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Since 1990, Buttonwood Nature Center (formerly The Institute) has served the community throughout the Cumberland Valley region, providing hands-on environmental and cultural education and a variety of family events.

Formerly based at Waynesboro’s Renfrew Park, The Institute left that property in 2020. In 2024 our name was changed to Buttonwood Nature Center, reflecting our beautiful new campus, a 40-acre rural property near Waynesboro at 10356 Amsterdam Road. Work is underway to transform the property into a community nature center and living classroom. Pending the opening of the nature center (our bridge is under construction) activities are conducted at parks and historic sites around the greater Waynesboro area.

For more than 30 years, we have provided educational programming and field trips for area school children pre-K through high school, with topics ranging from nature and our environment to the cultural history of our region.

Adults and teens attend Community Learning programs on topics like geology, astronomy and regional history. Outdoor activities include trail hikes, geology field trips, star parties, garden talks, bi-weekly bird walks and more.

Buttonwood also offers high school and university internships as well as citizen science opportunities such as a stream water monitoring program. Outdoor programs for kids run all year: Wee Wonders nature series for preschool; EXPLORE! outdoor adventures for grades K–5; and DISCOVER! educational sessions for teens to age 17. Summer programs include Fly Fishing Camp, Art in the Park, Archaeology Workshop, Summer Stories, Textile Arts Camp, Nature Journaling Camp, crafting, and nature exploration programs.

Our family-friendly community events include Kite Fly, Jazz Fest, Pumpkins & Pippins fall festival, Youth Fest, Earth Celebration Day, and Winter Solstice Celebration.

Check our website, ButtonwoodNatureCenter.org, and join our email list to find out what Buttonwood Nature Center offers.

Buttonwood Nature Center is an active member of the Cumberland Valley Business Alliance. For more information about joining the CVBA, please contact our team at info@cvballiance.org or call 717-264-7101.

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