Science

Backpack Babies at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Backpack Babies is a program that encourages caregivers to explore the natural world with their babies and toddlers. Photo: Sharon Grimes

Backpack Babies is a program that encourages caregivers to explore the natural world with their babies and toddlers. Bring your backpack/frontpack or jogging stroller and explore the meadows, forests, and wetlands with your baby in this four-session series. Each class will begin indoors with a nature book and a few lap rhymes, songs, and games about the topic of the day. Then we'll go outside for a closer look at nature's gifts with our:

Seabirds and Whales Cruise

Learn about sea birds while whale watching aboard the Privateer IV out of Gloucester, Massachusetts!

Have a wonderful time watching for whales and seabirds on a trip with naturalists from Joppa Flats Education Center out of Gloucester aboard the Privateer IV. Aside from marine mammals, we will look for storm-petrels, gannets, jaegers, terns, gulls, and phalaropes. Most trips will head to the productive Stellwagen Bank.

When: 
Monday, September 17, 2018 1-5pm

CoastSweep: Annisquam River

Some coastal trash is accidental like this lobster pot washed up by a storm.

As part of COASTSWEEP Beach Cleanup, volunteers are encouraged to come to Gloucester to help in the statewide effort to keep our coastline clean along the Annisquam River. Trash collected will be measured and analyzed, and the data will be sent to Washington DC to aid the government in creating legislation to minimize trash in our oceans! This specific cleanup is coordinated by Jamie Mathison and the Gloucester Clean City Commission.

When: 
Saturday, September 15, 2018 9am

Bound for Butterflies

Joppa Flats Education Center will have Free indoor and outdoor activities for kids and families!

Join the park interpreter and special guest Russ Hopping on a walk to view and identify various butterfly species at Maudslay.  Russ is an active member of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club and enjoys sharing his knowledge of butterflies with others.  Russ is the Ecology Program Director for The Trustees of Reservations. He has worked for The Trustees since 1997, overseeing the stewardship of ecological resources at The Trustees’ more than 26,000 acres.

When: 
Saturday, August 11, 2018 10am-Noon

Butterflies & Bugs Free-for-All

Joppa Flats Education Center will have Free indoor and outdoor activities for kids and families!

Drop in at Joppa Flats and meet live caterpillars, moths, and butterflies! You’ll learn smart practices to attract birds and wildlife to your own yard as well as how to safely identify insects. Enjoy a "Backyard Bug Hunt' with our naturalists, join in a "Monarch Migration Relay Race," and take home a fun craft or two.

When: 
Sunday, July 22, 2018 10am-3pm

Imagine, Sing & Learn: Coral Reefs

Coral Reefs are the subject of the next Imagine, Sing and Learn at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport!

These fun-filled morning programs are perfect for you and your active preschooler! Our structured activities include hands-on science, music and movement, a thematic snack, and an outdoor adventure if the weather complies. Keep learning with coloring pages and follow-up activities to continue the fun at home! This week we'll focus on coral reefs and the special creatures that live there!

When: 
Friday, July 20, 2018 9:30-11am

Exploring Science Together: Bugs!

Kids and families are invited to learn about bugs at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

Take a closer look and explore the world of minuscule bugs! Learn together through hands-on activities designed to show you how to classify and identify these numerous and diverse creatures! Participate in activities in our incredible arthropods gallery. Observe and touch live invertebrates, and then go outside and collect some of your own. Dig in the dirt and learn how invertebrates help people compost food waste into soil. Create your own scientific equipment that will help you continue the study of entomology at home. All activities are designed to be fun and interactive experiences for elementary age students and their families to participate in together.

When: 
Saturday, July 7, 2018 10:30-Noon

Eco-Art: Nesting Time

Families will learn about bird nests at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: Robin's Nest Bill O'Connor

Families will examine our collection of bird nests to study how they're built and what materials were used in their construction. We'll explore the trails looking for nests and places where birds might build them. On our return, we will create our own nests using natural materials.

