Visit

Upon arrival, please visit our Welcome Center in the West Barn for information about daily programs and family-friendly activities developed with our Education Team Members.

Enjoy the beauty of spring by taking a self-guided hike on the marked trails throughout the site, enjoy a curated selection of books in our library with expansive views of the blooming trees and meadows, or reflect with a cup of tea and conversation in our 360° glass-walled pavilion.  

Download our Fall-Winter 2022 Programming Guide for more information on scheduled events through December.

We also invite you to:

• Tour the River building and Barns and view permanent art installations by Beatriz Milhazes, Teresita Fernández, Thomas Demand, and Olafur Eliasson.
• See Temporal Shift, a site-responsive sculpture from artist Alyson Shotz, on view September 2021 – September 2022.
• Hike around Cattail Pond and through the restored native meadows along a one-mile loop with 10 different habitats and breathtaking views.
• Participate in fun activities in the subterranean glass-enclosed Court, from basketball and badminton to board games and puzzles in the upper mezzanine.
• Engage with River Retreat tours authored by Yale Center for Faith & Culture scholars that engage with the Faith Initiative and its core question: what is the shape of flourishing life?
• Enjoy tea and conversation in the Pavilion.
• Walk through the Community Garden, tended by Master Gardner Lauren Elliott, and in season, visit the apiary to see the produce grown at Grace Farms and its Italian honey bees.

Visit our FAQ page for more details to help plan your visit.

*as weather and trail conditions permit

Peace Forest

What is Grace Farms and how does Grace Farms Foundation advance good in the world? An immersive installation inspired by nature, Peace Forest offers visitors an interactive experience highlighting how the landscape, architecture, and people at Grace Farms are part of the Foundation’s mission. Pedestals made with ethically sourced steel and wood repurposed from the site gently sway when touched, and will feature text, objects, and archival photos. A video installation and a map of Grace Farms will highlight offerings each day. The installation is curated by Grace Farms Foundation Creative Director Chelsea Thatcher and designed by Peter Miller (Palette Architecture) and Shohei Yoshida (shohei yoshida + associates / SYA), members of the SANAA-led design team for the award-winning River building at Grace Farms.

Common Good Through Crisis

Can we continue responding in the interest of the common good after a crisis? Designed by MASS Design with graphics by Pentagram, this exhibit considers the relationships and connections that inspired Grace Farms Foundation’s efforts to provide food relief to hundreds of thousands, 2 million critical PPE to frontline health care workers, and public programming to address the uncertainty caused by the pandemic for all. This work was made possible through our collaboration with the State of Connecticut, a partnership commemorated at a ceremonial bill signing by Governor Ned Lamont. On view October 2021-January 2023.

We invite individuals and families to engage in their own unique exploration of Grace Farms and our work. Make the most of your experience with a Grace Farms Membership, offering expedited access to Grace Farms, discounts on paid programs and retail items, access to select private events, and an opportunity to share in something greater with a gift bundle from Grace Farms Foods.

Grace Farms is open to visitors Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am-5 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm-5 pm. Small groups are welcome to convene informally on our grounds year-round.

Please review our Group FAQ for more information on groups of 8 or more.

SCHOOL GROUPS:

Grace Farms Foundation is now offering school programs for K-12 groups.  If you are interested in booking a visit, please contact [email protected].

In the Fall of 2022, the Grace Farms Education Team will launch a selection of programs that align with the Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core, and the CT State Social Studies Frameworks. Groups will have the opportunity to explore the award-winning River-building and the surrounding 80-acre nature preserve to learn about the importance of biodiversity, sustainable design, and how humans impact their ecosystem.

During these programs, students will also learn about the humanitarian work of Grace Farms Foundation, Design for Freedom, and how they can be involved in creating a more ethical supply chain.