Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

Today, a generous $15,000 MATCH doubles your gift!

"Please speak softly, one of these foxes is blind and sensitive to loud noises” reads the sign outside the Red Fox enclosure.

When that Red Fox (named Woodstock for the location where she was found) arrived at Squam Lakes Natural Science Center as a tiny, orphaned kit in 2022, she was alone and struggling with permanent vision problems that made survival in the wild impossible. A fever that required daily temperature checks resulted in some nervousness around people, but we noticed she found comfort in the presence of our other female fox, who has since passed.

This spring, we welcomed two new Red Foxes to our Science Center family! Like Woodstock, these five-year-old companions couldn't survive in the wild due to early habituation with humans. More than an expansion of our wildlife community, their introduction was a thoughtful effort to provide Woodstock with companionship and comfort to give her the best life possible.

 But the impact of this fox trio reaches even further. As ambassadors for the Science Center, our foxes inspire joy, connection, and wonder in everyone who walks our trails. Through their stories, they help visitors of all ages understand the importance of compassion, conservation, and the intricate web of life that connects us all. Their purpose extends well beyond the boundaries of our property, touching hearts and minds throughout our community and beyond.

Your support makes all of this possible; from providing specialized care and companionship to creating opportunities for learning and inspiration. 

 Please consider making a gift today to help us continue caring for these remarkable animals and sharing their stories with the world.

Who We Are

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is a non-profit environmental education organization founded in 1966 located in Holderness, New Hampshire. With a mission to advance understanding of ecology by exploring New Hampshire’s natural world, the Science Center has brought visitors nearer to nature for more than 50 years.

Using the outdoors as a classroom and live native New Hampshire animals as teaching ambassadors, programs and exhibits teach the ecological concepts of adaptations, populations, interrelationships, and habitats in meaningful and memorable ways.

Open meadows, mature forests, and marsh boardwalks connect interactive natural history exhibits where native animals reside: black bear, mountain lion, raptors, river otter, bobcat, and more. Exhibits are appropriate for explorers of all ages. Many varied educational offerings provide unparalleled points of entry to the natural world for both school children and the general public.

Blue Heron School is a nature-based Montessori early learning center that combines a child-focused Montessori approach with daily outdoor experiences in a stimulating learning atmosphere. Staff naturalists present natural history programs year-round ranging from lake ecology classes, to outdoor experiences, to indoor live animal presentations. Additionally, the Science Center offers year-round adult courses and workshops, lecture series, natural history trips and tours, classes for home school families, and summer classes for children. Guided natural history tours of Squam Lake are offered from May through October.

In September 2006,again in 2011, and again in 2016, the Science Center gained national accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA); it is the only AZA-accredited institution in northern New England. In a typical year, more than 70,000 public visitors tour the live animal exhibit trail, while another 25,000 participate in programs and courses, and 10,000 enjoy educational tours of Squam Lake. Most general public visitors are from across New Hampshire, closely followed by Massachusetts, and other New England states, with some from all 50 states and several foreign countries.