Science and nature centers in NH range from bird to cave explorations

New Hampshire's variety topography and natural history transfers to a wonderful range of places to visit to see science and nature, like forests, nature trails, bird sanctuaries, caves, and much more. Lots of fun for a famiy vacation because children love to explore and learn

Fells Historic Site
John Hay National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Sunapee

Route 103A / P.O. Box 276 Newbury, NH 03255 Phone: 603-763-4789

Outstanding gardens, a 100-foot perennial border, and a view of Lake Sunapee from the Rose Terrace. A brook trickles to a Japanese water lily pool in the hillside rock garden, which includes a large collection of alpine and native plants. Hidden behind masses of rhododendron, a walled secret garden awaits discovery.
Hours: Late May through October, daily with tours of the estate on weekends.

Meriden Bird Sanctuary

Main Street Meriden, NH

This nature center is set on 30 acres, and features trails through woodlands and fields. Admission is free, and the sanctuary is open year-round.

Great Northwoods Interpretive Center

Route 3 Colebrook, NH Phone: 413-548-8002 ext 113

This refuge was established to conserve the abundance and diversity of native plants and animals and their habitats in the 7.2 million acre Connecticut River watershed in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. One of the refuge’s three cooperative education centers is the Great Northwoods Interpretive Center is on U.S. Route 3 just north of Colebrook, New Hampshire. It is run by the NH Department of Transportation. At the front desk, visitors may get tourism information about the local area. The multi-purpose room contains interpretive displays informing visitors about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National Wildlife Refuge System; Conte Refuge, and the Nulhegan Basin Division, Pondicherry Division, and Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. Hours: Memorial Day to Columbus Day, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. After September 1, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free to the public. Information: http://www.fws.gov/r5soc/

Little Nature Museum

656 Gould Hill Road Contoocook, NH 03229 Phone: 603-746-6121

Open: Late June to late October, weekends and holidays

A small nature center featuring exhibits, trails, a library, and special programs. The Little Nature Museum is located in a historic 200-year-old barn at Gould Hill Orchards. The collections include, rocks, minerals, fossils, sea life, insects, Indian artifacts, mounted birds and mammals, and plants. There are also interpretive exhibits, hands-on activities, and nature trails. Open weekends for free. Guided tours offered by appointment weekdays and weekends for $1 per person. Open during late spring, summer, and early fall. Information: www.littlenaturemuseum.org/

Northern Forest Heritage Park

961 Main Street Berlin, NH 03570 Phone: 603-752-7202

Park includes a three-acre site with waterfront; an outdoor amphitheater; a full-size logging camp museum; interactive exhibits; the Brown Co. House Museum; and the Artisans Gift Shop. The park hosts forest, river and art exhibits, lectures, seminars, concerts, ethnic festivals, Summer Heritage Mill Tours, lumberjack competitions, and special blacksmith demonstrations and events. Information: http://www.northernforestheritage.org/main.htm

Audubon - Paradise Point Nature Center

North Shore Road Hebron, NH Phone: 603-744-3516

This nature center on Newfound Lake offers 5 trails, a store and a library. Open Memorial Day - Labor Day. Events are scheduled there during the summer months.

Madison Boulder Natural Area

Off Route 113 Madison, NH Phone: 603-823-5563

A National Natural Landmark, this boulder was deposited glacially and is over 80 feet long and 35 feet high.

Purity Spring Resort

1251 Eaton Road (Route 153) East Madison, NH 03849 Phone: 603-367-8896 Toll-Free: 800-FREE-SKI

Celebrating 100 years of lodging and recreation!

Family-owned Purity Spring Resort has long catered to families, groups and guests looking for traditional country lodging in a setting of forests, lakes and mountains. The resort property surrounds pristine Purity Lake, which offers unblemished shorelines, sandy beaches, bogs and heaths, and is adjacent to a NH Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary. The resort’s unique lakeside setting has made it a popular site for family reunions and group gatherings, in addition to many lakeside wedding options and mountain-top ceremonies and receptions overlooking the pristine shoreline of Purity Lake below.

Purity Spring offers numerous lodging options around Purity Lake, home-style meals, and an indoor pool and fitness center. Guests can enjoy kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, miles of scenic hiking and mountain biking trails, and an extensive summer recreational program for kids and families alike.

