The EcoTarium is a science and nature museum located in
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...
. Previously known as the New England Science Center, the museum features several permanent and traveling exhibits, the Alden Planetarium, a
narrow-gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curv ...
train pulled by a scale model of an 1860s steam engine, and a variety of wildlife.
History
The EcoTarium was founded in 1825 as the Worcester Lyceum of Natural History. The first spaces dedicated to the museum were the Natural History Rooms in the Worcester Bank Block on Foster Street; in 1891 the museum and its collection moved to the Old Edwin Conant Mansion at the corner of State and Harvard streets. As its collection grew, the museum moved to the
Frederick Daniels House and the Rice House at in Worcester in 1954. The final move took place in 1971 to a new building, designed by
Edward Durell Stone
Edward Durell Stone (March 9, 1902 – August 6, 1978) was an American architect known for the formal, highly decorative buildings he designed in the 1950s and 1960s. His works include the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City; the Parliament H ...
, built on of donated land. At this point the name of the museum was changed to the Worcester Science Center, then to the New England Science Center in 1986, then the EcoTarium in 1998 as it began a two-year $18 million expansion and renovation project.
On June 13, 2011, the museum's
polar bear
The polar bear (''Ursus maritimus'') is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can Hybrid (biology), interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear ...
, Kenda, was euthanized after developing
kidney disease
Kidney disease, or renal disease, technically referred to as nephropathy, is damage to or disease of a kidney. Nephritis is an Inflammation, inflammatory kidney disease and has several types according to the location of the inflammation. Infla ...
. Following the launch of its "Third Century Plan," the museum announced it would transform the area formerly occupied by Kenda into "Wildcat Station."
In June 2016, the museum began a $9.1 million "Third Century Plan" to fund improvements to its exhibits, programming, and infrastructure, including adding two permanent exhibits, replacing its co-generation plant with a modern energy-efficient mechanical plant, and upgrading its Explorer Express Train.
Exhibits
Exhibits at the museum include:
* ''The Arctic Next Door: Mount Washington'', discussing extreme weather in New England and the geology of its White Mountains;
* ''Nature Explore'', an outdoor exhibit featuring hands-on activities; and
* ''City Science: The Science You Live'', featuring science involved in urban areas.
Other exhibits at the EcoTarium discuss African communities, minerals, forests, and water. The museum also features a digital planetarium, and various outdoor wildlife exhibits.
External links
Official site
References
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Museums in Worcester, Massachusetts
Natural history museums in Massachusetts
Science museums in Massachusetts
Planetaria in the United States
Association of Science-Technology Centers member institutions
Paleontology in Massachusetts