Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS)

08/28/2026

You’re invited to Hawkwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Join a VINS educator on Saturday, September 5 from 11 AM – 2:30 PM for this magical event where you’ll learn all about the real world magic of science.

Classes include:

🧙‍♀️ The Sorting Hat
🪄 Care of Magical Creatures
🎨 Crafts and Lunch in the Great Hall
🌿 Herbology
🧪 Potions
🌌 Astronomy

Learn more and register here: https://vinsweb.org/event/hawkwarts-school-of-witchcraft-and-wizardry/

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hawkwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Join a VINS educator for this magical event where you can choose your classes and learn all about the real world magic of science!

08/27/2026

Our last few Yoga in the Canopy sessions of the season are coming up! 🧘‍♀️🌳

Save the dates for these Sundays:
August 30 / 9 AM – 10:15 AM
September 13 / 4 PM – 5:15 PM

All levels of experience are welcome in this slow-flow class that will incorporate sun salutations, standing poses, balance poses, and brief meditation.

Learn more and register here: https://vinsweb.org/event/yoga-in-the-canopy-jun26-sep26-7/

08/26/2026

Today marks our final day of Nature Camp! It’s been a fabulous summer, filled with wonder, learning and play. Thank you to all the campers and families who chose to join us at the Nature Center and Storrs Pond this year! We hope you have a wonderful school year, and come back to visit VINS soon. 🍃

08/25/2026

One of our favorite things about VINS events? Seeing generations come together to enjoy nature, make memories, and have a little fun. 💚

This sweet moment from the Fledge Party says it all. Grandpa and his grandkids hitting the dance floor together is exactly the kind of joy we love to see at VINS. 🥰💃🕺

Here’s to making memories that span generations! ✨

08/24/2026

Exciting news! Tonight, Monday, August 24, we’ll be releasing 8 rehabilitated Chimney Swifts back to the wild - and you’re invited to come watch!

Join us at 6 PM at the Rite Aid in Windsor, where these incredible little birds will be joining an established Chimney Swift colony. After receiving care and rehabilitation at VINS, they’re ready to take to the skies and begin the next chapter of their lives in the wild. 💚

08/23/2026

Broad-winged Hawks breed in large deciduous or mixed forests throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. They usually nest near forest openings and bodies of water, and far from areas of human disturbance. Although Broad-winged Hawks are numerous, and the species is considered of low conservation concern, it is important to maintain their habitat to sustain a stable population. The largest threat to this species is habitat destruction, particularly within its wintering range in Central America and northern countries of South America.

When you visit VINS, you are fortunate to have a chace to see Northfield the Broad-winged Hawk throughout the year. As an Education Ambassador, you may see him during onsite and outreach programs.

As our ambassador of the month, you can adopt Northfield in August and get the $50 package for only $30. You will receive an adoption certificate, a species fact sheet, a color photo, our sticker sheet featuring our avian Ambassadors, and one guest pass.

https://adopt.vinsweb.org/ambassadors/northfield/

08/22/2026

A fresh new look at the entrance! 👀✨

Our new VINS entrance sign is officially up and ready to welcome you to the Nature Center. We think it looks pretty great, and we’re excited to see it greeting visitors for years to come. 🌿🦉

Come on in! 💚

08/20/2026

Sometimes, the best wildlife stories are the ones that come back to us months later. 💙

Last fall, our Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation treated a loon suffering from fishing line entanglement and coccidia, an intestinal parasite. After receiving the care it needed, our team released the loon back into the wild on November 2, 2025.

Months later, we received some wonderful news from a VINS partner: a biologist with the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation spotted the loon alive, healthy, and thriving.

We don’t always get to know what happens to our patients after they return to the wild. So when one of these stories finds its way back to us, it means a lot!
This is exactly why we do what we do!

08/19/2026

Join The Skinny Pancake on Thursday August 27th as they fire up their griddles to support VINS! Crepes For A Cause is a weekly fundraising collaboration supporting people and organizations in the Upper Valley. We appreciate them choosing us and hope to see you there! 🥞

08/18/2026

VINS has been named Best Nature Center in the Seven Daysies!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote, and to all those who visit, explore, attend our events, support our work, and share your love for VINS. We’re so lucky to be part of a community that values connecting people with nature and wildlife! 💚🪶

Read more here: https://community.sevendaysvt.com/best-of/2026/recreation/best-nature-center-45364953 🔗