When: 
Thursday, July 12, 2018 9-11:00 am

Pages

Art Academy Summer Program at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly MA

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 15th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, MA. Pingree . The exhibit will open in early September with more than 50 temporary works on display in addition to the 20 pieces in the permanent collection of Pingree School. The exhibit ...
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Corn MAiZE and Haunted Attractions at Connors Farm - Danvers

Corn MAiZE, Maze and Haunted Attractions at Connors Farm - Danvers, Massachusetts
Come to Connors Farm to find your way through this year's maze and enjoy many family fun activities! After completing the maze, stay and have some fun around the farm. Children enjoy apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, and most of all, visiting the barnyard animals.
9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Kimball Farm Corn Maze

Kimball Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
At the Kimball Farm Corn Maze all are welcome to come and enjoy the challenge of finding your way through the winding corn field maze. Our originally designed CORN MAZE  is full of Crazy angles and is sure to be a fun challenge. Have no fear, there will be clues along the way.  Be daring and try...
10:00 am to 9:00 pm

Haunted Happenings Marketplace

The Haunted Happenings Marketplace runs Thursdays-Sundays during October in Salem Massachusetts
The Haunted Happenings Merchant Marketplace is coming this October! Get ready for a one-of-a-kind shopping extravaganza throughout Historic (and some say haunted) Downtown Salem!
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Marini Farm Corn Maze

The 2023 Marini Farm Corn Maze in Ipswich Massachusetts is themed for Alice in Wonderland!
Come to Marini Farm for a fun journey through our corn maze! The Maze Park, corn maze, farm stand, bakery and other attractions provide a great destination for kids birthday parties, school trips, corporate team building, scout outings, and family activities. Marini Farm is located in beautiful...
10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Music Together - Friday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Hallowed Harvest Salem

The Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth returns to Salem Massachusetts for Halloween month!
Salem's only Jack-O'-Lantern festival, known as "Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth", returns for its 4th season with even more Jack-O'-Lantern magic than ever before! Prepare to be blown away by hundreds of intricately carved Jack-o'-Lanterns, an epic spider web tunnel, hands-on pumpkin carving,...
12:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Drop-in Open House at the Nature Center

Drop-in Open House at the Bradley Palmer State Park Nature Center in Hamilton Ipswich Massachusetts
Explore the Nature Center at your leisure. The Park Interpreter will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. Come see and touch animal furs, replica skulls, animal models, and other natural history materials. For little artists, coloring pages and washable markers will be on hand.
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Hamilton-Wenham Farmers' Market

Hamilton-Wenham Community House hosts a Popup farmers market on the front lawn!
The Hamilton-Wenham Farmers’ Market is a food and flower market presented by The Community House. Vendor offerings must be grown, raised, or produced within 100 miles of Hamilton. The Market features a range of vendors offering locally grown produce, honey, flowers, baked goods, artisanal crafts,...
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Topsfield Fair - Opening Day

Topsfield Fair opens the gates at 1pm Friday! Topsfield Fair is one of the longe
The Topsfield Fair is a perennial favorite for us.  We're not the biggest fans of the midway, although it is always worth a walkthrough and a ride or two.  We love fruits and vegetables, and are always on the lookout for the winning 'biggest pumpkin'.  Another favorite is checking out the pigs and...
4:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Newburyport Chocolate Tour

The Newburyport Chocolate Tour is a chance for chocolate lover to experience the best treats of Newburyport Massachusetts!
The Newburyport Chocolate Tour, now in its 20th year, invites chocolate lovers to savor fine chocolate and goodies throughout downtown Newburyport and the Tannery. The Chocolate Tour motto, "Eat Chocolate. Be Happy. Do Good.", sums up this delicious tour as 100% of net proceeds are donated to local...
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Halloween on the Hill

