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Museum of Science
Rating Details »
Categories: Museums, Cinema [Edit]
Neighborhood: East Cambridge1 Science Park
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 723-2500
Harry Potter: The Exhibition Open!
Step inside the famous wizard's magical world through Harry Potter: The Exhibition, now at the Museum of Science. Get your tickets today!
Announced 1 week ago- Nearest Transit:
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Science Park (Green)
Community College (Orange)
- Good for Kids:
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173 reviews for Museum of Science
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8/14/2008
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
There is always something new and interesting going on at the Boston Science museum. That, paired with cool regular exhibits fun for all ages and the IMAX theatre makes this place the best. College kids love their laser shows, kids love their exhibits and adults get into it all. I love the butterfly exhibit - butterflies we everywhere when we walked in! It was pretty neato. I also love when they do their lightning demonstrations - it's like a storm inside! They even have monkeys and who doesn't love monkeys? I most recently went with my brother and sister and it was the perfect afternoon activity for us. And I just can't say enough about IMAX movies - I simply love them. It'd be such a fun date! Bonus points for duck tours departing here, so it's great to bring out of town friends here and then continue on with a Boston tradition. Always impressed, always a good time.
Eric's Birthday. Part 132.
Okay, this is officially the final event for Eric's birthday. So until next year, we'll just be doing regular reviews.
We went to the Museum of Science on Monday morning to avoid the bigger weekend crowds and dodge the field trips that we figured would be there. What we found instead was a mostly empty establishment that we were able to roam at will. Valerie had obtained free exhibit hall passes from her work and we opted to pay the extra $16 per person to see the special Harry Potter exhibit.
First stop, the Green Wing. We checked out the exhibit featuring New England wildlife habitats, and then trotted back out of the entry (through the awesome automatic hand stampers) and down the Red Wing towards the featured Harry Potter exhibit.
We were two of about seven people to see the exhibit during our 11:05 time slot, though there were queues that made it appear that there could have been hundreds. The first in line, the "actor?" with a horribly fake English accent came out to invite the group in. Due to a lack of participation from other group members Eric and Valerie had both been placed into the Gryffendor house by the sorting hat before entering the exhibit.
The exhibit itself was amazing. Seeing the detail put into the movie's props and costumes up close was worth the additional $16 per person to see. We neglected to add the audio tour, but between the two of us were able to spot some of the details that no one could ever notice by simply looking at a movie screen. The employees working the exhibit were very knowledgeable about the props and costumes included, and one even pointed out to us that the Educational Decrees that Professor Umbridge hung on the walls said "blah blah ablah ablah..." on the bottom of them which we both found comical. The museum suggested we allot an hour for the exhibit, and even as some of the slowest people walking though (the group after us passed us numerous times) we saw the whole thing in 40 minutes. At the end of the exhibit was a well stocked gift store with rather high prices.
Once we finished up with Harry Potter, we headed back to the Green Wing and checked out the human body exhibits. First we watched some baby chicks roam around a tank while others hatched on the other side (really cool/cute), and then we began doing the various activities in the section. Once again, a museum staff member came over and talked to us about the human heart and was pretty knowledgeable about the entire section.
We moved onto the other sections of the museum, stopping at each section and doing a few activities. Our favorites were the "Wild Music" portion (we played a xylophone-type instruments and learned about whales and birds), the Dinosaur exhibit (Eric once wanted to be a palientoligist), and most of all, an art exhibit highlighting sustainability. In the passthrough between the wings, you cross from Boston into Cambridge (or vice versa) and can be in two places at once. There are even footprints on the groud to point this out. For the most part, we didn't have to wait to look at any of the exhibits and interactive portions as it was fairly quiet. There were a few school groups there, but we managed to be ahead of them by a few rooms the whole time.
We didn't get to catch the free lighting show, but were a bit discourages that all of the featured exhibits (butterfly garden, etc) cost extra money. We were impressed by the numerous hand sanitizer stations scattered throughout the exhibits as many of the items were hands on either through moving objects or pressing buttons. Nobody wants the swine flu.
