In The Woo

Hidden Gems of Worcester Culture

By: Deirdre Sweeney

Posted: 9/10/04

Despite popular opinion about Worcester, the oft-maligned "Paris of the Eighties" and home of the smiley face, rocket and birth control has a number of distinctive cultural institutions and sites that are worth a trip.

Bijou Community Cinema - Tucked away on the Central Boulevard side of the Worcester Common Outlets, the Bijou, which recently garnered local controversy due to a change in management, is the only cinema in central Massachusetts that features independent and foreign film as well as occasional classics returned again to the big screen. Aside from its standard fare, the Bijou also shows the work of local directors, when available, and from time to time has those involved with a film, local or otherwise, speak at a special showing. In addition to its cinematic efforts, the Bijou strives to be a gathering place for local groups in need of meeting space, features local musicians, displays area artists in its gallery, and hosts film discussion groups. The cinema is also replete with a restaurant, La Taqueria Mexican Grill.

Ecotarium - The Ecotarium, located on Harrington Way, includes a museum and grounds aimed at all age groups and is dedicated to learning and stewardship of the New England environment and those beyond. It began as the Worcester Lyceum of Natural History in 1825 and recently changed its name from the longtime New England Science Center in 1998 and benefited from a capital development program. Aside from the exhibits inside the museum, the grounds feature wildlife animals that can be observed in their habitats, the Explorer Express Train to take visitors through the property, the Observatory, one of the region's best telescopes, for sky-watching, and the Alden Planetarium offers live and multimedia astronomy programs. The Ecotarium also provides educational programs for youth and workshops for teachers.

Higgins Armory - Founded in 1929 by John Higgins, a member of a prominent Yankee family, to build on his private collection, the Higgins Armory, located near the Greendale Mall off I-290, holds the distinction of being the only institution in the Western Hemisphere dedicated to the collection, exhibition, preservation and study of arms and armor. Higgins has thousands of pieces dating from ancient times through the end of the use of armor and ranging from Europe to Asia and Africa. It also hosts traveling exhibitions. The Armory itself is a unique four-story structure, comprised of steel and a glass curtain wall, that is styled inside after a Gothic castle and features a Medieval Great Hall. Higgins also holds lectures, demonstrations, an upcoming "festival of ale" and offers fencing and other classes dedicated to the instruction of historic combat styles.

Tower Hill Botanical Garden - Located in the town of Boylston, Tower Hill Botanical Garden is the 132-acre headquarters of the Worcester County Horticultural Society. Tower Hill is committed to an ambitious 50-year master plan, already some ten or more years underway. It features an array of different gardens, including cottage, lawn, secret, systematic, vegetable and wildlife gardens, as well as a wildlife refuge pond, woodland trails, an orchard and the Orangerie. Classes taught by leading horticulturalists are offered as well as programs for children. Tower Hill hosts botanical exhibits, plant sales and displays, provides a venue for concerts and has a café for visitors.

Worcester Art Museum - Widely considered one of the finest small museums, the Worcester Art Museum (WAM) was founded by Stephen Salisbury III, the last direct descendant in what had been a prominent local family, and opened in the spring of 1898. The museum features a vast array of work from areas ranging from ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, and Asia to pre-Columbian and Colonial America to seven centuries worth of work in its European galleries. Other galleries are devoted to twentieth-century artists and a sizable photography collection. Some of the museum's highlights include a large Antiochin mosaic on the floor of the Renaissance Court and an adjoining twelfth-century Romanesque Chapter House that was transported here from France. In addition to the permanent collection, the WAM hosts traveling exhibitions and works from private collections, as well as academic lectures, artist talks and other events. The WAM is well-known for its educational efforts as well, offering art classes to all age groups. The museum also has a shop and a café that includes outdoor dining in the courtyard.

Worcester Historical Museum - The Worcester Historical Museum, located on 30 Elm St. downtown, traces its origins to the Worcester Society of Antiquity, begun in 1875. The museum is dedicated to the history of Worcester's community, particularly its industrial and ethnic roots. The museum hosts lectures, features temporary exhibits and provides research opportunities. It also owns and operates the Salisbury Mansion, one of the last remaining eighteenth-century structures in the city; it was built as a house and store by the first Stephen Salisbury and was restored in the 1980s to its 1830s appearance.