Vermont Institute of Natural Science

Raptor Feeding Time
2024-08-29 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-08-30 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-08-31 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-09-01 14:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Raptor Feeding Time
2:30 PM – 3 PM
Join our raptor care-givers for feeding time! Learn about the habits and history of each of the resident raptors at VINS as you watch them enjoy their daily meal.
Held in the Raptor Exhibits.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Predators of the Sky
2024-08-29 15:00 - 15:30, 2024-08-30 15:00 - 15:30, 2024-08-31 15:00 - 15:30, 2024-09-01 15:00 - 15:30
Predators of the Sky
3 PM – 3:30 PM
Join us as we explore the natural world through the eyes of raptors. Be amazed by these efficient predators in an engaging presentation featuring VINS’ feathered ambassadors. Bird programs cover topics ranging from the mechanics of flight, seasonal migration and avian conservation issues to the extraordinary abilities of raptors. Through these in-depth and interactive programs, visitors gain newfound understanding and appreciation for what it takes to survive in the wild.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Pop Up Play
2024-08-30 10:00 - 17:00
Pop Up Play
Fridays / June 21 – August 30 / 10 AM – 5 PM
Included with General Admission
Join us for hands-on discovery, exploration, and fun! Activities vary and may include our mobile Magnet Wall, Water Works, Sensory Table, Wind Tunnel, Outdoor Ramps, and more. Fun for all ages awaits!
Pop Up Play will take place near the Hawkfly.
For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or info@vinsweb.org.

Turtle Time
2024-08-30 10:30 - 10:50, 2024-08-31 10:30 - 10:50, 2024-09-01 10:30 - 10:50
Turtle Time
10:30 AM – 10:50 AM
Meet Turt and Jersey, VINS Ambassador Turtles, as they have their morning stroll and breakfast. Chat with an educator about these cool creatures.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Predators of the Sky
2024-08-30 11:00 - 11:30, 2024-08-31 11:00 - 11:30, 2024-09-01 11:00 - 11:30
Predators of the Sky
11 AM – 11:30 AM
Join us as we explore the natural world through the eyes of raptors. Be amazed by these efficient predators in an engaging presentation featuring VINS’ feathered ambassadors. Bird programs cover topics ranging from the mechanics of flight, seasonal migration and avian conservation issues to the extraordinary abilities of raptors. Through these in-depth and interactive programs, visitors gain newfound understanding and appreciation for what it takes to survive in the wild.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Reptile Rendezvous
2024-08-30 13:00 - 13:30, 2024-08-31 13:00 - 13:30, 2024-09-01 13:00 - 13:30
Reptile Rendezvous*
1 PM – 1:30 PM
Want to meet some totally “cool” creatures? Join a VINS Educator to learn all about our resident reptiles! We’ll listen to stories about how these creatures got their awesome adaptations, and meet a turtle or a snake.
*This program is dependent on the weather – our reptiles require warm temperatures.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Songbird Aviary Tour
2024-08-30 14:00 - 14:20, 2024-08-31 14:00 - 14:20, 2024-09-01 14:00 - 14:20
Songbird Aviary Tour
2 PM – 2:20 PM
Spend some time in our newest exhibit – the Songbird Aviary! Our docents will familiarize you with this special group of birds and point out the ways you can make a great habitat for these important creatures in your own backyard.
Held in the Songbird Aviary.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Hawk on the Walk
2024-08-30 16:00 - 16:15, 2024-08-31 16:00 - 16:15, 2024-09-01 16:00 - 16:15
Hawk on the Walk
FRI / SAT / SUN
4 PM – 4:15 PM
What’s that shadow moving between the trees? Keep your eye to the sky on the Forest Canopy Walk while our Harris’s Hawk is out for a free-flight adventure!
Held on the Forest Canopy Walk. This program is weather dependent.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Early Access for Members
2024-08-31 09:30 - 10:00 | VINS Nature Center, 149 Natures Way, Quechee, 05059, United States
Early Access for Members
9:30 – 10 AM
Saturday, July 27
Sunday, August 4
Saturday, August 10
Sunday, August 11
Saturday, August 17
Saturday, August 31
We invite our Members to enjoy early access to the Nature Center! Arrive at 9:30 AM for a quieter experience with fewer crowds. Take a peaceful walk through the meadow, hike on our scenic trails, explore our exhibits, or enjoy a quiet moment with one of our exhibit Ambassadors. We look forward to welcoming you!
Please present a photo ID with your digital Membership card for entry to the Nature Center. Contact members@vinsweb.org with any questions.
Not a member? Join us today to get this benefit!
For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or info@vinsweb.org.

