Join Us for A Forest of Lights!

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Welcome to VINS

The VINS Nature Center is open daily from 10am – 4pm.

All outdoor exhibits are open: Raptors, Songbird Aviary, Adventure Playscape, Nature Trails, and the amazing Forest Canopy Walk. Our indoor exhibits are open: Birds Are Dinosaurs, Forest Exhibit, and Reptile Room.

We highly recommend prepurchasing your admission tickets. We welcome all walk-ins.

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Contact Us

802.359.5000
info@vinsweb.org

Nature Center Hours

VINS Nature Center
10am to 4pm Daily

Wild Bird Rehab is Open
Accepting Calls Only
802.359.5000 x212
8am to 4pm

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Visitor Programs

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"My daughter and I enjoyed our visit yesterday very much. You continue to do outstanding work to preserve the natural world and educate people about your mission. I was very inspired by all that I saw and experienced. I wanted to share a photo of the volunteer that inspired me with her kindness, wealth of knowledge, and expertise in the care and handling of the amazing birds currently on site."

VINS Nature Center Visitor

"A must-visit! Perfect for social distancing - very safe and still so much to explore! The bald eagles were the highlight...and

the birds-are-dinosaurs exhibit is extremely well done, and the canopy walk is gorgeous (and easy even with little children)."

VINS Nature Center Visitor

"Fun place to go to and take your kids, close encounters with some of the most iconic birds - bald and golden eagles, snow owls etc., canopy trail is really cool."

VINS Nature Center Visitor

"Wonderful place for a day trip! Educational and amazing! Great staff that are helpful and very knowledgeable."

VINS Nature Center Visitor

"Awesome place to visit! The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and the birds are beautiful. The new treetop walk offers spectacular views of the surrounding pond, and the tall tower is a little scary! Come prepared to wear a mask and follow the safety guidelines set by the institute. Staff is very dedicated to making your visit a safe one!"

VINS Nature Center Visitor

Artist Exhibition – Betsy Smith

NOVEMBER 1 – JANUARY 31 – Betsy Smith’s artwork is a celebration of the amazing natural world around us, from distant galaxies to the fascinating wild creatures with whom we share our sacred Earth. Her preferred mediums are watercolors and acrylics. She particularly enjoys watercolor painting on location, where the experience of sunlight, weather, and birdsongs adds a lively dimension to the creative process.

Read More about Artist Exhibition – Betsy Smith

Decaying Ice, Lingering Fall

DECEMBER 11 – Steve Arcone’s photo-story is comprised of stunning photographs that will take viewers on a colorful journey from the initial cool-blue sunlit freezes in mid-November through the many warmly colored thaw-freeze episodes observed in early winter to spectacular, blue crystals frozen within a sheet of “black ice.”

Read More about Decaying Ice, Lingering Fall

Paint, Sip, & Soar

DECEMBER 14 – Join a VINS Educator for a one of a kind – Paint, Sip & Soar – featuring a live raptor model. Get up close and personal with one of our avian ambassadors and garner techniques in painting from life, all while learning about raptor natural history and anatomy.

Read More about Paint, Sip, & Soar
Forest Canopy Walk

Forest Canopy Walk

TAKE A WALK

Nature Center

VINS offers quality environmental education experiences to all.

Environmental Education

We deliver specialized education and training programs to schools and communities.

School Programs

VINS School Programs are focused on science inquiry and place-based education. 

Wild Bird Rehab

Our highly-trained rehabilitators treat injured and orphaned birds from throughout New England.

Nature Camp

Each day of camp is an exciting journey, revealing the wonders of the natural world.

Support VINS

Your contribution enables us to offer outstanding educational experiences to all ages.