Living Collections

Live animals have been a joyous part of the Museum’s exhibits and educational programs since its first days at Science Park. Even before construction began, educators were taking live animals, along with other demonstrations, on the road as part of the traveling programs in the 1940's, bringing science education to summer camps and schools across New England.

As the buildings at Science Park began to open, educators expanded the collection of live animals to include a variety of small mammals and reptiles to use in demonstrations. At the Physical Sciences stage, or in the temporary building (now the Washburn Pavilion), visitors could see animals up close and learn about their habitats and needs. Early members of the Live Animal Collection include a skunk named “Chanel No. 5”, an alligator named “Charlie”, and an albino porcupine called “Snowball”. In 1959, the Museum adopted three saw-whet owls nicknamed “Eeny”, “Meeny”, and “Miney”.

In 1965, the Museum opened a new Live Animal Center to house its living collection in an accessible space where visitors could learn more about their feeding and living habits. Students could also interact with live animals through special courses offered at the Museum, especially on weekends and over the summer. The Live Animal Center also hosted many student volunteers who were interested in pursuing careers in zoology or veterinary work.

Traveling programs continued to bring animals to schools and communities over the years, and today traveling educators bring snakes, birds, and other animals to dozens of sites per year. The Museum’s animals also make appearances on local TV shows, a tradition that goes back to the first days of television in the 1950s.

The most famous of all the Museum’s living collections was Spooky, a great horned owl who was given to the Museum on March 12, 1952. Orphaned, the baby owl was found by a Museum advisor who called up Brad Washburn, the visionary director of the new Museum. Washburn was delighted to bring Spooky into the Museum and the owl became a much-beloved icon of the new science institution. Every year, Washburn would host a birthday party for children who shared Spooky’s birthday. The enigmatic owl was with the Museum until his death at age 38 in April 1989.

In 1993, the Live Animal Center was expanded and upgraded in order to provide better living and working spaces for the animals. Public viewing windows were added along one wall to allow visitors to see some animals in their cages, an area which is a perennial favorite with all guests. The collection continued to grow and change, and included a large number of reptiles, fish, mammals, and birds.

Invertebrates became a special part of the collection when the Museum opened its Butterfly Garden in April 2005. This special area, on the second floor of the Blue Wing, offers an oasis-like environment for visitors to learn about invertebrates and their habitats. Within a small conservatory of butterflies flying freely, educators explain the different life cycles of the butterfly, as well as provide information about other invertebrate specimen living in nearby terrariums.

In addition to the Live Animal Center, living collections are housed throughout the Museum, integrated into exhibits such as the tamarins in the Hall of Human Life, and fish in the Charles River Gallery. Adding live animals to exhibits requires additional planning and engineering, but creates memorable learning opportunities. One long-standing animal exhibit featuring live chicks, the Egg Hatchery, was part of the Museums’ offerings for almost 50 years. In its place, a series of axolotl habitats allows visitors to learn about this exotic specimen with fascinating regenerative powers.

Although the Museum has always collected certain animals (owls and porcupines, for example) and has a natural focus on species found in New England, sometimes it has hosted more unusual breeds, such as a kinkajou called “Honey” who came to the Museum in 1982. The Museum partners with zoos and animal societies in the region, as well as local law enforcement, to find animals in need of a home. Some animals are more disposed to visitor interaction or demonstrations than others; a particularly aggressive hawk or a very shy turtle might not be the best fit for the Museum of Science, who may send it to live at another institution. In return, another zoo with a surplus of ducks or hedgehogs may offer some to the Museum.

In order to support its living collections, the Museum first applied for accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 1998, which is responsible for overseeing animal care at public institutions in the United States. AZA accreditation is a sign that the Museum is following the highest standards in animal housing, care, and handling, and allows the Museum to partner with other accredited institutions to share animals. Every five years, the Museum goes through the rigorous AZA process to reaffirm its accreditation, ensuring the highest level of care for its living collections.

From tiny tenrecs to great horned owls, with alligators, frogs, and centipedes in between, the living collections are one of the most beloved aspects of the Museum of Science.