Museums in Boston are a big deal.
The city is packed with world-class opportunities to experience art, history, nature—you name it! But it also has plenty of special offerings for the little ones, with specially designed museums and family programming that brings families together.
Check out our top picks for the best museums in and near Boston to visit with kids! You won’t know where to begin!
1
308 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210, USA
Boston Children's Museum
Gather the family and visit one of the largest museums in the world! The Boston Children's Museum started in 1913 and focuses on interactive and hands-on learning to boost kids' creativity, curiosity, and imagination.2
Museum Of Science Driveway, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Museum of Science
The Museum of Science in Boston is among the world's largest science centers and New England's most attended cultural institution!3
306 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210, USA
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
If you visit the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, get ready to be immersed in the world of the American Revolution!4
177 Main St, Acton, MA 01720, USA
Discovery Museum
Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum for families that blends science, nature, and play.5
344 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210, USA
Boston Fire Museum
The Boston Fire Museum is the right place to visit if you've got a little aspiring firefighter at home, or your kids simply love everything about firefighters!6
465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Museum of Fine Arts
The MFA is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world.7
26 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
The Harvard Museum of Natural History
The Harvard Museum of Natural History presents to the public Harvard’s natural history collections and research of scientists across the University.8
MIT Museum Building, 265 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
MIT Museum
The whole family can go on an adventure of research and innovation through the MIT Museum's galleries, demos, exhibitions, performances, workshops, conversations, and debates.9
25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
At the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, you and the whole family will not only enjoy art, but also a wide variety of flowers, plants, architecture, fountains, and more beautiful things, making it a great spot to explore with kids!10
22 1st Ave, Boston, MA 02129, USA
USS Constitution Museum
The USS Constitution Museum preserves and shares the stories of "Old Ironsides" and those who shaped her history with exhibits and programs for all ages.11
51 Sandy Pond Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773, USA
DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
Established in 1950, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is the largest park of its kind in New England.12
25 Harbor Shore Dr, Boston, MA 02210, USA
The Institute of Contemporary Art
The Institute of Contemporary Art is located in a beautiful waterfront building, and is the best destination in Boston for new art and ideas!13
Columbia Point, Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Dedicated to the memory of the nation's 35th president, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum is the perfect place to explore the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy.14
100 State St, Framingham, MA 01702, USA
Danforth Museum Of Art
The Danforth Museum of Art provides a children's floor where kids will find artwork and children's literature, and also areas for kids where they can be free to play and making masterpieces!15
125 W Bay Rd, Amherst, MA 01002, USA
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is the perfect place to encourage a love of art and literature in children!16
21 Edwards St, Springfield, MA 01103, USA