Early Access for Members
2024-08-31 09:30 - 10:00 | VINS Nature Center, 149 Natures Way, Quechee, 05059, United States
Early Access for Members
9:30 – 10 AM
Saturday, August 31
We invite our Members to enjoy early access to the Nature Center! Arrive at 9:30 AM for a quieter experience with fewer crowds. Take a peaceful walk through the meadow, hike on our scenic trails, explore our exhibits, or enjoy a quiet moment with one of our exhibit Ambassadors. We look forward to welcoming you!
Please present a photo ID with your digital Membership card for entry to the Nature Center. Contact members@vinsweb.org with any questions.
Not a member? Join us today to get this benefit!
For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or info@vinsweb.org.

Forest Fairy Hunts
2024-08-31 10:00 - 14:00
Forest Fairy Hunts
Saturdays / May 25, June 15, August 31, September 28
10 AM – 2 PM
Included with General Admission
Where do milkweed pods become bathtubs and beds, and acorn caps become dinnerware? In Fairy Town at VINS, of course! Join the Fairy Court to help search the forest for our hidden fairy friends in a scavenger hunt adventure! Forest Fairy hunts offer children and their families a unique opportunity to learn about and connect with the natural world and to nurture respect for the environment.
After the hunt get hands on in nature by using natural materials to build your very own fairy house at VINS Fairy Town.
Wearing wings is encouraged! Recommended for ages 4 and up.
For more information contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Fairy Festival & House Building Contest
2024-08-31 10:00 - 17:00
Fairy Festival & House Building Contest
Saturday, August 31 / 10 AM – 5 PM
General Admission PLUS $10 Contest Entry Fee
Register for Fairy House Building Contest
Join VINS for a fairy special day! Discover the forest through hands-on play and celebrate creativity with the art form that is fairy houses, build for fun, or enter in our contest for a chance to win a private experience! Be sure to hit the trails for a fairy hunt for the chance to explore and learn about the forest around you while searching for our fairy friends. Enjoy the day with other magical activities such as, a guided mushroom walk, tales of the fae, crafts, face painting, a bubble lab, some frozen sweet treats, and fantastically themed live animal programs!
Costumes are highly encouraged!
Event Schedule:
All day, 10 AM – 5 PM:

Wand Making (August Pavilion)
Bubble Lab (Hawkfly)
Meet the Mycologist – tabling and art by Meg Madden (Neale Pavilion overhang)
Meet the Artist – art and demonstration by Lynn Adams (Neale Pavilion overhang)

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Fairy Face Painting (August Pavilion)
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Fairy Hunts: Join the Fairy Court to help search the forest for our hidden fairy friends in a scavenger hunt adventure! (Hawkfly)
10:30 – 11:00 AM
Turtle Tea Time: What snacks do turtles bring to tea? Jersey the box turtle and Turt the wood turtle for their morning breakfast
11 – 11:30 AM & 3:00 – 3:30 PM
Shapeshifting Sprites: Join our fairy friends to witness the magic of transfiguration as they shapeshift into birds! Learn about what it takes to be a bird and what magical changes exist between our worlds (Hawkfly)
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM & 3:30 – 4:00 PM
Tales of the Fae: join the longshanks for a mix of stilt walking, storytelling, skits, and songs detailing traditional adirondack tall tales (Hawkfly)
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Mushroom Walk: Join naturalist, mycologist and professional photographer Meg Madden for a curiosity walk in search of fabled fungi along VINS Nature trails. Sign up at table under neale pavilion limited spots available (Hawkfly)
4:00 PM
Contest winners announced (Hawkfly)
4:15 – 4:30 PM
Flights of Fantasy: Join Chesterland the Harris’s Hawk for his fantastic forest flights (Forest Canopy Walk)

