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.
Enjoy a story, fresh air, and exercise! Join us on the Discovery Center’s grounds for a free self-guided StoryWalk® featuring We All Play by award winning Cree artist Julie Flett. For all ages 0–7 and anyone who loves to play, this story is a beautiful ode to the animals and humans we share our world […]
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 some 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. Note: there is no walk […]
Kate Marion Lapierre in her exhibit of paintings, Nature’s Colors, emphasizes the colors and beauty of landscapes and flowers particularly during the Spring and Summer season. Kate’s paintings are abstract and expressionistic, created with acrylic on canvas or watercolor on paper. Please come enjoy the colorful beauty that nature brings through Kate’s artwork. An artist […]
Under every cornice is a building with a story. This First Friday, learn about the brickmakers, builders and businesses behind the designs of the village blocks. Meet DCR staff outside the Great Hall for a 1.2-mile guided walk through downtown Turners Falls. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Ages 8 and […]
19th Annual Free Family Fishing Day! At Two Locations. 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 […]
Join painter Kate Marion Lapierre for an artist reception celebrating her exhibit, Nature’s Colors. Come experience the colorful beauty that nature brings through Kate’s artwork and enjoy light refreshments. Meet in the Great Hall.
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 are welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.
Join us for the Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center’s concert series featuring local talent. On the Lam offers sweet harmonies and harmony-heavy Americana. Refreshments available. Sliding scale suggested donations, in support of educational programming at the Center. All ages. Meet in the Great Hall.
Join DCR staff for family activities at the Great Falls Farmers Market, located between 6th and 7th streets along Avenue A at Peskeompskut Park. For all ages.
Connect with nature and community by hiking along the Canalside Rail Trail! Learn about birds, beavers and each other as we walk and talk beside a historic canal. This is a 2.6-mile hike on a flat, paved trail. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. For ages 10 and up. Meet outside […]
StoryWalk®: Fatima’s Great Outdoors, by Ambreen Tariq Come on inside and Chill Out with DCR! You can find “COOL” activities for kids and families inside, including indoor StoryWalk® all summer long! Meet at the welcome desk. Accessible during open hours. Enjoy a family camping adventure, a love letter to the outdoors, and a reminder that […]
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 some 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. Note: we are transitioning to […]
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 are welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.
Whether you want to channel your inner hero, K-Pop singer, or a beloved blue heeler pup, we can’t wait to see your favorite stories come to life. Take home themed art inspired by classic and contemporary storybook characters. Costumes are highly encouraged but not required. This is a fun, family-friendly event perfect for book lovers […]
Help us kick off Pollinator Week and the Summer Solstice! Grab your friends and family for a leisurely 1.5-mile summer solstice stroll as we look for signs of pollinators and talk about their favorite plants on the grounds of the Great Falls Discovery Center, downtown Turners Falls, and along the Canalside Rail Trail. For ages […]
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 some 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. Note: we are transitioning to […]
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 are welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.
Dawn Marvin Ward, naturalist/educator, presents a slide show on mammals common to the New England woodlands followed by a hands-on sharing of related nature findings. Dawn is an educator and naturalist who has been sharing her appreciation of nature to folks of all ages for over 30 years now, and she is a board member […]
In honor of 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 & […]
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 […]