Science

Growing Wild for Pollinators

Come to Bradley Palmer State Park in Hamilton Massachusetts to learn all about pollinators

Discover the wild world of pollinators and what they do for the natural world around us. Learn how important is it to protect our pollinators for the health of humans, plants, and the environment. Best for ages 6 years and up. Meet at the Main Parking Lot, 40 Asbury St., Topsfield. 

When: 
Mondays, June 17-August 26, 2024 10-11am

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. Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site preserves and interprets the first sustained, integrated iron works in British Colonial America, which operated on the Saugus River from 1646 to 1670. Explore the place where European iron makers brought their special skills to a young Massachusetts colony. Saugus Iron Works is a twelve-acre National Historic Site that includes working waterwheels, forges, mills, a historic 17th century home, and a lush river basin.

When: 
Wednesday-Sunday, June 4-October 31, 2025 11am

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.

When: 
Wednesday-Sunday, June 4 - October 31, 2025 2pm

Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

Visit Peabody MA, NorthShore, North Shore Children's Museum

Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please add a participant ticket to your cart along with admission for your entire party.

Purchase tickets and sign up for STEAM club online or in person while supplies last. Tickets

When: 
Sundays

CoastalExplorer: Shoreline & Shipwreck Scholars

Families learn about shipwrecks at Castle Hill and Crane Beach in Ipswich Massachusetts

Coastal exploration with a side of shipwreck! Participants will be guided on a Castle Hill hike to Steep Hill Beach, where we will explore the beach and discover treasures washed up by the waves. Piece together clues to learn what is living under the sand and below the water line. We will use field guides to identify shells, egg cases, seaweed and more to tell the story of what creatures inhabit the beach. We will also share the fascinating tale of the schooner Ada K Damon, wrecked on Steep Hill Beach in 1909. Participants will have the chance to search for remnants of the shipwreck and make observations and measurements of what they find.

When: 
Sunday, June 1, 2025 10am-Noon

Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

Mendel Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night

The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later.  When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Observatory often holds special viewing times.  Check the Observatory Status Page and please register before coming as it will state whether observatory is open for the evening. 

When: 
Wednesdays Starting at Dusk or 7:30pm (Whichever is Later)

Family Open House: Caring for the Coast

Family Open House: Caring for the Coast at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts

To celebrate Earth Month, our Family Open House will focus on ocean and coastal conservation and what we are doing to protect beaches and wetlands. Drop in to see our tide pool touch tank and meet some moon snails, hermit crabs and sea stars! Learn about shorebird protection and find out what lives in the salt marsh! Family presentations with Miss Lisa at 11am about Piping Plovers and at 1pm about Harbor Seals.

When: 
Saturday, April 19, 2025 10am-3pm

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Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic

The Annual Hampton Beach, NH Master Sandsculpting Competition 2025
The fun starts when 200 tons of imported sand is dropped on Hampton Beach and the “Grady Bunch” starts pounding up the sponsor site. The entire area is illuminated for night viewing through June 23rd. Watch Greg Grady and “The Grady Bunch” build a mammoth Sand Demo Site. 
7:00 am to 11:00 pm

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

“Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser Storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! “Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser is featured in this StoryWalk Series. Younger kids will love this gentle, richly illustrated children’s nonfiction book aimed at preschool–third grade...
7:00 am to 8:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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

Kidleidoscope

Kidleidoscope at Maudslay State Park is a chance for preschoolers to explore the park, enjoy a story and make a craft!
Maudslay State Park has created this program for their youngest crowd! The park interpreter will lead a weekly nature themed preschool aged program that involves a story time and outdoor exploration of Maudslay trails and gardens! 
10:00 am to 11:00 am

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 4:00 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

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

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

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...
4:15 pm to 5:00 pm

Salisbury Farmers' Market

Salisbury Farmers Market is a great source of local produce.
The Salisbury Farmers' Market offers a vibrant community experience with a variety of fresh, locally sourced produce, unprocessed honey, farm-fresh eggs, and maple syrup. Enjoy music, local market creations, and engage with local farmers. The market also features monthly craft markets, cooking...
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Friday, June 13

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

“Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser Storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! “Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser is featured in this StoryWalk Series. Younger kids will love this gentle, richly illustrated children’s nonfiction book aimed at preschool–third grade...
7:00 am to 8:00 pm

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

Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic

The Annual Hampton Beach, NH Master Sandsculpting Competition 2025
The fun starts when 200 tons of imported sand is dropped on Hampton Beach and the “Grady Bunch” starts pounding up the sponsor site. The entire area is illuminated for night viewing through June 23rd. Watch Greg Grady and “The Grady Bunch” build a mammoth Sand Demo Site. 
7:00 am to 11:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
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

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Annual Art in the Barn Exhibit and Sale

Art in the Barn is a fundraiser for the Essex County Greenbelt Association Essex Mass
Art in the Barn is recognized as one of the North Shore’s premier art events, showcasing the work of some of the most talented artists in the region. An annual fundraising event for over 30 years, the show takes place at Greenbelt’s headquarters, Cox Reservation in Essex, an iconic plein air...
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Inclyousion Sports at North Shore Children's Museum

Inclyousion Paly Session at the North Shore Children's Museum in Peabody Massachusetts
Join coaches from Inclyousion Sports to learn and play. Inclyousion Sports provides inclusive sports enrichment programs to children in Massachusetts, using innovative behavioral methods to teach sports, fitness, and social skills.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

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
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