Annette Spaulding Talk: Recent Diving Discoveries in the Connecticut River
2025-06-08 15:30 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join us for a talk by Annette Spaulding, an experienced master scuba diver, whose favorite place in the whole world to dive is in the Connecticut River, one of only 14 rivers in the United States that are designated heritage rivers. Annette is the first person to identify short-nosed sturgeon above dams in the river. Enjoy a fascinating slideshow presentation showing footage of underwater dives along with a display of items of some of the unusual and interesting things she found in the river. Sponsored by Connecticut River Defenders. Meet in the Great Hall

Nice & Easy Walk
2025-06-13 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-07-03 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-07-17 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-07-24 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-07-31 10:00 - 11:00 | 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 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.

Fields & Forests—What Do Bees Need?
2025-06-15 10:30 - 12:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Help us kick off Pollinator Week! Make your own native bee habitat by “painting” with yarn, fleece, pre-felt shapes and water. Will your bees live in a tree trunk or holes in the ground, in a nest made of mud or leaves? Learn how important native bees are, especially for growing food. For ages 4 and up, including teens and adults! Children must be accompanied by an adult. Designed for families. All are welcome! Meet in the Great Hall.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Turtles
2025-06-20 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
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.

Summer Solstice Nice & Easy Walk
2025-06-20 13:00 - 14:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Let’s kick off the summer season! 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 Main Entrance.

Find Us at the Farmers Market!
2025-06-21 10:30 - 13:00, 2025-07-26 10:30 - 13:00 | Peskeompskut Park, Avenue A between 6th and 7th Streets, Turners Falls, 01376
Join DCR staff for family activities at the Great Falls Farmers Market, located between 6th and 7th streets along Avenue A at Peskeompskut Park. In case of rain, you can find our activities inside the Discovery Center’s Great Hall instead. For all ages.

Nice & Easy Walk
2025-06-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
We’re beating the heat by moving Nice & Easy Walks to Thursdays at 10 a.m. during the summer months of June, July, and August. Join us for an 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 outside the main entrance.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Fish
2025-06-27 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Pride Hike: Canalside Stonewall Stroll
2025-06-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Celebrate Pride and 56 years since Stonewall by hiking along the Canalside Rail Trail! Be in community with nature and each other as we walk and talk beside a historic canal. This hike is a 2.6-mile round trip hike on a flat, paved trail. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. For ages 10 and up. Meet outside the main entrance.

Ongoing: Outdoor StoryWalk® — Agua, Agüita: Water, Little Water
2025-07-01 - 2025-08-26 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Enjoy a story, fresh air and exercise! Join us on the Discovery Center’s grounds for a free self-guided StoryWalk® featuring Agua, Agüita: Water, Little Water by Jorge Tetl Argueta. For ages 4 to 7 and anyone who appreciates the water cycle! Follow the path to book pages posted along the route.
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 - Eagles
2025-07-04 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Yes, we are open on the holiday, ready with a story for you! For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. 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. Siblings and friends welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.

First Friday: Eagle Day!
2025-07-04 15:00 - 18:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Yes, we are open today! All ages. Enjoy Independence Day by celebrating the eagle, our national bird. Join us at our eagle investigation station outside the center on our grounds. We’ll have artifacts and crafts as we imagine the freedom of flight. In case of rain, join us inside the center.

DINO TRAIL WEEK TALK: Climate Cycles and Volcanic Singularities During the Dawn of the Age of Dinosaurs
2025-07-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join us for a dynamic presentation on climate, volcanos, and dinosaurs by Dr. Paul Olsen. The ancient Connecticut Valley rift basin is filled with spectacular, fossil-bearing alternations of deep and shallow water lake sediments that provide a timeline for the beginning of dinosaur dominance 200 million years ago. A huge volcanic event then set off a cold-hot climate whiplash, killing off some dinosaurs while others survived and spread globally. The record of the ecological consequences is now exposed along the Connecticut River, especially at the Great Falls.
Dr. Olsen is Storke Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Columbia University/Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. One of the most prominent paleontologists on dinosaurs, he has studied the geology and paleontology of our region in depth. Don’t let his credentials scare you! He’s an engaging speaker, informative and entertaining in equal measure for audiences young and old.
* Dino Trail Week:
Dino Trail Week is a celebratory week of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from all of our partners during Dino Trail Week: Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center, the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Piti Theatre, the Beneski Museum, the Trustees of Reservations, Springfield Science Museum, Wistariahurst, and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Learn more at: dinotrail.org.

DINO TRAIL WEEK: * Art Naturally: Gel Printing Trace Fossils
2025-07-12 14:00 - 15:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Discover nature and pre-history through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. Create an art piece inspired by the valley’s fossilized dinosaur footprints using paint, paper and gel, with instruction and techniques. For adults, teens and children ages 6 and up. All art materials provided. Arrive at 2:00 p.m. for complete instructions
* Dino Trail Week:
Dino Trail Week is a celebratory week of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from all of our partners during Dino Trail Week: Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center, the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Piti Theatre, the Beneski Museum, the Trustees of Reservations, Springfield Science Museum, Wistariahurst, and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Learn more at: dinotrail.org.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Coyotes
2025-07-18 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. 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. Siblings and friends welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.

Urban Fern Walk
2025-07-19 10:00 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join leaders from the Pioneer Valley Fern Society for a free walk along the paved Canalside Rail Trail. Learn to see and identify about a dozen common and uncommon native ferns that grow in surprising places along this recreational area. Meet at the main entrance.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Bees & Flowers
2025-07-25 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Whalemobile
2025-07-25 15:30 - 17:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
For ages 7—12. Whale watch naturalist, Cynde McInnis, offers a brief presentation about whales. Then 20 people at a time will see the Whale Mobile inflate and get to go inside! Registration required through this link or call 413-863-3214. Funded in part by a grant from the Greenfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing - Great Hall Exhibit: The Towns of Franklin County— by the Springfield Photographic Society
2025-08-01 - 2025-09-30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, 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 a love of their craft. Among their recent field trips were stops in Franklin County, where members took photos together and learned from one another. To learn more visit: www.springfield-ps.com.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Dragonflies
2025-08-01 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

First Friday: Monarch Butterfly Migration Station
2025-08-01 15:00 - 17:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Help us welcome the last generation of monarch butterflies to live their entire life in the north before their offspring begin the long journey to Michoacán in Mexico. Find our drop-in butterfly migration investigation station outside the center for artifacts and crafts as we celebrate this continental migration. All ages. Find our station outside the center.

Pocumtuck Homelands Festival: Fish Printing
2025-08-02 10:00 - 17:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
A free two-day celebration at Unity Park on First Street in Turners Falls, sponsored by the Nolumbeka Project and RiverCulture. This festival is the perfect combination of live music, drumming, dancing, storytelling, native crafts and food. On Saturday August 2, 10 a.m.— 5 p.m., families may visit the Northfield Mountain & Great Falls Discovery Center tent to make your own vibrantly colored fish print to take home. All materials provided. For more information on the entire event visit nolumbekaproject.org/events.

Nice & Easy Walks
2025-08-07 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Ants
2025-08-08 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
