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The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium is New England's museum of natural history, dedicated to inspiring appreciation for our place in the natural world and motivating our stewardship of a healthy planet. Founded in 1891 by industrialist Franklin Fairbanks from his cabinet of curiosities, the eclectic collection includes over 170,000 animals and artifacts, dolls and tools, shells and fossils. Home to Vermont's only public planetarium and the Eye on the Sky weather gallery, all housed in a spectacular Victorian building.

Exhibits

Long-term exhibits feature natural specimens from around the world, legacy collections from the founder's Victorian era, and regional history. Of special interest are natural habitat groupings made by taxidermist William Balch. These dioramas are over 100 years old and are in pristine condition. Don't miss the large hummingbird display, bird trees, new OmniGlobe and John Compton's Bug Art!

Participation in Museum Day is open to any tax-exempt or governmental museum or cultural venue on a voluntary basis. Smithsonian magazine encourages museum visitation, but is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of the participating museums and cultural venues, and does not subsidize museums that participate.