Free Admission, Parking, and Hikes in Conservation Land
Admission to the Discovery Museum is FREE the first Friday night of each month during the school year (except September) and every Friday night during the summer, beginning in late June, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. You can get there from Boston in under an hour and easily spend hours in the indoor and outdoor exhibits. The museum is located at 177 Main Street (Route 27) in
Acton. Round out your visit with a hike in the nearby Great Hill Conservation Area. Parking is free. Check out many other ways to get free or discounted admission to the Discovery Museum.
Reserve Free Tickets for Your Visit
Reserve tickets online or by phone by calling 978-264-4200. Members can reserve three days before a visit; non-members two days before their visit. The Museum has both indoor (Discovery Museum) and outdoor (Discovery Woods) elements.
The Discovery Museum At a Glance (Indoor)
- All ages can play, explore, and learn.
- Youngest learners can have immersive experiences.
- There are new galleries of STEAM experiences for all ages.
- All exhibits are hands-on, low-tech, open-ended and interactive.
What You’ll Find
Toys: the Inside Story
Explore what makes toys work.
Light and Color Gallery
Interact with light and color through LEDs and other materials.
Simple Machines Gallery
See how mechanics get things done.
da Vinci Workshop
Tinker like an inventor.
AirPlay
Find out what happens when air moves.
Water Gallery
Explore water and get wet.
Brain Building Together
Built for infants aged 0-3. Share stories, play and spend time together.
Sound Gallery
Listen to sounds and feel their vibrations.
Yes! It’s Math!
Hands-on exploration of the math we use in daily life.
Bessie’s Diner
Run a pretend diner.
Backyard at Night
See how things are different at night (indoor).
Train Room
Buy tickets, schedule a trip, operate the train and build or repair a track.
Ship Room
Sail on a ship.
Discovery Woods At a Glance (Outdoor)
- Inclusive, fully accessible and open year-round.
- Explore the treehouse.
- Bounce the wiggly bridge.
- Sway in the nest swing.
- Climb the cargo net.
- Explore the woodland nook.
- Check out the rain garden.
- Check into a beaver lodge.
- Explore acres of adjoining conservation land.
What You’ll Find
Adventure Hill
Slide, climb small and large boulders, climb to the top of the fort and hide in The Hideout.
Discovery Treehouse
Five hundred fifty square feet of fun, accessible from an on-grade elevated walkway that accommodates strollers and wheelchairs. Children can design and build structures inside the treehouse; make observations from 19 feet above the ground; curl up in the Book Nook; learn about different kinds of wood; and do different activities on Live-Edge Tables.
Nature Playscape
This is the inclusive and accessible space around the Treehouse. Climb across the Cargo Net; rest on the Log Couch; sway in the nest swing; hang out in a man-made beaver lodge; peek into a birdhouse to see if anyone’s home; and observe nature in the Rain Garden.
Try a Trail
Grab a map and try a trail in the Great Hill Conservation Area.
Bessie the Dinosaur
Sit on the museum’s mascot or even help give her a bath.
Slap-a-Phone
Make music by hitting 25 white tubes created by artist Arthur Ganson.
Fairyborough
An ever-changing space for volunteer projects. A good spot to have a snack.
Earth Geo-Physical Globe
Explore a 6-foot topographical globe.
Orienteering
Try the Short Loop, Around the Pond, and the Off Trail Challenge. How quickly can you find your way? Learn more about orienteering.
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