BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Henry L. Ferguson Museum - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Henry L. Ferguson Museum REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260809T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260809T170000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260403T194221Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260406T135458Z UID:38419-1786291200-1786294800@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:Seals and Society: Lessons on Conservation\, Resilience\, Research and Discovery DESCRIPTION:Join us for an illustrated talk by community scientist and conservationist Andrea Bogomolni\, who will be sharing insights into how we study seals\, what we are learning about their place in the greater ecosystem and what seals are telling us about ocean and human health – and our human connection.\nWhen: Sunday\, August 9\, 2026\nTime: 4-5 pm\nPlace: At the Museum\, 2nd floor and virtual\, via zoom\nReception to follow \nBetween 1880-1962\, gray and harbor seals were targeted in legal seal bounty hunts across Maine and Massachusetts due to a perceived competition with commercial fisheries. Following their extirpation 50 years ago\, legislative protections allowed seals to recolonize historical grounds along the New England coast. With this conservation success story\, conflict has re-emerged as seen in the numerous media articles reflecting a temperament beckoning to the past century\, with calls to cull the population and the spread of misinformation. While seals are endemic to the region\, the return of seals after decades of near-absence to New England has created a new ecological and psychological baseline for New Englanders where for three generations\, seals were rarely present. \nNow more than ever\, there is a need to understand the role seals play in our ecosystem and to understand their role as sentinel species. Through collaborative research and engagement\, much is being learned across the region. \nDr. Andrea Bogomolni (Dr. Dre) is a community scientist as well as many other “-ists”: a naturalist\, artist\, biologist and conservationist with a passion for the ocean. Working with a range of collaborators from scientists\, to fishermen and to artists\, she aims to understand not just seals\, but our human relationship with the natural world and ways we can help preserve\, protect and sustainably make use of the limited resources nature provides. She has an interdisciplinary skill-set in scientific research\, education and outreach. Her Bachelor’s degrees are in studio art and wildlife\, fisheries and conservation biology from UC Davis\, her Master’s is in marine biology from Boston University and her Doctorate is in pathobiology and veterinary science with a certificate in public health from UCONN. She was a postdoctoral fellow and guest investigator at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She has taught marine mammal science and conservation courses at several institutions and began the seal research program at the Shoals Marine Lab a decade ago. She currently teaches Marine Mammal Biology at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and is the Chair and co-founder of the Northwest Atlantic Seal Research Consortium. Through all her work\, she hopes to amplify the voices of those that can provide the knowledge needed to mitigate human impacts as we manage ocean ecosystems. \nPHOTO CREDIT: Harbor Seals\, Hungry Point courtesy of Clay Burkhalter URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/seals-and-society-lessons-on-conservation-resilience-research-and-discovery/ CATEGORIES:Illustrated Lecture ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/29168_181-seals-Clay_Burkhalter.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260812T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260812T150000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260325T125359Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T125457Z UID:38307-1786543200-1786546800@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:Prehistoric Creatures DESCRIPTION:Travel back in time to meet the animals and plants that lived long before humans—and discover which ones are still here today. Unearth the story of ancient wildlife and meet their modern relatives. \nWHEN: Wednesday\, August 12\, 2026\nTIME: 2 to 3 p.m.\nLOCATION: In person at the Museum \nDenison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up.\nSuggested donation $10.\n \nAll Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum.\nAttendance is limited to 15 children so advance registration is recommended.\nPlease phone: 631-788-7239 or email info@fergusonmuseum.org\n(note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s). \nPHOTO CREDIT: Snapping turtle. Courtesy of Justine Kibbe URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/prehistoric-creatures/ CATEGORIES:Family Program ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/15536_snapping-turtle_Turtleneck_jkibbe.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260816T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260816T170000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260331T133647Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T133647Z UID:38379-1786896000-1786899600@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:From Glaciers to Gardens: How Earthworms Shaped Northeastern Forest Soils DESCRIPTION:Join us at the Museum for an illustrated talk by Annise Dobson\, Associate Research Scientist at Yale University\, who will share how the history of earthworms in North America has been shaped by ancient glaciation\, centuries of human-mediated introductions and spread\, and multiple waves of biological invasion.