Neither of us had been there in years and were glad to see some of our old favorites mixed in with new exhibits. Valerie was quite dissapointed that they no longer had the musical steps that she enjoyed playing on as a child. We stayed for about four hours and were suprised to find out legs hurting later in the day, not realizing how much we had walked around.
In short...great experience for both young, old and in between :)
I didn't have much of a chance to fully explore the museum as we only really walked through it to claim our Duck Tour tickets located past the gift shop.
But once we got our tickets, we killed some time in the gift shop which was great. I wanted to buy so many things including this cute Paul Frank science-y t-shirt for either a friend's daughter or...myself.
If we had more time, we probably would have done the Harry Potter exhibit even though what does movie/ book magic have to do with science? Well, science created the "magical" effects in the movies, right?
Restrooms are downstairs. You can rent lockers near the front. There's a large snack shop/ cafe across the gift shop.
Wandering through the halls of the science museum really take me back to when I was a kid. Dear god was I as obnoxious as these little brats!?!
We were visiting Boston for a week and my wife LOVES museums. In all honesty you can learn about as much from the comfort of your couch watching the Discovery channel. But for me the nostalgia of walking around and remembering what it was like when I was a kid wandering through the LA Science Museum made it more fun. The lightning show in the weather hall was a blast, pun intended, and the Butterfly garden was pretty cool, not sure I'd pay $10 for it though.
The exhibits are creative and relevant. The staff are enthusiastic and welll versed in the areas they are serving. Definitely a fun time to be had here.
All in all this is a fun time, and great for folks with ADD kids, cause this is where everyone seems to bring them.
How can you NOT give the Museum of Science 5 stars? I had come when I was really little but hadn't been back since about two years ago.
I saw the Led Zepplin Laser show and it was so awesome. It's a great alternative of going to the movies. Its about the same price and is something different and fun.
I also revisited the museum this past summer with my mom, sister, niece, two young nephews. Seeing the young ones enjoy learning is really neat. We just paid the regular admissions and just did our thing.
Next on my list is to see an IMAX film and possibly the harry potter exibit!
For Harry Potter: The Exhibition
I must say that coming to the MOS for this particular event was a very pleasant experience Sunday afternoon. Months ago I purchased tickets and waited almost two months for this day to come. My girlfriend is a Harry Potter fan and I though this would be a great surprise for our 1 year anniversary.
We live in West Newton and love that we can take the green line all the way to Science Park, save money on parking and just have to deal with waiting a while for a D-line train to take us home later. Arriving at the MOS couldn't be easier, purchasing/picking up tickets was a breeze. Though I still consider everything to be overpriced like most museums I was proud I didn't buy anything.
When it came time to make our way to the exhibit we both started to get excited. I've never been to an exhibit where I could see movie props, costumes and other items that were actually used in a movie. Our time was set for 2:00 PM and after a short wait in a smaller line, watched two volunteers use the "sorting hat," we were brought into a room with brightly lit movie poster from all the current films. The pictures faded revealing a montage of clips from the movies ending with the image of a passing train. A large black curtain slowly rose behind us revealing the train that take all the kids away from platform 9 3/4 to Hogwarts. An employee carrying a lantern welcomes us saying, "Welcome to Hogwarts!"
Everyone slowly makes their way into the exhibit that begins with painting that can be seen all around the iconic school. Some are still portraits others are in motion. My favorite was the one of Dawn French singing at a high pinch trying to shatter a drinking glass. I won't spill the detail on all the exhibits but will say it's definitely work that money. And I would suggest you spend the extra $5/person for the audio tour too. This will give visitors inside information about particular items that you cannot read about from signs or descriptions. Like, did you know Daniel Radcliffe's "Harry Potter" glasses actually gave him an allergic reaction? As you move from room to room each exhibit get more elaborate. It really is amazing how much detail went into everything you see. Plus, it gives viewers a real appreciation into what goes into making a blockbuster film series.
