Lunchtime Meditation and Mindfulness (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian Asian Art Museum) Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free online meditation sessions each week led by DC-based meditation teachers on Tuesdays and Fridays. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, much of which is inspired by nature, ...

The Botany of Desire (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian Environmental Research Center) How do plants make a living? That question has propelled botanist Dennis Whigham for his nearly 47-year career with the Smithsonian. Orchids were especially bewitching. Join Dennis for a journey of discovery through the orchid world. He’ll take you from their unlikely beginnings as “dust seeds,” to the microscopic fungi they depend on to thrive, ...

Free

Enid A. Haupt Garden Tour

Enid A. Haupt Smithsonian Garden Independence Avenue SW and L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (Smithsonian Gardens) Free weekly tours of the Enid A. Haupt Garden are offered every Wednesday at 10 a.m. from May 22 through September 25, 2024, weather permitting. Meet one of our knowledgeable docents by the tour sign in the Enid A. Haupt Garden near the south entrance to the Smithsonian Castle. No reservation is required.

Invasive Removal at Whitehaven

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the National Park Service, and Rock Creek Weed Warriors Tere and Susi Baranano for this invasive plant removal restoration event in Rock Creek Park. Invasive plants are a major threat to our fragile forests, and stopping their spread helps allow native plants to thrive in the understory. This event is part of ...

Free

Exhibit: Forces of Nature

National Portrait Gallery 800 G St NW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (National Portrait Gallery) “Forces of Nature: Voices that Shaped Environmentalism” presents some of the key people—scientists, politicians, activists, writers and artists—whose work has influenced attitudes toward the environment in the United States from the late 19th century until today. The exhibition traces a history of the movement from turn-of-the-20th-century conservationism to mid-20th-century environmentalism and its backlash. It also addresses ...

Free

Deep Dive: Bat Conservation (Virtual)

(VA) (Arlington Parks) We'll learn about Virginia’s 17 bat species. We'll also learn how to have a successful bat house on your property and discuss threats to Virginia’s bats like white-nosed syndrome. The Rafinesque Big-eared bat will be highlighted as an example of local bat conservation.

Free

Farmer for a Day

Temple Hall Farm Regional Park 15855 Limestone School Road, Leesburg, VA, United States

(VA) (NOVA Parks)Come help us with our farm chores! Participants will get an up close and private experience with our animals and get to see what it is like to be a farm helper for a day. Your group will get to meet the animals, participate in morning farm chores, and learn as you go with one of our expert ...

$50

Discover Native Plants

US Botanic Garden 100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington DC, United States

(DC) (US Botanic Garden) Join a USBG volunteer to explore the Regional Garden! You'll learn about Mid-Atlantic native plants and how to incorporate them into a garden. Note: This tour is dependent both on weather and volunteer availability.  

Free

Youth Mountain Bike Ride

Burnt Mills East Park 10701 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD, United States

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) This is a no rider left behind group ride – think “party pace.” This is a perfect way to meet other riders and build skills on your bike. We do have a limited number of bikes and Helmets available free of charge in case you don’t have one (we will ask to hold something as collateral during ...

Trivia Night at Hillwood

Hillwood Estate 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (Hillwood) Celebrate ocean optimism with a fun and enlightening evening of trivia at Hillwood! Tour the mansion, gardens, greenhouse, and special exhibition Fragile Beauty: Art of the Ocean, eat delicious pub-style snacks at Merriweather Café, and enjoy a summer evening at Hillwood with friends. Reservations are by table, with each table seating up to 4 people per team. The ticket ...

$7 – $40

Anacostia River Boat Tour

Anacostia Park Boat Ramp 1500 Anacostia Dr, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (Anacostia Watershed Society) Explore the Anacostia River while riding in one of our open-air boats as part of the Anacostia River Explorers program. Anacostia Watershed Society staff will take participants on a one hour tour of the river while discussing natural and cultural history along with restoration efforts. You will experience the joy of being out on the water ...

Free

Forest Bathing at Fort Slocum

Fort Slocum Park 5800 Kansas NW Ave, Washington, DC

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy and Sarah DeWitt, Certified Forest Therapy Guide for a two-hour gentle walk to help you slow down and reconnect with yourself, nature, and your community. Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, is the simple practice of taking in the woods through the senses. This forest bathing walk will begin with some gentle mindful ...

Free
Capital Nature