\nThis talk traces that history from the post-glacial forest assembly absent of earthworms and spread of European earthworms through agriculture\, logging\, road building\, horticulture\, and fishing bait. We then examine contemporary invasion of jumping worms\, and how different earthworm groups reshape habitats by accelerating leaf-litter breakdown\, altering soil structure and nutrient cycling\, and changing conditions for seeds\, seedlings\, and fungal communities. Finally\, we consider how earthworm impacts interact with other stressors such as invasive plants\, overabundant deer\, and climate-driven shifts in temperature and moisture\, and we outline practical steps for reducing spread and supporting conservation and management goals. \nWHEN: Sunday\, August 16\, 2026\nTIME: 4-5 p.m.\nPLACE: In person at the Museum and virtual via zoom \nAnnise Dobson is the Director of Research Programs\, Associate Research Scientist\, and Lecturer in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and the School of the Environment at Yale University. She grew up on a farm in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario\, Canada\, and completed her PhD at Cornell University. Her research focuses on plant-soil interactions and the ecosystem-level impacts of invasive species. Her work investigates the cascading effects of jumping worms on forest health\, from the soil food web\, up to the seedling layer\, and beyond. Dr. Dobson is passionate about translating scientific discovery into practical land management guidance and is actively involved in outreach to help land managers and the public understand and respond to this pressing ecological threat. \nPHOTO CREDITS: Grant Dobson URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/from-glaciers-to-gardens-how-earthworms-shaped-northeastern-forest-soils/ CATEGORIES:Illustrated Lecture ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/earthworm_1455_Grant-Dobson.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260821T120000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260326T182537Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260414T135844Z UID:38331-1786957200-1787313600@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:FIND 2026 (MORNING PROGRAM) DESCRIPTION:FISHERS ISLAND NATURE DISCOVERY\n2026 – The 7th Year of FIND\nA Week (5 DAYS from 9 AM to NOON) of Learning Programs for Young Island Naturalists Ages 5 to 10. \nFIND offers a week of learning programs for young Island naturalists on a variety of environmental topics relating to the natural history and stewardship of our Island.\nUsing the Ferguson Museum as a base\, the programs provide an indoor/outdoor learning experience that introduces our children to the Island’s natural resources and some of the challenges faced in maintaining its fragile ecology. Led by educators\, the children discover the Island’s natural history through a combination of hands-on exploration\, observation\, and interpretation. \nWHEN: The 2026 FIND program will run for one week from August 17 to August 21; Monday through Friday\, 9 a.m. to noon. To promote group cohesion and learning\, we encourage all participants to attend all five sessions. \nWHO: 20 children max\, all between the ages of 5 to 10. Depending on numbers\, attendees will either be in one group\, or split into two groups by age. \nEach group will be led by educator/s from the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) or the Niantic Children’s Museum\, assisted at times by Museum staff and guest naturalists. \nWHERE: Outdoor locations will vary based on the daily plan\, but will include Fishers Island’s beaches\, woods\, and ponds. Indoor learning will take place at the Museum and will include art and science projects related to the daily subject matter. \nCOST: The cost per participant is $425 for the week. (Current FI School students can attend at no cost.) \nREGISTRATION: Please call the Museum (631-788-7239) or e-mail info@fergusonmuseum.org to reserve a spot for your child/children (and note the FIND program and the name and age of the attendee/s). The registration and payment form will then be sent to you. \nThis is a wonderful opportunity for young children to develop a love of nature and ecology through participatory learning both at the Museum and in the field. URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/find-2026-morning-program/ CATEGORIES:Family Program ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/HLFM-FIND-program.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260819T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260819T150000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260325T130520Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T130520Z UID:38310-1787148000-1787151600@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:Inspect an Insect DESCRIPTION:Gain an appreciation for the diversity of insects as we examine insect specimens\, meet a live insect\, and use nets to see what insects are living outside of the museum! \nWHEN: Wednesday\, August 19\, 2026\nTIME: 2 to 3 p.m.\nLOCATION: In person at the Museum \nDenison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up.