Friends of The Great Falls Discovery Center

Events

The Great Falls Discovery Center hosts community programs and events, rotating art exhibits in our Great Hall and a Coffee House hosted by the Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center.

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Ongoing – Deep Roots: A History of Agriculture in the Connecticut River Valley *

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

As part of our Food, Farms, and Factories programming, the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association’s exhibit in our hallway gallery explores the history of agriculture in our fertile floodplain valley--from indigenous land use before English settlement to today’s Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) movement. For youth and adults. * Food, Farms, and Factories In 2024, […]

Free

Ongoing – Great Hall Exhibit: The Towns of Franklin County— by the Springfield Photographic Society

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

Find out what makes our Franklin County communities so special through the eyes of avid photographers! This exhibit features a photograph of each of the communities in Franklin County by members of the Springfield Photographic Society. Founded in 1937, the club is made up of enthusiasts from photographic novices to professionals who have in common […]

Free

Nice and Easy Walk

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

Easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for seniors, but open to all. Enjoy natural and local history along the way. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. Meet at the main entrance.  

Free

Nice and Easy Walks

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

Easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for seniors, but open to all. Enjoy natural and local history along the way. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. Meet at the main entrance.

Free

Rain Date: Canal Draw Down History Stroll

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

Check out the annual draining of the Turners Falls canal, take a stroll along the Canalside Rail Trail, and absorb local history with Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center staff and DCR staff. Meet at the main entrance of the Center for this free two mile walk on flat terrain. For youth and adults.

Free

First Friday: Planned Industrial Community Walk

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

What makes this mill village unique? Get an introduction to downtown Turners Falls as we walk its historic streets and answer why the village was designed this way. Meet outside the main entrance for a 1.5-mile walk over flat, paved terrain. For ages 8 and up.

Free

Nice and Easy Walk

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

Easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for seniors, but open to all. Enjoy natural and local history along the way. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. Meet at the main entrance.

Free

Ongoing – Great Hall Exhibit: Day of the Dead Altar

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

View a Day of the Dead Altar built by local families with support from the Heartwing Center. Learn about the tradition of leaving messages of love to honor and commemorate loved ones. For all ages.

Free

Nice and Easy Walk

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

Easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for seniors, but open to all. Enjoy natural and local history along the way. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. Meet at the main entrance.

Free

Archaeology Month: Indigenous Fishing Along the Kwenitekw

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

Join DCR as we celebrate Archaeology Month! Learn about the cycle of the seasons from the Indigenous perspective, traditional fishing methods along the Kwenitekw (Connecticut) River, help to weave a net, take a photo with a mishoon (dugout canoe) and more! Free and open to all. Presented by the First Peoples, First Stewards Partnership Program, […]

Free

Nice and Easy Walk

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

Easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for seniors, but open to all. Enjoy natural and local history along the way. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. Meet at the main entrance.

Free

Great Hall Reception — Migrations: A Celebration of Art, Birds, and the Day of the Dead

Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, United States

First, join us for a talk from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. by ornithologist Chad Witko on bird migration (described above). Then enjoy refreshments, view paintings from Guatemalan artists, and visit our Day of the Dead altar. Learn about the tradition of leaving messages of love to honor and commemorate loved ones. The altar is on […]

Free