Great Falls Discovery Center

Erika Dueñas

2024-01

This is a fun, educational, and free museum that focuses on agriculture and animals of the CT River Valley and its offshoots. It is super small but the perfect size for a quick stop! It's <5 minutes from 91, so very convenient for anyway driving up and down that route!Restrooms: There are clean restrooms available for patron use.

Pete Rogers

2024-04

We haven’t visited here for a couple of years. We attended the recent eclipse viewing here and were reminded of this gem in our back yard. Particularly excellent are the many lifelike re-creations of examples of Connecticut River habitats. These dioramas are made by highly skilled artists and constructors whose naturalist directors have visioned these magical settings including pools, river embankments, sandy and wooded areas which come to life with life-like flora and fauna.Restrooms: Clean and modern.Picnic area: Right by the rushing Ct. River canal.

Kitty Li

2023-08

great place for walk, usually quiet but safe, nice sunset view.the longer side is on the museum side but if you like shade, park and walk the other side the ruver bank. The parking lot can be easily found on google map. The other side can have cars but very very few, mostly from local fishing people.

Carolyn B

2023-12

Their taxidermist was amazing, and the sounds you experience as you walk through will make you feel like you're hiking in the mountains

Laura Schlaikjer

2019-05

This is a small but wonderful center that works really hard at providing educational programming for the community, especially children. Its focus is the Connecticut River Watershed. The dioramas are simple and engaging. There is no entrance fee. The once-monthly coffeehouse with music and a sliding scale fee helps support their endeavors. It's an asset to the community!

Gina Varuzzo

2024-04

Beautiful space and location. Park staff is incredibly welcoming and they put on fantastic small events, love their historical series and art workshops.

Edward McCool

2018-05

The curator is very friendly, immediately greeting visitors as they enter the main building. There are many interesting exhibits and a very large topographical tabletop map in the center of the room of Turner Falls region. Outside trails lead to the Dam and interesting rock cliffs and river beds below the Dam. The old paper mill with its tall smoke stack can be seen downstream.

Olga Stadnyk

2023-10

What a nice place to visit with kids! Gorgeous walk along the canal, nice little museum that is free to attend.Restrooms: Nice and clean

Samuel Santiago

2023-05

I loved this place. The museum is awesome and full of information.

Boomer M

2022-05

Lots of good information about the Connecticut river and its wildlife. Friendly staff too. And it's free!

Ricky W

2024-04

Awesome place to check out if you're into nature. Some well done exhibits.

Amie Humphrey Facendola

2020-05

What a great spot this is! The exhibits inside are really well done and enjoyable for kids and adults. And walking outside over the canal and along the river offers a great view of the bridge and falls. I highly recommend this place and we didn't even get to do the fish ladder viewing.

David Longsmith

2023-09

Current exhibit is a beautiful example of community art as healing medicine, please do go and see this exhibit!

Kimberly Phillips

2023-11

A fantastic, immersive experience with maps, models, and actual sllices of wild life habitat from sandy beach to forest along the great Connecticut River from headwaters in Canada to estuary in New York s Long Island, recreated within repurposed historical mill building.The question you want to ask, "Where are Turner's Falls"?

Katheen E Auer

2024-03

Friendly staff. Nice facility with interesting exhibits and timely well researched programs.Restrooms: Nice restrooms.

Fern Doolen

2023-05

Loved coming here for a day trip with my kids! There was so much to learn about the Connecticut River. Lots of little activities like the Story Walk (which was really cool because actually developed by someone back in home time) and learning about Armored MudBalls!

Em

2020-05

Very nice little place to stop and learn about the local wildlife.

Elaine Van Doren

2023-05

A little gem with its focus on ecology. The dioramas are so well done, they encourage learning. There is a nice trail along the back. There are nice gardens and sitting areas. Staff are fun to talk with and provide interesting asides.

Clinton Dawson

2024-02

Great place to learn about the riverNot open enough!!

Steve Dallas

2023-10

Overlooks the canal and river. Helpful staff and very well done wildlife exhibits definitely worth a visit especially if children in group.Restrooms: Clean

Jim Lang

2023-08

I have walked byany times and this was the first time seeing it open. It has a great museum about the habitats along the river. It is worth a stop with kids

DSG

2020-05

Very nice place to visit. Peaceful and beautiful!

Jessalyn Pennington

2023-09

Excellent and educational small museum, staff was very friendly and informative! Excellent art exhibit.

maryellen hussey

2023-09

Great little center for both adults and kids. The exhibits change and is very informative and interactiveRestrooms: Indoor bathrooms that are clean

Lacey Cyr

2020-05

Fantastic place to visit with children! The museum, while small is run by friendly staff. They had wildlife displays featuring taxidermy animals displayed in recreations of their natural habitats. There was also an arts & crafts area for the kids. We attended the "Creature Teachers" presentation that they hosted & it was fantastic. There is also a nice walking bridge that allows for a fantastic view of the river where the hydroelectric dam is located. There is also a rail trail that runs along side the river that we did not have time to explore.

William Dungey

2022-05

A great free learning experience for children and adults alike. They showcase the variety of plants and animals that call the Connecticut River home. It's small but a great free resource. I suggest stopping in and enjoying an ice cream from the local parlor across the street afterwards.

Terry Eaklor

2024-04

Great and fun. Educational for kids

Denis Lage

2020-05

Well worth a visit if you're into learning about the local wildlife (specifically the Connecticut river watershed). After you visit the center you can take a nice walk/bike ride along the canal. Great way to spend a morning or afternoon with the family.

Jesse Yishai

2023-05

This is a wonderful place for young children to visit. The exhibits with windows at child-height, and the views of the canal, and the outdoor gardens and courtyard make for a pleasant hour or so.

Rich MacLean

2018-05

The Great Falls Discovery Center is a wonderful natural history museum dedicated to the Connecticut River Valley. The exhibits are recreations of various ecosystems topical from the northern headwaters of the Connecticut down to the southern estuaries. Each exhibit has recreations of typical trees, shrubs, and herbs and preserved animal specimen. The museum also includes a rotating exhibit in the Great Hall, and a (possibly seasonal) aquarium. It was a great morning adventure for kids.