\nSuggested donation $10.\n \nAll Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum.\nAttendance is limited to 15 children so advance registration is recommended.\nPlease phone: 631-788-7239 or email info@fergusonmuseum.org\n(note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s). URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/inspect-an-insect-2/ CATEGORIES:Family Program ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/monarch-butterfly_usfws.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T170000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260407T195339Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260407T231212Z UID:38473-1787414400-1787418000@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:Tour of Olmsted Brothers’ Landscape Design Being Restored at East End DESCRIPTION:Join RoAnn Costin and William (Ned) Friedman\, Director of Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum\, for a tour of her property\, Rose Nest\, which she is restoring to the original Olmsted Brothers landscape design.\nIn the late 1920s\, the legendary Olmsted Brothers Firm of Brookline\, MA. created an elaborate landscape design for the George E. Hardy property overlooking Island Pond (later owned by the Mallory and O’Keefe families). \nRoAnn invites you to tour the grounds! \nWhen: Saturday\, August 22\, 2026\nTime: 4 pm\nPlace: Costin house at the East End\nReception to follow.\nPlease register to secure a spot by contacting the Ferguson Museum by phone (631-788-7239) or by e-mail (info@fergusonmuseum.org). \nABOVE PHOTO: Lot design for Hardy property\, originally named Winkath. \nPlease note related talk “Evolving Landscapes: Olmsted\, Design\, and the Arnold Arboretum” on Sunday\, August 23 by William (Ned) Friedman\, Director of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University\, who will take us on an exploration of Frederick Law Olmsted’s design legacy embodied at one of his most renowned and best-preserved landscapes: the Arnold Arboretum. URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/tour-of-olmsted-brothers-landscape-design-being-restored-at-east-end/ CATEGORIES:Garden Tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Winkath_Olmsted-landscape_DSC01178.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260823T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260823T170000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260403T210833Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T102651Z UID:38423-1787500800-1787504400@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:Evolving Landscapes: Olmsted\, Design\, and the Arnold Arboretum DESCRIPTION:Join us at the Museum for a richly illustrated talk by William (Ned) Friedman\, Director of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University\, who will take us on an exploration of Frederick Law Olmsted’s design legacy embodied at one of his most renowned and best-preserved landscapes: the Arnold Arboretum.\nWhen: Sunday\, August 23\, 2026\nTime: 4-5 pm\nPlace: At the Museum\, 2nd floor and virtual\, via zoom\nSpace is limited\, registration is required. \nWe will learn about the design history of the Arboretum\, from its origins under Frederick Law Olmsted to decades of evolution that involved contributions by the Olmsted Brothers\, including lessons learned in modern times about how to manifest their visions in our contemporary world. \nNed will also share how a groundbreaking\, 19th-century collaboration between the City of Boston and Harvard University gave birth to the Arnold Arboretum\, which is today a world-leading scientific research enterprise dedicated to the study of woody plants\, and a crown jewel in Boston’s Emerald Necklace – a public park that is free and open 365 days a year\, fulfilling Olmsted’s vision of making the natural world accessible to every person\, no matter their background. This talk will connect past to present\, culminating in a reminder that we can learn from legendary designs and also make them relevant for our times. \nPlease note related event\, “Tour of Olmsted Brothers’ landscape design being restored at East End” – all are invited to join RoAnn Costin and William (Ned) Friedman\, Director of Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum\, Saturday\, August 22\, 2026 for a tour of her property\, “Rose Nest”\, which she is restoring to the original Olmsted Brothers landscape design. Registration required. \nWilliam (Ned) Friedman\, an evolutionary biologist who has done extensive research on the origin and early evolution of flowering plants\, has served since 2011 as the eighth director of the Arnold Arboretum. He is also a tenured professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. \nAs leader of the nation’s first public arboretum\, Ned has positioned the Arnold Arboretum to confront current world challenges by redoubling the institution’s commitments to public health\, free access to programming and the beauty of the landscape for all citizens\, and global change mitigation projects. His vision for what a twenty-first century arboretum can and should be is fueling the largest redesign of horticultural and visitor infrastructure in the landscape since the Arboretum’s founding\, as well as forging a significant commitment to advancing environmental equity and climate change scholarship. \nFriedman’s academic research has focused on patterns of plant morphology\, anatomy\, and