Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center

Atop Great Blue Hill in Milton, Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center is a National Historic Landmark and the home of North America’s longest continuous weather record, kept every day since 1885. Visitors come for public tours and education programs and for panoramic views over Greater Boston. The site is open year-round and also works as a museum and a unique venue for meetings and special events, welcoming thousands of visitors each year.

Observers have climbed the hill each day through wars, storms and pandemics to record the weather, and scientists rely on the resulting data. The observatory runs STEM education, community programs, hill climbs, webinars and a climate and weather conference. It is also asking for support to protect its 141 years of records, which remain undigitized, face funding cuts and were affected when vandals damaged the building.

What to Know

• The observatory is wheelchair accessible.
• Field trips and classroom visits are offered for schools.
• The World Meteorological Organization has called its data the most homogeneous climate record in North America.
• The conference, formerly the Southern New England Weather Conference, can be attended in person or online.