The Little Nature Museum was founded in 1954 by 13-year-old Sandra Waddell in Winthrop, MA. It was located in her bedroom and opened to the public in January, 1955.

In approximately 1955 Sandra began teaching weekly after-school children’s science classes at her parents’ home to two age groups; as many as 30 children attended. Summer classes were eventually added and field trips scheduled. An annual open house or similar event has been held since its founding providing the public, and especially children, the opportunity to learn more and become excited about nature and science. The Museum began to offer on-site and outreach programs in the early 1970’s on a variety of nature-related topics. In recent years experts in a variety of environmental fields have been invited to present programs and workshops. Several teacher workshops have been available for close to 20 years.

About the Founder

Sandra Waddell Martin, Director, President, and Founder of the Museum, holds a B.S. in botany and a M.S. in zoology and is an experienced science teacher and naturalist. Sandra has been a public school science teacher, nature counselor, and a merit teacher at Kid’s College (a gifted children’s program). She has presented programs for libraries, youth organizations, retirement and assisted living communities, schools, and other organizations. She was a 1994 runner-up in the Roger Tory Peterson Institute Community-based Nature Educator Awards program. In 2002 Sandra was named the NH Environmental Education Teacher of the Year in the informal science category. In 2007 Sandra received the Howard I. Wagner award presented by the NH Science Teachers Association for outstanding contribution to Science Education in N.H

In the early 1960’s the Museum moved to Hampton Academy Jr. High, Hampton, NH, for a year and was then relocated to Sandra’s Durham, NH, home for 3 years. In 1968 it moved to Weare, NH where it was located for 31 years. At this location the Museum developed its first nature trails. The Museum closed in December, 1998 when Sandra moved to Hopkinton, NH and it reopened in August, 2000 at Gould Hill Orchards’ barn, Contoocook, NH.  

The Museum became a federally registered nonprofit organization in October, 1998. It has a Board of Directors who govern its operation.