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Afterschool visits


Single-visit program

WOW: Wonders on Wednesdays
A free afterschool program on Wednesday afternoons
1:00-5:00 pm

WOW is a free program for community-based youth and afterschool groups of all ages. Bring your group to the museum to discover some of the wonders of the natural world.

Investigate the galleries with Discovery Guides and see:

  • A 1,600-pound amethyst geode from Brazil
  • The world's only mounted Kronosaurus, a 42-foot-long prehistoric marine reptile
  • The goliath beetle, largest beetle on Earth
  • The 6 million-year-old shell of Stupendymus geographicus, the "astonishing turtle," over seven feet long

Participate in hands-on activities with museum specimens and find out how scientists learn about the natural world.

Explore the museum with Gallery Activities. These 20 to 30 minute activities can be used to aid kids’ exploration of the museum's galleries. Activities include Animal Detectives, which gets kids to compare animals and explore themes like camouflage and body coverings, and Gallery Games, which are multiple activities to help kids look at objects in the museum more closely and have fun with the exhibits. Download and print out a copy for each student to bring with you to the museum.

Repeat visits are encouraged; with over 12,000 objects, it’s easy to discover something new every visit. 

Groups of 10-30 students and a 1:5 ratio of adults to children are ideal. Reservations are required and space is limited.

To schedule an afterschool visit, please complete the Reservations Request Form and email it to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or fax to 617.496.8308 to begin the reservations process. When the request has been reviewed, you will be contacted by the education department to complete the reservation.

Following a confirmed reservation, a packet will be mailed to you. Please review the information carefully. Be sure to call us if anything is incorrect. Please schedule your visit early, space is limited.
 
After booking your visit, download the Pre-Visit Guide to help prepare for your time at the museum.

The reservations desk is regularly staffed from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Monday-Friday, and can be contacted by phone at 617.495.2341 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .


Multiple-visit programs

The museum is exploring partnerships with out-of-school programs. If you're interested in discussing a multiple-visit relationship with us, please contact the Education Department at 617.495.2341 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

There are a number of possible formats. For one example, watch a video on the museum's participation in the Girls Acknowledgement Math Engineering Science (GAMES) program in Chelsea, MA.