Thursday, May 5, 2011

Out and About at the Ecotarium

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You can see a bit of  A Handmade Childhood love over at Better After!  So very happy to be included in that amazing collection of DIYers!

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Living in Boston’s MetroWest there are oh-so-many museums and parks and amazing places to explore and discover with little ones (and without for that matter!!!!), that its easy to forget that there are also amazing places just a bit farther down the pike as well.   Old Sturbridge Village is one of those places, and today we explored another…Worcester’s Ecotarium. 

(Translation: Bostons MetroWest is an area with loose boundaries, but generally considered the cluster of towns east of Boston but inside the 495 Highway;  the “pike” is the local term for the Massachusetts Turnpike highway; and Worcester is actually pronounced “Woosta).

   We had never been to this museum before and hadn’t really heard much about it so it was a true discovery and exploration adventure!  We were without a camera of any kind, which was liberating in some ways and truly unfortunate in others.  We had a great time.  We picked up museum passes from our local library which gave us discounts on the tickets which was great.  I thought the price was a bit steep at first, but I hadn’t realized just how much was there to explore.  On Wednesday mornings they host a craft, snack, story time and animal meet and greet which was a lucky coincidence!  We meet (de-scented) skunks much closer than I could have imagined being to a skunk, and also the most adorable African Pigme hedgehog.  That little thing was absolutely fascinating.  We have been inspired!

The museum boasts many great indoor exhibits, outdoor live animal exhibits, and exploration centers, a train on site, and a great playground, and the gardens were just beginning to show their potential in this early spring air! 

Check it out!!!