Springfield Science Museum & Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden in Springfield, MA

posted by yazmin

Disclosure: Springfield Museums provided my family with complimentary admission. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA 1-800-625-7738

We recently headed over the state border to visit the Springfield Science Museum in Springfield, MA. Since Springfield is less than ten minutes from the state line it makes for an easy day trip from Connecticut.

The Springfield Museums are made up of 4 different museums including the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Springfield Science Museum, Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, and Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. There is also the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden in the quadrangle separating the museums. We chose to spend the day at the Springfield Science Museum. It seemed like the most kid-friendly museum to choose from.

Parking

Getting to the museum from Connecticut was easy. I took I-91 North most of the way and it was only a few turns off of the exit. There is plenty of free parking in the lots on Edwards Street directly in front of the museum.

Admission

Admission to the Springfield Museums gives you access to all 4 museums and the sculpture garden. General admission for adults is $18, children ages 3-17 is $9.50, and children 2 and under are free. The planetarium is an extra charge of $3 for adults, $2 for children.

Mineral Hall

We started our day on the second floor and worked our way down. As soon as you get off the elevator to the second floor you are greeted with a picture window that looks down on Dinosaur Hall. There was a not-so-friendly T-Rex peeking in on us.

Mineral Hall featured displays of minerals including many from the local area. The kids enjoyed seeing all of the different colors and textures.

African Hall

I found the African Hall to be the most impressive part of the museum. We followed a ramp that spans from the first to the second floor. The hall is filled with life-like animals that live in the African Plains.

Dinosaur Hall

The main attraction in Dinosaur Hall is the 20-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus Rex that extends to the second floor of the museum. In the hall there is also a replica of a Coelophysis, a local dinosaur, and a replica of a Stegosaurus. There are also hands-on pieces that kids can interact with.

Live Animal Center

The bottom floor of the museum has live animals. My kids loved checking out the large fish and reptiles. Many of the animals’ tanks are at kid level. Even my one-year-old climbed up on a stool to get a closer look at some of the animals.

Quadrangle

The grassy quad sits in between the Springfield Museums, Springfield City Library, and Christ Church Cathedral. The Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden is in the center of the quadrangle. The quad is used for community events. It’s also a great spot for a picnic lunch.

TIP: There were benches, but no tables. Bring along a blanket if you want to sit on the grass.

Blake House Café

Next to the science museum is the Blake House Café. They have a pretty good menu including PB&J, hot dog, and grilled cheese for the kids. There is room to sit inside and dine. I grabbed a quick lunch for everyone and enjoyed it on the quad outside.

Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden

In the quadrangle of the Springfield Museums you will find the Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden. Dr. Seuss was born in Springfield so the sculptures are a great tribute to his legacy. The bronze sculptures showcased Dr. Seuss and his most famous characters including the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, the Lorax, and Yertle the Turtle. There are plans to open The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum in June 2016.

TIP: Don’t miss the Yertle the Turtle sculpture next to the Museum of Fine Arts.