Nature Summer Camp

Hitchcock Summer Camp is a space where hopeful, creative problem solvers come together to play, shout, build, discover, and create. Registration opens Weds, Janary 28 at 8 PM. Browse our new sessions.

 

Winter Programs are Open!

Registration for winter children and family programs is open now! get your spots in Hitchcock Afterschool, winter preschool classes, and Little Bear Nature Walks. Browse now!

 

Battle of the Botanicals '26

Join us for an evening of food, drinks, music, and see some of our region's top bartender/chef teams competing in a LIVE cocktail mix-off! This event is 21+. Get tickets now!

Big Migrations 2026

Every spring, spotted salamanders and other local amphibians migrate across Henry Street in Amherst. Hitchcock Center and other local orgs educate, collect data, and help them cross safely. Join us in 2026!

 

Learn Something New

Virtually tour our Living Building, hear from Western Mass Youth Climate Activists, and learn from our staff by exploring our YouTube channel. Watch and follow.

 

Support Hitchcock

The loss of federal funding has been painful for us, and so many other local orgs. With your support, the Center hopes to raise $50k to continue to educate and inspire 13k people annually across our region. Every gift matters.

 

With underwriting support for operations and programs provided by:

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Hitchcock Center for the Environment

We envision a world where people, communities, and ecosystems thrive. The Hitchcock Center for the Environment, founded in 1962, is an organization in Amherst, Mass whose mission is to educate and inspire action for a healthy planet. Our programs for children, youth, and families are designed to use the study of science and nature as a means to provide creative inspiration to solve human problems sustainably. Our programs serve to develop a continuum of competencies that begin at the earliest, most formative years and progress through a process of lifelong learning to engender a greater understanding of the interdependence of the environment, economy, and social issues. Our approach to education uses the environment as a classroom and defines place at a variety of scales - the schoolyard, the backyard, the neighborhood, the park, the farm, the town, the forest, the pond, the mountains, and the watershed. In these settings, the Hitchcock Center helps thousands of children, youth, and families see and understand the impacts of our actions.
Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Hitchcock Center for the EnvironmentFebruary 25, 2026 at 4:04pm
We love our community! 🥰
Photos from WinterFest Amherst's post
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Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Hitchcock Center for the EnvironmentFebruary 24, 2026 at 7:00pm
On February 11, we joined Resilient Valley and 70+ local nonprofit leaders, donors, and community advocates for a special community lunch and visioning project.

Resilient Valley is a coalition of climate, food system, and farm justice organizations working together to collaborate around joint fundraising. They’re raising money to support all nonprofits in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties by matching Donor Advised Fund (DAF) giving.

We gathered in Holyoke for a community lunch and visioning of a sustainable, healthy, resilient, and just future for Western Mass. Folks from Resilient Valley presented on who they are, how to get involved, and gave out checks to local nonprofits who recently won matching funds. The campaign’s first lottery, held on Feb. 2, distributed just under $75,000 in matching funds.

Nonprofit leaders, donors, and community advocates wrote their visions for a “resilient valley” on post-its, and artist @ALLIE interpreted those into illustrations during the presentation. The mural we made together calls for affordable housing and arts programming, safe and nurturing communities where all are welcome, food security, honoring the voices of youth and seniors, protected green spaces, and more.

*Resilient Valley is encouraging people to support local orgs through their DAFs and nominate those gifts for a match. The deadline for the next Resilient Valley matching funds drawing is May 2, 2026.

Read about the event and matching funds: https://businesswest.com/blog/resilient-valley-coalition-celebrates-first-match-my-daf-winners/

Learn about Resilient Valley’s launch: https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/in-the-news/resilient-valley-coalition-launches/

#ResilientValley #MyLocalMa #OtherSideMa #PioneerValley
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Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Hitchcock Center for the EnvironmentFebruary 24, 2026 at 2:45pm
Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Join us on Friday afternoon for the Topping Off Ceremony!
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Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Hitchcock Center for the EnvironmentFebruary 21, 2026 at 1:18am
During February school vacation week, kids at Hitchcock Center learned survival skills, played games, made crafts, and learned wisdom from science and nature about strange and local phenomena alike.

While planning spring childcare, remember April school vacation week is coming up. Join our environmental educators outdoors!

April Vacation Days
Monday through Friday, April 20-24
8:45 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Grades K-5

Register: https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/vacation-curriculum-days/
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Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Hitchcock Center for the EnvironmentFebruary 20, 2026 at 2:13pm
Hitchcock Center for the Environment
The Northeast Regional Affiliates with support from North American Association for Environmental Education - NAAEE are working towards shared goals and more regional collaborations in 2026 because sharing is caring and working in unity creates a better world for environmental education and beyond 🫶🏽🌎🍃.

Check out the list of upcoming Annual Conferences created by the New Hampshire Environmental Educators below👇🏽 and follow the Northeast affiliates to register for a conference or stay updated!

@New Hampshire Environmental Educators
@Rhode Island Environmental Education Association
Connecticut Outdoor and Environmental Education Association
Maine Environmental Education Association

To register for the MEES Annual Conference or to sponsor the conference, click on this link. Earlybird registration closes February 28, 2026: https://massmees.org/2026-annual-conference/

Also, don't miss an exciting opportunity to view the film "In Our Nature" at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment or In Our Nature - Free Film Screening at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum!
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Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Hitchcock Center for the EnvironmentFebruary 19, 2026 at 7:35pm
Explore the Quabbin, the Valley’s wildlife, and discuss nature education with us at these upcoming programs for adult community members!

We’ve put together indoor and outdoor nature programs featuring local naturalists and artists. There’s something for everyone, and all of these events have tiered pricing or are free to attend with suggested donation.

Our last events of February for adults are:

❄️ Feb 22 | 10 AM | Guided winter nature walk led by local naturalist John Green at the Quabbin

❄️ Feb 25 | 7 PM | Glimpses of Winter Wildlife with local Naturalist Allison Bell of Quonquont Farm and Valley Wild wildlife cam fame

❄️ Feb 28 | 2 PM | Film screening and discussion of “In Our Nature” with our friends at Massachusetts Environmental Education Society

Hope to see you there! https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/programs/community-programs/

#TrailCam #WesternMassOutdoors #PioneerValley #OtherSideMa
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Hitchcock Center for the Environment