Hinchman House Natural Science Museum


A favorite Nantucket location for kids, adults, and everyone in between, the Maria Mitchell Natural Science Museum is a cross between a classic natural history museum, a zoo, and a science center.

The Natural Science Museum is a great place to learn about the plants, animals, and birds of Nantucket. Visit us to learn how Nantucket came to be an island, explore hands on activities, see live animals, and discover more about Nantucket’s biodiversity!

Hours & Admission


The Hinchman House Natural Science Museum is OPEN! Visit us this winter Fridays - Sundays from 10am to 2pm.

Check our calendar for programming.

Members: FREE

All-MMA Properties Pass (off-season):
Adult/$8
Youth (3-16)/$5

Children (0-2)/ free


7 Milk Street, Nantucket, MA


Property passes can be purchased at each of our sites. A pass includes one visit to the Aquarium, Hinchman House Natural Science Museum, Historic Mitchell House, and one Stargazing Open Night at Loines Observatory (pre-registration required).

Exhibits

Live Animal Room

The Natural Science Museum is home to snakes, frogs, turtles, and insects. These are the stars of our popular Carnivorous Critters and Meet the Animals programs. Some animals live with us year round and visit the schools in the winter. Other animals just spend the summer with us and are then released back into the wild each fall.

Bird Displays

We have a collection of over 900 bird specimens representing most of the species seen on Nantucket. Some of these are on display in the Museum in seasonally changing exhibits that highlight interesting groups of birds or interesting behaviors. The rest of our collections are kept in the Research Center next door, which also holds visiting hours throughout the summer.

Hands-on Activity Areas

Each week our interns come up with new activities for visitors to try out and explore. Some of the standards include Ecosystem Jenga, bird gliders, coloring, and Nano technology activities. Come test your creativity!

Explore the Natural World of Nantucket

Our job at the Natural Science Museum is to document the species that live on Nantucket and provide opportunities for visitors to learn about them. When you visit our museum, you will see both live animals and preserved specimens in our collections.


Learn About Scientific Research

The museum’s collections are an important resource for researchers and form the backbone of the public exhibits. You will also learn more about our active scientific research projects, like our Barn Owl research.

Visit Our Gift Shop

Stop by our Hinchman House Natural Science Museum Gift Shop to pick up educational toys and books, as well as scientific gear to continue your exploration of the world around you, including binoculars, field guides, insect vials, butterfly nets, and more! You can also purchase Maria Mitchell Association clothing, perfect for exploring the outdoors! Stop by or shop online!

The MMA has been displaying natural history exhibits since 1904.

Exhibits have been on display in the Hinchman House since 1945.

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