Stamford Museum and Nature Center
39 Scofieldtown Road
Stamford, CT 06903 - 4096
(203) 322-1646
www.stamfordmuseum.org

This 118 acre complex offers an exciting array of experiences for individuals, families, and groups in the fields of history, nature, and the arts.

The grounds include the Heckscher Farm, an early New England Farm with a restored 1750 barn and pastures where oxen, sheep, goats, pigs, and cows graze. Six nature trails wind over wooded, rocky hillsides, past ponds and stream. Laurel Lake offers a serene picnic area and plenty of ducks and geese to feed. The Overbrook Natural Science Center features a live pond exhibit with frogs, turtles, fish and snakes in their simulated habitats, and a video microscope reveals nature's "hidden world."

In the Bendel Mansion, a number of galleries offer excellent permanent and changing exhibitions covering a variety of fascinating subjects, from history to science, to fine art. The Native American Gallery features an exhibit of four major North American Indian groups, People of the Dawn.

Many special events throughout the year (call for calendar) offer great activities for individuals and families, and a Planetarium and Observatory top off a visit with a closeup view of the heavens.

Among the excellent School Programs offered by the Museum are, Down on the Farm (pre-K thru grade 2): introduces students to farm life and the livestock on our early American farm; Reptiles and Amphibians (grades 2 - 12): a live animal presentation is used to demonstrate the difference between these species, and program explores the history and survival tactics they used for millions of years; Understanding the Weather (grades 3 - 6): shows how weather instruments work and are used to make forecasts; A Star is Born (grades 4 - 12): is a Planetarium Program exploring the formation of our sun and solar system, as well as the evolution of different types of stars and what happens to them; Maple Sugaring (grades K - 12): a seasonal program which reviews Native American and Colonial sugaring methods and concludes with a demonstration of modern methods at the Museum's functioning evaporator; Woodlands Indians (grades 1 - 12): explores the life and culture of the Indians of New England before and during Colonial times.

Many other programs are offered to meet the needs of just about any group.

Group size must be a minimum of 10 and maximum of 25 to 120 students, depending on the program.