What to do Indoors
- Visit North Central
By Chris Coyle
With the day off and wanting to do something fun, perhaps with the kids—what to do? North Central Massachusetts offers many options. Here are a few suggestions.
One of the region’s premier gems and open to the public, Fitchburg Art Museum has free admission. The permanent collection of more than 7,000 objects acquired since the museum’s founding in 1925 includes artworks ranging from Ancient Egyptian artifacts to contemporary art of the 21st century. The museum prominently features American art, African art, and photography with smaller collections including pre-Columbian art; classical antiquities from Ancient Greece, Etruria, and Rome; East Asian prints and screens; and European prints, drawings, and decorative arts. Work of several prominent Fitchburg artists is also displayed.
Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg features an indoor water park, themed suites, and dining all under one roof. The venue offers non-stop excitement and adventure, daily activities, and signature suites, just to name a few. A 68,000-square-foot indoor water park, amusement rides, laser tag, and a spa provide options just for kids. Great Wolf Lodge also offers a ropes course, mini-golf, bowling alley, and game arcade. An exercise room never closes. The venue features on-site dining options from casual grill to a pizzeria.
The Icon Museum and Study Center in Clinton provides a unique and special place to explore- housed, as it is, in a former historic mill, courthouse, and jail tied together by a modern addition. Visitors can view the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and browse the museum shop. Children can enjoy magnifying glasses and an all-ages scavenger hunt. Considered the country’s largest collection of icons and Eastern Christian art, the center constitutes a premium research resource for scholars. The permanent collection houses more than a thousand icons of Russian, Greek, and Ethiopian origin as well as Orthodox works of art.
A family-friendly spot, Retro Knights Arcade in Leominster welcomes children of all ages. Parents and kids can play together without coins on more than sixty classic games and console stations— pay once at the door or purchase a pass. After payment, have unlimited play for the duration of the day with food and beverages available for separate purchase. Schedule birthday parties and other private events in advance. An adult must accompany guests under 16. Other dining options and great shopping are located nearby.
Conveniently located in Devens, the Fort Devens Museum collects, preserves, and displays artifacts and stories of the history of Camp Devens, later Fort Devens, from 1917 to the present. Once known as New England’s largest army base, Fort Devens has experienced more than a century of history. Since its inception, more than a million men, women, and children have been through Fort Devens. Here is a statement from the museum’s website, “In every well-worn uniform, in every creased letter home, and in every faded photograph is a story that the museum ensures will never be forgotten.”
Fort Devens Museum welcomes veterans and their families to gather and remember past experiences. Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays as well as the third Saturday of each month, Fort Devens Museum provides much about the history of the facility and of the nation.
With those listed and so many other indoor options to visit in North Central Massachusetts, it’s always best if traveling from afar to telephone in advance or consult websites to confirm hours of operation.
