Shared Skies: Celebrating Migratory Birds and the Communities They Connect
2025-05-10 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
On World Migratory Bird Day, join ornithologist Chad Witko (Birding University) for an inspiring exploration of our avian migrants. Celebrate this year’s theme, Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities, highlighting the remarkable journeys of North America’s migratory birds. Through cutting-edge research from across the hemisphere, explore how birds connect people and communities throughout the Americas. A seasoned birder or simply curious about the natural world around you, deepen your appreciation for the birds that pass through our cities and neighborhoods—and what we can do to help them thrive. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing - Outdoor StoryWalk®— We Planted a Tree
2025-05-13 - 2025-06-25 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Ongoing: Outdoor StoryWalk®— We Planted a Tree
Enjoy a story, fresh air and exercise! Join us on the Discovery Center’s grounds for a free self-guided StoryWalk® featuring a children’s picture book. Follow the path to book pages posted along the route. We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow is for ages 3 to 7
and everyone who loves trees. 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.

Nice & Easy Walk
2025-05-16 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-05-23 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-05-30 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-06-06 13:00 - 14:00, 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 | 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.

Find Us at the Farmers Market!
2025-05-24 10:30 - 13:00, 2025-06-21 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.

First Friday: Migratory Fish on 3rd Street
2025-06-06 17:00 - 20:00 | Third Street – Downtown Turners Falls, 24 - 42 Third Street, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join us on 3rd Street for RiverCulture’s First Friday event and learn all about migratory fish at our investigation station. During the event 3rd Street, from Avenue A to the Brick House, is open to pedestrians only.

Rain or Shine! 18th Annual Free Family Fishing Day
2025-06-07 10:00 - 14:00 | Barton Cove Day Use Area, Barton Cove Road, Gill, MA, United States
Our annual Family Fishing Day, at Barton Cove, with additional activities at the Great Falls Discovery Center. Join us for a day of FREE fishing fun. Adults and children of all ages are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Event is held rain or shine. Parking is free. Free shuttle bus between sites.
At Barton Cove Campground: Barton Cove Road in Gill

Free fishing from 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m. All ages welcome.
Fishing equipment provided – limited supplies available. Bring your own pole if you have one.
No MA fishing license needed.

At Great Falls Discovery Center: 2 Avenue A

Fly lure tying demonstrations.
Come see a guest fish from the USGS Conte Anadromous Fish Research Lab.
Fish printing – The art of Gyotaku, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 pm.
CATCH THE FISH BUS HERE! Free shuttle bus to and from Barton Cove, as needed, from 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.

https://greatfallsdiscoverycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Family-Fishing-Day-2025-2.mp4

Annette Spaulding Talk: Recent Diving Discoveries in the Connecticut River
2025-06-08 15:30 - 17:00 | 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

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.

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.
