 Blue Mountain Arts | for Fun Family Excursions |
Arlington, MA |
Plymouth, MA |
Revere, MA |
Boston, MA Also, Hall of Ideas and Quest Gallery |
Boston, MA Lighthouse Depot York, ME |
Boston, MA The Butterfly Place Westford, MA |
Boston, MA Stone Zoo Stoneham, MA |
Lowell, MA |
Pittsfield, MA |
 Image courtesy of the Mary Baker Eddy Library Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity Boston, Massachusetts For a peaceful afternoon filled with absolute wonder, head to Boston to the
Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity. There you can have a tour of the amazing
Mapparium, then spend some time in the
Hall of Ideas with its magical fountain. "The Hall of Ideas is a celebration of our common heritage - the great ideas that have inspired individuals and transformed society throughout the ages." You'll be mesmerized as words appear in the fountain, then spill out onto the floor and up onto to the wall, where great quotes will appear. There's lots more to do at the Library, as well, such as taking a trip back in time on the computers on the second floor in the Quest Gallery. For Visitor Information, click here. | ||||||
 The Berkshire Museum Pittsfield, MA Alexander Calder is the "mobile man" and an artist we study in our Balancing and Weighing Science unit. The Berkshire Museum has an interactive toy exhibit entitled "Alexander Calder: An Artist At Play." Here you can play with replicas of toys created by Calder. What fun and what a wonderful way to complement our classroom learning! The Berkshire Museum is about two and a half hours from Boston. To learn about the Museum and the exhibit, click here. Be sure to click on the resources for Teachers and Families. Directions and hours here. |
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This is definitely worth a visit! Be sure to choose a bright, sunny day for your trip so that "Butterfly Landing" will be open! For more information, see http://www.zoonewengland.com/ A guaranteed fun and educational day for the family! Some people have asked about the animal adoption program. For just $35, you can "Zoodopt" an animal at the Franklin Park or Stone Zoos for a family member, friend, boss or co-worker! "Zoodoption" packages make great gifts for both kids and grown-ups, and they're a great way to help the Zoos' wildlife conservation efforts. Each year, the Zoos spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on hay, grain, produce and other special diets to feed their animals, but thanks to the "Zoodoption" program they are able to defray some of those costs. Find out details at Zoodoptions. And speaking of zoodoptions... Stone Zoo ~ Stoneham, MA |
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The Museum of Science in Boston opened the Butterfly Garden a few years ago. Although somewhat small, it promises to be a great visit - especially for your own very special lepidopterist! Contact the Museum for info.  The Butterfly Place - Westford, MA Another great way to spend a morning or an afternoon is at The Butterfly Place. You can walk among the butterflies and you may even be lucky enough to have one land on you (very good luck!). Learn more at their website. |
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 For a longer day trip, or maybe an overnight, get ready to step back in time to 1627! Although we have already been to Plymouth this year, there is still so much more to see. Plimoth Plantation has a wonderful interactive Thanksgiving exhibit, which we did not have time to visit in depth. You can also spend time watching the artisans create shoes, pottery, and furniture at the Crafts' Corner. During the summer some of the Pilgrim children may also be working in the Village. In Plymouth you can visit Pilgrim Hall Museum where you can view some of the Pilgrim's artifacts! For rainy day fun, try some coloring pages. Also, of special interest, are the Plimoth Plantation pages from the Learning Family - 2000 Faces of America. |
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 Photograph by Nancy White
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American Textile History Museum ~ Lowell, MA These museums are perfect matches to some of our work this year in geometry. Both provide wonderful interactive, hands-on exhibits for children and their families alike. To learn about kids' programs at the Quilt Museum, click here. For general information about the museum, see the New England Quilt Museum. The American History Textile Museum has some simply amazing programs for children and families. Be sure to check out their Textile Learning Center. | ||||||
Families can enjoy a wonderful day on the harbor and learn lots more about America's first lighthouse - Boston Light! While there, look for Sally Snowman - she's keeper of the light! For info on tours, click here.  Museum at the Lighthouse Depot - Wells, ME For a longer day trip or an overnight or two, try a visit to the Lighthouse Depot and its Lighthouse Museum in Wells, Maine, right down the road from York. The museum has many rare artifacts on display from the old United States Lighthouse Service, a special section dedicated to the U.S. Coast Guard, lighthouse artifacts from lighthouse organizations of other countries and vintage items used in lighthouse advertising. Also on display are many framed vintage photos of Maine lighthouse keepers, and artifacts from the U.S. Life Saving Service and Steamboat Inspection Service. You can see some amazing models of lighthouses, too. Learn more about the Lighthouse Depot here. |
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New England Sand Sculpting Invitational on Revere Beach
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One of the least expensive, educational, and fun ways to spend a hot afternoon is in the coolness of the children's book department at Barnes and Noble. There are hundreds of books to preview and lots of soft sofas and chairs on which to relax and read. I recommend the Barnes and Noble series "History Makers Bios". These books can be a bit challenging for second graders, but perfect for parents to read with their children, plus with the primary source documents embedded in these books, moms and dads will find these very interesting, as well. Families can even slip down to the Cafe for a cool drink and still keep reading! And don't forget Barnes and Noble's Summer Reading Program, where you can receive a free book, just for reading! | ||||||
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