Partners in Science

Springfield Science Museum, Springfield, MA

The Springfield Science Museum is part of the Museum Quadrangle in Springfield, MA, just over the CT line. This museum offers a variety of programs that support the 2004 CT Core Science Curriculum Framework. School programs of an hour in length are offered in the morning starting at 10 am before the museum opens to the general public at noon. These programs usually include hands-on, inquiry-based activity stations, discussions and demos. In addition to the programs directly supporting the Frameworks, there are opportunities for enrichment with programs on dinosaurs, African origins, and Native American cultures. For large groups or for a longer program, schools may choose one or more programs or a combination of programs and a tour. Guided tours of the exhibits are offered both in the morning and in the afternoon, or students can tour on their own in the afternoon. Space for eating lunch can be arranged, on a limited basis, for groups wishing to stay the day. Students can also visit the other museums in the Quadrangle for an inter-disciplinary field trip.

The museum has the oldest operating planetarium in the US and a show can be included with your program. In addition, they have an extensive dinosaur exhibit; a live animal center featuring the ecosystems of a coral reef, a tropical rainforest, a mangroves-lake-and stream system, and the New England coast; a Rock and Mineral Hall; an African Hall; dioramas of a variety of habitats; and a Native American Hall.

The staff is continually updating the museum’s programs and will also develop programs to fit the needs of individual schools. This list is not intended to be a complete listing. For complete descriptions, visit their webpage: www.springfieldmuseums.org

Teacher Preparation:

No specific teacher preparation is required though the staff will work with teachers to pick the appropriate program to support their curricula. The museum staff also offers Professional Development Workshops for teachers throughout the year. These workshops cover a variety of science related topics.

To view aligned field trips at the Springfield Science Museum, visit our Science Framework Resources Database