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Berkshires and Pioneer Valley are home to nature and science centers

Massachusetts > Western Mass. > Families and Kids > Science and Nature
Laughing Brook Education Center & Sanctuary - Hampden, MA
Laughing Brook Education Center and Sanctuary

793 Main Street Hampden, MA, 01036 Phone: 413-584-3009

The 18th century house owned by children’s author Thornton Burgess highlights the 354 acres of walking trails and natural beauty. A library and exhibits offered. - Trail Map (PDF)
Hours: Trails are open daily, dawn to dusk
Botanic Garden of Smith College

16 College Lane Northampton, MA, 01063 Phone: 413-585-2742

Stroll through a floral wonderland of thousands of plants! Specialty gardens and pressed flowers await plant lovers in the herbarium, and this is the prime place to learn about gardens, conservation, and science.
Norcross Wildlife Foundation - Wales, MA
Norcross Wildlife Foundation

30 Peck Road Wales, MA, 01081 Phone: 413-245-1264

The sanctuary encompasses 8,000 acres of forests, meadows and gardens; Many learning programs in biology and horticulture are offered through the year, for children and adults. Hundreds of plant species can be found in the various gardens of the sanctuary. The public is invited to classroom programs (September-June), bluebird nest box activities for kids (January-March); year-round naturalist’s programs for adults and children, a winter Lecture Series for adults, and guided tours on foot and by vehicle.
Hours: Year-round, Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. except holidays
Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College

Amherst College, 11 Barrett Hill Road Amherst, MA, 01002 Phone: 413-542-2165

Exhibits at this museum focus on dinosaurs, minerals, and crystals. The 80,000 holdings cover historical and scientific topics.

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Turners Falls Fish Ladder

Turners Falls Bridge Turners Falls, MA Phone: 413-659-3714

Visitors to this site can observe salmon as they swim upstream to spawn at a power company dam. Open only in the spring. There is an admission charge.
Wildflowers - Arcadia Nature Center & Wildlife Sanctuary - Easthampton, MA
Arcadia Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary

127 Combs Road Easthampton, MA, 01027 Phone: 413-584-3009

This nature sanctuary, operated by Mass Audubon, touches upon the towns of Easthampton and Northampton, spreading a diverse terrain of forest, meadows, grasslands, marsh, and wetlands. The Connecticut River floodplain supports a glorious population of wildflowers. Among the offerings here are many walking trails, guided bird walks, and summer camps for children. - Trail Map (PDF)
Hours: Open Daily dawn to dusk. Nature Center is open Mon-Fri 9am - 3pm, Saturday 9am - 4pm and Sunday 10am - 2pm.
Hyacinths at Berkshire Botanical Garden - Stockbridge, MA
Berkshire Botanical Garden

5 West Stockbridge Road Stockbridge, MA, 01262 Phone: 413-298-3926

This very old and respect botanical garden is a place of learning as well as pleasure. Classes and lectures are offered on many aspects of gardening and horticulture.
Hitchcock Center for the Environment

525 South Pleasant Street Amherst, MA Phone: 413-256-6006

Exhibits, programs and nature trails focus on the environment, ecology, and natural history. There is also a library on the property.
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

472 West Mountain Road Lenox, MA, 01240 Phone: 413-637-0320

Visitors will enjoy seven miles of walking trails covering nearly 1,400 acres and featuring beaver ponds and a hummingbird garden. Public programs are offered. Open year-round.
Nash Dinosaur Tracks

Amherst Road South Hadley, MA Phone: 413-467-9566

A display of dinosaur footprints and bones that were found on the site. Open seasonally.
McLaughlin State Fish Hatchery

East Street, Route 9 Belchertown, MA Phone: 413-323-7632

Learn about the raising of fish at one of the largest hatcheries on the East Coast. Wildlife area covers 1,400 acres. Open seven days a week.
Falls at Natural Bridge State Park - North Adams, MA - Photo Credit Leh-Wen Yau
Natural Bridge State Park

McCauley Road, off Route 8 North Adams, MA, 01247 Phone: 413-663-6392

Park rangers are available in summer to guide visitors through this park, with the only naturally formed white marble arch and man-made white marble dam in North America. The park has a beautiful deep gorge formed the Hudson Brook and an abandoned marble quarry. There is a walkway above and through the chasm.