Nature Centers

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Explore Nature Centers in NYC & Vicinity

Mostly city, county and state run places (but not all) where you can learn about the nature in multiple ways- from archery lessons to astronomy, camping and wildlife observation… they also offer various programs from adventure courses to summer camps for kids and adults alike, so the whole family can participate… often for free or for a very low cost…

Jump to Nature Centers in: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Upstate NY

MANHATTAN

BROOKLYN

QUEENS

BRONX

STATEN ISLAND

WESTCHESTER

  • Croton Point Nature Center– With 4 miles of shoreline to explore, the nature center also has hands-on activities and exhibits of local flora and fauna…
  • Greenburgh Nature Center– Mostly free to public, this great nature center has live animals and demonstrations, plus easy trails and wigwams to explore…
  • Rye Nature Center– Cute grounds to wonder around in, playgrounds and a nature center with programming… plus huge rocks to climb on…
  • Teatown Lake Reservation– Stroll around the lake or take the paths to see birds and wildlife, plus a center with exhibits…
  • Weinberg Nature Center– Next to Saxon Woods in Scarsdale, this center offers lots of programs, camps and chances to meet animals…they also release their rescues to the wild…
  • Westmoreland Sanctuary– 7.5 miles of nature trails and a museum to meet live animals and view educational exhibits, there’s also a terrace pond ideal for picnics and a playhouse…
  • Cranberry Lake Preserve– Trails to 20-th century stone mining operation and a nature center offering exhibits and live animals…
  • Edith G. Read Natural Par and Wildlife Sanctuary– Next to Rye Playland, it’s an important bird viewing area with varied landscape and a nature center with exhibits and a bird viewing window…
  • Lenoir Preserve– Hudson River views, a nature center with exhibits and a seasonal butterfly and hummingbird garden…
  • Marshland Conservancy– Large marshland sanctuary bordering a harber with a visitor center that twice a year hosts art and photography exhibitions in addition to regular topics…
  • O’Hara Nature Center @ Irvington Woods– 400 acres of woods to wander around in and a model of energy efficiency and green design nature center with 10 gardens to watch, enjoy and learn from…
  • Stone Barns Center For Food and Agriculture– Get a peek how some of the best food in the world is made at this sustainable farm and restaurant…chef led tours available, or just walk the grounds…
  • Trailside Museum @ Ward Pound Ridge Reservation– One of the oldest nature museums in the country, in the biggest park in Westchester. It hosts anything from Native American artifacts to interactive displays and nature themed artwork…

LONG ISLAND

  • Center For Science, Teaching and Learning– A’ nice, small adventure” with robotic and life-size dinosaurs and some live animals to see, plus they offer programs and events…
  • Garvies Point Museum and Preserve– Fun and easy outdoor trails and indoor exhibits of Native American and local history and geology in the museum…
  • Tackapausha Museum and Preserve– Meet some rescue animals and visit a small natural history museum… great for a quick stop and kids love it…
  • Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audobon Center– Serene and beautiful place to walk around and visit some wildlife and see the gardens… educational too and offers summer programs…
  • South Shore Nature Center– miles of trails and boardwalks through woods and salt water marsh… has a visitor center with live animals as well as dioramas and a butterfly garden…
  • Sweet Briar Nature Center– Mainly an animal rehab clinic, but you can see some animals and there are trails and a butterfly garden plus some exhibits and friendly staff…
  • Quogue Wildlife Refuge– 7 miles of trails to walk through, including dwarf pines, plus live animal exhibits at the nature center…
  • South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center– Great little museum with very informative (and great with kids) staff and a chance to hold some animals, including a touch tank…
  • Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve– Lots of non-releasable animals to see, plus a greenhouse and a playground. You have to pay for parking, but the animal preserve is free…

CONNECTICUT

  • Woodcock Nature Center– Great hiking trails and cool playground in addition to animals to visit at the nature center…
  • Stamford Museum and Nature Center– Great museum, farm and park, well kept and clean with lots to do…
  • The Darien Nature Center– Variety of animals, exhibits and a theater and fileds, ponds and lakes to walk around the state of the art building to stoke the interest in the natural world…
  • Earthplace– Home to more than 50 injured animals to meet plus educational programs and special events fun for the whole family… great outdoors areas too…
  • Great Hollow Nature Preserve– Great hiking open daily and resident birds of prey on display, plus an observation tower and plenty of picnic tables…

NEW JERSEY

  • Flat Rock Brook Nature Center– Nice little trails near picnic areas, playground, native habitat gardens and a raptor aviary and other wildlife exhibits in the center…
  • Trailside Nature and Science Center– Lots of information and exhibits, some live animals, backyard bird habitat viewing area and a sensory garden outside…
  • Environmental Education Center– Explore 9 miles of hiking trails, or crawl into a beaver lodge at the Great Swamp Experience among many other things to do…
  • Essex County Environmental Center– Take part in Earth Day or the butterfly tent in this “very educational place” with great staff…
  • Tenafly Nature Center– A small building housing a museum and the starting point for many educational programs, plus a home to many animals… also has some trails…
  • Interpretive Center at Cheesequake State Park– Live displays of animals living in this park and incredible staff… plus you might get to feed some chipmunks… trails for walking through 3 different natural environments too… hike to it…
  • Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center– A free day-trip to take the kids to learn, it has a wall of animals to look at and many other fascinating exhibits…
  • Schiff Nature Preserve– Great easy and beautiful trails to hike, plus a nature center and native plant garden… well taken care of…

UPSTATE NY

  • Forsyth Nature Center– An education focused center with a a few gardens and a bunch of animals, a playground and room to run around… and it’s all donation based…

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