The Trustees host a celebration of Autumn and Halloween at Long Hill Sedgewick Gardens in Beverly Massachusetts
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to tour the gardens at Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts to celebrate Autumn and Halloween! Long Hill is excited to bring back our annual Halloween on the Hill event! Come explore our beautiful property as we transform the Long Hill gardens into a...
5:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Cape Ann Center for Dance | Haunted Forest

Cape Ann Center for Dance has a haunted performance promenade planned at the Glen Urquhart School in Beverly Massachusetts
Join the Cape Ann Center for Dance if you dare for an evening of fright and delight.  Walk amidst a haunted and enchanted wood forest filled with imaginative and spooky characters.  Fun for all ages with arts and crafts, fun, refreshments and more.
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Lanterns in the Village

Come celebrate the the spooky feeling of October at Pioneer Village in Salem Massachusetts!
Come stroll through historic Pioneer Village for this 6th annual family-friendly event. You will be enchanted by the soft light of jack-o-lanterns while listening to spooky tales (Flashlights Optional).  This Lanterns in the Village fundraiser supports all positive events for the students of...
6:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Thursday, October 10

Haunted Happenings Marketplace

The Haunted Happenings Marketplace runs Thursdays-Sundays during October in Salem Massachusetts
The Haunted Happenings Merchant Marketplace is coming this October! Get ready for a one-of-a-kind shopping extravaganza throughout Historic (and some say haunted) Downtown Salem!
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Annual Plum Island “Jetober” Fest

Jetoberfest is hosted by Plum Island Airport RC Club at the Plum Island Air Field in Newburyport Massachusetts!
Plum Island Airport RC Club's JetOberfest is almost here! Come on out and join the fun at the Plum Island Airport for 4 days of Nonstop RC Jet action (Turbine and Ducted Fan Jets, no props or rotors for this event please). Pilots from all over the Northeast and Canada will make their way to our...
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Hallowed Harvest Salem

The Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth returns to Salem Massachusetts for Halloween month!
Salem's only Jack-O'-Lantern festival, known as "Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth", returns for its 4th season with even more Jack-O'-Lantern magic than ever before! Prepare to be blown away by hundreds of intricately carved Jack-o'-Lanterns, an epic spider web tunnel, hands-on pumpkin carving,...
12:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

The Backyard Growcery

Join Backyard Growers at Burnham's Field in Gloucester Massachusetts for a weekly Farmer's Market
Stop by Gloucester’s new weekly farmers market, the Backyard Growcery, managed by Backyard Growers. The Backyard Growcery is located at Burnham's Field, an urban park near Gloucester’s thriving waterfront, and features small-scale North Shore farmers, bakers, a seafood vendor, an artisanal pizza...
2:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Salem Farmers' Market

The Salem Farmer's Market bring the goodness of local farm to downtown Salem!
The Salem Farmers' Market brings fresh local produce and other foods from North Shore farms and other local resources to downtown Salem every Thursday at  Bentley Academy Charter School!
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Ipswich Homegrown Market

Ipswich Homegrown Market on the Middle Green in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Every Thursday through the Summer, you will find fresh local produce and other foods from local vendors at the Middle Green in Ipswich Massachusetts! Come enjoy this weekly community event featuring local growers, makers, artists, and dreamers.
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Cow Connection at Appleton Farms

Join The Trustees of Reservations at Appleton Farms for Cow Connection in Ipswich Massachusetts
Immerse your family in the heartwarming experience of being up close and personal with one of our favorite farm animals – cows! Cuddle, brush, and sit with our hand-raised cows at Appleton Farms. Visit our scenic and historic farm and enjoy Family Cow Connection session with our two Jersey Dairy...
4:00 pm to 4:45 pm

Halloween on the Hill

The Trustees host a celebration of Autumn and Halloween at Long Hill Sedgewick Gardens in Beverly Massachusetts
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to tour the gardens at Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts to celebrate Autumn and Halloween! Long Hill is excited to bring back our annual Halloween on the Hill event! Come explore our beautiful property as we transform the Long Hill gardens into a...
5:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Subscribe to Science