During the winter season, Purity Spring owns and operates King Pine Ski Area, offering alpine and nordic skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, snowshoeing around Purity Lake, ice skating and horse-drawn sleigh rides.

Squam Lake Natural Science Center

Route 113 Holderness, NH Phone: 603-968-7194

A 200 acre facility offering an exhibit of live animals, interactive bird exhibit, children's center, and nature cruises on Squam Lake. Open May - November. There is an admission fee.

Stonedam Island Natural Area

Across from Weirs Meredith, NH Phone: 603-279-7278

Self-guided nature trails are the centerpiece of this nature center, which focuses on conservation programs. Educational events are scheduled at the site throughout the season. Open July - Labor Day.

White Lake State Park

Route 16 Tamworth, NH 03886 Phone: 603-323-7350

A popular park for campers, this park features three public campsites with room for 200 tents. Visitors will enjoy the beach on White Lake, swimming, boating and canoeing, fishing, and hiking trails. Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowmobile trails. Of particular interest is a forest of NH pines spread over 72 acres, a National Natural Landmark.

America's Stonehenge

150 Haverhill Road Salem, NH 03079 Phone: 603-893-8300

Exploring new things

It has been determined that America's Stonehenge is an accurate astronomically aligned calendar. It was and still can be, used to determine specific solar and lunar events of the year. Archaeoastronomy is the study of the role of astronomy in ancient cultures. This includes knowing who was responsible for building astronomical observatories and how they were used to effect or influence their lives At America's Stonehenge. We have uncovered a wide range of artifacts including stone tools, pottery, stone and bone pendants, Native American and colonial artifacts. There are many other ancient observatories throughout the world including Easter Island, Stonehenge in England, The Temple of Karnak and Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru, Chichen Itza in Mexico, Calendar I and II in Vermont, The Gungywamp in Connecticut and America's Stonehenge to name just a few.Come spend a day in our beautiful wooded area, get to know the alpaca’s and be a part of America’s Stonehenge!

Amoskeag Fishways

Amoskeag Dam, Fletcher Street Manchester, NH Phone: 603-626-FISH

In May and June, when this site is open, visitors can get a birdseye view of ocean fish, as they move up the Merrimack River to spawn, through the center's underwater viewing window. Exhibits also touch on area history, water power, and fish migration. Guided tours are available. Admission is free.

Canterbury Shaker Village

288 Shaker Road Canterbury, NH 03224 Phone: 603-783-9511

Take a step back in time...

Founded in 1792, Canterbury Shaker Village is located twenty minutes north of Concord, New Hampshire. The village, which once was home to over 300 Shakers, has been an outdoor history museum since 1992, when the last Shaker resident passed away. The National Historic Landmark features 25 original Shaker buildings on 694 acres of gardens, fields, ponds and forests. Come experience two hundred years of Shaker life through guided tours with engaging interpreters, craft demonstrations, restored organic vegetables and botanical gardens and special events. Highlights include a Shaker school and hospital, as well as a number of nature trails. Situated on a beautiful site, the Village is ideal for learning, reflection and renewal of spirit. Rich in authenticity, Canterbury Shaker Village is a non-profit, educational institution that features an award-winning restaurant and houses New Hampshire’s premier store for Shaker reproductions and New Hampshire handcrafted products. Open: May 10-October 31, daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; November open Fri., Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Christa McAuliffe Planetarium

3 Institute Drive Concord, NH 03301 Phone: 603-271-7827 Fax: 603-271-7832

Programs and exhibits focus on astronomy for school groups and the general public. Open year-round. There is an admission fee.

See Science Center

200 Bedford Street Manchester, NH 03101 Phone: 603-669-0400

Open: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This hands-on science center has nearly 100 exhibits where children and adults can do actual science experiments. The museum’s Millyard Project is a scale model of the Amoskeag Millyard of Manchester circa 1900, built entirely of Lego blocks – 2 million in all. Other activities include the Science of Ice Hockey; Reptile Mountain, and Moonwalk. Check for seasonal changes in hours and programs. Cost: $5 per person over age 1.

Cathedral of the Pines

10 Hale Hill Road Rindge, NH 03461 Phone: 603-899-3300

Peace.