Now as far as crowds go it was okay. Groups are allowed in by time slots and if you take the audio tour you're in the exhibit for an hour. When I bought the tickets I didn't realize it was opening day; so, groups of small children were everywhere. My girlfriend and I wished that there were "adult hours" for things like this because at times it's hard listening, reading or trying to look up close at something and suddenly a small child yells, cuts in front of you or starts throwing a fit. But at times even parents were just as bad as the children. One woman in particular who was always near us just had to read every item description out-loud then make an obvious comment, "Oh, THAT was in the "Sorcerer's Stone, remember!"
When the tour concludes you are in a very well designed store with many, many various items from Harry Potter. You can buy a wand replica ($70), a fridge magnet ($10) or even a Nimbus 2000 replica ($400.00). Most of these items I've seen online, in magazines and in toy stores. So, I would say unless you want something that says, "Harry Potter the Exhibition" on it go for it. Otherwise just move along and try to save a few bucks.
Overall it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. Worth the money and great for any Harry Potter fan. Enjoy, it runs until mid-February 2010.
The MOS is always a fun and interesting place to go. Without a membership it may seem expensive. I would not frequent the MOS if I were not a member.
We went on a Friday evening to see the Harry Potter exhibit. It was extremely well done, one of the best special exhibits that I have seen there. We will probably take another trip in to see it again. No crowds at all. Then we walked down to see the new fossil of the Triceratops, Cliff. Truly awesome. Had 8PM tickets to IMAX Deep Sea, very awesome! I just would love to know how they get those shots.
Having a membership gives us the freedom to roam around without the extra cost. If you live in the area and have kids, a membership to the MOS is a must!
The crowds can be a hassle when you visit at peak times, but for a special show and a movie, you can't beat Friday evening. Get there no later the 5PM so you're not rushed.
This place is a good time. It is a great museum to bring kids too because everything is so hands on! They actually encourage people to touch things to see how they work. They are renovating some of it to keep it updated, but it is just a great place. Don't miss the lightning show!
Harry Potter: The Exhibition
RainyDayMagazine readers know we are huge Harry Potter fans. We have been at most of the HP events in Boston. So when we got an invitation to the preview of the new Harry Potter exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science, we cleared our calendar and got our brooms ready.
We were not disappointed!!! Go here to see photos and to read the write-up:
http://www.rainydaymag...
The Museum of Science is the only New England venue to host the exhibition and the second venue worldwide. This exhibit will run at the MOS through Feb 21, 2010. If you are a HP fan, this is a must-see exhibit. If you are not yet one, you will be after seeing the exhibit :-)
The museum itself if good sized and has several levels and rooms to keep everyone busy. My review today is specifically in regards to the Harry Potter Exhibit.
I am a fan of the movies in general and as a member of the museum got a big discount on the exhibit, but even if I had to pay full price I would not have walked away disappointed. I is a great was to get up and close with movie sets, props and costumes. No pictures and no food (not even gum, I saw people being asked to throw it out) and not drinks. I can understand why as many items are in arms reach. They stagger groups so we went in with a group of 6 however we either caught up with or were too slow moving so in the last room it got a bit crowded. We opted to include the audio tour which was mostly a lot of costume and set designer tid-bits. Overall the exhibit was pretty large and had things from every movie. The end had a little gift shop that was way over priced, we bought our traditional magnet for $8. I recommend this exhibit for all!!
If your a local and you've been thinking of a membership I would buy the membership now (2 people membership is $75 then exhibit tix are $5 each, non member pay about $25 each just for the exhibit). Audio tour was another $4 each which I think is the same if you are a member or not. Give yourself a good hour to go through everything then spend the rest of the day enjoying the museum!!
I like to think that I am well versed in the rules of dating. Allow this to be my public service announcement for the lesser-in-the-knows out there who might not have thought of this before:
The MOS is a great date place!
Bond over the cuteness of exotic life in the rainforests. Share an inside joke over the anatomy exhibit. Watch in awe together as lightning is created before your very eyes! And you can end the whole lovely time by snuggling close as you gaze up at the sky in the planetarium.
