World Turtle Day

At World Turtle Day at the Natural History Society of Maryland, part of our Nature Connections series, meet and interact with over a dozen species of turtles, learn about the latest conservation efforts, and see specimens from the NHSM collections. Engage in hands-on educational activities, play turtle games, make turtle crafts, dress in your finest turtle gear, and feed a giant tortoise.

Register at: https://www.marylandnature.org/get-involved/events/event/world-turtle-day-2026/

Keynote Speaker at 2:45 pm – admission is included with your ticket!
Our keynote speaker for World Turtle Day, Dr. Nicole Barbour, will share her experience tracking leatherback sea turtles in Costa Rica and green sea turtles in the Cayman Islands. As a movement ecologist, her research focuses on innovative quantitative approaches to understanding animal movement and its implications. Her work with many different species, including turtle species, continues to inform conservation and management strategies for non-profit and governmental conservation organizations. Dr. Barbour currently teaches and conducts research at Towson University

History of World Turtle Day
World Turtle Day was created in 1990 as an annual observance to help people celebrate and protect these beloved creatures and their vanishing habitats around the world. There are 17 types of turtles that call Maryland home. Of those, 12 species are threatened by habitat loss and 9 are experiencing population decline. All four sea turtle species found in Maryland are protected by the ESA.

About Nature Connections
Nature Connections is a signature program offered to you by the Natural History Society of Maryland with financial support from the Citizens of Baltimore County. Programs, held on select Sundays, are free and open to the public. Each Nature Connection focuses on a different natural history topic. At Nature Connections events, you will:

Learn from presentations and displays from local experts and organizations • Explore specimens and artifacts from natural history collections • Hear about related citizen science projects • Talk to scientists who can answer your questions and guide your discoveries of the natural world • Enjoy games, art, crafts, stories, music, and drama