Girl with binoculars Join today and get outside at one of our 60+ wildlife sanctuaries.
Girl with binoculars 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

Wildlife Sanctuaries & Properties

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

Featured Experiences

  • 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

    Wildlife Care

    None of the animals at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum could survive without human help.

  • Kid's room inside Trailside's gift shop © Leslie Gomes
    © Leslie Gomes

    Gift Shop

    Discover unique wares from local artisans, educational and enriching toys that promote science and nature inquiry, and beautiful, quality gifts for all occasions.

  • Screech owl perched on an educator's glove

    Birds & Birding

    Both the sanctuary and the Blue Hills Reservation host a wide variety of birds year-round. Join us on an upcoming birding program or go birding on your own. 

  • Ginger the North American River Otter peeking out from the water's surface

    Blue Hills Trailside Museum Welcomes Another Otter

    We have an exciting addition to the Blue Hills Trailside Museum! Everyone, please welcome Ginger the North American River Otter.  

Upcoming Programs

See more
See more

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
Lanterns glow along a leaf-strewn trail in fall.
Special Event

Halloween Prowl at Moose Hill

Event Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025, 5:00–7:30 pm

Keep Reading
Grand-Reopening-0461-1500x1000-a8d3407b-d258-4d70-8bb7-fa3275ad4a85.jpg
News September 09, 2025

Saying Goodbye to Squeaky, the River Otter at Blue Hills Trailside Museum

Keep Reading
Five paintings of various sizes hung on a wood panel wall
News June 06, 2025

Uncle Fester and Gomez: The Art of Anne B. Harris on Exhibit at Blue Hills

Keep Reading

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