You can thank me later for your rave success. Just make sure you weren't hoping to go cheap cuz the MOS is $20/pp for general admission, plus extra for shows (such as the planetarium, but who wants to cut out potential snuggle time? so worth it)
I definitely came during the wrong week...since I'm only 3 days ahead of the Harry Potter exhibit. But I chalked it up to me having to come back another time to experience being a Pot-head.
You know you're in good hands when a giant T-rex greets you on the side of the building. The crowds weren't too bad, and I got to go all around every venue from top to bottom except the paid sections. I really like the Natural History section of stuffed animals, the science in the park (swings and teeter-totter!), the giant Planetarium (which made me remember the astronomy class in SFSU *every star is a sun & every sun is a star!). Their exploration into the universe is fun! I got to weigh myself on the moon again...
They had live animal presentations and mine was the Boston Snapper turtle...the baby was cute but the 2 year old looked like some of the obese kids in too tight t-shirts...it barely fit it's shell...not pretty!
The IMAX show of the The Greatest Places was very unique, but noticed lots of adults snoozing in the darkness...this must be like what the Tiki TIki room is to me in disneyland....nappy time.
The 3D interactive fish was hilarious. How many times can my fish die in seconds after being created and released? My poor guppy!
I really like the dinosaur exhibit they had, but the one thing I thought was cool was the model room. Where else can you find a ginormous model of a grasshopper? The one place that embarrasses the heck out of kids is the human reproduction room...they had models of everything that seems guaranteed to make kids squirm and teens giggle.
Do not buy any of the food at the commissary. It wasn't filling and the food prices were high. Lug your own food if you must people, but save your money for other things.
I have always LOVED this museum since the first time I visited as an elementary school student in the early 90s. The entire experience definitely takes much more time than I had to venture through yesterday during the Free Museum Day Program but even with a limited time I was still impressed with the exhibits, the staff and the beauty of the space!
I was amazed and impressed by the new exhibits and how up to date everything was. They have an exhibit about medical technologies and already have the story behind the auto-syringe which will hopefully soon be readily available to all kinds of patients including those who need insulin and this will allow them to live life a bit more freely. I found this to be amazing because less than 2 months ago I saw a TV segment about the technology and was not expecting to see something like that at the museum. It's always wonderful when a museum can mix both new information with older info to give the visitor a total experience.
I can't wait to be able to have a full day here and to see EVERYTHING. Awesome location, awesome exhibits, just awesome all over!
I love the Museum of Science. It's definitely a great place to stop on a boring rainy day when you have nothing to do. There is plenty to keep you busy for an entire day, and they bring in some pretty cool exhibits (i.e. Harry Potter coming up!!!! ) . My favorite part is the IMAX theatre. I saw Mystic India there and it was fantastic. The theatre is incredible because of the domed screen. Even if you don't want to come into the museum, it's worth just getting an IMAX ticket and catching a show.
I highly recommend investing in a City Pass if you want to do anything touristy in Boston! We purchased one at the MoS and we have been having fun all week.
The MoS itself is pretty awesome. They have exhibits on anything you can think of, and they have a really awesome electricity show where get to watch someone create lightning inside! We were a little bummed because quite a few of the exhibit activities needed some service, but overall we had a great time. I highly recommend going to the planetarium! It is worth the extra $$!
We did, however, pick one of the worst days to go... we went on a Monday and were inundated with strollers and school field trips.
I'm pretty sure this place exists to store all the crap that MIT has grown tired of but is too lazy to throw away. As I sat here and pondered what I thought of this place I had feelings of mediocrity wash over me--the exhibits are okay I guess--granted, hands-on science museums are usually for kids (and promoting an interest in science at a young age is important), but there isn't much science beyond the glitz and huge plastic bugs (there is an indoor lightning show using MIT's old vandagraff generator). Maybe if I didn't interact with math and modeling on a daily basis the Mathmatica exhibit would have interested me more.
Why give it 5 stars if I am so lukewarm about it? Three words: Tiny lion monkeys. The museum has some cotton-top tamarin monkeys that look like little old men with Albert Einstein hair, which is awesome. Its like a kitten had sex with David the gnome and this was their cute little offspring. I was entertained by tiny monkeys for the better part of an hour, which is totally worth the money (it was free with my college ID). As our civilization moves to the point where we can put our consciousness into other things, I'll be the first to sign up to put it in a tiny monkey with awesome hair. Oh the Omni theater is nice if you are into that kind of stuff.
