The mission of the EcoTarium is to contribute to a better world by inspiring a passion for science and nature through discovery.

Description:
The EcoTarium is a museum of science and nature located on 60 acres in Worcester, Massachusetts. The EcoTarium educates the public on science and nature by combining its natural history collections, unreleasable wildlife and state-of-the-art technology to create exhibits and programs designed to inspire a passion for science and nature through discovery.

History:
The EcoTarium was founded in 1825 as the Worcester Lyceum of Natural History and is one of the nation's oldest natural history societies.
In the 19th century, the Worcester Natural History Society (WNHS), as the Lyceum was later known, built a collection and produced publications on the natural history of Worcester County and Central Massachusetts. From this foundation, the WNHS has focused on public education in a variety of modes over the past 181 years. In 1971, it moved from its downtown location to its present 60 acre site on the east side of the city. The museum building was designed by Edward Durell Stone and includes a planetarium.
In 1989, the Board of Trustees decided to recast the museum's mission to reflect contemporary approaches, specifically earth system science and global processes of change with an emphasis on New England. Given our location and site, it made sense to focus on urban ecology, that is, the interplay between natural and social processes in defining urban landscapes over time.
Unique in its mission and programs, EcoTarium is unlike any other museum in New England in its approach to further public understanding and appreciation of science and nature

Contact people:

Betsy Maloney, Volunteer Coordinator, (508) 929-2708, (email) Jennnifer Dobson, Assistant Manager Of Wildlife, Naturalist Program Coordinator, (508)929-2746, (email)

Office fax number: (508)929-2701

Address:

222 Harrington Way Worcester, MA 01604 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.ecotarium.org

Directions:

The museum is easily accessible from the Mass Pike, from Interstate 290, and from Route 9. Please see our website, www.ecotarium.org, for detailed directions, or call us at (508)929-2700.   Nearest Bus Stop: WRTA Bus Route #15 Shrewsbury, Hamilton St & Harrington Way, 10 - 15 minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Are any opportunities appropriate for youth ages 18 or under? If yes, what age range?
	There is one youth group serving teens aged 14 to 18: The Naturalist Program