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

Blue Hills Trailside Museum

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.

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

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

Explore Blue Hills Trailside Museum

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