Springfield, Massachusetts

Did you know that Dr. Seuss, actually Theodor Seuss Geisel, was born in Springfield? He grew up running around Forest Park, where his father was in charge of the Forest Park Zoo. Therefore, it is fitting that the memorial park for Dr. Seuss is located in Springfield, a city that inspired so many of our favorite Dr. Seuss stories.

As you stroll through beautifully designed garden in the quad of the Springfield Museums, you will see sculptures of 14-foot Horton the Elephant with Sam-I-Am, Thing One, Thing Two, Sally, her brother, and Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose. Near the Springfield Library you can see the sculpture of Dr. Seuss with the Cat in the Hat.

The cast iron Lorax stands on a tree stump in front of the imposing Springfield Science Museum, warning us all with "Unless...." The sculptures, designed by the sculptor Lark Grey Dimond-Cates, Geisel's step-daughter, make up the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, one of the best things to do in Springfield.

Springfield Armory National Historic Site preserves and interprets the colorful and turbulent history of the Springfield Armory and the role it played in providing the US Armed Forces with superior firearms through innovative engineering. The museum is located in the armory’s original buildings located on the historic grounds.

It has a range of exciting displays, notable collections, public programs, activities, and online resources. The armory started as an important arsenal under General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. It began producing muskets in 1794. In 1978, the Armory reopened as the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, and it now houses the largest collection of American historic military firearms in the world.

This National Historic Landmark holds regular programs, events, and exhibits. Visitors can take a ranger-guided or self-guided tour of the grounds as well as a tour of the historic collection of arms and military machinery.

1 Armory St #2, 413-734-8551

The Springfield Museums complex is the heart of cultural life and one of the top Springfield attractions. Located downtown, it consists of five independent, very different world-class museums: the Michele & Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, the Springfield Science Museum, the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, which is located in the quad between the buildings.

Each museum has a lot to offer depending on your interests, and you can see all of them in one day. There are permanent collections, temporary exhibit galleries, various special events, and traveling exhibitions of art, science, and history. You can go on regular guided tours or stroll around at your own pace.

21 Edwards St., 800-625-7738

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is a sports and history museum devoted to the history of basketball and is dedicated and named after James Naismith, the Canadian-American doctor who invented the game of basketball. Established in 1959, the Hall of Fame later opened the doors of its new building at Springfield College in 1968.

The popularity of the attraction resulted in construction of a new facility in 1985 along the Connecticut River; it moved again in 2002 to another larger building with 80,000 square feet of space. There are many exhibits, some of which are interactive.

1000 Hall of Fame Avenue, 877-446-6752

In a city that has nineteen parks, Forest Park in Springfield, Massachusetts, is the jewel of the city’s crown. With 735 acres of lush, green land on the banks of the Connecticut River, Forest Park is one of the biggest urban parks in the country. It has something for everyone – spectacular views, a zoo, an outdoor amphitheater, an aquatic garden, and quaint wooded trails winding between the trees.

There is always something in bloom in the well-maintained flowerbeds, and some kind of special event is normally taking place. The best time to visit the park is during the Christmas holidays when the park hosts a spectacular high-tech lighting show entitled Bright Nights.

The Michele & Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts is an art deco style museum opened in 1934 thanks to a bequest from Mr. and Mrs. James Philip Gray who donated their pieces of art and also funded the construction of the building.

The museum’s collection features American and European artworks, including works by Degas, Gauguin, Monet, O’Keeffe, Pissarro, and Massachusetts native John Singleton Copley.

The European art spans several periods from Late Medieval and Renaissance to Baroque and later periods. The museum also has a large collection of Currier & Ives lithographs and hosts temporary exhibits in one of its galleries.

21 Edwards Street, 800-625-7738

The Springfield Science Museum displays objects from the natural and physical sciences. Founded in 1859 as the Springfield Ethnological and Natural History Museum, the collection was housed in several places including City Hall and the City Library until 1899 when a new museum building was constructed. If you are wondering what to do in Springfield with kids, this is a great place to visit.

In 1937, the Seymour Planetarium opened and the name of the museum was changed to the Springfield Science Museum in 1961. Some of the exhibits include Astronomy Hall, Dinosaur Hall, Native American Hall, the R.E. Phelon African Hall, and more. Education outreach programs include children’s camp-ins and the Chosen Critter Adoption Program.

21 Edwards Street, 800-625-7738

The Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center features more than 150 domestic and exotic species and is one of the attractions found in the large 735-acre Forest Park.

Animals at the zoo include amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. The zoo focuses on education and offers many programs and events for visitors. Programs include zoo camps, Crew in Training, Zoo on the Go, tours, and much more.

The zoo’s Adopt an Animal program helps children understand animals and conservation by bringing the children closer to the animals.

293 Sumner Ave, Springfield, MA 01108, 413-733-2251

A donation in 2005 from Mr. M. Allen Swift allowed for the purchase of the Verizon building next to the Springfield Museums.

This 40,000 square foot space became the home of the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, which focuses on the history of Springfield in the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum has both permanent and temporary exhibits.

It is also the home of the Springfield History Library and Archives, which is a large collection of books, manuscripts, and photographs as well as computer databases for researchers such as those interested in their family genealogies.

21 Edwards Street, 800-625-7738

The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum is devoted to decorative and fine arts. Built in 1895 in the style of an Italian villa, the museum opened in 1896.

Mr. Smith was a wealthy collector of Asian artwork including pieces from China, Japan, and the Middle East; he also had a large collection of 19th century American paintings, many of which were landscapes such as those painted by artists of the Hudson River School.

Today, visitors can see all of these works of art at the museum. The museum also houses the Hasbro Games Art Discovery Center, which is a hands-on center to help introduce the museum’s works of art to children and families.

21 Edwards Street, 800-625-7738