Climate change is already shaping Boston Harbor and the communities that surround it. Rising sea levels, stronger storms, changing ecosystems, and increasing coastal flooding are no longer distant possibilities. They are challenges that Boston-area residents are experiencing today.
At the same time, Boston Harbor is one of the region’s greatest resources for understanding those changes. Its islands, shorelines, parks, and waterfront neighborhoods offer opportunities to explore how climate change is affecting our environment and discover how communities can build a more resilient future.
This summer, Boston Harbor Now is inviting residents and visitors to do exactly that through Climate Change Boston Harbor: Discover, Learn, Adapt!, a season-long series of free programs designed to connect people with the science of climate change, the ecology of Boston Harbor, and the actions that can help strengthen our communities. As part of Boston Harbor Now’s mission to connect people to the harbor through meaningful experiences, the initiative helps visitors explore not only what makes Boston Harbor special today, but how it can remain vibrant and resilient for future generations.
From hands-on science activities on Spectacle Island to waterfront outreach events and new climate resilience initiatives developed with community partners, the program offers opportunities for people of all ages to engage with climate issues in ways that are interactive, accessible, and grounded in the places they know best.
Discover the Harbor
Spectacle Island remains the center of Boston Harbor Now’s climate education programming, offering visitors opportunities to explore the natural systems that make Boston Harbor unique. View the Boston Harbor Islands calendar to check dates of the next upcoming climate programs!
Returning for another season, Science in the Park invites visitors to participate in hands-on activities focused on harbor ecology, environmental processes, and climate change. Designed for families and curious learners of all ages, the program provides an approachable introduction to the science shaping Boston Harbor. This summer, Boston Harbor Now is expanding the program with a second weekly session, making it easier for visitors to participate throughout the season.
Visitors can also join Wild Walks, guided explorations developed in partnership with the Boston Nature Center. These walks offer a closer look at the island’s ecology, wildlife, and landscape while helping participants understand how climate and environmental changes affect the harbor ecosystem.
Special events throughout the season will provide additional opportunities to connect with the natural world. Spectacular Pollinators will highlight the importance of pollinators and biodiversity in maintaining healthy ecosystems, while a planned BIPOC Birding Cruise will combine recreation, wildlife observation, and environmental education in a welcoming and inclusive setting.
Together, these programs help visitors experience Boston Harbor not only as a destination, but as a living environment that continues to evolve alongside the communities that depend on it.
Learn About Climate Change in Your Community
While Spectacle Island serves as the hub for climate education programming, Boston Harbor Now is also bringing climate engagement directly into neighborhoods and public spaces across the harbor.
Through the new Climate Cart, visitors will encounter mobile, pop-up climate education stations at community events, waterfront gatherings, and public programs throughout the summer. These interactive experiences are designed to make climate learning approachable, offering hands-on activities, harbor-focused educational content, and opportunities for conversation.
Climate Cart programming will appear at Community Cruises, Southie Summer Nights, Commonwealth Pier activations, community markets, and other public events. By bringing climate education to places where people are already gathering, Boston Harbor Now hopes to reach new audiences and create more opportunities for informal learning and engagement.
Whether visitors are attending a festival, exploring the waterfront, or participating in a neighborhood event, these programs create opportunities to better understand the connections between climate change, Boston Harbor, and everyday life.
Adapt for a More Resilient Future
This year also marks the launch of a new climate engagement partnership between Boston Harbor Now and the Stone Living Lab.
Designed to support Boston Harbor Now’s strategic vision for climate education and community engagement, the partnership combines Stone Living Lab’s climate expertise with Boston Harbor Now’s experience connecting people to the harbor through public programming.
Together, the organizations are developing a series of pilot programs intended to help residents better understand local climate challenges, explore climate resilience strategies, and identify ways they can become advocates for climate action within their own communities.
The pilot activities will be tested throughout Summer and Fall 2026 at locations across Boston that have historically seen less climate-focused programming and will focus on making climate engagement creative, accessible, and personally relevant.
Participants may be invited to:
- Mail a Postcard and Start a Conversation by sharing a personal climate action commitment with friends or family.
- Imagine a Resilient Community through a hands-on art activity that encourages participants to reimagine their neighborhoods with climate resilience in mind while learning about local initiatives already making an impact.
- Discover Your Climate Action Personality through a fun, interactive experience inspired by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s Climate Venn framework, helping participants identify how their interests, skills, and passions can contribute to climate solutions.
Together, these pilot programs are designed to move beyond awareness and help participants see themselves as part of Boston’s climate future.
2026 Climate Change Boston Harbor Programming Calendar
Discover the Harbor
Science in the Park (Tuesdays)
Beginning June 23, 2026
Hands-on, drop-in science activities for families and visitors focused on harbor ecology, climate change, and environmental processes.
Science in the Park (Fridays)
Beginning June 26, 2026
An additional weekly opportunity for visitors to participate in hands-on science activities and environmental learning on Spectacle Island.
Wild Walks with Boston Nature Center
Beginning June 24, 2026
Guided walks exploring the ecology, climate, and natural history of Spectacle Island.
Spectacular Pollinators
August 29, 2026 | Spectacle Island | 1:00–5:00 p.m. | FREE
A special program exploring pollinators, biodiversity, and the ecosystems that support a healthy harbor environment.
BIPOC Birding Cruise (Tentative)
September 26, 2026
A birding and environmental education experience designed to connect participants with the harbor’s wildlife while expanding access to outdoor recreation and conservation opportunities.
Learn About Climate Change in Your Community
Climate Cart: Community Cruises
Dates to be announced
Mobile climate education stations bringing hands-on learning and harbor-focused content directly to community cruise participants.
Climate Cart: Southie Summer Nights
July 15, 22, & 29 | Moakley Park | 5:30PM-7:30PM | More information here
Interactive climate engagement activities integrated into South Boston’s evening community programming.
Commonwealth Pier Activations
August 8 and August 19, 2026 | 12:00–2:00 p.m.
Festival-style waterfront activations featuring hands-on climate education activities and opportunities to engage with harbor-focused environmental topics.
Fish & Farm Market
July 25, August 1, and September 12, 2026 | 8:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | Learn More
Climate outreach and educational engagement integrated into a community farmers market setting.
Un Día de Kayak
August 1, 2026 | 12:00–3:00 p.m.
Climate engagement activities incorporated into a community kayaking event celebrating Boston Harbor and outdoor recreation.
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