Discovery Museums Receive 2017 Commonwealth Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                 Contact: Jill Jacques

February 21, 2017                                                                                                      978.264-4200 ext. 14

                                                                                                             jjacques@discoverymuseums.org

 

 

 

Representative Cory Atkins, Discovery Museums CEO Neil Gordon, and Senator Jamie Eldridge are pictured (L-R) at the Massachusetts State House for the 2017 Commonwealth Awards on February 15, 2017.  The Museums were honored with citations from both the House and Senate, and a Commonwealth Award for  “… breaking down barriers and accommodating all visitors, including those on the autism spectrum, or who are deaf or blind, through its new Discovery Woods, a fully-accessible nature playscape designed around a 550-square foot treehouse.”  The Museums were the only honoree in the Access category. Other awardees at the ceremony included Keith Lockhart, Jose Mateo, Paul Grogan, Nancy Donahue, and the Springfield SciTech High School Band, among others. The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) presents the awards every two years, to honor exceptional achievement in the arts, humanities, and sciences.

 

 

The Discovery Museums are the children’s and science museums of Metrowest Boston. Two great museums and the Discovery Woods accessible outdoor nature playscape and treehouse—for one admission price—blend the best of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre campus in Acton, MA, about 20 miles west of Boston. The Museums serve families and schools from towns throughout the region, with a commitment to informal education that enhances classroom learning. The hands-on, playful exhibits, developed by professional educators, inspire curiosity, exploration, and imagination, providing a fun and engaging experience for children and adults to discover their world together. The Discovery Museums are committed to accessibility, and are a proud recipient of the 2017 Massachusetts Commonwealth Award, the only winner in the Access category. For more information please visit www.discoverymuseums.org. The Discovery Museums are an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The Discovery Museums’ programming is supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.