What is a watershed? We will be using the museum’s watershed table to experiment how a watershed reacts to certain conditions. We will be using our creativity and hands on experiments to find the answers to some of our most common issues like pollution, erosion, flooding, sea level rise and more. Please dress to get…

While investigating museum specimens we'll learn a little about the whales that visit our coast each year. Some filter their food and some use their teeth for larger prey. Where do they migrate from when they enter our waters in spring and where do they go when the weather gets too cold? What are their…

Let's have fun at our annual holiday party. We'll be making gifts from natural and recycled materials. As usual we will be spread out over several tables for a variety of crafts and activities. Let's get together and have fun making creative projects while enjoying some snacks and beverages.

Join us for an exciting exploration into the world of owls and their unique eating habits! Unlike other birds, owls swallow their prey whole because they lack teeth for chewing. Our Owl Pellet Dissection program provides a fascinating insight into these nocturnal predators. Recommended for grades 2-6. What you’ll discover: Owl Dining Secrets: Learn how…

Embark on an enlightening journey with our “Terrapin Guardians” program, led by the committed Deb Ewing. Explore the essential efforts to protect the Diamondback Terrapin, a species facing significant threats. What you’ll learn: Conservation in Action: Understand the impactful work done by Deb Ewing and the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) in safeguarding these…

Join us for a stellar adventure in the Universe! Embark on an exciting space odyssey with “Cosmic Explorations: Astronomy 101,” led by amateur astronomer Peter Marshall. What’s in store: Universe Unveiled: Venture through the immense universe, exploring the distances to planets, stars, nebulae, and galaxies. Celestial Wonders: Be captivated by the beauty and mysteries of…

Join us for a fascinating exploration of bird nests and eggs at the museum! This hands-on program delves into our unique collection, offering a close-up view of these natural wonders. What you’ll experience: Nest Examination: Investigate real bird nests from our collection and understand the intricacies of their construction. Creative Nest Building: Using a variety…

Did you know that the small pools you find in the woods, the ones that usually dry up by late summer, start the whole forest food chain?! Dive into the fascinating world of wetland amphibians and their vital role in the forest ecosystem with our interactive program. What we’ll surface: Habitat Exploration: Uncover the secrets…

Join us on a botanical journey with “Botanical Chronicles: Herbarium 101.” Discover the fascinating world of herbaria, where preserved plant specimens become a window to the past and a treasure for the future. What you’ll be impressed by: Herbarium Significance: Explore how herbaria preserve a historical record of change in vegetation over time, offering invaluable…

Prepare for an exhilarating experience with “ROCKET SCIENCE!” Led by rocketry enthusiast Mike Cronin, this program offers a hands-on introduction to the principles of propulsion and lift. What kind of blast to anticipate: Build and Launch Your Rocket: Each child receives a rocket kit with a motor for a personal building, decorating and launching experience.…

Prepare for an exhilarating experience with “ROCKET SCIENCE!” Led by rocketry enthusiast Mike Cronin, this program offers a hands-on introduction to the principles of propulsion and lift. We've filled our first rocket program and Mike has generously offered a second date for those who weren't able to register. What kind of blast to anticipate: Build…

Set off on a sought-after journey to Bird Island, renowned for its vibrant bird life. This program, a favorite among after school science and nature enthusiasts, offers an exceptional opportunity to observe diverse bird species in their natural habitat. What to expect on this popular trip: Feathered Friends: Encounter the seasonal arrival of Common terns,…

Set off on a journey to Ram Island, a gem within Sippican Harbor known for its diverse and unique ecosystems. Thanks to the generosity of Michael and Hannah Moore, we have a special opportunity to explore this fascinating island. What you’ll experience: Diverse Ecosystems: Investigate the island’s salt marshes, rocky intertidal shoreline, and mud flats…

Set off on a journey to Ram Island, a gem within Sippican Harbor known for its diverse and unique ecosystems. Thanks to the generosity of Michael and Hannah Moore, we have a special opportunity to explore this fascinating island. This additional day has been generously offered Michael and Hannah Moore to accommodate students that were…

Given that trip 1 to Bird Island filled so quickly the Marion Harbormaster has kindly allowed us to schedule a second trip for June 5th. Hope you can join us for this fun and informative trip. Each trip is limited to 12 so register early.

What do Elsa and insects have in common? The cold doesn’t bother them anyway. New England winters are a harsh and deadly environment. For a cold-blooded animal, such as an insect, ice, snow, and freezing temperatures could spell doom. But, insects follow one rule: adapt. Over millions of years, they have evolved an array of…

Let's learn about streams, marshes and other important resource areas with Doug Guay-Lee, Town of Marion Conservation Commission scientist. We'll be learning about and viewing some of the animals and plants that live in our wetlands. We'll also be creating some wetland habitats and conducting other hands-on experiments that may be messy so please dress…

The museum will be welcoming Justin Barrett of the Nasketucket Bird Club and Manomet Bird Observatory. We'll be hearing a little about the birds that have migrated in for the season as well as some of our regular backyard birds and how they survive the winter months. Please join us to learn how we can…

Enjoy getting together with friends to relax and enjoy some crafting and snack foods. We'll be using natural materials to create gifts to bring home. This is an annual event and always a huge hit. Reserve your spot soon!