Welcome to a place of spiritual nourishment for people of all faiths. The sense of peace engendered by the tall pines that form its natural surroundings is conducive to prayer and meditation. The peaceful, garden-lined walk ways contain serene, inspirational landscapes as well as quiet spots for prayer and mediation.
Hours: May through October, open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A warm jacket is often necessary. Guided tours are available; groups are required to make reservations. Fee charged for group tours.

Harris Center for Conservation Education

King's Highway Hancock, NH Phone: 603-532-2400

Nature center offering nature programs kayaking, hikes,and walks. Open year-round.

Rhododendron State Park

Route 119 West Fitzwilliam, NH 03447 Phone: 603-532-8862

Visitors exploring the trails are often serenaded by song birds which live in the grove

Rhododendron State Park is named after the 16-acre grove of Rhododendron Maximum. A 0.6-mile long universally accessible trail encircles the grove allowing visitors to observe the fragrant blossoms in mid-July. A wildflower trail winds through the forest adjacent to the grove.
Hours: Early May to mid-June, weekends only, daylight hours; mid-June to Labor Day, daily, daylight hours.

Shieling State Forest

Old Street Road Peterborough, NH Phone: 603-431-6774

This small forest (45 acres) has been dedicated to the advancement of nature and conservation education. There are self-guided nature trails, a learning center, and a demonstration of woodlot management. Events are scheduled there throughout the year.

Wapack National Wildlife Refuge

Route 101 Peterborough, NH

This preserve offers ample opportunity for wildlife observation, particularly of migrating hawks. Hiking trails lead past forested land, a bog, a swamp and a rock cliff. These trails are available in the winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing as well. Camping and open fires are not permitted.

Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Accessible from many places Durham/Dover, NH Phone: 603-868-1095

Set on 48 miles of coastline, this preserve protects saltmarshes, woodlands, tidal creeks and open fields. It is managed by the NH Fish and Game department. Visitors can enter at Adams Point, and also access the area via the water. Great spot for bird and animal observation.

Sandy Point Discovery Center

89 Depot Road Stratham, NH Phone: 603-778-0015

This nature center features a self-guided walking trail through a saltmarsh. Exhibits focus on the Great Bay, history and wildlife. Events are scheduled there during the season. Open June - October.

Seacoast Science Center

Odiorne State Park, 570 Ocean Boulevard Rye, NH Phone: 603-436-8043

Located in Odiorne State Park, the Science Center offers an aquarium, and focuses on marine and area wildlife. Events are scheduled on a daily basis, year-round. There is a small admission charge.

Urban Forestry Center

45 Elwyn Road Portsmouth, NH 03801 Phone: 603-431-6774

The center consists of 182 acres of field, forest, and salt marsh, several buildings, and the annual interest income from a trust fund. It is used as a tree farm to demonstrate proper forest management, a bird and wildlife sanctuary, a garden and landscape demonstration site, and as a learning center in forestry planning, forest management, ecology, tree and plant identification, and wildlife stewardship.

Bretzfelder Memorial Park

Prospect Street Bethlehem, NH Phone: 603-444-6228

This small park is open year-round, offering visitors picnic areas, hiking trails, a pond, and programs about conservation and wildlife in the area.

Crawford Notch State Park

Route 302 Harts Location, NH Phone: 603-374-2272

This park is a fount of natural beauty: A mountain pass, the Presidential Mountain Range, and waterfalls. The falls are the Flume Cascades, the Silver Cascades, and the Arethusa Falls. There is a visitor's center, hiking trails, a scenic drive, fishing spots, and picnic areas. The park is also the site the Willey House, an 18th century way-station for travelers through the mountains. A campground is available to the public. Pets are permitted in campground area and other designated places only.

Franconia Notch State Park

Route 93 Franconia, NH 03580 Phone: 603-823-8800

Perhaps the most interesting of New Hampshire's state parks, Franconia Notch offers some incredible natural experiences. Visitors can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain climbing up Cannon Mountain and Mount Liberty, fishing, canoeing, boating, and picnicking. Winter activities offered include cross-country ski trails, alpine skiing and snowmobile trails. Trails include a portion of the Appalachian Trail, and lead to spectacular sites. Historic site of The Old Man of the Mountain, a natural phenomenon created by a series of granite ledges jutting from a cliff face 1,200 feet in the air, which collapsed in 2003. The Flume is a 800 foot gorge with high granite walls, which support a variety of mountain flora in the warmer months. The Basin is a glacial pothole over 20 feet wide, formed at the base of a waterfall by the onslaught of the rushing water. Sightseers will enjoy a ride on the park's Aerial Tramway to the top of Cannon Mountain, where the view is spectacular. A public campground is also available.

