(families with children ages 3 and up) Discovery Weekends return for the Spring! Explore the Arboretum’s gardens and grounds as autumn brings amazing changes. Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center on Saturdays and Sundays anytime between 9 am and 3 pm for this self-guided program for families and children ages 3 and older. Borrow a…

(families with children ages 3 and up) Discovery Weekends return! Explore the Arboretum’s gardens and grounds as the season changes. Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center on Saturdays and Sundays anytime between 9 am and 3 pm for this self-guided program for families and children ages 3 and up. Borrow a magnifying glass (please remember…

Story time- Spark children's imagination and nurture their love for reading through monthly themed picture books and read-aloud- Every Day at 10 am and 4 pm Music and Movement- Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props. -Every day at 11am and 3 pm

Join us in the JBWR Pollinator Garden to care for the garden and perform routine maintenance.Love gardening but don’t have the space or resources? This is a great opportunity to get your hands in the soil while supporting your local ecosystem and community. There will also be an opportunity to sign up as a regular…

Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props.

Join us for the fifth class of a new year-long gardening series!Join us for the fifth installment of a new year-long gardening series that guides you through every season of growing your own food at home! From planning and planting to harvesting and soil care, you'll gain practical hands-on skills and confidence to grow fresh,…

Music, stories, play, and activities encourage caregiver interaction.

Join the Village of Irvington for this free event commemorating the one day in 1776 when Irvington’s Odell Tavern served as the Seat of the New York State Government. Meet and greet George Washington and Ben and Deborah Franklin, listen to Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk and The Liberty Three, discover the role of indigenous people…

Gateway National Recreation Area presents Artist in Residence, Heather Heckel.Meet Artist-in-Residence Heather Heckel in the Fort Hancock Museum. Experience the solo exhibition “10 Summers and 250 Years: Advocating for Our Public Lands through 30 Artists Residences.” Artist Talk begins at 2:30 PM.🎟️ Admission: Free!📍 Location: Fort Hancock Museum - Building #28🅿️ Parking: Park Headquarters parking…

Story time- Spark children's imagination and nurture their love for reading through monthly themed picture books and read-aloud- Every Day at 10 am and 4 pm Music and Movement- Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props. -Every day at 11am and 3 pm

Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props.

Participants will harvest summer crops and learn how to prepare the garden for fall.In step with the growing season, beginner gardeners are invited to gain hands-on learning experiences at the learning garden and greenhouse. In the beggining of Summer, we’ll cover fundamental principles and practices of growing plants for specific urban green spaces, preparing soil,…

Soul Line Dancing - a fun, physical, and social activity with J-Boogie from Step 4 Step Soul Line Dancers.

A self-guided cozy nook in the greenhouse with curated books, games, and artmaking for quiet moments to enjoy with plants.

Join us two days a week from 10 am – 12pm for fun art-making in the Museum walkway! Recommended for ages 2-5. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Art materials are provided. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. A $5 suggested donation is appreciated. Ms. Lisa is excited to create some…

Join us for Storytime every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. Watch your kids as they embark on an exciting adventure with our Storytime expert. We will introduce your little one to some of your childhood favorites, as well as read some you may have never heard before!

Story time- Spark children's imagination and nurture their love for reading through monthly themed picture books and read-aloud- Every Day at 10 am and 4 pm Music and Movement- Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props. -Every day at 11am and 3 pm

Gather around the table for collectively-crafted meals and food stories.

Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props.

Music, stories, play, and activities encourage caregiver interaction.

A restorative yoga practice overlooking the Hudson.

Story time- Spark children's imagination and nurture their love for reading through monthly themed picture books and read-aloud- Every Day at 10 am and 4 pm Music and Movement- Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props. -Every day at 11am and 3 pm

Free outdoor Yoga at Essex County Branch Brook Park with Branch Brook Park Alliance

Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props.

Music, movement, stories, play, and fun! A special program for our youngest visitors, held every Wednesday in Toddler Beach. Limited to 12 guests (plus 1 caregiver). Ages 6 months - 30 months Free with Museum admission, first come first served. Sign up at admission desk.

Capture the sensory landscape of your most beloved placesJoin us at the greenhouse to explore the relationship between scent, nature, and visual composition through the creation of a miniature aromatic landscape.Using a curated selection of fragrant woods, resins, herbs, flowers, roots, and botanical materials, design a unique landscape within a shadow box to recreate a…

(adults and family) We apologize for having to cancel the Ginger Wynn concert on July 15 due to the weather. We are pleased to announce that the concert has been rescheduled for Wednesday, September 2. Ginger Winn is a songwriter, musician, and producer from Charleston, South Carolina, now based in the Hudson Valley of New…

Join us two days a week from 10 am – 12pm for fun art-making in the Museum walkway! Recommended for ages 2-5. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Art materials are provided. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. A $5 suggested donation is appreciated. Ms. Lisa is excited to create some…

Join us for Storytime every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. Watch your kids as they embark on an exciting adventure with our Storytime expert. We will introduce your little one to some of your childhood favorites, as well as read some you may have never heard before!

