rarely gets a clear look at the stars.
Around the planetarium, the galleries offer hands-on exhibits on physics, weather, energy, and the workings of the natural world, the kind of interactive stations where children can push, pull, build, and experiment their way to understanding. The mix of a starry dome and a floor of things to touch and try makes the museum a favorite for curious young minds.
Wildlife and the tree canopy
The outdoor campus is home to live animals, many of them creatures that cannot be returned to the wild and now live at the museum as ambassadors for their species. Trails wind among their habitats, letting visitors meet the wildlife of the region up close and learn the stories of how each animal came to call the EcoTarium home.
The grounds' most thrilling feature is the Tree Canopy Walkway, a rope-and-cable course strung up among the trees that lets visitors climb into the forest canopy and move from platform to platform high above the ground. From up there the whole feel of the woods changes, and the walkway has become one of the museum's signature draws for the adventurous.
Worcester and central Massachusetts
The museum sits in Worcester, a former mill city that has become the busy hub of central Massachusetts, home to a cluster of colleges, a growing dining scene, and other cultural institutions, including the renowned Worcester Art Museum a few miles away. A visit to the EcoTarium pairs easily with the city's other attractions for a full day out.
Beyond the city, central Massachusetts offers a gentle landscape of lakes, forests, orchards, and small towns, from the vast Quabbin Reservoir to the living-history village at Old Sturbridge and the botanic garden at Tower Hill. The EcoTarium makes a fine anchor for exploring the often-overlooked heart of the state.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Worcester
Worcester Art Museum
About 2 miles away
A distinguished art museum with a wide-ranging collection from ancient times to the present, including a hall of medieval arms and armor.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
About 8 miles north, in Boylston
Formal gardens, an orchard of heirloom apples, glasshouses, and hilltop views over the Wachusett Reservoir.
Wachusett Mountain
About 20 miles north
A modest peak with a summit road and trails offering sweeping views over central Massachusetts and beyond.