Known for its blend of famous New England traditions and modern attractions, MetroWest Boston invites youth and student groups to experience the best of what this region has to offer:
Southwick’s Zoo (Mendon, Massachusetts)
From keeper talks to animal encounters to hands-on activities, students investigate animal conservation, ecosystems, and zookeeping through the EARTH Discovery Center educational programs at the largest zoo in New England.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill (Boylston, Massachusetts)
Tower Hill offers guided educational tours of the garden that align with many schools’ Science and Technology/Engineering and Next Generation Science curriculum standards, as well as specific Girl and Boy Scout programs about plants, animals, ecosystems, and more.
Christa McAuliffe Center (Framingham, Massachusetts)
This interactive hub immerses students in the wonders of space, astronomy, and environmental science. With a cutting-edge planetarium and dynamic Challenger Simulation Lab, groups can run a space mission from planning to launch to spacecraft return, inspiring critical thinking and teamwork.
American Heritage Museum (Hudson, Massachusetts)
The museum’s extraordinary collection of antique tanks, planes, and automobiles are laid out in immersive exhibits that bring both U.S. and world history to life through old newsreels, video interviews, artifacts, and virtual reality experiences. Students explore the rise of fascism in Europe and Asia, the treatment of POWs in the Vietnam War, the heroic efforts of many during 9/11, and much more.
Framingham History Center (Framingham, Massachusetts)
Bring history to life through exhibition tours, guided walking tours, and behind-the-scenes access to remarkable documents and artifacts—from John Hancock’s signature and rare suffragette pins to Revolutionary War tune books and Civil War-era slavery documents.
Longfellow’s Wayside Inn (Sudbury, Massachusetts)
Discover more than three centuries of history and literary connections at America’s oldest inn. Groups can tour the historic grounds, buildings, and exhibits, and enjoy a history talk from the innkeeper over lunch in the preserved dining room.
Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, Massachusetts)
Experience life in the 1830s at New England’s largest living history museum, where costumed historians, restored buildings, a working farm, and mills bring the past to life. Students can explore through guided tours, hands-on workshops and activities—including cooking over a hearth, weaving on a loom, and writing with quill pens—as well as special Scout Days and Night in the Museum programs.
Music Education (Boston, Massachusetts)
A variety of regional orchestras and venues offer master classes and performance opportunities for your groups, as well as art, music, and audition-focused activities. MetroWest Boston also offers a wealth of fun in between the learning, from Level99’s mental and physical challenges to Immersive Gamebox’s cooperative gaming to hands-on art workshops, and more.
For groups looking for overnight accommodations, many MetroWest hotels are great with groups and provide free onsite bus parking, on-site dining, and double rooms. The Renaissance Framingham Hotel & Conference Center has just completed a full renovation and rebranding and includes 371 guestrooms and over 25,000 square feet of event space, while the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center offers 307 guest rooms and 67,500 square feet of renovated event space, plus an arcade and pool.
See more STEM, history, and other offerings online. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau for assistance in planning your next student itinerary! Contact Stacey David, executive director, at sdavid@metrowestvisitors.org or 508-434-4433.
MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau
508-434-4433
metrowestvisitors.org/agents
Lead Photo:
Southwick’s Zoo
Photo courtesy of MetroWest Visitors Bureau