Mount Washington Museum

At the Summit of Mount Washington North Conway, NH Phone: 603-356-2137

Open: May to mid-October, daily, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., weather permitting

The visitor will find displays about the weather on the mountain - which ranks with the worst in the world - and the reasons for the severity of Mount Washington's meteorological conditions. A special feature of the Museum is the new Weather Discovery Room, which helps visitors explore the weather phenomena of Mount Washington and how they are observed and recorded. There are exhibits on the geological history of the Presidential Range, with rock strata which date back 400,000,000 million years, and, more visible, the effects of continental ice sheets which scoured the landscape several times over the last million years. Cost: Adults, $2.00; children age 6 to 12, $1.

Mount Washington Observatory Resource Center

2936 White Mountain Highway North Conway, NH Phone: 603-356-2137

Learn about Mount Washington and the weather observatory at its summit. Open year-round. Admission is free.

Mount Washington State Park

Route 302 Sargent's Purchase, NH Phone: 603-466-3347

Mount Washington is the highest mountain in the Northeast U.S. and this park the opportunity to get to the summit and enjoy the incredibly scenic view. The summit building, along with the historic Tip Top House stand at the top of this 6,288 foot peak. This can be reached by hiking or climbing to the top, taking the scenic, winding road, or the Cog Railway. There are fees charged for both the railway and the drive.

Museum of American Weather

South Common Haverhill, NH 03765 Phone: 603-989-3167

Open seasonally

A museum dedicated to American weather. Of particular interest are exhibits devoted to four severe New England weather events: The blizzard of 1888, the 1938 hurricane, the Vermont flood in 1927 and a tornado that hit Worcester, Massachusetts. Open seasonally. Admission is free.

Purity Spring Resort

1251 Eaton Road (Route 153) East Madison, NH 03849 Phone: 603-367-8896 Toll-Free: 800-FREE-SKI

Celebrating 100 years of lodging and recreation!

Family-owned Purity Spring Resort has long catered to families, groups and guests looking for traditional country lodging in a setting of forests, lakes and mountains. The resort property surrounds pristine Purity Lake, which offers unblemished shorelines, sandy beaches, bogs and heaths, and is adjacent to a NH Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary. The resort’s unique lakeside setting has made it a popular site for family reunions and group gatherings, in addition to many lakeside wedding options and mountain-top ceremonies and receptions overlooking the pristine shoreline of Purity Lake below.

Purity Spring offers numerous lodging options around Purity Lake, home-style meals, and an indoor pool and fitness center. Guests can enjoy kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, miles of scenic hiking and mountain biking trails, and an extensive summer recreational program for kids and families alike.

During the winter season, Purity Spring owns and operates King Pine Ski Area, offering alpine and nordic skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, snowshoeing around Purity Lake, ice skating and horse-drawn sleigh rides.

Rocks Estate

4 Christmas Lane Bethlehem, NH Phone: 603-444-6228

A natural preserve, this area features hiking trails, picnic areas and educational programs. Other events are offered throughout the year. Open year-round.

Tin Mountain Conservation Center

Jackson, NH Phone: 603-447-6991

An activity-oriented nature center, scheduling lectures, trips and childrens programs in various locations throughout the Jackson area. Some programs will have a fee for participation.

Twin Mountain Fish and Wildlife Center

Route 3 Whitefield, NH Phone: 603-846-5108

Visitors will find information on New Hampshire wildlife and fish. Exhibits feature videos, a hatchery, nature trails and a fish tank. Open May-October. Admission is free.

Warren Fish Hatchery and Education Center

Old Route 25 Warren, NH Phone: 603-764-8593

Visitors may tour the hatchery. Interactive exhibits focus on local wildlife management and habitats, as well as the life cycle of the Atlantic Salmon. Open May - October. Admission is free.