A Rainy Day at the Bog

June is a lovely time to visit the bog, but some may be deterred by the recent heat waves and thunderstorms. Thankfully there’s plenty of things to do inside the visitor center!

The second level of the Volo Bog visitor center has plenty of exhibits to see. Right at the top of the stairs you’ll be greeted by our simulation floating mat, which you can walk across to see how it feels to walk in the bog. Volo Bog is a “quaking bog”, meaning many of its plants grow on a ring of peat & other vegetation that floats atop the pond beneath; this mat quakes when you step on it, movement known as “diddering”. The real mat is off-limits to visitors because it houses many rare plants - and can be dangerous. If you step on a spot that’s too thin, you may punch through into the muddy water below! The simulation mat lets you experience the “diddering” floating mat safely.

We also have a collection of skulls, antlers, fossils, and more to be picked up & explored by visitors. Our antler collection comes from many different ages of deer, letting you see how they grow and change over a buck’s lifetime. This is a fun opportunity to get up close and personal with wildlife you may see in your own backyard.

Many people love to curl up with a good book on a rainy day. If you enjoy books about nature, then you may be interested in our reference library! Book topics range from resource conservation to butterfly biology, natural gardening, and much more.. Only Friends of Volo Bog members may check books out, but all visitors are welcome to read in the library itself. We also have a short movie about Volo Bog for viewing on the TV.

There is, of course, even more to do in the visitor center that I haven’t highlighted here, such as the gift shop, matching game, and informational signs. It’s a great place to be, rain or shine!