Museums
Museum of Science-Boston
Est. 1830

The Museum of Science in Boston, one of the world's premier scientific institutions, is situated in Science Park. It strives to stimulate interest in understanding science and technology and their importance for individuals and society. Through exhibits, programs, and activities, the museum encourages visitors' curiosity, questions, and exploration.

The museum was established as the Boston Society of Natural History in 1830. The society, devoted to collecting and studying natural history specimens, displayed its collections in several temporary facilities.

Later in 1864, a building was purchased in the Back Bay area of the city and it was named the New England Museum of Natural History. It remained with that name until World War II.

Following the war, the society sold the building and re-established itself under the name of the "Boston Museum of Science." To promote the museum's development, the society leased land spanning the Charles River Basin (now known as Science Park) from the Metropolitan District Commission, for a period of 99 years.

In 1948, construction and development of the museum began. With a 14,000-square-foot exhibit space, the first wing of the new museum was officially opened in 1951. It was in this year that the museum acquired one of its memorable symbols, "Spooky," a Great Horned Owl.

In 1956, the museum succeeded in campaigning for a Science Park Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority station, and two years later it opened the Charles Hayden Planetarium.

In subsequent years, the museum underwent several expansions by adding the Elihu Thomson Theater of Electricity, the Hall Wing, and the Mugar Omni Theater.

The Mugar Omni Theater at the museum is an awesome spectacle of sight and sound. It boasts the world's largest movie projector and state-of-the-art digital sound system, and is well worth visiting.

The Charles Hayden Planetarium is a multimedia, interactive astronomy/exploration facility that offers stargazers an indoor view of the cosmos.

Things to see at the museum's exhibit hall are the Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag, which tells the experiences of F-15 Eagle pilot John Stratton; the Butterfly Garden, Beyond the X-Ray, Countdown to Supernova-Planetarium Show, and Catch Bugs.

The museum's permanent exhibits bring visitors to the newest fields of science. The visitors can explore this fascinating field in Playing by the Rules: Fish, Fads, and Fireflies. The exhibit, featuring Berzin's invention, is on display in the main lobby.

Through "Mapping the World Around Us," the public can explore how different cultures have used maps through the ages.

Making Models, the museum's newest science activity center, presents models of various size, shape, and form. A full-scale model of Mount Everest, a wave tank, and a giant grasshopper are exhibited in Making Models.

The Discovery Center offers in-depth exploration of specific science topics. The puppet theater at the Discovery Center allows visitors to dramatize the habits and interactions of a variety of animals.

More than 6,000 artifacts from the museum's extensive natural history collections are housed in Natural Mysteries. The Light House illuminates optics, color, and the nature of light. In addition to the above, exhibits that present the history, methods, and fundamental ideas of astronomy; and exhibits relating to human biology and physiology, are displayed.

The Current Science and Technology Center, with the cutting edge of science and technology news, offers several informative presentations. Virtual exhibits provide hands-on opportunities for the public to explore science, history, and culture.

The museum offers the public a variety of programs, including lectures, special programs, duck tours, live presentations, courses for children and adults, and 3-D Digital Cinema.

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