Science and Nature
Science and nature attractions in Hartford CT can enrich your vacation
16 listings
Washington, CT
H.O.R.S.E of Connecticut
43 Wilbur Road 860-868-1960Open: Year-round, Friday - Sunday, 8am - 4pm
This equine rescue organization houses horses it has saved, holds information events, treats injured animals and even offers animals for adoption. Visitors can take a tour of the facility and feed horses. Trail rides can be arranged with advance reservations.
Hartford, CT
Connecticut Science Center
250 Columbus Blvd. 860-724-3623A visit to the Center is a high-impact learning experience in a green, clean, bright, and stimulating environment. Adults and children alike will find entertainment and educational value in hands-on, engaging, and exciting exhibits and programs that emphasize current science and science you can use every day. Open year-round. Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Adults, $21.95; seniors above age 65, $19.95; youth ages 3 to 17, $14.95. Information: www.ctsciencecenter.org
Granby, CT
McLean Game Refuge
Route 10, Salmon Brook Road 860-653-7869Open: Year round.
Enjoy a hiking and cross-country skiing on refuge trails. The area provides ample observation areas for both general nature study and birding in particular.
Woodbury, CT
Flanders Nature Center
Flanders Road 203-263-3711Many special programs are scheduled here. Visitors can enjoy nature walks that feature wildflowers (seasonal), a bog and an arboretum made up of nut trees. The Center's trail house features nature exhibits and a gift shop.
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Windsor, CT
Northwest Park Nature Center
145 Lang Road 860-285-1886This park has 473 acres of land and recreational facilities, including an interpretive nature center, 12 miles of trails, and seasonal maple sugaring. This park is a birdwatcher's paradise: Recent bird sightings include Grasshopper Sparrows in Long Field, a Merlin Falcon near the windmill; an Eastern Phoebe in the woods behind the Organic Garden; a Turkey Vulture above the picnic site; and an American Bald Eagle on Pond Trail. A Red-headed Woodpecker has been spotted by the ravine; this bird is endangered in Connecticut.
New Britain, CT
Copernican Space Science Center
Central Connecticut State University, 1615 Stanley Street 860-832-3399Open: Call for show times, also by appointment
This planetarium and observatory is home to one of the biggest telescopes in the country. Programs and events for children and adults are held there throughout the year. Admission: $3.50 adults, $2.50 seniors and children.
Somers, CT
Shenipsit Trail
Route 190 860-346-2372Open: Year round.
Several blazed hiking trails are situated on this site.
New Milford, CT
The Pratt Center
163 Papermill Road 860-355-3137Nature preserve with hiking trails and river walks. There are also special programs scheduled throughout the year, and live farm animals on the premises in the spring, summer and fall.
Kensington, CT
Hungerford Park
191 Farmington Avenue 860-827-9064This park is home to a farm, a collection of exotic animals, a system of trails, science exhibits and programs led by the New Britain Youth Museum. Open year-round, Tuesday-Friday, 1-4:30 p.m.
Admission: Adults, $4; seniors, $3; children ages 2-17, $2
Information: www.newbritainyouthmuseum.org
Rocky Hill, CT
Dinosaur State Park
400 West Street 860-529-8423Dinosaur Park features authentic dinosaur tracks that are 200 million years old. These are protected under a dome, which also houses exhibits and special programs that are held throughout the year. Visitors with their own materials are permitted to take plaster casts of the tracks.
Hours: Grounds are open year-round, Tues-Sunday 9am-4pm. Exhibit Center is closed for renovations until August 2022.
Exhibit Center Admission: Adults and Ages 13+ $6, Ages 6-12 $2, Free for 5 and under.
Canton, CT
Roaring Brook Nature Center
70 Gracey Road 860-693-0263This nature center features walking trails, live animals and an Indian longhouse. Classes and special programs are also scheduled periodically throughout the year.
Hours for the Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m.; closed Mondays except July and August. Trails open dawn to dusk.
Admission: Adults, $6; seniors, $5; children, $4
Glastonbury, CT
Connecticut Audubon Center
1361 Main Street 860-633-8402Maintained by the Audubon Society of CT, this science and nature center features exhibits on area wildlife and plants, and a hands-on area for children. A gift shop and programs are available year-round. The center is located next to Earle Park, a 48-acre outdoor setting with numerous walking trails.
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Wethersfield, CT
Wethersfield Nature Center
30 Greenfield Street 860-721-2953Open: Saturdays, 10 am - 1 pm
This nature park features educational and hands-on exhibits, including live animals and scheduled programs. A log cabin on the site has a library and gift shop.
Plainville, CT
Tomasso Nature Park
Granger Lane off Route 177 (Unionville Avenue) 860-747-6022This park was established in 1989 as a wetland conservation area, when plants, animals, and soil were moved here for protection from nearby construction. Wildlife you can see here includes various species of turtles, reptiles, and amphibians; a wide variety of bird species; and mammals such as raccoons, white-tail deer, and the muskrat. Native flora includes alder, maple, cattails, umbrella sedge, pickerelweed, ferns, blue and sweet flags, yellow pond lily, and arrowhead. Information: http://bit.ly/1b6nVBb
Season & Hours: Dawn to dusk, March 15 - November 15
Manchester, CT
Oak Grove Nature Center
Oak Grove Street 860-643-0949This 52-acre nature preserve and nature center is operated by the nearby Lutz Children's Museum. The property has a pond, a covered bridge, and two easy walking trails totaling about 3 miles of walking distance on dirt paths.
Hours: Trails are open dawn to dusk. Center open for museum activities and by arrangement.
Burlington, CT
Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area
Route 69 860-675-8130Visitors to this natural preserve are treated to a beaver marsh, an observation tower, and a waterfall. Walking and hiking trails feature information signs and demonstrations of wildlife management practices.
Hours: Year-round, dawn to dusk.