Online or at Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston
The birds that populate the Arnold Arboretum rarely have to go far to find water. In the deserts of Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, it's a different story, and the sandgrouse that lives in these arid environments has developed a fascinating adaptation to stay hydrated: these birds have a unique ability to absorb and hold water inside of their feathers. The chicks can't yet fly the long distance from their nests to the watering hole, so adult males make the long journey with the lifesaving water secreted away in their feathers. But how do their feathers hold water so efficiently? Dr...
Talking more than turkey: This lecture will celebrate the plants that bring Thanksgiving to life. From stuffing, to cranberry sauce, to potatoes, cloves, carrots, celery, lettuce and sage. Come and explore the biology of this annual feast with Dr. Pamela Diggle, professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut.
The Arboretum's Herbarium contains over 100 thousand dried and preserved plants, and almost half were taken from the Arboretum's own collections. These Herbarium specimens offer a blast from the past for these historic trees, and this unique program offers a chance to see both ends of the timeline: we will begin inside the Herbarium with a look at historical specimens from decades ago, and then head outside to see the trees they grew into.
Oaks are one of the most recognizable trees in New England, and one of the most ecologically important. Join Horticulturist Ryan Devlin for a Tree Mob on the Arboretum's oak collection on Peters Hill and get a closer look at this common but fascinating genus. Learn about oak reproduction, different oak species, mast years, and more through this short landscape talk.
Come by the Arnold Arboretum for our series of Second Sundays community events, celebrating Peters Hill and the neighborhoods surrounding it. Enjoy family activities, play lawn games, talk to a horticulturist or a scientist, sample local apples, take a tour, and more!
Families need nature at all times of the year! We will look for seeds that fly, seeds that float, seeds that get buried away, and seeds that travel through an animal’s stomach. If you were a seed, which one would you want to be?
Free and open to all, most suitable for children ages four through ten.
The Arboretum is known for its towering trees, but if you look closer you will see asters and goldenrods springing up amongst the oaks and the maples. What is the role of these spontaneous plants at the Arboretum and how do staff encourage them through horticultural practices like no-mow areas? Join Horticulturist Ryan Devlin for a walking tour to get answers to these questions and more.
Almost all of the plants in the Arboretum begin their lives in the Dana Greenhouses. Join greenhouse staff for a behind-the-scenes look of the greenhouse growing process, from seed to sprout to seedling to tree.
Families need nature at all times of the year! Following a StoryWalk® path, we’ll visit a nearby forest on Arboretum grounds and look under logs for the tiniest animals of the forest floor. Most suitable for children ages four through ten.
The Caterpillar Lab is moving in, and while the exhibit will be full of their munching critters and offer lots to explore, the real story is the one going on outside where these creatures are living out their strange lives in the wild.
Join Director of the Caterpillar Lab Sam Jaffe on a walk around the property exploring for native caterpillars and other insects. Learn how the Caterpillar Lab finds all of their caterpillars, learn about host plants and parasitoids, and get all of the caterpillar-finding secrets from one of the foremost caterpillar hunters in the world! This...
The Caterpillar Lab is returning to the Arboretum! This immersive, interactive exhibit will feature hundreds of native caterpillars at every stage in their life cycles. Visitors will be able to learn from the experts as they explore the displays. The Lab offers something for every age group, and will give new insight into the world around us.
Peters Hill, Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston
Bring your family and friends to Peters Hill for an afternoon of free tours, crafts, family activities, and more! Did we mention free ice cream and bubbles? Free activities open to all ages include:
Tours of Peters Hill offered in both English and Spanish
Plant information tents featuring wildflowers and plant defenses, fascinating Arboretum plant highlights, know-how of Arboretum experts, and a rich assortment of cuttings to view up close
Ice cream, art activities, lawn games, StoryWalks®, and more!...
Hunnewell Building, Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston
Invasive plants across the world threaten to take over ecosystems and choke out native plants, and the Arboretum is no exception to this struggle. Join Horticulturist Ryan Devlin to find out how staff are managing invasive plants here, learn what characteristics make a plant invasive, and start identifying the invasives you see all around you.
Join Horticulturist Scott Phillips for a tour of the Bradley Rosaceous Collection to learn about the importance of the rose family to New England ecosystems, the susceptibility of this family to pests and disease, and the ecological impact of growing so many cultivated varieties.
Families need nature at all times of the year! We’ll use nets and bug boxes to find insects in the meadow and the woods. Go on a StoryWalk® and look at insects with magnifiers!
Free and open to all, most suitable for children ages four through ten.
Online or at Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston
At its best, landscape architecture merges ecology and design to create landscapes that work with the site, not against it. Dr. Anette Freytag, a professor of the history and theory of landscape architecture, argues that two concepts—biophilia and topology—can help society to better deal with our current environmental crisis and improve wellbeing for all.
This event will also be livestreamed to YouTube. To sign up for the virtual livestream instead,...
An opera for youth and families, Mr. Twister and the Tale of Tornado Alley follows Mr. Twister and his grandson Bobby on a journey around the globe—from the chilly arctic to the sizzlingly warm Gulf of Mexico. Through the power of his magic telescope, Mr. Twister can see just about everything—except the family reunion of the North and South winds that is about to create a cyclone in Tornado Alley! Join us on this operatic adventure (with puppets!).
Families are also invited to a pre-show puppetmaking workshop where your child can make a puppet to use during the performance of...
Almost all of the plants in the Arboretum begin their lives in the Dana Greenhouses. Join greenhouse staff for a behind-the-scenes look of the greenhouse growing process, from seed to sprout to seedling to tree.
Hunnewell Building, Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston
Families need nature at all times of the year! Meet inside the main gate at the Visitor Center. We’ll look at buds and blooms and learn how bees find flowers. Go on a StoryWalk®, get a bee tattoo, and look at flowers under magnifiers. Free and open to all, most suitable for children ages four through ten.
Repeats every week on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday until Tue May 30 2023 except Sun May 14 2023, Tue May 16 2023, Sun May 28 2023, Mon May 29 2023.
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Location:
Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston
Join us for a walk through the Arboretum! Tour seasonal plant highlights and learn about Arboretum history from a trained docent. Tour is 90 minutes long.
Tour times are at 10:30am or 1:00pm, depending on availability.