Friends of The Great Falls Discovery Center

Nice and Easy Walk
2026-01-22 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-01-29 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-02-05 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-02-12 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-02-19 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-02-26 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-03-05 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-03-12 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) and 2 more dates | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for older adults, 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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Groundhogs
2026-01-23 10:30 - 11:30
Learn more about our wildlife neighbors in the Connecticut River Watershed. Program includes a story, activities, and crafts. Activities are indoors and outdoors, weather permitting. For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. Siblings and friends welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Owls
2026-01-30 10:30 - 11:30

Great Hall Guest Speaker: The Secret World of Freshwater Mussels
2026-01-31 14:00 - 15:00
The Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) – Young Professionals Committee presents a talk by Freshwater Malacologist, Virginia Martell, on the vital roles that freshwater mussels play in our aquatic ecosystems, including water filtration and nutrient cycling. The talk includes discussion of Massachusetts’ populations of mussels that are at risk, the evaluation process for environmental permits, the fundamentals of freshwater mussel biology and ecology and their connection to Massachusetts’ environmental permitting requirements. Virginia Martell specializes in freshwater mussel restoration efforts targeting state and federally endangered species. For free registration visit: maccweb.org or call the center to learn more. For adults and youth 12 and up. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing: Indoor Story Walk® — Rabbit’s Snow Dance
2026-02-01 - 2026-02-28
Read master storytellers Joseph and James Bruchac’s Rabbit’s Snow Dance, a hip and funny take on an Iroquois folktale about the importance of patience, the seasons, and listening to your friends. Rabbit loves winter. He knows a dance, using an Iroquois drum and song, to make it snow—even in summertime! When rabbit decides that it should snow early, he starts his dance and the snow begins to fall. The other forest animals are not happy and ask him to stop, but Rabbit doesn’t listen. How much snow is too much, and will Rabbit know when to stop? Meet at the welcome desk.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Story Walk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson. This StoryWalk® is provided by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Interpretive Services.

Sunday Matinee Documentary Series: Fire of Love from Sandbox Films
2026-02-01 14:00 - 16:00
Our free winter Sunday matinee documentary series from Sandbox Films continues with Fire of Love. Curiosity is stronger than fear. This film tells the story of two French lovers, Katia and Maurice Krafft, who died in a volcanic explosion doing the very thing that brought them together: unraveling the mysteries of our planet, while simultaneously capturing the most explosive volcano imagery ever recorded. Along the way, they changed our understanding of the natural world, and saved tens of thousands of lives. Previously unseen hours of pristine 16-millimeter film and thousands of photographs reveal the birth of modern volcanology through an unlikely lens — the love of its two pioneers. Sandbox Films is an Oscar-nominated production studio that illuminates the art and beauty of scientific inquiry: humankind’s weird, messy, brilliant way of navigating the world. Free hot chocolate. For adults and youth ages 12 and up.

Ongoing - Great Hall Exhibit: Maps of River History by Joe Kopera
2026-02-05 - 2026-03-28
Come see the secret histories of your favorite rivers! Geologist and cartographer Joe Kopera has studied the New England landscape for over 25 years. View the land like a geologist: Maps of River History, reveals the hidden details in the topography of rivers and their floodplains, clues to the past 15,000 years of their work shaping the land on which we live.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Winter Insects
2026-02-06 10:30 - 11:30

First Friday: Zine on the River
2026-02-06 15:00 - 17:00
Drop in and make a Connecticut River zine! Zines are small booklets usually made from a single piece of paper. Share your message about the Connecticut River or keep it as a unique nature journal. For teens and adults, and children with a solid grasp of scissors. Meet in the Great Hall.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Porcupines
2026-02-13 08:00 - 17:00

Ongoing - School Vacation Week Investigation Station: Amphibians and Reptiles in Winter
2026-02-15 - 2026-02-22
What are amphibians and reptiles up to during the winter? Join us at our investigation station by the Welcome Desk to find out. Explore through touchable artifacts and habitat diorama scavenger hunts. For ages 4 and up.

Sunday Matinee Documentary Series: How Deep is Your Love? from Sandbox Films.
2026-02-15 14:00 - 16:00
Our free winter Sunday matinee documentary series from Sandbox Films continues with How Deep is Your Love? Scientists explore the mysterious deep sea to collect and name undiscovered species. As they uncover mesmerizing creatures and ecosystems thriving in darkness, a looming threat emerges: the prospect of deep-sea mining in this untouched wilderness. This film weaves wonder with urgency, challenging us to balance the drive for resources with the intrinsic value of an ecosystem. As we journey through this breathtaking realm, we are left to ponder – how deep is our love? Free hot chocolate. For adults and youth ages 12 and up.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Rabbits
2026-02-20 10:30 - 11:30

Art Naturally – Watershed Mosaics
2026-02-21 10:30 - 12:00
Discover nature through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. With instruction and technique, you create an art piece to take home from tile, pebbles, marbles and glue, inspired by nature in wintertime. For adults, teens, and children ages 6 and up (accompanied by an adult). All art materials provided. Meet in the Great Hall at 10:30 a.m. for complete instructions.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - When Will It Be Spring?
2026-02-27 10:30 - 11:30

Ongoing - Indoor StoryWalk® - 999 Tadpoles
2026-03-01 - 2026-03-14
Explore the lives of our favorite mud season amphibians. For ages 3 and up, accompanied by an adult. Meet at the welcome desk.

Ongoing, March 1 – 14: 999 Tadpoles by Ken Kimura. Never underestimate the quick wits of 999 young frogs!

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Story Walk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson. This StoryWalk® is provided by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Interpretive Services.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Frogs
2026-03-06 10:30 - 11:30

First Friday: Big Night for Beginners
2026-03-06 15:00 - 17:00
On a mild, rainy night in early spring, thousands of frogs, toads, and salamanders move across Massachusetts to reach their vernal pools and start the next generation of amphibians. But the journey across roads and lawns can be deadly. Join us for a brief presentation, or come later for games, crafting, and conversations about how to help a local Big Night brigade! Meet in the Great Hall.

Art Naturally – Paper Quilting Migrations
2026-03-07 10:30 - 12:00
Discover nature through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. With instruction and technique, you create an art piece to take home from fabric, paper, needle and thread, inspired by the spring bird migrations. Or, keep it simple with quilting using paper only. For adults, teens and children ages 6 and up (accompanied by an adult and adept with a needle). All art materials provided but feel welcome to use your own. Meet in the Great Hall at 10:30 a.m. for complete instructions.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Salamanders
2026-03-13 10:30 - 11:30

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Beavers
2026-03-20 08:00 - 17:00
