Friends of The Great Falls Discovery Center
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.
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 […]
From farm to canvas to camera, artist Burt V. Brooks (1849-1934) captured the landscapes and daily life in the “drowned towns” before the Quabbin Reservoir (today managed by DCR) was filled. Join DCR staff as we look back on Brooks’ work for answers about who he was and what life in the Swift River Valley […]
Before bridges spanned the Connecticut River, travelers relied on flatbottomed ferries to cross. How connected were towns on the east and west banks? Join DCR staff for maps, photos and firsthand accounts of an all-but-gone mode of travel. Ages 10 and up. Meet in the Great Hall.
What was so grand about the Grand Trunk Hotel in Turners Falls? The hotel, once sited next to today’s Center, was built in 1872 and demolished in 1968. Join DCR staff as we use our imaginations, old photographs, and testimonials, to piece together the story of the grand old days in Turners Falls. For youth […]
Join us in celebration of National Poetry Month with Bob McNeil, writer, editor, cartoonist, and spoken-word artist, who recites with special guest musician Steve Koziol. In Bob's single author anthology Compositions on Compassion and Other Emotions, he explores the importance of love and hope in healing from the pandemic and endemic violence. Proceeds from this […]
Discover nature through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. Design a zine to celebrate ongoing bird migrations. Learn how to make an 8 or 16-page booklet from a single piece of paper, finding out how birds migrate along the way. For adults, teens, and children ages 6 and up (accompanied by an […]
The Nolumbeka Project presents a talk via Zoom with Deborah Spears Moorehead (Seaconke Pokanoket Wampanoag), and Robert Peters (Mashpee Wampanoag), our Spring artists. Facilitated by David Brule. Deb and Robert speak about their art and share history about their ancestor Metacom. Meet them in person at the Great Falls Discovery Center where they will be […]
David Brule reviews the events that happened nearby in the central Connecticut River Valley starting in August 1675 and continuing into May 1676 and beyond. David focuses on the latest results of the National Park Service-sponsored study of the massacre at Peskeompskut falls and the Native counterattack over a 7-mile route through Greenfield. Learn from […]
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/what-really-happened-at-turners-falls-the-story-of-a-massacre-tickets-1980596687007?aff=oddtdtcreator Overview Captain Turner's forces killed 300 Native people and his monument proclaimed victory. What really happened? Join this deeply informed panel. This monument to Captain William Turner sums up an old and perhaps familiar telling of history. We have a colonial hero, later slain in battle. Small but mighty colonial forces overcome the odds. […]
May 19th marks the 350th anniversary of the massacre at Peskeompskut. Join David Brule, local historian and coordinator of the Battlefield Advisory Committee (a National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP)-funded study), to learn about this attack and its significance within the King Philip's War. This program will take place along the bike path […]
A commemoration of the Great Falls Massacre, May 19, 1676, and Metacom's Resistance (aka King Philip's War) 350 Years Ago, 1676-2026. Tribal members and non-Tribal public are welcome. Honored presenters include: Eastern Medicine Singers, Strong Eagle Many Feathers' Daly, Liz Coldwind Santana-Kiser, Roger Longtoe Sheehan, Dr. Margaret M. Bruchac, Martín Espada, Deborah Spears Moorehead, Robert […]
Everyone loves owls! Come see them up close and enjoy a slide presentation and introduction to six live owls including hooting lessons. Learn about field marks, owl pellets, tips on how to protect owls, and the importance of owls and other birds of prey in the ecosystem. For adults, youth, and children ages 5 and […]