Best of Boston

You know you’ve arrived when you spot the big green dinosaur, Bessie, on the front lawn. But this Acton landmark is no fossil: An $8.8 million renovation and expansion has brought loads of STEAM exhibits, not to mention Discovery Woods, a rambling forest play area where mini adventurers can visit a beaver lodge, climb into a treehouse (built by DIY Network stars the Treehouse Guys), and ride in nest-shaped swings adjacent to 182 acres of conservation land.