Ecotarium Trip

Last week we visited the Ecotarium in Worcester MA. We were already scheduled to visit Higgins Armory but that group tour didn't start until 1:00 pm so we figures might as well add in a morning stop if we're driving 2 hours south. I researched a little and found the Ecotarium, which looked to be a fun place to spend a few hours. As a bonus the Ecotarium was only minutes away from Higgins Armory. We arrived at the Ecotarium at 10:00, right when they opened and decided to see the inside exhibits first and then do the outdoor trails and exhibits.

As we begin our tour of the Ecotarium Tristan ponders this giant clam, below.

Most of the indoor exhibits were based on specific biomes or animal habitats. There was one room dedicated to the various parts of Africa and the plants and animals that live in those areas.

On the first floor there is a Curators shop which you can almost miss but I'm glad we didn't. There are many, many curious items to explore and ask the curator about. We spent about a half hour there discovering fossils, unusual seeds, sharks teeth, a Narwhal bone, skulls and other random items of nature.

Also on the first floor there were many microscopes set up with things to look at.

and water ehibits to explore. There were ocean, lake and pond tanks housing the types of animals found in New England in those water areas.

Upstairs was more about plant diversity and also a pretend wooded area where one can see how many animals they can spot in just a small corner of the forest. Amazing how many creatures will call just one tree and the surrounding and underground areas home.

There often seems to be a penny press at places like this and they are a magnet for my kids who HAVE to make a pressed penny and then usually lose it before we get home!

There was also a nice gift shop upstairs with a variety of science kits and large and small trinkets to consider buying. I was glad to see items in all price ranges, sometimes museum shops are so pricey but here you could get small souveniers for only a dollar or two.

As usual the animals were the highlight of the trip for my kids. There were animals inside and outside the museum.

There were also nature trails, Tristan takes a break along the way.

Kenda the polar bear was the absolute highlight of the visit.

Before long it was time to head to our next destination but not before a dinosaur encounter!

The dinosaur was not real of course but the kids had fun pretending. Then we had a picnic lunch before heading onto the second part of our day. The Ecotarium was a fun place to spend a few hours. Younger children than mine would also have play areas to explore and storytelling that is just for them and may have wanted an additional hour at the museum. Had we had a little longer we would have taken in a planetarium show. Lots to do and although not really enough for a full day trip for older kids, the ecotarium it was indeed a nice place to spend a few hours.