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Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS)

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Quechee, VT
Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS)

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VINS was founded in 1972 by a small group of people who had fought to clean up the polluted Ottauquechee River.
(495)

The Vermont Institute of Natural Science is a 47-acre Nature Center located in Quechee, Vermont offering environmental education with live birds, educational exhibits, wild bird rehabilitation, in-school science education, and a Forest Canopy Walk. In 1987, VINS opened the nationally-renowned Vermont Raptor Center in Woodstock. The Woodstock location outgrew its space and relocated to Quechee in 2004. Today, VINS offers engaging environmental education programs and services designed for a wide audience. These programs combine environmental science concepts with hands-on exploration to build empathy for nature and empower individuals to care for local natural ecosystems.

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween, from all of us at VINS! 🎃

10/31/2026

Wood turtles are opportunistic omnivores; they feed readily on both plant and animal material found on land or in the water. At VINS, Turt is fed fresh produce and worms (when available), but her favorite is blueberries. Here she is enjoying fresh blueberries right off the bush! 🫐

It’s your last chance to adopt Turt in October and get the $50 package for just $30. You’ll get an Adoption Certificate, Species Fact Sheet, Color Photo, Ambassador Sticker Sheet, and 1 Guest Pass to VINS where you can see Turt in her home. Your support helps fund her care and educate visitors!

🐢 Adopt here: https://adopt.vinsweb.org/turt

10/30/2026

Earlier this month, we hit a record number of intakes at CWBR with our 1,256th patient of the year! This Juvenile Bald Eagle was brought to us from the St. Johnsbury area after a farmer noticed her in a manure pile. During our intake exam we noted that her abdomen, wings, and tail feathers were all matted and covered in manure. No other injuries were noted, but she was shivering when she got to us. With no obvious injuries to account for her being unable to fly, we assume that she chased some prey into the manure and got weighed down after accidentally covering herself in it.

To start her care, we placed her under a heat lamp to help warm her up. Once she was warm and deemed stable, we started a series of dawn baths to help remove the caked on f***l material. We got a ton of yuckiness off of her during the bathing process and placed her back under a heat lamp to dry off. Based on plumage and bill coloration, we estimate this is a bird that hatched this year and are assuming she is a female based on her size.

10/28/2026

✨ Forest of Lights is just around the corner, and the VINS team has already started setting up for this unforgettable annual event!

Member ticket sales begin November 3, and many nights sold out last year. If you want to experience the magic on your preferred date, now is the time to renew your membership or join VINS!

Make plans for a winter evening filled with glowing trails, seasonal wonder, and a little extra magic in nature. Renew or join today so you can get first access to the night you want!

vinsweb.org/join 🔗

10/27/2026

🍂 The days are getting colder, and the skies are getting busier. As wild geese travel south for the season, watching them pass over the Nature Center is one of those simple moments that makes us pause and appreciate the natural world around us. And it always brings us back to Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese, a poem we’re sharing below:

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

10/26/2026

After 53 days of care, a Barred Owl is back where it belongs. 🦉

The owl arrived at our Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation on August 29th after being hit by a car in Warren, Vermont. It had trauma to its left eye, blood around its mouth, and difficulty maintaining its balance. After weeks of dedicated care and rehabilitation, the owl was finally ready to return to the wild.

When the team opened the carrier, the owl hesitated. But after the top of the box was removed, it took flight, soaring right over the children and parents gathered to witness the moment.

It was a beautiful end to a long journey of recovery, and a reminder of why wildlife rehabilitation matters.

10/25/2026

🦅 Once an Eagle Cam fan, always an Eagle Cam fan! If you loved following Windsor, Dewey, and V-2, check out these picks from the VINS auction.

Your bids help VINS bring people closer to nature through hands-on learning and community programs, while also supporting the rehabilitation of birds in need.

Browse and bid here: https://cbo.io/app/public/bidapp/vins2026

10/24/2026

VINS provides wildlife programming in classrooms and at public events through our outreach programs. Turt, our October ambassador, is a frequent participant, giving people the opportunity to get up close with a representative of a species of greatest conservation need in Vermont! 🐢

If you’re lucky, you might see her demonstrate her worm-stomping behavior. Wood Turtles use this fascinating technique to mimic rainfall, encouraging worms to surface from the soil!

When you visit VINS, be sure to stop by the Reptile Room to see Turt. You can also adopt Turt this month for $30 and receive our $50 adoption package, which includes an admission ticket!

Adopt Turt here: https://adopt.vinsweb.org/turt/

10/23/2026

👻 The Halloween spirit is in full swing at VINS! We're carving one hundred jack-o-lanterns in preparation for tomorrow's whole day of spooky fun (with help from our friends at Hypertherm North America). And check out the spectacular Vermont foliage still on display!

Tickets are going fast for Hoots & Howls, but we still have some left. Get yours before we sell out and experience this unique after-dark adventure through the Nature Center, complete with puppet shows, eerie tales, and a glowing pumpkin trail. 🎃✨ https://vinsweb.org/event/hoots-howls/

Before Hoots & Howls, start your Halloween fun early! Included with general admission, our daytime celebration combines learning with festive activities throughout the Nature Center grounds. Hear from educators about our resident raptors, go on a Tree Trunk or Treat Scavenger Hunt, and explore the wonders of nature through songs, stories, and games.

🧙‍♀️ Don't forget to wear your costume! We hope to see you there for a spooky celebration the whole family will remember!

10/21/2026

One of our educators found this small turtle hatchling on the sidewalk at the Nature Center, and moved it to safety away from people walking around. 🍂 A reminder to be careful of where we step! 🐢

Address

149 Natures Way
Quechee, VT
05059

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Website

http://vinsweb.org/

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