EcoTarium

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Hours:	Hours Vary see below
Ages:	Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Adults
In/Outdoor:	Indoor, Outdoor
Cost:	see below
Category:	Museums

Other Ideas: Museum of Science, Boston; Discovery Museum; Boston Children's Museum; Charles Hayden Planetarium - Now Open!; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA)

ecotarium photo

The EcoTarium is a unique indoor-outdoor museum in Worcester, MA. The 3-story museum and park is dedicated to learning about science and nature.

Set in an urban oasis, the museum offers a chance to walk through the treetops, take a thrilling multimedia journey through the galaxy in the digital planetarium, meet wildlife, stroll nature trails, ride a narrow-gauge railroad, and get hands-on with lots of indoor family-friendly exhibits.

Guests are encouraged to explore three floors of indoor interactive exhibits, live animal habitats, daily Science Discovery programs, hikes through forest and meadow nature trails, outdoor imaginative play, and a train ride around the 45+ acre campus (seasonal).

There are always a number of exciting shows featured in the Alden Digital Planetarium.

Permanent exhibits include:

The Arctic Next Door: Mount Washington
Secrets of the Forest
Freshwater
African Communities
Minerals

'Thomas Edison's Secret Lab' offers an immersive and interactive experience designed to engage children in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning. Through captivating hands-on activities, visitors will be inspired by the brilliance of Thomas Edison and other groundbreaking scientists while building enthusiasm for related education and careers.

In addition, the Ecotarium also brings in exciting traveling exhibits 2-3 times a year.

View Ecotarium events schedule.

New! EcoTarium Explorer App
he EcoTarium has launched an 'EcoTarium Explorer' app, a mobile-phone navigation app created in partnership with WPI to help all visitors navigate the outdoor exhibits and experiences. The app is designed to enhance the outdoor exhibit experience for all visitors, with a particular focus on accessibility for those with visual impairments.

The app was designed to enhance accessibility for all guests, especially those who are blind or have low vision. The app features descriptions of the outdoor exhibits, including audio descriptions, a voice guidance interface, hazard alerts, and navigation maps.

It will help guests find their way safely around the EcoTarium’s 45 acres of natural grounds, from Wildcat Station to the North American River Otter Habitat, to the Train Station, to the historic statue of a “Siegfried” the Stegosaurus.

The EcoTarium Explorer app includes both a Standard Mode and a Low Vision Mode:

● Standard Mode comes with:

○ Nav Bar: Voice command and links to all pages.
○ Landing Screen: Highlights featured exhibits.
○ Gallery Page: Includes a search bar and alternating-color exhibit buttons for easier navigation.
○ Exhibit Pages: Feature an image carousel, more description toggle, audio player, and a link to navigate directly to the exhibit.
○ Map Page: Offers an interactive map with unique exhibit icons, a drop-down waypoint filter, and zoom level marker grouping.
○ Navigation: Provides arrow navigation, real-time directions, exhibit info pop-ups, and hazard alerts.

● Low Vision Mode includes added features such as:

○ Landing Screen: Features an all-purpose search/voice command bar and a gallery list.
○ Exhibit Pages: Re-organized for easy screen-reading while retaining all the features of Standard Mode.
○ Navigation: Offers more frequent directions for easier guidance.

The EcoTarium’s Technical Special Projects Manager Eric Zago served as the project sponsor and met with the students weekly to help them identify the exhibits and experiences around the grounds to include in the app.

To install the free app, visitors can use the QR codes on any of the signs posted around the EcoTarium grounds or search the App Store/Play Store for 'EcoTarium Explorer.'

The EcoTarium encourages all guests (whether they are blind/low vision or not) to provide feedback about the app to [email protected] so that WPI students and EcoTarium staff can implement suggestions for improvements.

Find more must-see Boston museums for every interest in our handy guide!

And, for lots more ideas on fun things to do with the family in Boston we encourage you to subscribe to our free weekly events newsletter!

HOURS

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Friday - 10 am to 5 pm
Saturday - 10 am to 5 pm
Sunday - 10 am to 5 pm

Monday - Closed
Tuesday - Closed
Wednesday - Closed
Thursday - Closed

COST

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EcoTarium Members: Free
Adults: $19.00
Children/Youth: $14.00, ages 2-18; Children under 2 are admitted free
Senior Citizens: $15.00, age 65 and older
College Students: $14.00, student ID required

WEBSITE

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www.ecotarium.org

LOCATION

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222 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA map
Phone: 508-929-2700

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TIPS

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Museum of Science members receive free admission to the Ecotarium.

REVIEWS

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Great Family Destination

We have been Ecotarium members for several years and it is a great place to spend a day, or a few hours if you are local. We will go probably 12-15 times a year with our membership, plus some of the special events they hold. There are indoor and outdoor activities so it is a good year-round option, particularly for the 2 to 8 year old set. The new Alden Planetarium is great, and they have been upgrading the outdoor animal exhibits. The kids also love to finish up with a train ride! If you go, try to park in the lower lot (take a left after the entrance booth). We then take a train ride which originates from the station located on the edge of that lot. This leads to less fussing and foot dragging when it's time to go!

It's okay

This is fine for children and there is ample space to roam and discover. However, somehow, it should be better. Granted, the planetarium was closed for renovations when we went - but I wouldn't trek super far for this visit. If you happen to be in the area and are looking for something to do it's a destination. But nothing extraordinary.

Wonderful Time at the Ecotarium

My husband and our 2 children=Kaitlyn (4yo) and Jaden (2 1/2) had a wonderful time at Ecotarium. The special exhibit was especially fun and enriching for them. It definitely held their interest for a while. And they truly enjoyed the hands-on exhibits.