Arlington Community Education

No leaves? No problem. We’ll get up close to identify 10–12 common trees using branching patterns, buds, bark, habitat clues, persistent fruits, galls, and even marcescent leaves. The walk will focus on tree ID as well as fun and fascinating natural history. Bring a hand lens or magnifying glass if you have one. Children ages 10+ are welcome to register if accompanied by a registered adult.

Ride with confidence, save money, and become more self-reliant. Learn how to keep your bicycle rolling by doing your own routine maintenance and tackling basic repairs on the side of the road. You’ll fix a flat tire, adjust brakes and gears, and keep your chain running smoothly. We’ll also cover how to stay safe on the road, reduce the need for repairs, choose the right gear for different conditions, and address any other topics of interest to the group. No experience necessary. Bring your non-electric bike, small tools (a list will be provided), and optional gloves.

Castle Island isn’t just about stunning views of Boston Harbor, scenic walking paths, and sandy beaches—it’s a treasure trove of history and local flavor. Take a guided tour through the island’s forts, dating back to 1634, and learn how the MWRA’s Deer Island wastewater treatment plant helped revitalize the harborfront. Discover Logan Airport’s vital role in New England commerce and uncover Edgar Allan Poe’s surprising 1820s connection to the island. After the tour, stick around for an optional casual seafood lunch at Castle Island’s iconic seasonal spot, Sullivan’s. Because what’s Boston history without a lob-stah roll?

Boston’s Chinatown is filled with so many little shops and restaurants—it’s easy to get lost amid its colorful window displays and enticing aromas. Our journey begins in the heart of Chinatown, where we’ll learn about its history while stopping at a few shops and bakeries for samples. Next, we’ll visit a Chinese herbal shop to examine traditional Chinese medicinal remedies before touring a Chinese market to explore exotic produce and other unique offerings. We’ll also try dim sum from a traditional and popular restaurant. Please note: Dietary restrictions CANNOT be accommodated on this food tour.

The South End, one of the more under-explored neighborhoods of Boston, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for having the highest concentration of late-Victorian brick bow-front row houses. Luckily for us, it also has a lot of chocolate! Come along on this afternoon chocolate tour of Boston and sample delectable chocolate cuisine while touring an eclectic mix of local cafes, shops, restaurants, and boutiques in this truly charming and historic neighborhood. Please note: Meeting location and safety guidelines will be emailed one week prior to the course. Tuition includes tastings.

Enjoy a guided tour of the Codman Estate’s historic landscape in Lincoln and learn about its evolution and preservation. The last two generations of family members, who lived here between 1862 and 1968, made notable improvements to the grounds and gardens while carefully preserving aspects of what their 18th-century ancestors created. The grounds feature a hidden Italianate garden (c. 1900) with perennial beds, statuary, and a reflecting pool filled with water lilies, as well as an English cottage garden (c. 1908).

H Mart is a supersized Asian market chock full of culinary treasures. But for some, the unfamiliar ingredients, unrecognizable labels, and football-field size of the store can be overwhelming. Join a culinary expert for a guided and curated tour around the market. We’ll highlight certain sections: sauces, noodles, dumplings, seaweed, rice, tofu, fresh banchan (Korean side dishes), an ocean of fish, meats, and condiments. If you like, bring along a recipe to help focus our search. The last half hour will be for sourcing specific ingredients or Q&A over tea and sweets in the food court. Receive a goody bag, recipes, and tips on how to stock your own “starter” Asian pantry.

Mount Auburn, designated a National Historic Landmark, is one of the country’s most significant designed landscapes. Here, the arts of horticulture, architecture, and sculpture blend seamlessly with the beauty of nature to create a place of comfort and inspiration. This 1.5-mile walking tour will focus on the stories of history, monuments, and the lives of those buried here.

Ride local roads and trails, exploring locales north and west of Arlington. Our starting locations will vary and include Arlington, Beverly, Carlisle, Gloucester, and others. We will ride about 25 miles, maintain an average pace of 12 mph, and climb some hills—because while New England is lovely, it is definitely not flat!

Celebrate the Full Corn Moon. We’ll start on the hilltop behind the new All Seasons Barn with a touch of poetry and a chat about the moon’s phases while we wait for it to rise in the east. As twilight deepens, we’ll wander through fields, around the farm pond, and into the woods, soaking in the peaceful natural world under darkening skies. We’ll return to the barnyard to watch the moon climb higher and share favorite full moon memories. And yes—there might be a special treat at the end of the walk! Please note: Children ages 10+ are welcome to register if accompanied by a registered adult. Meeting location will be emailed upon registration.

Explore the Gibson House Museum in Boston’s historic Back Bay neighborhood and learn about the gay subculture of early-twentieth-century Boston through Charlie Gibson’s eyes. American writer and preservationist Charles Hammond Gibson, Jr., created the museum to preserve his family mansion as a time capsule of the wealth, leisure, and elaborate social decorum of domestic life from the mid-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries. His story is one of legacy and family history, of the fading grandeur of Victorian-era Boston, and of Boston’s LGBTQ history. Please note: The tour is one hour and involves walking up and down five flights of stairs.