Fairy House Building Contest:
The Contest is open for anyone to build up until the deadline of 1 PM on August 31. Registration does not cover admission.
All materials (with the exception of adhesives) must be non-living when gathered and sourced from nature. Materials cannot be gathered from a pre-existing fairy house.
Placement: houses must be placed trailside at a lettered spot, along the Fairy Town Trail. Upon placement the letter may be replaced with an information card provided (Name, age, contact information, house title, and materials used). Houses can be placed no later than 1 PM on August 31, and may be constructed and placed as early as August 30 during regular business hours (10 AM – 5 PM). Houses can be built on site, or off-sight and brought in for placement.
Houses must be built to fit within an area of 2ft by 2ft. There are no restrictions on height or weight.
Winners for each age category will be selected by a panel of judges and awarded with a gift bag from the VINS Nature Store. A crowd favorite will be voted on from within all the categories to receive a grand prize of a VINS In-Person 20-Minute Animal Encounter ($100 value).
For more information contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Meet Artist Lynn Adams
2024-08-31 11:00 - 17:00
Meet Artist Lynn Adams
Saturday, August 31 / 11 AM – 5 PM
VINS Nature Center
Lynn will be painting next to the Neale Pavilion from 11am to 5pm – stop by and say hello!
About Lynn Adams:
After retiring from a long business career, Lynn completed a Higher National Diploma from the United Kingdom in Jewelry, Silversmithing and Allied Crafts, concentrating on jewelry making and enameling. She was also provided the opportunity to experiment with many different mediums, including painting with watercolor.
Lynn moved to Lyme, NH with her husband, VINS Board Advisor Simon Carr. She was accepted into the League of NH Craftsmen as a juried member and, with the League as a starting point, made a successful second career as a jeweler. She has worked at all the League galleries and locally at Collective~the Art of Craft in Woodstock, VT a cooperative gallery where she put her business experience to work as Founder/Treasurer.
As with many artists, a major part of Lynn’s painting is a ‘private’ collection of sketch/scrap books with her pencil sketches and watercolors and various ephemera replacing what might be photographs and words. Her ‘public’ work began with a ‘project ‘which became a show at Collective and then at the Converse Free Library in Lyme, NH.
The subsequent ‘project’ is this show which has been a year in the making. Lynn decided to paint at the VINS Nature Center every month, showing the campus and trails as they change with the seasons. It is an invitation to people to explore or a memory to take home and cherish. This collection – Seasons at VINS – forms the major part of her display.
Apart from this show, Lynn’s work is available at Matt Brown Fine Art in Lyme, the AVA Gallery Members Room in Lebanon and at Collective in Woodstock.
For more information about Lynn’s work, visit: www.lynnadams-metalsmith.com.
A portion of the proceeds from the purchase of Lynn Adams’ artwork are donated to VINS to support general operations.
For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or info@vinsweb.org.

Squam Lakes Reciprocal Access for VINS Members
2024-09-01 10:00 - 2024-09-30 17:00
Squam Lakes Reciprocal Access for VINS Members
September 1 – September 30, 2024
In September our Members, up to four people*, get reciprocal membership to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center! That means membership access to two centers for the price of one! Enjoy exploring the open meadows, mature forests, marsh boardwalks, natural exhibits featuring native wildlife including river otters and mountain lions and much more at Squam Lakes.
Join or Renew your VINS Membership today.
*The membership program includes up to four people. Additional guests receive discounted admission through the ANCA Reciprocal program.
For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or members@vinsweb.org.
