Best Nature Centers for Kids Around Boston

Tracy Snyder Molina:  The Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary has two miles of marked walking trails through gardens and a variety of habitats as well as two natural history museums with visual and hands-on displays and exhibits about plants, animals, insects, and minerals of the northeast region. In warmer months they have a picnic area and they also offer a variety of indoor and outdoor programs for children and adults.

Tracy Snyder Molina:  This 86-acre area of green space offers nature trails to explore, a library, mineral collection and live animals plus gift shop to visit. In addition, they offer monthly programs and a summer camp for kids.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   Wachusett Meadow is a former farm that features diverse wildlife throughout woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. Check out the sheep grazing in the pastures, hike the trails and take part in one of the educational programs offered in the farm's former buildings and barns.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   Nestled in Worcester is the largest urban wildlife sanctuary in New England, with over 400 acres managed or owned by Mass Audubon. Trek along well-marked trails through woods, fields, streams, and marsh and enjoy a stop at the nature play area where kids can design gnome homes, climb on large logs, and glide on the two-seat wooden swing. The nature center also offers programs such as preschool story hours, outdoor family activities and nature classes for children and adults alike.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   The EcoTarium is a family-friendly, indoor-outdoor museum with three floors of interactive exhibits, planetarium shows, daily discovery programs, live animal habitats, hikes through forest and meadow nature trails, outdoor play, and seasonally, a train ride around the museum grounds.

Tracy Snyder Molina:  Stony Brook is known for its extensive boardwalk system that travels through forest, fields, and wetlands, ending in a marsh platform that allows visitors great views of wildlife above and below the water. There's also a butterfly garden, nature play area for children and natural history exhibits and nature-themed gift shop to explore.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   Situated along Indian Brook and the Charles River, Broadmoor is an ever-changing environment filled with wildlife: dragonflies, turtles, otters and more than 150 species of birds that call this area home. Easy-to-moderate well-groomed trails pass by woodlands into open fields and along the edges of streams, ponds, and marshland. The Saltonstall Nature Center is a renovated 1911 horse barn that includes a welcome center, a four-season outdoor pavilion, and classrooms. A variety of fun and educational nature-based programs are offered for all ages.

Tracy Snyder Molina:  This scenic oasis just minutes from downtown Attleboro looks out over Lake Talaquega with wooded trails, a boardwalk trail, children's nature play area, colorful gardens, vernal pools and a nature center which houses native turtle species, invertebrates, and other nature exhibits on display.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   The Sherburne Nature Center and surrounding trail system is surrounded by many diverse habitats including forests, meadows, vernal pools and wetland areas with plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities. Beavers, fishers, turtles, mink, foxes, and deer all make this area home. The nature center houses nature exhibits and a learning center.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   Experience life on a working farm and explore a wildlife sanctuary all in one location. Observe the pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, and cows in the farmyard; learn how crops are sustainably grown; explore the trails through field, forest, and wetland habitats and visit resident owls, hawks, a fisher, and a fox in the native wildlife exhibit. There is also a seasonal farm stand, gift shop and many educational programs for children, families and adults.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   Mass Audubon’s oldest wildlife sanctuary features several diverse hiking trails, outdoor children's play area and a red maple swamp boardwalk for wildlife viewing. They offer educational programs for children and adults and be sure not to miss one of their maple sugaring events during the season.

Tracy Snyder Molina:  Just 7 miles from downtown Boston, sits this calm oasis of deciduous and evergreen forests, meadows, ponds and vernal pools. The center offers year-round programs for children and adults including the Habitat Intergenerational Program, which brings younger and older volunteers together to work on projects such as taking care of the trails and community gardens. Kids will enjoy checking out the turtles sunbathing on logs and frogs jumping in the water at Turtle Pond.

Tracy Snyder Molina:  The museum is the interpretive center for the state-owned Blue Hills Reservation and features a natural history museum with live animals and outdoor wildlife exhibits. The animals on display, including snowy owls, a bald eagle and river otter, have been rescued and would not survive in the wild. In addition to the animals permanently on exhibit, the museum hosts gallery shows by local artists. Featuring photography, fiber arts, painting, and other media, these works celebrate the beauty of the nature of Massachusetts.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   Located just outside of downtown Boston on the former grounds of the Boston State Hospital, this community-based urban sanctuary features two miles of trails including a one mile universally accessible trail that crosses meadows and wetlands. The kids will also love to stop at the Nature Nook play area which includes a giant xylophone, wild grass maze and a stream bed for children to experiment with water, sand and sticks.

Tracy Snyder Molina:   The mission of the Lloyd Center is to instill a life-long respect and affection for nature in citizens of all ages through research and education. In particular their focus is on the understanding and appreciation of our coastal and watershed environments. Check out their five different walking trails or visit the Nature Center which offers various aquarium and marine touch tank as well as several marine animal skeletons. Don't forget to take in the ever-changing seasonal views from the observation deck.