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Trillium, photo by Jaime B. Jones

The 2025 MLBS Open House will be held Saturday, June 28 from 2-5pm! This family-friendly event is a unique opportunity to meet MLBS biologists and artists, explore our historic facilities, learn first-hand about Station research, and enjoy the outdoors. Come experience open labs, exhibits, hands-on activities, nature walks, arts and crafts, open art studios, and more! MLBS is a diverse community of researchers, students, artists, and others from around the world who live, learn, study, and create atop beautiful Salt Pond Mountain. Updates may be posted on the Facebook event page, and a schedule will be posted below (stay tuned!). We hope you'll join us for an afternoon of fun and learning in nature’s classroom!

When & Where

Saturday, June 28, 2025, 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Mountain Lake Biological Station, 240 Salt Pond Cir., Pembroke, VA 24136 (directions here). 

Important Notes 

Dogs are not allowed anywhere on station property, including in vehicles. 

Carpooling is strongly encouraged! Parking is limited.

This is our workplace, but also our summer home. Please do not enter residences or any buildings that are not part of the Open House. Thank you for understanding!

Program of Activities 

Scheduled Tours/Walks

Snake Meet & Greet

Get to know the locals! (~30 minutes)

2:15, 3:45 
210 Ruth Patrick Hall

Guided Nature Walks

Relaxed pace on flat trail, uneven terrain (30 minutes)

2:30, 3:00, 4:15
Depart from patio 

NEON Tower Site Tour

Tour of NEON “flux tower” site (30-40 minutes)

3:30
Take shuttle, or walk 0.5 mi. to site. Depart from patio

Continuous Features

Ruth Patrick Hall 

Open Studio (ArtLab)

108

Fishes of the New River Valley

109

Open Studio (ArtLab)

107

Marsh Temporalities (looping video)

Auditorium

National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)

Foyer

The Smell of Losing: Beetle Scent Collection

103

The Secret Lives of Salamanders 

209

Forked Fungus Beetles

211

Beetle Hotel (take a peek, but respect their privacy)

208

Open Sketchbook (ArtLab) (2:00-3:30)

Library

“Seed” (looping video) (ArtLab)

Library

Pick Your Poison: Toxic plants (and some lookalikes)

201

Mosquito Marvels: Mosquitoes, frogs, fly poison, & more!

204

Isopod Squad

203

Wilbur Lab

Plant Defense

Front Porch

Hummingbird Hangout

Front porch

Fungus Farming (for beetles)

Multipurpose room

Walton Pavilion &  Riopel Pond

Pond Biota

Pond beach

Creatures Up Close

Pavilion

Crafts & Face Painting

Pavilion Lawn

Image
Annual Open House: June 29, 2024