Science and Natural History Museums

Hands-on Explorations

These are some of Vermont's science museums that welcome visitors of all ages to roll up their sleeves and become active learners. Whether it's making the discovery that the Lake Champlain basin was once part of the world's oceans, or getting a grip on chemistry and physics principles--these are great places for understanding both Vermont and the world at large.

Be sure to look for special exhibits and programs. Science museum are very lively places!

A girl and her grandparent view the sturgeons in the fish tank at ECHO.

ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

Discover over 100 interactive family experiences, 70 live species, seasonal changing exhibits, and the only National Geographic Theater in Vermont – 2-D and 3-D films daily. Museum open 10 am - 5 pm with experiences for all ages! Stop by ECHO's café for coffee with a variety of fresh bake goods, breakfast and lunch, and the gift shop for fun, educational toys.

A mother and daughter stop at the polar bear exhibit at Fairbanks museum.

The Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium

Located in St. Johnsbury, the Fairbanks Museum produces one Vermont's most respected weather forecasting services. Exhibits, frequent presentations, special events and planetarium shows provide a wealth of learning opportunities about the weather, natural history and the night skies of Vermont.

George Perkins Marsh is the author of Man and Nature

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

This 640 acre estate is the only National Park with a mission to tell the history of the conservation movement and explain the evolving nature of land stewardship in America. Exhibits, walking trails, and programs provide a first-hand experience for understanding the care needed to restore and preserve our forestlands.

Child enjoy exploring the properties of soap at the Montshire Museum

Montshire Museum of Science

The Montshire offers more than 60 interactive exhibits about the natural and physical sciences, plus an outdoor science park and nature trails. The Nature Museum at Grafton also features nature trails, and indoors, a collection of Vermont animal and bird specimens.

Charlotte_Whale_on_Exhibit_at_Perkins_Museum

Perkins Museum of Geology

Interested in what lies beneath? Head to the Perkins Museum of Geology on Burlington’s University of Vermont campus, and learn about some of Vermont's geological features that attract international study.

Shelburne Farms

The 1,400 acre working farm is located on the shores of Lake Champlain, is both a National Historic Landmark and an environmental education center. It’s a great place for children; together, you can tour the bakery and farmyard, milk a goat or cow, and view their award-winning cheese making operation.

VINS Nature Center

The VINS Nature Center, in Quechee, features live animal demonstrations including hawks and owls, while the Birds of Vermont Museum, in Huntington, features remarkably life-like carvings of Vermont’s avian residents.

American Museum of Fly Fishing

Located in Manchester, the American Museum of Fly Fishing is a must-stop before you fish in Vermont. The museum is the conservator to the world’s largest collection of angling-related items, numbering in the thousands. The museum’s collections and exhibits document the evolution of fly fishing as a sport, art form, craft, and industry in the United States and abroad, dating as far back as the sixteenth century.