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Hands-on learning exhibits, like developing animated fish in the Virtual FishTank and racing marbles on sloping tracks, teach children about the physical world. The Omni Theater thrills with its fast-paced IMAX projections. And the planetarium places the cosmos within even the smallest child’s reach.

Exploring the cosmos in the Hayden Planetarium, hitting the high notes on a musical staircase, experiencing larger-than-life IMAX films in the Mugar Omni Theater – the Museum of Science knows how to make learning enjoyable. In addition to these attractions, the museum frequently hosts blockbuster touring exhibits like Alice the Tyrannosaurus Rex . And on Friday nights, staff lead free star gazing sessions on the museum roof.

Massachusetts Investors Trust opened in 1924 as the first modern mutual fund that pooled investor’s money to purchase portfolio stocks.

Although tiny Naha has fine tempura and noodle dishes, fans of Japanese food come here for the sushi: it’s fresh, delicious, and affordable.

Nantucket’s Whaling Museum tells the tale of the Quaker whalers who made Nantucket prosperous in the 19th century. The island has shed its Quaker past and now boasts trophy beach houses and million-dollar yachts. For sports, there’s kayaking, casting for striped bass from Surfside Beach, or cycling to the former fishing village of Sconset with its rose-covered clifftop cottages.

Other bakeries aim for variety, but Napoli sticks to a narrow but select line of perfectly fashioned sweets. As the name suggests, it should be a dessert lover’s first stop for a Neapolitan.

Favoring lush, contemporary paintings, and the occasional mixed-media sculpture, Nielsen is popular among Boston’s art cognoscenti for the distinction of her artists.

During the 19th century, local sailors and whalers plundered the oceans of the world, enriching the port of New Bedford. The National Historic District preserves many of the fine buildings of the whaling era, while the Whaling Museum (18 Johnny Cake Hill) gives riveting accounts of the enterprise.

Get personal with three species of penguins, harbor seals, and many other creatures of the deep. The vast 200,000 gallon (900,000 liter) Giant Ocean Tank is the aquarium’s centerpiece, where an upward-spiraling walkway guides you around the ecosystem (see New England Aquarium).

The aquarium goes to great lengths to keep kids engaged through a variety of interactive displays. Nothing illustrates this better than the Edge of the Sea exhibit, where children can touch some of the region’s typical tidepool dwellers. (see New England Aquarium)