Bottom Line: Getting back to the tiny monkeys...
I really love the MoS. I do.
I'm conflicted because I feel I should give it five stars. Every experience I've had growing up here was grand, but after going recently, I've come to realize some of the shine I saw as a child has faded. Sure, the Omni is still kickass, the Planetarium has some good stuff (and is probably the best 'show' value at the MoS), and the rotating exhibits they have are intriguing, if not a bit expensive, but...
Why am I holding back that star?
Because by and large, NOTHING has changed. With the exception of the aforementioned rotating shows and exhibits, the Museum of Science is like a time capsule. While that's great for stoking the fires of nostalgia in a person like me, it's also laughable that the MoS has exhibits that I remember seeing in 1987. In fact, some of them are in the same condition they were then. An exhibit about the INTERNET? Really? It'd be one thing if it actually ran parallel with modern technology, but there are instances where you'll be using a 486 computer to run a program. This stuff just comes off as ugly and dated, and in the Boston Museum of Science I don't think there's a real excuse for either.
I love it, I do. It's an amazing museum and I wouldn't discourage anyone from going. But it's gotta start adapting! The Nostalgia effect alone gives the MoS my four stars but I would like to see them somehow maintain that nostalgic lean and try to update the place a bit.
Ok, i may be biased because I am a boston bred gal, but when I was growing up this was THE magical science HOLY LAND place to be! Nothing was hotter than getting a field trip permission slip signed by mom to this place. And the 5 bucks you got to spend in the gift shop! haha!
...ANYONE who is ANYONE from boston have seen the old skool commercials they used to do for the TIDAL wave exhibit...u know what i'm talking about: the geeky kid who goes to the science museum and discovers the tidal wave display and stares into the abyss of the shallow tank . So mind boggling...HOW DOES it WORK? WHERE did the water come from? and the most important question: CAN I TOUCH IT?
sadly, the room where the tidal wave display was is kinda empty and the tanks are still in there but there are other displays around it...I think there has been a "we apologize for not having this awesome KICKASS display" sign on since circa 1989. HAH
and let's not forget about the ghetto electricity show...i swear to god they have not changed this since I was like 6....most of the displays have been there since the beginning of time...and although they have a small natural history section- I wish they would expand that and make it cooler...where else can u smell a beaver (yes, i just typed that out) and a random moose? NO WHERE i say...
also, one of my friends has been working there for years and so I get to see the special behind the scenes stuff...
who else got to seat the guests for the star wars extravaganza???? that would be me...i think i was almost close enough to touch george lucas and his saber light thing.
It tooks us a little more than 3 hours to get through all the exhibits. There's a lot to look at... not all of it is interesting, but most of it is.
I'd recommend spending the extra money on the planetarium shows. It's by far the most fun I'd had in the museum.
appreciate the fact that teachers get in for free (yay!), but this place seems too large and maze-like for my experience. they have some good exhibitions that are on constant display, plenty of hands-on materials for kids to explore, staff were present to offer assistance or answer questions... these are the good things about this place.
now, the "meh" part of it. like said before, the place was a bit too stretched-out, i got tired after visiting just one wing (sooo many things to play with in just that one corner!), and i already lost the will to walk all the way to the other side and back. also, have been wanting to see the butterfly exhibit, but that is a separate (extra $) admission. they do have seasonal exhibits, which are good too, but like i said, you can only do so much in one visit.
now, parking. the garage next door offers validated parking, but the rate seems hefty even after the discount. you may want to try parking at the cambridge galleria (mall) or the side streets around the mall and walk over, otherwise taking the train would be a better deal.
to end of a good note, this place has a great view of the charles, and a little grass area outside to enjoy the sunset, or bird poop (lol), whichever you prefer. overall, it's a good experience: great exhibits, keeps kids busy and wowed. it's only the peripherals/logistics that are deterring my next visit.
