Join us for a full day of programs, activities, and exploration to celebrate Earth Day!  

Who are your wildlife neighbors? From small insects to big mammals, discover the diversity of who else calls Vermont home at our Earth Day Open House!

We’ll meet live native animals with our friends from the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum and learn more about wild bats and cats from museum educators. There will be day-long opportunities for nature-themed exploration, play, and creativity for everyone to enjoy. Special activities will include bug hotel making, fairy house building, scavenger hunts, and craft making.

Guests are welcome to play in the Magic Forest playscape, see the ongoing wetland restoration project, wander through the awakening garden, have lunch at the picnic tables, or take a hike in the nearby Grafton Village Park. Head indoors to continue learning about what makes our wildlife neighbors worth celebrating with our interactive exhibits on Vermont flora, fauna, and geology.

All Day Activities

• Nature-inspired craft making

• Fairy house building

• Bug hotel making

• Various nature-themed scavenger hunt

Free Programs:

10:30AM - 11:30AM: Live animals program with the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum.

A variety of live animals will be on-hand to put a face to the challenges Northeastern wildlife must rise to meet.

1:00PM - 1:30PM: Curious Cats

Join environmental Educator Sam McGonigle in discovering the past, present, and future of wild felines in Vermont. We’ll get curious about what makes these prowling, pouncing predators so special, and explore museum specimens to take a closer look at these elusive animals. 

2:30PM - 3:00PM: Bat Basics – An Introduction to the Wonders of Bats in Vermont

Did you know that Vermont is home to 9 species of the world’s only true-flying mammal? Bats! The Nature Museum’s own Educator and bat enthusiast, Jess Jones, will teach us all about bat behavior, diet, habitat, and what special species fly in our night skies.