Winter can create some survival difficulties for the animals of our area. In this program we’ll be creating our own winter habitats for a few of our winter residents including Black Bears, Snakes and Beavers. We’ll be covering what these three animals will need in their habitats to survive such as food, water and shelter.…

Join us while we welcome State Forester James Rassman, who will be speaking about all the benefits a tree provides, from roots and fungi to providing habitat for animals, to releasing oxygen to our atmosphere. Let's learn about the many benefits our trees provide us and the world around us! This will be an indoor…

Did you know that a red wiggler worm will comsume half of it's body weight in food scraps every day? Getting worms to work for you is a great way to keep food waste out of the landfills and create nutritious compost for your plants. Come and dig into the science of worms and worm…

Prepare for an exhilarating experience with “ROCKET SCIENCE!” Led by rocketry enthusiast Mike Cronin, this program offers a hands-on introduction to the principles of propulsion and lift. What kind of blast to anticipate: Build and Launch Your Rocket: Each child receives a rocket kit with a motor for a personal building, decorating, and launching experience.…

Join us for an adventure to Island Wharf for a boat trip (either a harbor tour or, if we’re lucky, possibly to one of the islands) with the Harbormaster’s office. The tentative date is May 21 –  This program will depend on the weather conditions. Please bring your life jacket. Let us know if you…

Set off on a journey to Ram Island, a gem within Sippican Harbor known for its diverse and unique ecosystems. Thanks to the generosity of Michael and Hannah Moore, we have a special opportunity to explore this fascinating island. Important notes: Life Jacket Reminder: If you’re unable to provide a life jacket, let us know,…

PROGRAM IS FULL   We will be heading down to the Harbormaster's Beach to see what fish and other animals remain in Sippican Harbor. So we still have hermit crabs? Silversides? Pipefish? Let's look for these local species and more before the water gets too cold. We will be getting wet so please dress accordingly.…

Did you know that some of the monarch butterflies that you see at your flowers this fall will fly all the way to Mexico to spend the winter? Come learn about the amazing migrations of Monarch butterflies. We will also create a symbolic monarch postcard to mail to students in Mexico who will watch over…

  Embark on an enlightening journey with our “Terrapin Guardians” program, led by Deb Ewing. Explore the efforts to protect the Diamondback Terrapin, a species facing significant threats. Deb and volunteers from New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) have been working to protect Terrapin hatchlings from predation this summer and we'll be hearing about those…

Led by Entomologist Blake Dinius we will see how different insect species survive the cold winter months. We will have some fun looking at some examples of local insects from Blake’s collection and possibly some live specimens as well.

  Pamela Francis has been lecturing about cranberries with the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association for several years. It is a joy to teach about the history of cranberries, how they grow and how they are harvested. Pam's background is in elementary education, however, she is finding all age groups love to learn about how cranberries originated in this…

We will be focusing on our observational skills by looking at a variety of animal tracks. Let’s look at how many toes, the presence of claws and the shape and size of the tracks to see if we can identify each species. We will be bringing home a plaster cast of a track to show…

Enjoy relaxing and getting creative with friends at our annual holiday party. Every year we work with natural and recycled materials to design new works of art for gift giving and decoration. Snacks and drinks are provided. Let's have some fun creating new works of art with our friends!

Come learn about Marion's historic harvesting of salt - looking at maps of where salt production took place and learn about how it was produced, processed and used in Sippican Harbor.  Alanna Nelson of the Sippican Historical Society will lead a dynamic discussion of this important part of Marion's history.

FULL - Join us for an exciting exploration into the world of owls and their unique eating habits! Unlike other birds, owls swallow their prey whole because they lack teeth for chewing. Our Owl Pellet Dissection program provides a fascinating insight into these nocturnal predators. Recommended for grades 2-6. What you’ll discover: Owl Dining Secrets:…

Have you ever heard "quacking" from the woods in spring? Chances are its wood frogs chorusing and not ducks. Let's take a close look at the small temporary pools in our forests. These pools provide habitat to many important species that form the start of our forest's food web. From the microscopic animals that feed…

  We'll be investigating some of the wildlife you may see in a "young" forest with presenter Marianne Piché, Habitat Biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife.   Young forests provide abundant food and cover for our local woodland mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. Weather provided we'll be walking to Holmes Woods, which…

Our native bees and insects are an important resource for pollination - essential for the production of the fruits and vegetables that we eat. Wildflower and pollinator enthusiast, Maggie Payne will teach us about the flowers and pollinators in our area and create seed "bombs" of wildflowers to take home and plant.

Different types of flowers, and the butterflies who rely on them, wake up at different times of the year. Let's take a look at some of spring time's earliest risers with entomologist Blake Dinius.

Prepare for an exhilarating experience with “ROCKET SCIENCE!” Led by rocketry enthusiast Mike Cronin, this program offers a hands-on introduction to the principles of propulsion and lift. What kind of blast to anticipate: Build and Launch Your Rocket: Each child receives a rocket kit with a motor for a personal building, decorating, and launching experience.…

Set off on a journey to Ram Island, a gem within Sippican Harbor known for its diverse and unique ecosystems. Thanks to the generosity of Michael and Hannah Moore, we have a special opportunity to explore this fascinating island. Important notes: Life Jacket Reminder: If you’re unable to provide a life jacket, let us know,…