Field Trips & Tours

Guided visits to the Fisher Museum and Harvard Forest's natural history trails and research sites can be arranged for a moderate fee, which you can learn about at our Guided Tour Fees page.

Please be advised of changes to our reservation capacity for conferences and guided tours. 

• Conferences are available for 2024. Please contact hfvisit@fas.harvard.edu with questions.
• University and adult tours are available for 2024. Please contact hf-edu@fas.harvard.edu with questions.
• K-12 tours are available. Please contact hf-edu@fas.harvard.edu with questions.
• Self-guided tours that include the Fisher Museum are available.

Virtual Tours

Interactive virtual tours are led by scientists and educators at the Harvard Forest. They run up to 1 hour in length and focus on an intensive eastern hemlock research area at the Harvard Forest, with guided exploration and opportunities for Q&A with students about:

• long-term carbon research in forest air and soils
• forest phenology (seasonal change)
• the region's major drivers of forest change, with a focus on invasive species and climate
• what we're learning from the Harvard Forest "mega-plot" study area

Content is somewhat modular and, upon request, may also include information about natural history (with connections to the Fisher Museum dioramas), plant identification, and related topics.

In Person Tours

Tours range from 2-4 hours and are individually tailored to each group's background and interest. Groups may request special visits to certain habitats or study areas. Occasionally, scientsts are available to meet with groups, but more traditionally, tours are led by education staff. 

• 15-minute film in the Fisher Museum, describing the history, forest management, and long-term ecological research of the Harvard Forest
• 30-minute to 1-hour tour of the Fisher Museum dioramas, emphasizing the land-use history of the region and its role in ecological research
• 45-minute to 1.5-hour outdoor tour of the natural history trails and/or research sites

Reservations

Availability of tours is highly variable and requires reservation in advance. To inquire about a tour, please contact hf-edu@fas.harvard.edu. Reservations can be made online via our Tours and Conferences page.

Nature trails with interpretive natural history signs are also available 365 days a year for self-guided exploration.

Tour Fees

Our primary mission at Harvard Forest is research and education for Harvard University students. Field trips for other groups - of all ages and from around the world - are led by a small group of devoted, knowledgeable, but extremely part-time employees. To cover staff time and facilities upkeep, we must charge visiting groups a fee (please see Guided Tour Fees). If your school's budget cannot cover the full fee, we may be able to offer a fee reduction. Call (978) 724-3302 or email hf-edu@fas.harvard.edu. 

We appreciate your support as we continue to engage a wide variety of students in the many lessons available in our Museum, research sites, and natural history trails.