DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is a fantastic place to start your kids on the road to appreciating art, in a setting that allows outside voices and (for the most part) hands-on exploration.

Set amid 35 acres of woodlands and lawns, it is the largest park of its kind in New England. Large-scale artworks include modern and contemporary sculpture and site-specific installations, some permanent and some that rotate through. Children can roam around to discover artworks hidden beneath tree branches or use sticks to make sounds on the Musical Fence. Picnicking on the grounds is a lot of fun if you settle close to some artwork that can spark conversation. If you feel like taking a longer walk or want a more secluded picnic spot, you can gain access to trails from the museum to neighboring Sandy Pond, which is Lincoln Conservation Land. The pond is a drinkingwater reservoir.

Throughout the year, the museum offers several outdoor programs, including snowshoe tours, yoga sessions, birding tours, curator and artist conversations, and screenings. If you don’t want to spend all your time outside, head indoors for the rotating exhibits of contemporary art. Truly a museum that thinks about future artists, deCordova is the only contemporary art museum in the United States that hosts a preschool.

Remember: Make sure you read signs located near the artworks before your kids get to them; some should not be touched. Keep your dog on a leash and clean up after it.

Nearby Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary (Trip 36) is a picture-perfect farm, with animals galore and several trails to hike.

A café is in the museum, or you can head into Lincoln (go back to Sandy Pond Road and turn right on Lincoln Road) to find pizza places and bistros.