Community Calendar

"During this ArtBreak, Prof. Ginger Owen-Murakami will discuss one of the most influential documentary photographs ever created. Produced by Dorothea Lange during the Great Depression as part of Roy Stryker’s Farm Security Administration (FSA) photography project, Migrant Mother remains in the public domain of the United States Library of Congress. As one of the most widely reproduced images in American history, this photograph endures as a profound symbol of hardship, resilience, and collective memory, embodying the struggles and perseverance that shaped the American experience.

Ginger Owen-Murakami is a Professor of Photography at Western Michigan University's Gwen Frostic School of Art. She teaches a variety of classes in Fine Art Studies (History, Professional Practices, Traditional Darkroom, Digital & Alternative Processes). Owen-Murakami’s artwork derives imagery from narratives and themes of family history, race, gender, and culture. She has lectured, worked, and exhibited internationally."

The Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative in partnership with the Douglass Community Association will present a free workshop "Scrolling for the Truth: How to Find Trustworthy News” on Thursday, September 10 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the community room at the Douglass Community Association, 1000 W. Paterson, Kalamazoo.

The event, which includes dinner and discussion, will be suitable for teens and adults, and feature Western Michigan University School of Communication Professor Sue Ellen Christian, who will share tools, tips, and tactics on how to spot misinformation and manipulated images, and what to look for to identify quality news sources. Participants will need a charged smartphone to participate fully in the workshop.

RSVPs are requested. Free parking is available, and an activity table will be available for children.

Jigsaw Puzzle Night
Do you fancy yourself a jigsaw genius? Gather a team of puzzle Picassos for another Jigsaw Puzzle Night! Teams will have 2 hours to complete a 550 piece puzzle from our collection, with the fastest team winning a prize. Just here to take your time? No worries! All teams will take home their puzzle, and you can always take it slow with provided snacks and drinks.

While we have many puzzles, if you have your eye on something special, all puzzles will be first come first served!

Limit 5 members per group.

Thursday, September 10, 2026, from 6:00 – 9:00PM

Meet: Auditorium inside the visitor center

Fee: $50 per group ($40 member) Please register >

Audience: All ages

KNC holds the distinct privilege of working alongside two of the only three people in Michigan who are permitted to band Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. These small but mighty birds can tell an incredible story that leads researchers to better understand the species so that they can be properly protected. Banding and documenting body condition data contributes to the Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s story. For three days this fall, you can observe this process as part of our annual bird banding research with the Kalamazoo Valley Bird Observatory banding team. A rare and incredible experience to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds up close. We’d love to share this special project with you!

We have Bird Banding Up Close happening daily (except on Saturdays) all fall long!

All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Lab.

Friday, August 28, 2026

Friday, September 4, 2026

Friday, September 11, 2026

Weather permitting

Time: 8 -10 am

Meet: KNC’s Bird Banding Barn

Fee: Included in regular KNC admission; KNC Members free!

Audience: All ages

Join conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas for a public conversation exploring how artists document society and shape what it means to be American. Presented on the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Thomas will also reflect on love, language, and unity as tools for collective healing — drawing on his own practice, including his neon work, Love Over Rules, sculpture Community, and photo-based work, Pledge, on view in For the People, By the People: America at 250. A moderated Q&A facilitated by Rehema Barber, KIA Director of Curatorial Affairs, will follow.

Thomas holds a B.F.A. from New York University and an M.A./M.F.A. from the California College of the Arts, San Francisco. He has received honorary doctorates from the Maryland Institute of Art, Baltimore, and the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts, Portland, ME.

Arrive early to view Thomas’s Pledge (2018), Love Over Rules (Horizon Blue) (2020), and Community (2024), all on view in the For the People, By the People exhibition! Gallery hours for this exhibition will be extended until 6 pm, and admission is included with the cost of lecture attendance. Purchase early — tickets for this highly anticipated program are likely to sell quickly!

Ticket Prices:
KIA Members - $10
Non-members - $15
College students - $5

This beginner class will be a walk thru the property to examine the utilitarian roles of local herbs, trees, and shrubs. Plants for dyes, fire making, glues, containers, and shelter uses will be explored. Wear walking shoes and dress for the weather.

This hands-on, half-day session covers everything from selecting and prepping tomatoes to safely canning them into jars of pure homemade goodness. Perfect for beginners and seasoned canners alike, you’ll leave with your own jar of canned tomatoes and the confidence to continue canning at home.

Step into the timeless craft of leatherworking in this beginner-friendly class. Students will learn the fundamentals of working with leather while creating their choice of either a leather skillet handle cover or a leather catch-all tray to take home. The class will cover how to select the right hide, lay out patterns, and use of basic leatherworking tools. Students will also practice essential techniques like tooling and stamping, as well as finishing methods.

Saturday Story Time

Join us once a month for a picture book story time, featuring a selection of nature-themed books perfect for little explorers. We’ll follow our book with a gentle hike if weather permits, so be sure to bundle up! 

September 12, 2026- Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak

October 10, 2026- What Makes a Bird? by Megan Pomper and Maia Hoekstra

November 15, 2026- A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel

Meet: Clubhouse inside the Visitor Center

Fee: Included in regular KNC admission; KNC Members free!

Audience: Families with young children

Time: 10:00 – 11:00AM

Naturalist Exploration Hour
KNC’s team of naturalists are coming to you with a new series of guided hikes, talks, and explorations! Each month one of our naturalists will be leading an experience on one of their passions and sharing that with you. As our naturalists debut their programs, we’ll be announcing them on social media.

Expect fresh faces, new ideas, and an exciting new kind of weekend exploration at KNC!

Saturdays, September 12, October 10, and November 14, 10-11am

Meet: Visitor Center front desk

Fee: Included in regular KNC admission; KNC Members free!

Audience: All ages