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 […]

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 […]

Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Now going into its fourth year, Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities […]

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 […]

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 […]

with Richard Little, Geologist Friday, November 3, 7pm – 8:30pm (indoor presentation) Saturday, November 4, 9am – 12pm (field trip) Members $32/Non-members $40 Space is limited. Register here. The Holyoke Range runs east-west extending to the west from the Amherst area and then curves southward extending across Connecticut. It is composed of more than 400 […]

with Richard Little, Geologist Friday, November 3, 7pm – 8:30pm (indoor presentation) Saturday, November 4, 9am – 12pm (field trip) Members $32/Non-members $40 Space is limited. Register here. The Holyoke Range runs east-west extending to the west from the Amherst area and then curves southward extending across Connecticut. It is composed of more than 400 feet […]

with Mary Holland, Naturalist, Blogger and Author Sunday, November 5, 1pm-2:30pm Ages 4th grade and up. Members $12/Non-members $15 Registration appreciated. In her presentation Mary will describe in detail natural events that take place each month throughout the year. Her talk will be richly illustrated with her own projected images: lady’s slippers in bloom, beavers chewing, […]

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold with Rae Griffiths – Teaching Creatures and Casey Beebe – Hitchcock Center First half of book: Sunday, November 5, 2pm-3:30pm OR Thursday, November 16, 6pm-7:30pm Second half of book: Wednesday, January 10, 6pm-7:30pm OR Sunday, January 21, 2pm-3:30pm FREE, Registration appreciated Join us to read through some of the most classic and […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

with James Lowenthal, Professor of Astronomy at Smith College and active in the International Dark-Sky Association Wednesday, November 8, 7pm- 8:30pm FREE, Registration appreciated You may have seen images of Earth’s continents at night with metropolitan areas glowing from all our lights! James will lead a discussion of the current impacts that our use of lighting is […]

with John Green, naturalist Thursday, October 12, 9am-11am – Hadley Thursday, November 9, 9am-11am – Quabbin in New Salem FREE but space is limited and registration required. Join John Green a life long naturalist as he ambles through a habitat looking and listening. Fall is a wonderful time to explore nature and get breaths of fresh […]

Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Now going into its fourth year, Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities […]

Come play outside on this no school day! We’ll play games, explore in the woods, and meet a live animal or two! Bring a snack, lunch, and water bottle and dress for the weather! (No school for Amherst schools) Registration Required with Patrick O’Roark, Hitchcock educator Friday, November 10, 8:30am-3:00pm Ages 6-9, Grades 1-3 $60 members/$70 nonmembers

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 […]

Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Now going into its fourth year, Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities […]

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold with Rae Griffiths – Teaching Creatures and Casey Beebe – Hitchcock Center First half of book: Sunday, November 5, 2pm-3:30pm OR Thursday, November 16, 6pm-7:30pm Second half of book: Wednesday, January 10, 6pm-7:30pm OR Sunday, January 21, 2pm-3:30pm FREE, Registration appreciated Join us to read through some of the most classic and […]

with Brandon Hedrick, evolutionary and conservation biologist at Harvard University and collaborating scientist with the Hitchcock Center Friday, November 17, 6:30-7:30 pm FREE, Registration appreciated Following deforestation, window collisions are the number one, human-made cause of bird mortality, with estimates as high as 1 billion birds per year in the United States alone. By identifying areas that […]

Sundays once per month, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon (some class times may vary depending on topics) Members $275/Non-members $325 for the full course Drop-in cost is $27. For the Plum Island field trip, the drop-in cost is $45. Register here Join us for our fourth year of offering an in-depth natural history course for naturalists […]

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 […]

Do you love science and nature? Do you want to see what the Hitchcock Homeschool program is all about? Sign up for our Discovery Days, our one-time programs about science and nature. In a mixed-age setting, we explore cool topics at the Hitchcock Center, meet science experts, and sometimes go on field trips. Our Discovery […]

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 […]

Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Now going into its fourth year, Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]