Getting a membership to the Museum of Science is totally worth it. You get to go to special exhibits before the general public. My husband and I loved the Critter Cam exhibit, btw! You also get passes to the Omni Theater and Planetarium, as well as notices about special events.
Other fun things: monkeys, musical stairs, butterflies and electricity!
It's disapointing that much has not changed over the years. Hell, they still have exhibits about computers and the wonders of the internet. What is this interwebz you are speaking about?!
Anyways, this place is cool and has the nostalgia feel to it. I spent several overnights here with school and cub scouts. I had fun here as a kid. I actually liked this place better than they Childrens Museum.....and they had the Lego Land at the Childrens Museum!
I would stop in to check it out if I had some free time, the OMNI theatre was always a blast. I loved the whole feeling that you were going to fall.
The only bad thing about this museum is the price ($20 for adult admission). But that's the only bad thing. Otherwise this is a nerd/science/mathophile's paradise. The world's largest Van de Graaff generator, exhibits on birth, evolution, dinosaurs, optical illusions, etc. all make exploring the museum bring back memories of childhood when learning was fun and the pursuit of knowledge was an innocent pastime.
This museum was good...if you have children. Personally, I thought it was small and overpriced. If you plan on going, I suggest buying and using a City Pass card. That way you can avoid spending the $20 they charge for basic admission.
There are a lot of hands-on exhibits that are designed for children, and I imagine that it would be great to take a class here if you're a teacher. If you don't have children, do not go on vacation weeks or summer breaks unless you love being run over by strollers. Also beware of the parents of said children who stop at the top/bottom of escalators with their heads in the air wondering where to go next...I have a tip! Just move and you'll figure it out!
My family and I had a lot of fun here, even though it is aimed mostly at children. I liked the Mythic Creatures exhibit, especially the lesser-known examples. My favorite was Mishipishu, which looks like Bug, my cat.
As usual, the musical stairs and chick hatchery were the highlights of the trip.
Also, they have a real IMAX theater, not just a big screen.
Science RULES!
I'll never get too old to go to the MoS and stand in awe of all the cool exhibits they have there. The laser show is always a good time go to see and feel all trippy. I recently saw "Sharks 3D!" and it was really cool, plus you get to keep the 3D glasses as a souveneir.
The Dippin Dots (ice cream of the future) is a must-get everytime I go as well. That and annoy people by running up and down the musical staircase!! =D
Though I will say, the only drawback here is the pricing as it can really hurt your wallet to get into all the stuff you want to go to.
Other than that though... go science!
Mom, kids, and I made a trip to MoS for the first time. Mom decided to buy me a membership to the museum. Me, upon hearing what this entails, "Oh my god, this is awesome! Free exhibits!! Yes!" Man behind counter stares at me funny, probably wondering my age. And this was my reaction before I walked around.
Anyway, I love museums. And I love science (excuse me while I push up my glasses). This place was exactly what I wanted out of a science museum. Lots of interesting exhibits and lots of activities. I was particularly intrigued by the Mythic Creatures exhibit since I wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up falling in love with it because I've been obsessed with unicorns and mermaids since I was a little girl. My mother actually had to drag me out.
I didn't get to see everything but since I now have a membership, I will be visiting it frequently. And, yes, I am still as excited about it as I was before walking around.
I can't help but think the $19.95 price tag on this day of fun is a little steep considering many exhibits are out of date, worn, or broken. Walking through the corridors, this place is just screaming for an update. New exhibits that are ACTUALLY hands on would be killer.
I do enjoy the new exhibits that change. Those always seem to be well done and interesting. Easy to get to and easy to park at, too.
Various Titles (and Subtitles) of Exhibits that I Would LOVE to See at the Museum of Science:
P=NP Problems: An animated 3D adventure that thoroughly surveys math that your college professor probably doesn't understand! Fun for the Whole Family! (5 hour show)
Rick Astley Sings Science!
Sexual Maps: Your Path to Pleasure and How Your Kinks Formed During Your Childhood! (See also: the special new exhibit that explains the science behind Teledildonics!)
