Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Announces Winter Hours and Programs at the Hinchman House Natural Science Museum

January 13, 2025

NANTUCKET, MA—The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA), your portal to Nantucket’s natural world, announces its winter program schedule at the Hinchman House Natural Science Museum – full of science education, research, and exploration of the sky, land, and sea of Nantucket Island.


MMA Hinchman House Natural Science Museum at 7 Milk Street Hours: Fridays, 3 – 7pm, Saturdays and Sundays, 10am – 2pm.


Winter Public Programs:

 

Ravenous Reptiles is offered Fridays, from 2:15pm – 3pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 – 9:45am. Learn about the unique adaptations of turtles, frogs, snakes, and more at the MMA Natural Science Museum! You will get to touch or hold several of the MMA Natural Science Museum animal ambassadors. If you love animals, this is a fantastic way to learn about native and non-native species up-close. Pre-registration is recommended. At least one adult must sign up with children. This program is designed to be interesting for adults and children ages 4 and up.

 

Nature Story Time is offered Saturdays and Sundays from 11 - 11:45am. Enjoy this program specially designed for the young explorer in your family! During each session, a MMA educator will read a nature or science related book, introduce you to one of the MMA’s animal friends, and will finish with an activity related to the story! This is a recurring program, but the specific focus and materials provided will change each week. This program is appropriate for children ages 3 and up. All children must be accompanied by an adult and all participants must register.

 

Pajama Story Time is offered Fridays from 7 – 7:45pm. Enjoy this program designed to delight children of all ages. During each session, a MMA educator will read science-based children's stories and lead activities that promote discovery and imagination. This program encourages children to develop a lifelong love of nature, reading, and learning and introduces them to the culture of reading. A story related craft is included. At least one adult must sign up with children. This program is designed to be interesting for children ages 3 and older. Pajamas are encouraged but not required.

 

STEAM Sensation is offered Fridays from 5 – 5:45pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 2 – 2:45pm. Join MMA naturalists for an exploration into the world of science! We will deep dive into the microscopic world, investigate shark biology, create agar art with bacteria, or collect and examine phytoplankton. Together, we will tap into our curious nature to uncover more secrets of the natural world. Each week, this program will specifically focus on a dedicated scientific topic! This program is appropriate for adults and children ages 5 and older. All registered children must be accompanied by a registered adult to participate in this program.

 

View the MMA’s calendar for all upcoming programs, including Bird Walks, Owl Prowls, and Birding 101 programs with Ginger Andrews, and our new Learning Lab Series featuring a range of topics designed to spark curiosity, brought to life by MMA experts and special guests: https://www.mariamitchell.org/calendar


The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages


###

For Immediate Release

January 13, 2025

Contact: Jónelle Gurley

programs@mariamitchell.org

Recent Posts

A Good Chair

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • May 18, 2026
And with it, some of the heirloom daffodils I purchased for the Mitchell House last fall. A place was recommended to me by two longtime friends of the MMA and gardeners extraordinaire. It is called Old House Gardens. I ordered a small amount as we now have a plethora of voles on Vestal Street – I believe I complained about them here last year. They won’t eat daffodils so I got a few of “Butter and Eggs” (1777) and “Conspicuus” (1869) as either of these could have appeared in William Mitchell’s gardens. They were not listed in a letter from John Quincy Adams that I have mentioned before. But, Adams was not here visiting the Mitchell family when the daffodils would have been in bloom. The one pictured here is “Butter and Eggs” not completely unfurled. JNLF

The Ancient Vine

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • May 11, 2026
A repost – with my apologies – from last year. It started budding the week of April 30 this year. This is what our landscaper for the MMA calls it. “The ancient vine.” He tells the people who work for him not to touch the “ancient vine.” I have probably made him – and all of them – terrified of it. I am even terrified of it to some degree. I refer to the grape vine behind the Mitchell House that is supposed to be Peleg Mitchell Junior’s grape vine – Maria Mitchell’s uncle who inhabited the house from about 1836 to his death in 1882. It has two trunks but one died several years ago. Because of that, each year I try to root shoots. It’s fairly easy to do – when you cut back the vine in late fall/early winter. I have had success but not success protecting the shoots I baby all winter from bunnies and other critters once I plant them – try as I might. I started doing this when the one trunk died – I was PANICKED! The landscaper stays away because I have told him if anyone is going to accidentally harm or worse yet, kill, this grape vine it would be me so I only have myself to blame. So each November/December – once ALL the leaves have fallen off – I climb my ladder and quietly, carefully, and fearfully cut back the stems typically to two buds. I have been somewhat successful in spurring grape production – and these grapes attract some amazing birds in the fall. It takes me some time – and I pretty much hyperventilate the entire time – and then, I stare at it all winter. Passing under it multiple times a day to reach my office. Hoping, and yes, praying, it will come out in the spring. It’s a late budder so just recently the buds started to show themselves – thank goodness! – and I was rewarded today (May 5, 2025) with this wonderful hot pink color on the edges of the leaves as they are uncurling. JNLF

Maria Mitchell In Her Own Words

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • May 4, 2026
May 6, 1878 Between the clouds, Miss Spalding obtained 7 photographs of Mercury on the Sun. It is comfort to me to be able to plan and do a new kind of work. The large telescope worked better than usual, Clark having just been to the Observatory. Clark, as in Alvan Clark, a man who would become the premier telescope maker in America and who built Maria Mitchell’s 5-inch Alvan Clark refractor that she purchased from him (after working with him to build it per her specifications) with money gifted to her from “The Women of America” led by Elizabeth Peabody. More than likely, it is this telescope she is referring to as she did use it in the Vassar College Observatory with her students – and it is also taking center stage in photographs, along with her (first her father’s) Dolland telescope.  Maria had decided she would photograph the Sun on every clear day, and this was one of those results. She would use these images, with her students, to study sun spots and their changes. With her students, Maria would photograph the transit of Mercury as noted above. She would also photograph the transit of Venus a few years later with her students. JNLF
Show More