in these first few years, the museum developed a traveling planetarium, a version of which is still brought to many elementary schools in the greater boston area every year. they also obtained during these early years "spooky", a great horned owl who became a symbol or mascot of the museum; he lived to age 38, the longest any great horned owl is known to have lived. today, a number of other taxidermed specimens remain on display, teaching children about the animals of new england and of the world.