Catapult Your Kid! (How Far Can They Go!?!)
Darwin Awards: See how Natural Selection is unavoidable even here in the 21st Century!
Tori Amos Laser Light Show!
Britney Spears Explains the Human Reproductive System, a state-of-the-art exhibit featuring animatronics and voiceovers from the singer herself! And her new hit single, Gimme More!
I, For One, Welcome Our New Alien Overlords! (planetarium show)
Modern Science - As Reported By CNN (2 min show. Warning: flashing lights may induce seizures in those with epilepsy or small children. Or both.)
It's A Dump Truck: The Internet Explained by Cory Doctorow (and the Rest of BoingBoing)
Unusual Methods of Procreation in the Animal Kingdom (Includes catfish, turtles, praying mantises, and pandas!)
Let's Set Things on Fire!
LOLectricity!
The Science behind the Tarot, Numerology, and Astrology: How We Can See Your Predetermined Fate Right Now!
Deadly Viruses: Ebola, Rabies, Influenza, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis, et. al. Come join us in our clean room and observe how these infections manifest and spread among groups of lab animals! (May not be suitable for children under 7 years of age.)
Preview of The Death of Our Solar System
POOP! (That's right: an exhibit about poop.)
(Disclaimer: I worked at the museum one semester doing blacksmithing demonstrations. Warm fuzzies aside, I still think it's a pretty damn awesome museum.)
This is a wonderful science museum. I can't get enough of it. I'm definitely planning on buying a membership as soon as I move back to Boston full time. When you're in the normal part look at all the simple machines and engines along the wall, the math room, the exercise room, and the cool robotics exhibits. Oh, and don't forget the theater of electricity, too!
The Museum is interactive, and all of the staff is great. I highly advocate going to the Innovators Exclusive Events- Great for seeing new exhibits and getting better acquainted with the annual giving staff.
The planetarium/Omni are great- and remember to go to the telescope hours that are open to the public on Friday nights during the summer!
In summary: any museum with a giant T-Rex outside must be amazing.
Want to go back in time? To magical place know as 1965 to 1980?? You can, at the Museum of Science! No, it's not at a new Einstein Wing or through a magical "IMAX: Time in 3D!"
Travel back in time simply by paying the over priced admission to explore dust ridden and over used exhibits. Honestly, this place was great when I was 7. And, then at 9. Even at 13 and 18.
At age 25, I caught on to something...it's never changed! Sure there are the random rotating special exhibits but seriously, I expect our museum of science to be renamed the "Museum of Science History" shortly.
I expect more, especially given the prices they charge families to see it. My girlfriend and I went very excited and but left disappointed after we "skimmed" the museum in less than two hours.
Overrated, outdated, and overpriced!
Pretty pricey, compared to what I'm used to, but worth it! I'm used to suggested donation or free museums from NY and DC... but... yeah its worth it. We only had around three hours to see the entire museum and the planetarium show, but we managed to see most of it, very fun time! My friend and I are super into interactive exhibits... especially the ones for kids, so it was a LOT of fun. interactive stuff ALL OVER the place. yay! We saw the monkeys, and the hatching baby chicks, and we put the organs back in the body, and we dug through dirt, and we rode a bike, and we played with infrared, and we tested our vision, and and :D it was way fun.
The planetarium show was lovely (The Sky Tonight). Old projector, so it's not as fancy as some shows I've seen, but it was very peaceful and nice. We really wanted to go stargazing (we went on friday) but the weather was miserable ): ah well! I wish we had time to see an IMAX show... next visit!
So yeah, it was a great time, if you can afford it or have membership or some kind of special thing that can get you in cheap :P. The gift store was not as big as I was expecting, but ah well!
I can never get enough of the MoS! I loved going here as a kid and I still love going there today. Their recent exhibition from the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown was amazing. They had amazing Red Sox memorabilia from history and even current Red Sox World Series treasurers like Schilling's sock! There an interactive display where you could throw a bean bag as hard as you could and get the speed. I got 67!
