See the galleries, make art and more! Admission is free on the second Saturday morning of every month for families with children up to age 18. Registration recommended. To make a reservation for youth & family programs contact the museum.
The summer solstice, or longest day of the year, is also known as the most active day of the year for fairies. On this enchanted fairy holiday, it is traditional in some cultures to leave gifts or offerings for the fairies. Join us as we venture into the forest to create fairy houses. We will celebrate their completion with a solstice story and s'mores.
Fields are homes and resting places for many insects, birds, and animals in the summer. Become a scientist and explore a forest and field for yourself. Using sweep nets and other scientific tools, we will look at insects and plants up-close, and watch for signs of other animals of our sanctuary.
In this outdoor survival skills program, we will venture out onto the Ipswich River. Learn the basics of canoe safety, paddle strokes, and the river knowledge needed to travel on the water. When we stop at Perkins Island, you will be challenged to explore the area and craft your own paddle out of natural materials, and then test it out on the paddle back to the mainland. No previous canoe or outdoor skills are necessary, just a strong survival instinct!
Each 'Sense of Wonder' outing will begin with a short introduction indoors, and then we will go outside for a walk. Topics for each walk are listed below, but we will stop and investigate anything that crosses our path. Join us for one or both of these spring programs.
Do you know all the animals that you share your neighborhood with? You may be surprised to learn that many of the animals you see on a visit to the sanctuary might be living in your backyard, too. We'll hike the trails to learn how to identify the signs of aniamls that might be living in your backyard habitat and then give you the tools to make your yard more inviting to beneficial species.
Comic books and movies are filled with characters with superpowers that humans would love to have, like flight, super-hearing, super-vision, super-speed, and super-strength. But did you know that many animals possess these amazing abilities, and some animals even inspired our favorite superheroes? Come investigate some of the super-organisms that live on our sanctuary - you will be amazed!
Families are welcome to join Cape Ann YMCA on a hike through the wild of Ravenswood Park in Gloucester Massachusetts! Lace up your hiking shoes and come for a stress relieving hike in Ravenswood Park with your Y Friends! Dogs are encouraged, so bring along your four legged friends. *This group will be meeting at the park gate at 10:00am.*
Celebrate Mother’s Day at the Crane Estate! Moms deserve the world and more! Show the mothers in your life some love and invite them to spend an afternoon with the family in the beautiful formal gardens of the Crane Estate, enjoying a tea party, crafting a beautiful flower crown, and creating precious family memories. Mom will leave smiling and beautiful in a crown she rightly deserves!
Kids will learn about the winged creatures that inhabit the sanctuary at this vacation week program. Spring is in full swing and all our flying friends are in a frenzy. If it has wings, we'll find it, and learn about the different ways creatures use their wings. Using binoculars, nets, and bug boxes, we'll take an up-close look at birds, dragonflies, butterflies, and other insects that make their homes at the sanctuary.