This tour offers private access to the Lincoln house and grounds of Walter Gropius, one of the most influential architects of the 20th century and founder of the German design school known as the Bauhaus. Modest in scale, this 1938 home was revolutionary in impact. Gropius believed that the relationship of a house to its landscape was of paramount importance. In keeping with Bauhaus philosophy, every aspect of the house and its surrounding landscape was planned for maximum efficiency and simplicity of design, revealing design strategies that have returned to architectural importance for green and sustainable design in the 21st century. Ages 10+

Learn local history and all about chocolate. Throughout this walking tour, we’ll make four stops, including a lesson in how to taste chocolate. We’ll sample delicious local ice cream from an independent store and try unique chocolate desserts such as baked goods and specialty hot chocolate. Sip cacao juice directly from the chocolate fruit and sample roasted cacao beans. All ages are welcome.

“Donut” miss out on this mouthwatering adventure through Cambridge’s iconic Harvard Square. Sample an irresistible array of artisanal donuts crafted with passion and precision by four local bakeries as your friendly guide shares stories about donuts and the historic sights you’ll see. Try uniquely flavored donuts such as Greek donuts, mochi donuts, and churros. All ages welcome. Please Note: Unfortunately allergies cannot be accommodated.

Register each person individually. Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and tour Arlington's historic Jason Russell House. Take a walk through time in this colonial gem and discover the crucial role that Arlington (formerly Menotomy) played on the first day of the American Revolution. This c. 1745 farmhouse was the site of fierce fighting on April 19, 1775 where at least 12 patriots lost their lives during the Battle of Menotomy as British troops retreated from Concord to Boston. See bullet holes that mark the violent ambush by British redcoats and hear how Menotomy citizens mobilized in an overwhelming show of resistance alongside militia from as far away as Danvers and Needham.

Discover new places to hike and hear tales about Native American settlers and esteemed writers such as Alcott and Emerson. We’ll walk five to six miles each week, rain or shine. Enjoy the camaraderie of fellow walkers as we learn and have fun, all while taking in the beauty of nature and local history. Please note: Locations vary each week and details will be emailed. All walks meet rain or shine, please dress for the weather.

Shrubs are defined as woody plants smaller than trees, typically with multiple stems. This nature walk will focus on 10–12 common native New England shrubs such as highbush blueberry, silky dogwood, and smooth sumac, and maybe a few non-natives as well. We will focus on plant identification as well as fun and fascinating natural history. Discover which shrub makes a delicious, vitamin C-rich drink and which the Chippewa once used as a remedy for “craziness.” Bring a hand lens if you have one. Please note: Children ages 10+ are welcome to register if accompanied by a registered adult. Meeting location will be emailed upon registration.

“I think that I shall never see/ A poem lovely as a tree.” The trees of New England are both beautiful and essential to our landscape. Discover 10–12 of the region’s most common trees, focusing on identification as well as fun and fascinating natural history.

The last mansion standing in the West End neighborhood of Bowdoin Square, Otis House was designed by Charles Bulfinch for Harrison Gray Otis, a lawyer, congressman, Boston mayor, and key developer of nearby Beacon Hill. This Federal-style home reflects both the elegant lifestyle of the Otis family and its later use as a clinic and a middle-class boarding house. Now a National Historic Landmark, its restoration showcases brilliantly colored wallpapers, carpeting, and high-style furnishings based on meticulous historical and scientific research.

Tour the house and grounds of Medford’s Royall House and Slave Quarters, part of the 600-acre Ten Hills Farm and home to the largest slaveholders in Massachusetts history, as well as the enslaved Africans who made their lavish way of life possible. The house is among the finest local examples of colonial-era buildings still standing, and the slave quarters are the only remaining slave quarters in New England. Today, this museum’s architecture, household items, and archaeological artifacts bear witness to intertwined stories of wealth and bondage and explore the meanings of freedom and independence before, during, and since the American Revolution. Ages 10+ Please note: The museum is only wheelchair accessible on the first floor of the Royall House and the Slave Quarters. The only way to get up to the second floor of the Royall House is by using the stairs.

After a quick introduction to kayak strokes, we’ll launch our double kayaks and begin our sightseeing. We’ll paddle past the Great Dome of MIT, cross the Charles to the Esplanade, and take in the skyline, including the Hancock and Prudential buildings, Citgo sign, State House dome, and the financial district. After viewing a beautiful sunset and illuminated skyline, the guide will talk about the history and architecture of the city, then the group will enjoy a serene and quiet paddle back to the dock. Children ages 12+ are welcome to register if accompanied by a registered adult.

Join a mushroom expert for a guided walk through local wetlands and mixed woods to explore the fascinating fungi of the Northeast. Get a close-up look at a variety of species that grow on and off the trails, and learn to observe key features to help identify them. You’ll gain insight into which mushrooms are safe to forage and deepen your understanding of the diversity of fungi that appear with the changing weather. This easy-paced, two-hour walk covers uneven terrain. Wear sturdy shoes and tick/bug spray, and bring a water bottle, a basket (optional), and a field guide if you have one.

Experience the exquisite artistry of the renowned Blaschka glass models of flowering plants at Harvard’s Museum of Natural History. Whether you are discovering these marvels for the first time or eager to return and learn more about this unparalleled collection, join this presentation and guided tour. A museum docent will share an overview of the botany behind the artwork, discuss the delicate flameworking techniques that brought them to life, and share the fascinating story of how these glass models made their way from Germany to Harvard.