Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River Opens at the Museum of Science

A view of the Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River as seen from above on the second floor bridge. / Photo Provided © Museum of Science, Boston

Do you love that dirty water? The Museum of Science sure does, and thanks to a $10 million donation from the Yawkey Foundation, a new gallery celebrates all things Charles River.

The Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River opened Thursday as the museum’s newest permanent exhibit. The three-story space has a 30-foot waterfall surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling living plant wall, a kinetic sculpture called ‘River Loom’ that reflects the water’s movement, and two habitats for species of fish and turtles that live in the Charles River environment. Large digital screens show animations created by the museum’s planetarium team, ten-foot photos show different environments along the river, and there’s also timelapse footage, because you all love those, don’t you?

And of course, those views! The new gallery offers excellent views of the Charles, as the MOS is located smack dab between Boston and Cambridge.

The gallery calls attention to the intersection of natural and engineered worlds.

“The Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River embodies our mission and vision for the next decade,” said Ioannis Miaoulis, MOS president and director in a press release. “It not only enhances this important gathering space within the Museum, it reflects our approach to exhibits by encouraging scientific observation and engagement in the engineering design process.”

The exhibit is the centerpiece of a major renovation at the museum. Slated for a July completion, the construction plans include an updated entryway to the Exhibit Halls, a new family restroom, digitized signage, and replacing the current stone walls with aluminum and glass. Sounds glamorous—we hear the tamarins are very excited.

Graphics underneath the second floor bridge created by Charles Hayden Planetarium staff. / Photo Provided © Museum of Science, Boston

A view of ‘The River Loom’ from below as part of the Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River. / Photo Provided © Museum of Science, Boston

An activity focused on river flow will allow visitors to engineer different water paths. The Living Wall and waterfall are in the background. / Photo Provided © Museum of Science, Boston

A view of the live animal tanks with Boston and the Charles River in the background. / Photo Provided © Museum of Science, Boston

In the Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River, visitors will have the chance to observe inhabitants of the Charles River. / Photo Provided © Museum of Science, Boston