The EcoTarium's museum building features three floors of hands-on, interactive exhibits that explore the natural and physical sciences and our New England environment. Each year, the museum welcomes dynamic traveling exhibits, as well as houses permanent installations that make creative use of the museum's natural history collection and living wildlife. Our exhibits make learning fun and are designed to engage a family audience.
Temporary Exhibits
Brain: The World Inside Your Head
Closing September 7 - Using innovative special effects, hands-on learning activities, video games, optical illusions and interactive displays, BRAIN shows how the brain functions and how, like other parts of the body, it can sometimes malfunction.
Permanent Exhibits
City Science: The Science You Live
Discover the hidden science stories all around us at the EcoTarium’s hands-on interactive exhibit, City Science. This immersive exploration of the modern city allows visitors to investigate the science we encounter every day but rarely stop to consider.
Alden Planetarium
Explore the far reaches of the universe in our planetarium. Be inspired by the breathtaking visuals and state-of-the-art graphics.
Secrets of the Forest
Uncover what's living. Unlike the forests in your neighborhood, this one has plenty of comfortable places to sit... and a small stage.
Natural History Collection
Specimens from the natural world! Although a large portion of the collection can be seen on display, the EcoTarium also has many materials in storage.
Natural History Showcase
The EcoTarium owns a natural history collection of over 50,000 specimens. Each quarter, we will pull one of the hidden gems from our collection to put on display.
Curator’s Workshop
Enter the office of an 1820's natural history curator! This touching-approved area allows visitors to handle and investigate real seashells, gems, fossils, and bones.
Mineral Dome
The Mineral Dome contains 100 rare crystals and stones displayed under beautiful hand-painted skylights.
The Arctic Next Door: Mount Washington
The Arctic Next Door takes visitors on a virtual journey to explore the weather and geology of Mount Washington.
Water Planet
Explore how one of our most vital resources shapes our planet.
Preschool Discovery Area
Enrich the minds of young visitors. The EcoTarium has a dedicated space for preschool-aged children to play, create and investigate science and nature.