Inspired by Nature: Ancient Pasts & Distant Futures Nature Making Lab

Date(s): Sunday, August 16, 2026
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Venue: Matthaei Botanical Gardens
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Hey, interested in Nature? Interested in Making? If so, and you are between the ages of 8 – 12, Matthaei Botanical Gardens invites you to a morning of Making, Inspired by Nature, Sunday, August 16, 10am-1pm.

Drawing on what we know and imagine about both ancient pasts and distant futures to inform nature inspired making at Gaffield Children’s Garden. In addition to a Coming & Going station, you are invited to make cool stuff, artistic artifacts, and simple machines using natural and foraged materials, simple tools, and your own naturalist and scientific imaginations.

This is a pilot program – no registration required, but please check in at the Coming & Going station at the Gaffield Children’s Garden Tree Tunnel. Your adults can participate or chill out nearby in Gaffield Children’s Garden.  

Nature Making Labs: 

• Map-making & Paper Arts Making Lab
• Carving & Shaping Making Lab
• Garments & Costumes Making Lab
• Prototyping from the Future & Past Making Lab

Summer Bash Open House at Future Innovators Academy

August 9 1-3p

• Arbor Annie's Highlights
• Crafts
• Free
• History
• Nature
• Outdoor

Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be cancelled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, or we can make mistakes.