Family on boardwalk Join today and get outside at one of our 60+ wildlife sanctuaries.
Family on boardwalk Join today and get outside at one of our 60+ wildlife sanctuaries.
Man with a gray Mass Audubon shirt and blue glove holding a peregrine falcon.
Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton

Blue Hills Trailside Museum

  • Milton

Plan Your Visit

Operated in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Blue Hills Trailside Museum is the welcome center for the 7,000-acre Blue Hills Reservation, featuring a natural history museum and indoor and outdoor live animal exhibits of non-releasable native wildlife.

Directions to Blue Hills Trailside Museum
Hours
Museum
  • Wednesday-Sunday
  • 9:00 am-4:00 pm
  • Monday Holidays & Vacation Weeks
  • 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Outdoor Exhibits
  • Daily
  • 9:00 am-4:00 pm
See Trail Maps

Connect with Blue Hills Trailside Museum

Property Regulations

  • Foot travel only; please stay on trails (day passes are available for powered mobility devices)
  • Dog walking and horseback riding are prohibited; please leave all animals and pets at home (service animals welcome)
  • Camping, collecting, smoking, hunting, fishing, releasing of animals, and feeding wildlife is prohibited.
  • Commercial photography needs prior approval; please see all photography guidelines.

Facilities

  • Parking
    Parking
  • Nature Center/Museum, Universally Accessible
    Nature Center/Museum, Universally Accessible
  • Trail, Universally Accessible
    Trail, Universally Accessible
  • Restrooms, Universally Accessible
    Restrooms, Universally Accessible
  • Picnic Tables
    Picnic Tables

Explore Blue Hills Trailside Museum

  • A Red Fox standing in green vegetation, looking at kids viewing it through a glass panel.
    Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton
  • Woman with a gray Mass Audubon shirt and orange glove holding a white and black owl.
    Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton
  • An indoor play and learning area for children. The ceilings are painted a sky blue, trees are painted on the walls with different interactive exhibits around the room.
    Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton
  • A wet river otter laying down on a rock surrounded by water.
    Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton
  • A Snow Owl stands on a log with snow on it. The bird is inside a large enclosure with snow-covered trees in the background.
    Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton

Latest News

More News
Child looking in dirt with others watching
News November 14, 2024

10 Family Friendly Wildlife Sanctuaries to Visit with Kids

Keep Reading
A group of eight teens sits in a row with their backs to the camera, gazing out across a rocky mountain summit with few trees. In the distance, the sun sets over a low-lying bank of fog, which looks like a sea of clouds.
Wildwood Camp's Teen Adventure Trip "New England's High Peaks", Cadillac Mountain, Maine
News April 12, 2024

New Coordinator for Teen Adventure Trips Plans for an Unforgettable Summer

Keep Reading
Ginger the North American River Otter peeking out from the water's surface
News March 04, 2024

Blue Hills Trailside Museum Welcomes Another Otter

Keep Reading

Upcoming Programs

See more
See more

Museum History

Trailside Museum first opened its doors in 1959. Mass Audubon took over management in 1974. Since then, the museum continues to evolve, reaching 300,000 people each year.

Learn More

Partnership with the State

Blue Hills Trailside Museum, which serves as the interpretation center for the state-owned Blue Hills Reservation, is owned by the state and managed by Mass Audubon. 

What This Means