REDISCOVER

What Matters.

Nature-based education, traditional outdoor skills, and meaningful experiences for children, families, and lifelong learners.

Academy of the Lost Arts is a non-profit dedicated to preserving traditional outdoor knowledge through hands-on experiences that inspire curiosity, confidence, and lifelong connections with nature.

EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMS
UPCOMING EVENTS

Some of life's most important lessons can't be taught indoors.

A woman and three children sitting on the forest floor among tall trees, engaging in conversation.

Welcome to the Academy

Some lessons can't be taught from a screen or textbook. They are discovered while

turning over logs;

building a campfire;

identifying spring wildflowers;

sitting quietly beneath an old forest.

That's why the Academy exists.

Learning Through Nature

A person holding a small black salamander in their hand, with a little girl observing closely nearby, in a green forest setting.
Two young boys climbing on large granite rocks outdoors under a partly cloudy sky.

EXPLORE
Discover the plants, wildlife, geology, and ecosystems that make every landscape unique.

GROW

Build confidence, resilience, leadership, and self-reliance through outdoor challenges and hands-on learning.

PROTECT

Develop a lifelong commitment to stewardship, conservation, and caring for the natural world.

Young boy sitting cross-legged on sandy ground, wearing a long-sleeve light blue shirt, dark shorts, and gray Crocs, playing with a coiled piece of driftwood or natural material in an outdoor setting with trees and shadows.

CREATE

Learn traditional skills such as basket weaving, carving, natural cordage, gardening, and outdoor craftsmanship.

Programs for Every Explorer

Whether you're taking your first nature walk or refining skills developed over a lifetime, the Academy offers hands-on experiences for every age and stage of learning. Explore, create, discover, and grow through programs designed to foster curiosity, confidence, and a lasting connection with the natural world.

  • Our goal is to establish a child-centered learning experience where curiosity leads the way through outdoor exploration and discovery.

  • Create lasting memories while learning together through hikes, wildlife encounters, and seasonal programs.

  • Rediscover timeless knowledge through practical outdoor skills that have connected people with nature for generations.

  • Join us for classes, guest speakers, seasonal celebrations, volunteer opportunities, and special events throughout the year.

A young child with blond hair and wearing an orange shirt and red Crocs playing with green and yellow buckets at an outdoor wooden fairy garden activity table. The scene is set in a wooded area with trees, grass, and a dirt trail beyond the activity setup.
A young girl with braided hair wearing a pink sweater and denim overalls walking through a field of tall, dry grass during sunset.

As the world moves faster, many of the skills that once connected us to nature are quietly disappearing.

We're working to preserve those traditions, not out of nostalgia, but because they still teach resilience, creativity, stewardship, and a deeper appreciation for the world around us.

Every child who learns the name of a tree, every family gathered around a campfire, and every adult who discovers a forgotten craft helps carry this knowledge into the future.

Why It Matters

  • "In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught."

    —Baba Dioum

  • "Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."

    —Rachel Carson

  • "There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot."

    —Aldo Leopold

  • "One of my students told me that every time she learns the name of a plant, she feels as if she is meeting someone new. Giving a name to something is a way of knowing it."

    — Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods

  • "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."

    — Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • "Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."

    — Frank Lloyd Wright

  • "All spiritual life begins with a sense of wonder, and nature is a window into that wonder."

    — Richard Louv