The Nylander Museum in Caribou was quite busy during the spring school break, April 14-22, offering a variety of activities for children and adults that were focused on woodland animals.
Museum staff and board members designed fun and hands on “Forest Frolic” activities that ranged from participants making bookmarks with a woodland animal theme to creating their own stories about favorite wild creatures.
Animal art is displayed in a binder on a chair on Saturday, April 21, during spring break week activities at the Nylander Museum in Caribou. (Courtesy of John O’Meara)
There was something to do for all ages, board member Gail Hagelstein said Saturday. “I’ve seen grandparents sit down and enjoy it as much as the kids.”
One popular activity involved matching animal pelts donated by a volunteer with a display of the tracks of that animal, capped off with an opportunity to read more about the appearance and behavior of each species. Neatly preserved fox and other woodland animals lay up close and personal for anyone to observe.
The Nylander Museum is home to several mounted or stuffed forest animals.
“You can take a selfie with the leaping deer and the giggling bear,” said Hagelstein.
In addition, one corner of the museum was dedicated to a rocking chair with detailed pictures of various woodland creatures. Participants were invited to leaf through the pictures and create a story about the forest animals. The forest frolic aimed to stimulate creativity while allowing attendees to gain knowledge about the outside world, explained Hagelstein.
A display of eggs also took center stage at the event.
“The kids are very interested in the eggs,” stated Hagelstein. A wide variety of eggs lay displayed in a glass case — from the very tiny to those much larger than an ordinary chicken egg. But one of the biggest draws at the forest frolic was to put on white gloves and examine specimens of forest animals as would any forensic naturalist.
“How many people get to examine a real moose jaw,” asked Hagelstein, comparing the larger jaw with a much smaller deer specimen.
Among the biggest draws for visitors to the Nylander Museum during school break week activities were the specimens of forest animals like this moose jaw being compared to a much smaller deer specimen.
(Courtesy of John O’Meara)
Nylander Museum board member Debbie Nichols demonstrated another connection to Aroostook’s largest woodland animal by showing off how participants at the frolic could make their own moose mask while at the museum.
Founded in 1939, the Nylander Museum houses many of the collections of self-taught naturalist Olaf Nylander, who emigrated to the Caribou area as a young man. A fixture for school age children and anyone interested in natural history for generations, the Nylander Museum often hosts educational events and activities.
“We’ve had a good turnout,” said board member Hagelstein of attendance at the forest frolic. For more information about upcoming events at the museum, located on Main Street in Caribou, call 498-6156 or visit the facility’s Facebook page.
