Acton’s Discovery Museum wins National Medal for Museum and Library Service
by Emily Wyrwa, Globe Correspondent
When Mac Hill was growing up in Acton in the late ′90s, the Discovery Museum was a “community museum,” he recalled. Generations of people would walk through its doors — and into its outdoor play area — to learn and to just have fun.
Now, Hill works for the visitor services team at the museum, and it’s “the happiest job” he’s ever had, he said.
“It’s a very energetic, happy, joyous place,” said James Grosjean, Hill’s co-worker and an “explorer” at the museum. In his role, he engages with families on site and facilitates field trips.
In May, the Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Discovery Museum the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The medal, which recognizes five museums and five libraries, is the country’s highest honor given to museums and libraries. The Acton museum, which opened in 1982, is the first suburban children’s museum to be awarded this honor, according to Discovery Museum CEO Marie Beam.
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