Story time- Spark children's imagination and nurture their love for reading through monthly themed picture books and read-aloud- Every Day at 10 am and 4 pm Music and Movement- Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props. -Every day at 11am and 3 pm

(age 14+, age 12-13 with adult) Join Our Horticulture Team! Help maintain and enhance the beauty of our gardens and grounds all year long—spring, summer, fall, and even winter! Volunteer indoors or outdoors alongside our horticulturists to support the care and upkeep of our landscape. Tasks vary by session and may include weeding, mulching, watering,…

Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props.

(adults) Embrace the season’s colors with a new arrangement that feels rich and cozy! We will be working with beautiful blooms such as sunflowers, mums, astilbe, celosia, thistle, calla lilies, and various fall foliage and berries. In this workshop, you will learn tips about seasonal blooms and various techniques for arranging them. All experience levels…

Music, stories, play, and activities encourage caregiver interaction.

Get your groove on with free Zumba moves outdoors and good vibes all around!

MAM comes to life in this popular after-hours program. Join us for themed evenings with music, live performances, artmaking, tours, and more.

Draw as a form of care and attention using charcoal and walnut inks to imbue nature into your recordings.Celebrate the close of summer with this hands-on drawing class, using pencil, handmade charcoal, and walnut ink. Together, we will observe and record plant-life, as we talk about foraged color techniques that will transition to Fall. This…

Create a petite and pocket-sided bouquet with a handful of garden blooms for your kitchen tableJoin is in the garden among the blooms to create your own pocket full of posies--a minerature bouqet to brighten the smallest of corners. Working with a few select blooms from the garden and from NYC's flower market, we'll create…

Museum staff and other guest readers share stories, rhymes and sing-alongs with children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers every Friday at 10:00 am. A $5 suggested donation is appreciated. Launched in 2005 by librarian and former Museum Trustee Penny Metsch, the program is open to all on a first-come, first-served basis, and…

Story time- Spark children's imagination and nurture their love for reading through monthly themed picture books and read-aloud- Every Day at 10 am and 4 pm Music and Movement- Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props. -Every day at 11am and 3 pm

(age 14+, age 12-13 with adult) Join Our Horticulture Team! Volunteers will reestablish existing trails, plant native trees, identify and remove invasives, as well as other tasks. No experience is necessary. Ground Force Sessions: Fridays, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM What to Bring & Wear: Long pants, long socks, and sturdy closed-toe shoes Insect repellent,…

Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props.

Explore the origins stories of CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture)as we unpack and taste test the foods inside.Join us in the garden and around the table to explore how we can reclaim ancestral cooking by recovering the principles that shaped our ancestors' relationship with food rather than simply recreating historical recipes. Participants will examine how traditional…

Enjoy a night out in the woods with a Park Educator!As daylight fades, a whole new world comes alive. Join us for an evening exploration of nocturnal wildlife and discover the animals that are most active after dark. We'll begin with a brief outdoor presentation on the trailside, where participants will learn about the seasonal…

(families with children ages 3 and up) Discovery Weekends return for the Spring! Explore the Arboretum’s gardens and grounds as autumn brings amazing changes. Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center on Saturdays and Sundays anytime between 9 am and 3 pm for this self-guided program for families and children ages 3 and older. Borrow a…

(families with children ages 3 and up) Discovery Weekends return! Explore the Arboretum’s gardens and grounds as the season changes. Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center on Saturdays and Sundays anytime between 9 am and 3 pm for this self-guided program for families and children ages 3 and up. Borrow a magnifying glass (please remember…

Learn hiking tips from our veteran park patron, Mike MiernikAre you new to hiking, and unsure where to start? Then look no further. On this introductory level hike around Swan…

Learn nature watercolor technique with expert instructor Ann Johann!Experience nature through painting! Learn the watercolor technique under the guidance of award-winning artist, Anne Johann, as you absorb the beauty of…

Story time- Spark children's imagination and nurture their love for reading through monthly themed picture books and read-aloud- Every Day at 10 am and 4 pm Music and Movement- Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props. -Every day at 11am and 3 pm

Join us for this family event! Glen Ridge based nonprofit Mosaic Dance Theater Company will perform an original ballet on the terrace behind Van Vleck House. Visit our Fairy Garden…

Free outdoor Yoga at Essex County Branch Brook Park with Branch Brook Park Alliance

2026 Hudson River Valley Ramble Event!Join Park Educator Joe Zarzhevsky for a guided, 2-mile hike at our Rockwood Hall section of the Preserve, as we celebrate the 2026 Hudson River…

Interactive class featuring puppets, musical instruments, and props.

Music, stories, play, and activities encourage caregiver interaction.

Join a pro photographer and a birding educator on an avian adventure!Join professional bird photographer Vinny (M. Ed) and RSPP Educator Martha on a walk to observe and photograph our…