Exploration Backpack Program
June – October
10:00 am - 4:30 pm
This program is free with admission.
Looking for a fun way to nurture your child’s appreciation for the natural world? Check out our self-guided Into the Woods exploration backpack which contains all the essential tools and activity cards for discovery. Through a series of stops along a Hildene trail, children will engage in hands-on forest activities. Suggested for ages 5 to 10, the adventure is intended to take between 1- 2 hours. The pack is designed for 1 to 3 children, but more could participate if they are willing to share tools. This experience is free with admission. While packs may be checked out from The Museum Store, it is recommended that you reserve one in advance by contacting Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click here.
Botanical Tea & Flower Arranging with Ann Ogden Hausslein
Thursday, September 3rd
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Greenhouse at the gardens in the dene
Registration is required. This program does not include admission to Hildene for the day.
Gather with friends at the greenhouse & gardens in the dene at the height of the summer season to learn how to cut and arrange beautiful seasonal flowers while enjoying refreshing herbal teas made from our own herbs and garden botanicals. Participants will create a fresh bouquet to take home while learning simple floral arranging techniques inspired by Hildene's gardens. Please bring a favorite vase.
Registration required by September 2.
America at 250: The Politics of National Memory
Wednesday, September 9th
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Registration is required. This program does not include admission to Hildene for the day.
What shapes the way we understand America's past — and who influences the stories we remember?
As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, join Manchester resident Jim Ramsey, Senior Advisor to the United States Capitol Historical Society in Washington, D.C., for an engaging evening exploring the politics of national memory.
Through compelling commentary and historic images, Ramsey examines how monuments, memorials, museums, school curricula, national holidays, public art, and historic sites shape the stories Americans tell about themselves — and how those stories influence the way we understand our present and imagine our future.
From the United States Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial to the legacy of the Civil War, Reconstruction, the “Lost Cause,” and today’s evolving conversations about commemoration, this program invites audiences to look more deeply at how history is remembered, interpreted, and used.
Join us in Lincoln Hall for a timely discussion connecting America’s founding ideals with the choices we make about national memory today.
Bird Walk
Saturday, September 12th
8:00 am - 9:30 am
This program is free and does not require admission. Appropriate for teens and adults.
Meet at the Welcome Center parking lot. Join local birders to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Appropriate for birders of all skill levels, the walks run along uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. No registration required. Questions? Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click to email.
Bird Note: Osprey
The Osprey is a large bird of prey with a white head and belly, dark brown back and wings. A dark stripe from its eye towards the back of its head is visible even in a flying bird. The bent M-shape shape of the wings in flight, however, is a better clue to identifying this bird. A fish-eating specialist, it has barbed pads on the soles of its feet to help it grip slippery fish. Ospreys are in VT by mid-April to late September to breed, generally occupying the same nest year after year.
Breeding Osprey had disappeared from VT in the early 70s due to thin, weak eggshells from the pesticide DDT and loss of suitable nesting sites. Since 1988, the VT Fish and Wildlife Department and the Central Vermont Public Service have worked cooperatively to install artificial nesting platforms mostly in the northwestern part of the state. In 2006, there were 82 active nests in VT. The species has now been removed from the state's endangered species list.
