Discovery Museum
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Mission Statement
Sparking joyful discovery through play to instill STEM confidence, deepen relationships with the natural world, and empower children and their caregivers.
About This Cause
Discovery Museum, in Acton, MA, was founded in 1982 to provide science, nature, and imaginative play experiences to young children and families. The Museum serves approximately 250,000 people annually from nearly 300 towns across MA and New England. Housed in a modern, fully accessible facility on a 4.5-acre campus, Discovery Museum features universally designed exhibits and galleries dedicated to the subjects of light and color; water; sound; air; early childhood; pretend play; math; and tinkering. Museum educators also deliver more than 350 science, technology, engineering, art, math, music, and nature programs on site each year. The Museum’s Field Trip program and classroom-based Traveling Science Workshops provided more than 66,000 Pre-K through 8th grade students with hands-on STEM experiences annually. The campus also includes Discovery Woods, an accessible, one-acre nature playscape and classroom-sized treehouse. The space offers opportunities for children of all ages and abilities to experience unstructured, multisensory exploration and outdoor play. Discovery Woods also abuts 180 acres of town-owned conservation land, used by Museum educators for guided nature walks and programs. For more than a decade, the Museum has made access and inclusion core parts of its mission. The Museum’s Especially for Me (EFM) program, launched in 2010 reaches more than 2,000 people in typical years from across the state. Developed in collaboration with community partners, EFM offers free, tailored events for children on the autism spectrum, who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, or who are blind/have low vision. The Museum’s Open Door Connections (ODC) access programs have made it possible for families with low incomes, students from under-resourced districts, active-duty military families, and others to visit or participate in programs for free or nearly free. In 2024, 28% of visitors attended under this program. The Museum is a role model nationally for its sustainable operations. Visitors today park under a solar canopy that generates more than double the electricity used to power the museum. The balance is sold at a discount to other non-profits as well as low-income households. Discovery Museum was awarded the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the highest honor in the museum field. Only 4% of children's museums in the nation have received this honor.