Mushrooms, Bats, and Minerals Take Center Stage This Fall with the CSMNH

The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History heads to the archives and the woods this fall to celebrate the wonderful world of mushrooms with exhibits and field experiences! We will also join old friends and new to highlight bats, minerals, and more during special events at locations around eastern Connecticut.

Mischief Makers: the Evolution of Mushroom Illustrations is a collaborative exhibit designed by the CSMNH and the UConn Libraries Archives and Special Collections. It offers selections from the Ethel R. Warkov Collection of mushroom paintings alongside comparative illustrations from historical mycology texts from the Archives and Special Collections. The exhibit features a rotating selection of paintings and illustrations. It is on view now at the Dodd Center for Human Rights at UConn through October 30.

In honor of the first exhibition of Ethel Warkov’s paintings by the Museum in nearly 30 years, we are excited to be hosting multiple mushroom forays during The Last Green Valley’s annual Walktober program. Karen Monger, one of The 3 Foragers and member of the Connecticut Valley Mycological Society, will be leading both walks. The community is invited to join the Museum and Karen on Saturday October 17 at James L. Goodwin State Forest in Hampton for a program covering the basics of mushroom identification. Then, on Friday October 30, Karen will be at UConn Storrs hunting for the mysterious mushrooms found around Halloween at the Hillside Environmental Education Park (HEEP). Karen has been foraging for more than 20 years and over the last decade has provided more than 200 educational hikes, talks, and demonstrations across Connecticut. We’re very excited to have her, and thankful that she will help us explore one of Connecticut’s over 60+ state parks and UConn’s backyard with an eye to the elusive mushrooms that can be found there.

Come visit the CSMNH at annual favorites like the Celebrate Mansfield Festival and the Connecticut Archaeology Fair this fall! Visit us at Mansfield’s long-running street fair to learn about bats and view specimens from our collections. The Museum again joined the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry in preparing for their annual Celebrate Mansfield Puppet Pageant. This year’s theme is “A Connecticut Underwater Adventure,” and the CSMNH helped with the cast of aquatic characters with some puppets made by Museum staff and Student Friends! The Connecticut Archaeology Fair is happening in the northeast this season, at the Lebanon Historical Society. Archaeologists from across the state, including the Museum’s own State Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Sportman, will be on site with demonstrations, exhibits, and lectures all about the world of Connecticut archaeology.

The Museum has been invited to join a special event this fall and will be at the Florence Griswold Museum (FloGris) during their beloved Wee Faerie Village! The theme this year is “Gemstone Station: A Town That Rocks” and the CSMNH will bring specimens from our mineral collections for a day of hands-on study inspired by the faerie houses on display across the grounds. The Wee Faerie Village and our special activity are included in admission to FloGris, and discounts are available for FloGris and CSMNH members.

We’ll also be at Storrs Downtown’s Winter Welcome again this December and save the date for our OSA Year-in-Review lecture by Dr. Sportman on January 30, 2027! She will be talking about the last year of activities and findings by the Office of State Archaeology and the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology (FOSA), with examples of artifacts on display.

Visit https://csmnh.uconn.edu/programs/for more information and to register for programs.

If you require an accommodation to participate in any Museum program or to visit our exhibits, please contact the Museum at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu.

We look forward to seeing you this fall!

Fall Programs at a Glance:

Mischief Makers: The Evolution of Mushroom Illustrations Exhibit at UConn Libraries Archives and Special Collections, Dodd Center for Human Rights, Storrs August 10 – October 30, 2026.

9am-4pm Tuesday through Friday, Mondays by appointment.

Celebrate Mansfield Festival: Bats! in Storrs Downtown, Saturday September 26.

2-6pm. Festival is free and open to the public!

Connecticut Archaeology Fair, Lebanon Historical Society, Saturday October 3, 2026.

11am-3pm. Fair is free and open to the public!

“Gemstone Station: A Town That Rocks” Mineral Specimen Display and Activity at the

Florence Griswold Museum’s Wee Faerie Village, Old Lyme, CT Saturday October 10, 2026.

11am-4pm. Wee Faerie Village is included with FloGris museum admission.

Walktober: Mushroom Identification with Karen Monger, James L. Goodwin State Forest, Hampton, CT Saturday October 17, 2026.

10am-12pm. Free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated!

Walktober: Halloween Mushrooms at the HEEP with Karen Monger, Hillside Environmental Education Park, UConn Storrs, Friday October 30, 2026.

1-3pm. Free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated!

For more information contact: Elizabeth Barbeau

860-486-4460 | Web: csmnh.uconn.edu | Facebook: @CSMNH | Instagram: @ctnaturalhistory