cell biology. He has been acclaimed for his discovery of a new type of reproductive structure in an ancient flowering plant that may represent a critical link between flowering plants and their ancestors. Friedman also has a keen interest in the history of science\, particularly the intellectual history of evolutionism. He has designed and taught courses on the life and work of Charles Darwin and other historical figures and lectured on the subject at natural history museums and other venues. \nAs a botanist who has devoted his entire career to studying the evolutionary diversification of plants\, he feels privileged to have the opportunity to steward\, promote\, and share the extraordinary botanical and horticultural resources of the Arnold Arboretum with students\, scholars\, and millions of annual visitors. \nHe is a graduate of Oberlin College and the University of California\, Berkeley\, and taught at the University of Georgia and the University of Colorado before joining Harvard University and the Arnold Arboretum. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Olmsted Arboretum Design\n \n \n \n \n \n Arboretum Bussey Hill\, Lilac Collection photo by Jon Hetman\n \n \n \n \n \n Arboretum Kent Field\, Conifer Collection\, Autumn photo by Ned Friedman URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/evolving-landscapes-olmsted-design-and-the-arnold-arboretum/ CATEGORIES:Illustrated Lecture ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/arnold_arboretum_Oak-Collection-Fall_Ned-Friedman_34568.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260826T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260826T150000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260325T131704Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T131704Z UID:38313-1787752800-1787756400@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:Innovative Animal Adaptations DESCRIPTION:Discover the world of biomicry and learn about human inventions that were inspired by animals and plants in the wild. Explore hands-on activities to replicate some of the incredible adaptations that animals have perfected over millions of years. Meet DPNC ambassador animals and observe their innovative adaptations! \nWHEN: Wednesday\, August 26\, 2026\nTIME: 2 to 3 p.m.\nLOCATION: In person at the Museum \nDenison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up.\nSuggested donation $10.\n \nAll Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum.\nAttendance is limited to 15 children so advance registration is recommended.\nPlease phone: 631-788-7239 or email info@fergusonmuseum.org\n(note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s). URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/innovative-animal-adaptations-2/ CATEGORIES:Family Program ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/belted-kingfisher_Courtney-Celley_usfws.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260830T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260830T170000 DTSTAMP:20260504T215726 CREATED:20260331T201450Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260403T191332Z UID:38385-1788105600-1788109200@fergusonmuseum.org SUMMARY:The Blue Humanities: Reimagining America’s Maritime History DESCRIPTION:Join us at the Museum for an illustrated talk by Associate Professor of History at the University at Albany\, State University of New York\, Christopher L. Pastore\, who will give a fast-paced tour through America’s maritime history and explore how and why sea stories have changed over time.\nDuring the early twentieth centuries maritime topics drew considerable interest\, but by the second half the ocean’s past had fallen from favor. More recently\, historians\, geographers\, and literary scholars have breathed new life into salty subjects\, filling shelves with books organized around the idea of the “blue humanities.” Intended for fishermen\, sailors\, and beach combers alike\, this lecture explores why the field has faced this ebb and flood—and provides a winter reading list in the process. \nWHEN: Sunday\, August 30\, 2026\nTIME: 4 p.m.\nPLACE: In person at the Museum and virtual via zoom \nChristopher L. Pastore \nChristopher L. Pastore is Associate Professor of History at the University at Albany\, State University of New York\, where he teaches courses in environmental history\, early America\, and the Atlantic world. He holds a Ph.D. in American History and M.S. in college teaching from the University of New Hampshire\, an M.F.A. in nonfiction Creative Writing from New School University\, and a B.A. in Biology from Bowdoin College. He is the author of Temple to the Wind: The Story of America’s Greatest Naval Architect and His Masterpiece\, Reliance (Lyons Press\, 2005) and Between Land and Sea: The Atlantic Coast and the Transformation of New England (Harvard University Press\, 2014). He is currently writing an environmental history of the Atlantic world with working title of A Thousand Thousand Slimy Things: A Natural History of the Sea from the Bottom Up. \nPHOTO CREDIT: Winslow Homer\, Boys in a Dory\, 1873\, Public domain\, via Wikimedia Commons URL:https://fergusonmuseum.org/event/the-blue-humanities-reimagining-americas-maritime-history/ CATEGORIES:Illustrated Lecture ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fergusonmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Winslow_Homer_-_Boys_in_a_Dory_WC.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR