Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Ducks
2025-12-19 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | 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.

Gingerbread Houses
2025-12-20 13:00 - 15:00
Children and teens are invited to build an easy gingerbread house, using graham crackers and an assortment of candy. For ages 3-16, accompanied by an adult. Sponsored by the Montague Public Libraries. Meet in the Great Hall.

Winter Solstice Walk
2025-12-21 14:00 - 16:00
Enjoy our annual tradition of sharing poetry, storytelling and light on this accessible 2.5-mile walk along the Canalside Rail Trail. Stay after the walk for hot cocoa and music. Dress for the weather and bring water. Meet outside the Discovery Center’s main entrance. For adults and children ages 6 and up. Inclement weather or icy trail conditions cancels.

A French/Breton Jam Session
2025-12-21 14:30 - 16:30
An informal group of musicians gathers to play the enchanting traditional dance music from France and Brittany, commonly known as bal folk. This is not a performance but rather a coming together of musically-minded friends. The event is free and open to the public to come and go at will. For all ages. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing - School Vacation Week: Mammal Adaptation Investigation Station
2025-12-26 - 2026-01-04
Come learn about local mammals and their unique winter adaptations. Every animal has special adaptations that enable them to survive in their winter habitats. Explore through touchable artifacts (pelts, replica skulls, and replica tracks), and habitat diorama scavenger hunts. For ages 4 and up.

Ongoing - Indoor StoryWalk® - Under the Snow
2025-12-26 - 2026-01-11
Explore the lives of active and resting winter wildlife, in the book, Under the Snow, by Melissa Stewart. For ages 3 and up, accompanied by an adult. 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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Deer
2025-12-26 10:30 - 11:30

Art Naturally: Felting Life Under the Snow
2025-12-28 10:30 - 12:00
Discover nature through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. Create a wintry landscape “painting” with wool, fleece, pre-felt and water. Learn how different animals adapt to snow, whether foraging or waiting out the cold. For teens, adults and children ages 6 and up (accompanied by an adult). All materials provided. Meet in the Great Hall at 10:30 a.m. for complete instructions.

UPDATE: First Day Hike is Cancelled. Hot Chocolate Reception is still on!
2026-01-01 13:00 - 15:00
Update – unfortunately, icy trail conditions prevent us from offering a guided First Day Hike this year. However, we’d love to see you for a hot chocolate reception in the Great Hall from 1 – 3 p.m. instead! We we will have an activity on mammal winter adaptations and scavenger hunts for our Connecticut River habitat dioramas. Join us and help us kick off the New Year!
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Enjoy a leisurely three-mile stroll down the Canalside Rail Trail and get the New Year started off on a Great Falls note! This family friendly hike follows a gentle route and provides an opportunity to discover the abundant natural, historical, and cultural features that make the Great Falls Discovery Center and Canalside Rail Trail such an amazing State Park! Be prepared for cold weather: dress in layers and wear winter boots. Dogs are welcome on-leash. Co-sponsored by the Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center. Meet in the Great Hall. Hike begins at 1:15 p.m.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Bear
2026-01-02 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.

Art Naturally: Gel-Printing Snowflakes
2026-01-03 10:30 - 11:30
Discover nature through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. Get inspired by the story of Vermont’s Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley. Build your own blizzard with paper snowflakes through instruction and gel-printing techniques. For adults, teens, and children ages 6 and up accompanied by an adult. All materials provided. Meet in the Great Hall at 10:30 a.m. for complete instructions.

Sunday Matinee Documentary Series: Werner Herzog’s Fireball from Sandbox Films
2026-01-04 14:00 - 16:00
Join us for the start of our free winter Sunday matinee documentary series from Sandbox Films beginning with Werner Herzog’s Fireball. Since before we existed, meteors have haunted our planet. Over billions of years, extraterrestrial bombardments have reshaped the very nature of our planet, causing species to perish or flourish — and perhaps even seeding the initial building blocks for life on Earth. Today we can still hear the echo of these meteor impacts, ringing through culture, mythology, and scientific research. Fireball takes viewers into the mystery at the heart of these fallen stones, exploring their origins and their impacts on civilization. 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 teens aged 14 and up. Meet in the Great Hall. (Snow date January 17).

Nice and Easy Walk
2026-01-08 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-01-15 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-01-22 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-01-29 13:00 - 14:00
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 - Winter Birds
2026-01-09 10:30 - 11:30

Second Friday Winter Local History Talk: Keeping It Cool — Ice Harvesting
2026-01-09 16:00 - 17:00
How much is a block of ice worth? It depends on the weather! Learn about the ice harvesting empire that started in Massachusetts. See the tools used by local ice harvesters, making it easier to preserve staples like milk, meat and fish. For ages 10 and up. Downtown Turners Falls’ monthly First Friday event is changing this month only to the second Friday. Meet in the Great Hall.

Local Children’s Author Visit: Prudence Marsh
2026-01-10 11:00 - 12:00
Local author Prudence Marsh reads from her newest children’s book, “A Place for Poe.” The book, part of the “Pippa and Friends” series, follows the adventures of Pippa the squirrel and her forest friends. For children ages 3-10 accompanied by an adult. Sponsored by the Montague Public Libraries. Free. (Snow date: January 24).

Winter Local History Talk: The Strathmore aka Keith Paper Mill
2026-01-10 14:00 - 15:00
The Strathmore (a.k.a. Keith Paper) mill was the phoenix of Connecticut River mills. Few other mills could rally themselves and the town to come back from the brink. Join DCR staff for photos, maps, and stories that showcase the determination, labor, and paper that kept the Strathmore mill in business for 122 years. For ages 10 and up. Meet in the Great Hall.

Sunday Matinee Documentary Series: Nocturnes from Sandbox Films
2026-01-11 14:00 - 15:30
Our free winter Sunday matinee documentary series from Sandbox Films continues with Nocturnes. In the dense forests of the Eastern Himalayas, moths are whispering something to us. In the dark of night, two curious observers shine a light on this secret universe. Together, they are on an expedition to decode these nocturnal creatures in a remote ecological “hot spot” on the border of India and Bhutan. The result is a deeply immersive film that transports audiences to a rarely seen place and urges us all to look more closely at the hidden interconnections of the natural world. 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! Meet in the Great Hall. All ages. (Snow date: January 18).

Ongoing - Indoor StoryWalk®- Tracks in the Snow
2026-01-14 - 2026-01-31
Explore the lives of active and resting winter wildlife in the book Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee. For ages 3 and up, accompanied by an adult. 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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Possums
2026-01-16 10:30 - 11:30

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Groundhogs
2026-01-23 10:30 - 11:30

Artist Reception and Nature Journal Demonstration
2026-01-24 14:00 - 16:00
From forest floor to canopy, Will Close’s exhibition, Home, of original watercolor and mixed media paintings invites viewers to rediscover the beauty and complexity of the natural world that surrounds us. Join Will Close for an artist reception and for a demonstration on nature journaling. Refreshments include hot chocolate and cookies! For all ages.

A French / Breton Jam Session
2026-01-25 14:30 - 16:30
An informal group of musicians gathers to play the enchanting traditional dance music from France and Brittany, commonly known as bal folk. This is not a performance but rather a coming together of musically minded friends. The event is free and open to the public to come and go at will. For all ages.

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.