Don't forget to see the lightning show or the famous life-size T-Rex! How about a Friday night at the Mugar Omni Theater?! Be whisked away to far away lands and see things like you were actually there. When you're leaving, take a walk down the musical stairs!
Or try something different and see the laser show at the Planetarium. Laser Pink Floyd? Ya man.
There's cocktail hour across from the spacious gift shop on Friday evenings with a live jazz band too. There is something for everyone.
Amazing museum. It should not be called "Museum and Science Nursery". Very good for both Adults and kids as well. There is a lot of stuff that can inculcate scientific mindset in young ones. The Mugar Omni Theatre is awesome and so is the Planetarium. There were many good documentaries to see and I really enjoyed them.
Three story dome screen.
Complete and total immersion.
Evening shows are $6.50.
Need I say more?
This experience best starts on the parking garage roof at or after sunset where you can see the river gradually wind in front of you, the din of the cars emanating from Storrow and the glow of lights beginning to appear in your periphery. Many times you're the only people around.
Downstairs the theater calls. So you walk in and the expanse of the stadium looms before you, sparsely dotted mostly with geeks and their girls. You crack a smile. The seats in the very center in front of the film box are open, so you scurry around a couple of folks.
Then a voice speaks. It's SPOCK.
And you find out he was born 20 minutes from there.
He and a chipper woman proceed to explain the capabilities of sound, lights, and reveal the structure of the dome. A thunderstorm. A city scape. A forest. You're ready to clap and give a standing ovation and... then the film begins.
You realize your eyes are definitely not used to that much stimulation and they roll towards the sides of your head in attempts to have monocular vision. There's gasping, terror, relief, laughing.
It's hard to leave. But then you remember that at the bottom of the exit staircase are piano steps that even with the delay, you're able to create a pleasant composition with your silly friends, cuz those are the best ones to have.
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4/3/2007
There is profundity in the small and simple. And much to be learned by the baffling and complex. The… Read more »
Great place for all ages - customer service was wonderful. Many different things to see and do.
All I have to say is, "where were you while I was in High School?" OK So it was exactly in the same spot. Yet, maybe if we were smart as teens, we could have had some mighty fine stimulating experiences instead of at someone's house or the res. Yeah, I said it. The res.
This place is gorgeous. It's near impossible to experience an obstructed view with their stadium like seating. Any movie you watch, you feel as though you are there. Immerse yourself in the experience. It truly is spectacular.
The theater proceeds to stimulate not only one's sight with their larger-than-life images but hearing, with their digital sound system. In some cases, as when i went, smell......choose your seats wisely.
The SO and I went to see the movie about Wetlands of the South. Disturbing and informative at the same time. I even shed a tear. I'm betting it is the only time I will ever get that close to seeing the inside of an alligators mouth.
In any case, make sure to wear white (still blows my mind), try to go during the week to beat the crowds and do not get mad when your are the 2nd person in line and the first is one Kid from Camp Shamalama .....because in about 5 minutes thirty other screaming kids are going to join the "spot holder"......Hey, it happens.
I couldn't imagine how they were going to do a mythical creatures exhibit...
now I know and I am going to say only this
Go, it is lovely, and you won't be sorry you did!
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3/27/2006
Review update:
I took my five and a half year old to the Body Worlds exhibit on Friday. It wasn't… Read more »
This updated review of mine is because I had my wedding reception at the Museum of Science. It was AMAZING. The staff were super helpful and made sure everything went smoothly, and the catering was delicious. It also was reasonably priced (for a wedding reception, anyway).
If you need to have a reception of any kind, I highly recommend using the Museum of Science as your venue.
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3/23/2008
This place hasn't changed much over the years, has it? Museum of Science certainly tries hard, and I… Read more »
After my first visit at age 18, I decided to get married on the musical staircase. I thought it was a really creative and unorthodox idea, but turns out MOS actually does weddings all the time.
I'm not a huge museum fan, but I love this place so much. Everything is fun and delightful: the math room, the optical illusions, the wall cutout revealing the escalator mechanism.
It may not be all modern and space-agey, but I think it's the perfect example of old-school Boston charm.
