Welcome fall and all its colors at nature preschool at the Hitchcock Center with Colleen! Children will fill their art palettes with many colors and discover how colors affect animals, plants and their own lives. Through movement, songs, crafts and live animal observations, children will investigate camouflage, natural plant dyes, plant patterns, chlorophyll and much […]

with James Lowenthal, Professor of Astronomy at Smith College and active in the International Dark-Sky Association Friday, September 29, 7:15pm Saturday, October 21, 7:00pm Friday, November 10, 6:30pm Saturday, December 2, 6:30pm FREE, Registration appreciated James will provide telescopes and help us view constellations, planets, galaxies and stars from our Hitchcock hilltop. We’ll discuss what we […]

Join us for seasonal nature and science programs each second Saturday of the month. Designed for children with their parents, these programs will explore cool topics in nature. No registration required. Groups of 6 or more please call ahead. with Patrick O’Roark Second Saturdays, September through December Free 10am – 11am Saturdays, September 9, October […]

Amherst au Naturale: Up Close and Personal A Photo Show by Alan Hurwitz at the Hitchcock Center Living Building Opening Events: Wednesday, November 8th at 5pm and Saturday, November 11th at 11am This photo exhibit is designed to show some special aspects of our local natural world. All are of subjects found right here in […]

From chipmunk stripes to ladybug spots, spiral seashells to sunflowers, patterns are everywhere you look in nature. In this homeschool class we will discover what makes a pattern and find out how these designs can help animals, plants and people. We’ll explore animal patterns such as stripes, spots, camouflage and more subtle designs such as […]

Did you ever wonder how fiber becomes thread? Do you want to learn how to turn grass into ice cream? In such a product-oriented society, it is easy to lose connection with how things are made and the origins of the things we use every day. By researching the path of how a product is […]

Come meet our newest educator – our building! It is designed to model systems in nature, it is net zero energy, net zero water, has composting toilets, and has been made with responsibly sourced non-toxic materials, come check it out at one of our bi-monthly tours. Public Building Tours First Fridays at 4pm Third Wednesdays […]

Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program for children ages 6–9 is all about getting kids outside to run, jump, climb, splash, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kid. There are many positive impacts of nature play on children’s social, emotional, intellectual, and physical well-being. It’s also an effective way to build a generation of committed […]

with Mara Silver, Local swallow researcher and dedicated conservationist Wednesday, November 15, 7pm- 8:30pm FREE, Registration appreciated Swallows are aerial insectivores, which means that they catch insects on the wing. Unfortunately, many species in this group are declining at an alarming rate. We don’t know all the reasons why, but possibilities include habitat loss, climate change, […]

Thursday, November 16, 10am-11:30am FREE but space is limited, Registration is required. We think it is good to know where our water comes from and where it goes. We just turn on our faucets and flush our toilets but what’s the infrastructure that makes that possible. Come tour the facility that receives Amherst’s wastewater and see […]