Museum of Science Boston enters bold new era with 2026 expansion

Details

1 Science Park, Boston
Museum Hours

Exhibit Halls
Open daily, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Planetarium and Mugar Omni Theaters
Sunday – Thursday open 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday and Saturday Nights, open until 10:00 pm (last show)

Regular Closures
The day before Thanksgiving – early close at 2:00 pm
Thanksgiving Day – closed
Christmas Eve – early close at 2:00 pm
Christmas – closed

If you haven’t been to the Museum of Science recently, it’s not the same place you remember. Between new hands-on exhibits, late-night events, and a major transformation underway, the museum is in the middle of a full evolution. And 2026 is shaping up to be its biggest year yet.

A full lineup of events that go way beyond “museum”

This isn’t just a daytime museum anymore.

The museum now runs a steady rotation of events, including planetarium shows, 4-D films, live presentations, and interactive programming happening daily.

And then there’s the after-hours side.

Programs like SubSpace and special events bring together art, music, and science in ways that feel closer to a nightlife experience than a field trip. Think immersive visuals, spatial sound, and experimental performances layered inside a science setting.

One standout: WaveForms, a multimedia event blending global artists, animation, and audiovisual performance into a one-night experience tied to science and technology.

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For more fun things to do this summer see Boston Bucket List 2026 for 22 Must Do Experiences

New exhibits focused on the future and the planet

Inside, the museum is leaning hard into future-focused science.

The Innovation: Earth exhibit explores climate solutions and emerging technologies that could reshape how we live, eat, and move.

Nearby, a working indoor vertical farm shows how food production is evolving, while installations like the Gaia Globe and climate action stations push visitors to think about real-world impact.

There’s also a new temporary exhibit, In Search of Earth’s Secrets, where you can dig into earthquakes, volcanoes, and even simulate extracting core samples from beneath the ocean floor.

And if you want something more classic, the museum still delivers with permanent spaces like New England Habitats, featuring lifelike regional ecosystems built at full scale.

2026 is officially the “Year of Revolutionary Science”

This year, the museum is framing everything under a bigger idea: how breakthrough discoveries shape the world.

The “Year of Revolutionary Science” ties together exhibits, programming, and events around innovations that changed how we understand life, space, and technology.

It’s less about passive viewing and more about participation, with programming designed to connect science to everyday decisions and future possibilities.

A massive new space is coming to the Charles River

The biggest change hasn’t opened yet.

A 10,000-square-foot expansion called the Public Science Common is set to debut in 2026, bringing a new glass-front space overlooking the Charles River.

The upgrade will include:

• A large-scale event and programming venue
• New public science learning centers
• Updated visitor spaces and amenities

It’s designed to turn the museum into more of a civic hub for science, not just a place you visit once a year.

Why it’s worth going now

The Museum of Science already has over 700 interactive exhibits, plus a planetarium and New England’s only domed IMAX theater.

But right now, it’s in that rare moment where:

• New exhibits are actively opening
• Events are getting more experimental
• And a major transformation is about to land

While the Museum of Science is still a go-to for kids, it’s also one of the most layered experiences in Boston right now.