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Description
Connecticut is home to eight species of year-round turtles, including one species known as a stinkpot, which releases a smell to ward off predators, similar to skunk spray. Meet some of the beloved creatures that hold a vital role in our ecosystem in a special presentation at the Pardee-Morris House, “Totally Turtles” with Meigs Point Nature Center on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at 2 p.m. Weather updates are posted on Facebook, Instagram and https://www.newhavenmuseum.org.
During the “Totally Turtles” program, native turtles will be presented and discussed. Visitors will discover details of the turtles’ diets, adaptations, and habitats, and what to do if they find a turtle in the road. They’ll also get an up-close look at some of native turtles and see how to identify them.
According to the Meigs Point Nature Center, turtles are important contributors to their ecosystems and habitats. One example, the diamondback terrapin, is a keystone species, which helps hold its ecosystem and food chain together. In Connecticut, diamondback terrapins live in saltmarsh habitats and consume coffee bean snails, which if left unchecked would consume all the grass in the saltmarsh. The terrapin is a species of special concern, mostly due to habitat loss, and a prime example of why turtle species need to be protected.
Visitors are welcome to bring chairs and picnics and stay for the afternoon. Free tours of the historic house are available 12-4 p.m. New Haven Museum thanks community partner WSHU 91.1 FM for supporting the 2026 summer season.
About Meigs Point Nature Center
The Meigs Point Nature Center is an environmental education facility run and operated by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. It is their belief that one of the best ways to protect and preserve our environment and natural resource is through education. The more people know about the importance and uniqueness of Connecticut’s environments the more they will want to preserve them.
About the Pardee-Morris House
Located at 325 Lighthouse Road, in New Haven, the Pardee-Morris House dates from about 1780, and is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. Built by Amos Morris around 1750, the house was burned by the British during their raid on New Haven in 1779 and rebuilt and expanded by the Morris family. In 1918, William S. Pardee, a descendant of the Morris family, willed the property to the New Haven Colony Historical Society, today the New Haven Museum. For a complete list of summer events at the Pardee-Morris House, visit: http://newhavenmuseum.org/visit/pardee-morris-house/ For New Haven Museum’s event calendar: http://newhavenmuseum.org/visit/events-calendar/ Sign up for e-blasts at info@newhavenmuseum.org.
About the New Haven Museum
The New Haven Museum, founded in 1862 as the New Haven Colony Historical Society, is located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue. The Museum collects, preserves and interprets the history and heritage of Greater New Haven and through its collections, exhibitions, programs and outreach brings more than 375 years of the Elm City’s history to life. For more information visit http://newhavenmuseum.org or @newhavenmuseum or call 203-562-4183.
Date & Time
Sun, Aug 2, 2026 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Venue Details
Pardee-Morris House
325 Lighthouse RoadNew Haven, Connecticut 06510
