OPINION: Just For a Day, Let Your Imagination Take You Away

By the time August rolls around, many families have had their fair share of beach days. There is no denying the lure of frolicking in the cool, salty ocean water, building sand castles (complete with the wayward seagull feather perched on top) at the shore and taking long barefoot walks in search of shells, sea glass and ocean critters. Beach days are marked by sand-filled cars, complete with a pile of wet towels and sun-kissed, sleeping children. 

Summer wouldn’t be summer without long, tiresome days at the beach.

Now that summer is well under way and the novelty of beach days has begun to wear off, perhaps it is time to consider activities other than sandy ones! A quick trip to the may just hold the key to a new adventure. Here, available to residents, are free passes to a variety of museums and reduced admission to local museums, historical attractions, botanical gardens and zoos. Among the many locations are the Children’s Museum, the Ecotarium, Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo, Higgins Armory Museum, Plimouth Plantation, the New England Aquarium and even Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island. Click here to view the entire list and Museum Pass Program information.

What better way could there be to beat the heat than to pack a picnic lunch and head to the zoo? What about a trip to the aquarium? It is one thing to see animals and fish from afar (on television, in our backyards and at the beach), but it is a completely different experience to view them up close and personal in their own environment (or close to it). Local zoos offer wildlife and conservation programs, research, and education, making a trip there more than just a day of fun!

Children and parents alike are captivated by the arms and armor ranging from ancient Greek Corinthian helmets to ornate suits of armor crafted at the height of the Renaissance at the Higgins Armory Museum. Lose yourself in your imagination at the Medieval Great Hall with more than 35 suits of armor and an amazing array of arms amidst tapestries, stained glass, and soaring ceilings.

At the Plimouth Plantation the motto is: “You can't change history, but it could change you...” Here, you will experience seven decades of living history at their location at the State Pier on Plymouth’s waterfront. A day at Plimouth Plantation will “spark the imagination, delight the senses, touch the heart and enrich the mind.” 

With so many wonderful locations to visit it is time to pack up the sand shovels, beach umbrellas and sun screen and take advantage of the Marlborough Museum Pass Program. Just for a day, let your imagination take you away!

For availability and to reserve a museum pass, please call the circulation desk at 508-624-6900.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the latest Marlborough news, or simply hit the "like" button at the top of this page.