ROCHESTER, NY— The Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC) Cumming Nature Center, will embrace autumn with events ranging from outdoor yoga and guided exploration to blacksmithing and bushcraft. Admission varies by event and space is limited; visit RMSC.org for more information.
Blacksmithing Classes
Fundamentals: Saturdays, Oct. 12, 8:30am, 10:30am, 1pm, 3pm | Oct. 26, 8:30am, 10:30am
Intermediate: Saturdays, Oct. 26, 1pm, 3pm | Nov. 2, 8:30am, 10:30am, 1pm, 3pm
Blacksmithing Fundamentals: Learn the basics of blacksmithing in a hands-on session, including how to heat with a coal-fired forge and techniques for safe hammer usage. Participants will create a wall hook or bottle opener.
Intermediate Blacksmithing: Learn decorative hammering and the use of chisels and punches as you create a plant hanger with decorative leaf work or a hay penny scroll for ends. Students are required to have taken the beginner class or have prior blacksmithing experience.
Bushcraft Workshops
Fire I: Saturday, Oct. 12, 9am–12pm
Fire II: Saturday, Oct. 12, 12:30–3:30pm
Leather: Saturday, Oct. 12 12:30–3:30pm
Fire III: Saturday, Nov. 2, 9am–12pm, 12:30–3:30pm
Basketry: Saturday, Nov. 2, 10am–3:30pm
The origin of the phrase “bushcraft” comes from skills used in the bush country of Australia, and bushcraft programs teach skills and knowledge needed to thrive in nature: fire building, tracking, hunting, fishing, shelter-building, navigation by natural means, the use of tools such as knives and axes, foraging, water sourcing, wood-carving, container construction, and rope/twine-making.
Fire Workshop I—All About Fire: Learn general fire safety and how to build and light a fire from local materials with a variety of methods during a day of stories, games, and even a challenge or two! Alex Szuba, experienced primitive skills educator, will be the instructor for this day for families and children age 8+.
Fire Workshop II—Methods of Fire: Learn advanced fire-building methods like flint and steel, fire by friction, and how to light a fire in wet weather. In addition, participants will use fire as a tool to create a bowl as a group project, cook a tasty treat, and learn how the use of fire has changed throughout human history. This program, led by Alex Szuba, a wilderness skills instructor and nature educator with a passion for fire skills, has been built for families and children 12+.
Fire Workshop III—Friction Fire: Learn the basics of fire by friction, what materials to use from the landscape, and construct a bow drill kit. Alex Szuba, experienced primitive skills educator, will lead this class on a timeless skill that can be used in a survival situation—or the next time you go camping—for young people and adults ages 14+ who are comfortable using carving tools.
Make Your Own Leather Pouch: Make a pouch for storing tinder, medicine, or special treasures using leather materials. Participants will work with leather to create a drawstring pouch, which they will sew with sinew or leather cord, and personalize with bones, beads, and more. Appropriate for ages 8+.
Wild Basketry: Craft your own basket using materials harvested off the landscape. Get familiar with spruce roots, bending branches for weaving, or even the feel of cattails for coiling. Work with a guide to transform the plants around you into one-of-a kind baskets. Appropriate for ages 12 +.
Outstand Naturalist | Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 19–20, Oct. 26–27 | 11am–3pm
Explore the Cumming Nature Center landscape with naturalist Shariee Edersheim and uncover the hidden gems and oft-overlooked magic of the forest and fields. Our experienced naturalist is out in the field, at the edge of the beaver pond, or searching for salamanders, and always excited to share her finds—as well as her knowledge. Come with questions, or simply bring your insatiable sense of wonder!
Volunteer Trail Work Day | Sat., Nov 2 | 9am -3:30pm
We’re seeking volunteers to help clear trails of fallen trees/debris, fix benches and trail signs, and walk the trails to ensure they are still in good shape—help keep the Cumming Nature Center beautiful and visitor-friendly.
Yoga in the Pines | Sunday, Nov. 10 | 2:30–4pm
Yoga in the Pines takes yoga practice into the great outdoors. Participants will have the opportunity to practice yoga and meditation in a sacred and serene setting. During this 90-minute session, Lynne Boucher of Yoga Revolution will guide the group through a gentle open-level vinyasa flow as well as seated and walking meditation. No yoga experience necessary.
The Cumming Nature Center is a dynamic, 900-acre environmental education facility that celebrates the unique landscape and culture of the Finger Lakes region through experiential learning opportunities and thoughtful exhibits. Educational programming at the Nature Center explores the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. These programs are designed to inspire innovative thinking among participants and provide them with the tools, knowledge and confidence to take action in the face of local, regional and global challenges. The preserve includes six miles of trails and countless opportunities to connect with the outdoors.
General admission to the Cumming Nature Center is $3 per person, $10 per family. Admission is free for RMSC Members and Nature Center Pines Pass Members. Additional fees may apply for some experiences, including those listed here. For information, fees, and reservations visit RMSC.org. For group reservations and rates, call 585.374.6160.
Trails are open five days a week: Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday). The Cumming Nature Center is located at 6472 Gulick Road, Naples, NY 14512.
For additional information, contact Mare Millow, Marketing Communications Manager, RMSC, 585.697.1944, mmillow@rmsc.org.
Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) includes the Science Museum, Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. Offering experiences at the Museum with more than 200 interactive exhibits, Planetarium with a 65-foot dome and Nature Center on 900 acres, the RMSC stimulates community interest in exploration. In addition, the more than 1.2 million RMSC collection items tell the story of Rochester’s past and present, including its rich history of innovation and invention. RMSC receives major funding from Monroe County, where it is one of the top three most visited attractions serving children and families. For more information about RMSC, visit RMSC.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
