Massachusetts is known for many historical events and “firsts” and one of the most well known accomplishments is the “birthplace of basketball” in the late 19th century. Our family recently stopped in Springfield, Massachusetts to tour the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and explore the Hall’s many interactive exhibits and practice our jump shot in the center court.
Springfield, the third most populated city in Massachusetts, may be most well known as the “Birthplace of Basketball” but is also home to many historical sites and family friendly attractions.
The greater Springfield area is located in Western Massachusetts, about 90 miles west of both Boston and Providence, Rhode Island and 30 miles north of Hartford, Connecticut. The attractions in this post are spread throughout towns in Hampden and Hampshire Counties. Hampden County includes the city of Springfield and almost two dozen towns from Brimfield in the east and Tolland in the west, and includes Holyoke and Ludlow. Directly north of the Hampden County is Hampshire County, which includes towns another 20 towns, a couple of which are home to the Five College Consortium: Amherst College (in Amherst), Hampshire College (in Amherst) , UMASS Amherst (in Amherst), Smith College (in Northampton), Mount Holyoke College (in South Hadley).
The 20 acre Lupa Zoo in Ludlow, Massachusetts (just 15 minutes from downtown Springfield, Massachusetts) is home to over 500 animals, including everything from bobcats, zebras, bears, and donkeys to camels, antelope, goats, ostriches and emus. Polish immigrants Henry and Joan Lupa owned a landscaping and construction business in the 1960s and 1970s and later grew such a large collection of farm animals that locals began visiting. The Lupas decided to open a zoo to the general public in 1996. Today, there are additions that include ponds with several species of birds, a critter garden, and an indoor habitat for sloths, lizards, snakes, and more! Kids of all ages will enjoy learning about, and seeing up close, over 100 species of animals.
One of the most popular attractions in the Western part of Massachusetts, the Springfield Museums are a collection of five museums that showcase over 130,000 artifacts related to the areas of science, history, art, and culture. Located in downtown Springfield, the third largest city in Massachusetts, 90 minutes west of Boston and 30 minutes north of Hartford, Connecticut, the Springfield Museum welcome close to 400,000 visitors each year and offer dozens of exhibits that will engage families of all ages.
I’ve visited Springfield, Massachusetts many times to meet up with my husband’s relatives and to explore some of the many family friendly activities (like the Dr. Seuss Museum and the Basketball Hall of Fame- tips coming at the end of the week) the city has to offer. However, until recently, I haven’t had the chance to explore the Springfield Armory, part of the National Parks Service. Since my family has been learning a lot about the the beginning of America’s formation (see my posts on Saratoga National Historic Site, Minute Man National Historic Park, and Fort Stanwix), I figured visiting the Armory would be the perfect complement.
Armories were places to create weapons and arsenals were places to store those weapons. After the Revolutionary War, George Washington proposed having armories built on the east coast so that the United States did not have to rely on other countries for production. He designated Springfield in Massachusetts and Harper’s Ferry in West Virginia ideal locations for armories.
Springfield, Massachusetts, located about 90 minutes west of Boston, is known as the birthplace of basketball and is home to the Basketball Hall of Fame; a post on the Hall of Fame is coming soon. However, there are plenty of other places to visit if you’re in town; especially if you’re visiting with young children.
Since 2002, the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden has been a popular spot for children to enjoy climbing and exploring 14 Seuss-themed sculptures. Featured in a grassy “quad”, the sculptures are surrounded by five museums: the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Springfield Science Museum, the Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, and the brand new Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum. Purchasing one ticket (or a membership) will allow you to explore all five museums and there is lots of free parking in nearby parking lots.