This is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the state of New York.
To use the sortable tables: click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.
Name | Location | County | Region | Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|
Adirondack Interpretive Center | Newcomb | Essex | Adirondack Region | Managed by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 236 acres |
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center | Albany | Albany | Capital District | Exhibits and activities about the 3,200-acre inland pine barrens preserve |
Alley Pond Environmental Center | Douglaston | Queens | New York City | 655 acre park with live animals, museum exhibits, library |
Amboy 4-H Environmental Education Center | Williamstown | Oswego | Central New York | 150 acres, operated by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County |
Ashokan Center | Olivebridge | Ulster | Mid-Hudson | 374 acres, features cluster of 18th and 19th century craft shops, farm, focus on outdoor and environmental education, art, science and living history |
Audubon Center at Knox Farm State Park | East Aurora | Erie | Western New York | 633-acre park, center operated by the National Audubon Society in partnership with the Buffalo Audubon Society |
Audubon Community Nature Center | Jamestown | Chautauqua | Western New York | 600 acres |
Baltimore Woods Nature Center | Marcellus | Onondaga | Central New York | 180 acres |
Beaver Island State Park Nature Center | Grand Island | Erie | Western New York | 950 acres, center open Friday-Sunday |
Beaver Lake Nature Center | Baldwinsville | Onondaga | Central New York | 661 acres, operated by the County |
Beaver Meadow Audubon Center | North Java | Wyoming | Western New York | 324 acres, operated by Buffalo Audubon Society |
Belleayre Mountain Interactive Nature Center | Highmount | Ulster | Mid-Hudson | Part of the Belleayre Mountain resort, operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in the summer |
Belvedere Castle Visitor Center | Manhattan | Manhattan | New York City | Interpretive center for the 843-acre Central Park |
Brookville Outdoor and Environmental Education Center | Brookville | Nassau | Long Island | operated by Nassau BOCES |
Blue Heron Park Nature Center | Staten Island | Staten Island | New York City | 236-acre city park with nature center |
Caleb Smith State Park Preserve | Smithtown | Suffolk | Long Island | 543 acres, features a nature museum |
Caumsett Outdoor and Environmental Education Center | Lloyd Harbor | Suffolk | Long Island | operated by Nassau BOCES in Caumsett State Historic Park |
Cayuga Nature Center | Ithaca | Tompkins | Central New York | Part of the Ithaca Discovery Trail, 120 acres, features a six-story tree house and a seasonal butterfly garden |
Center for Science Teaching and Learning | Rockville Centre | Nassau | Long Island | 17 acre Tanglewood Preserve with butterfly garden, mini-zoo and museum |
Center for the Urban River at Beczak | Yonkers | Westchester | Lower Hudson | Hudson River interpretive center, tidal marsh and 2-acre park, operated by Sarah Lawrence College and the Hudson River Valley Environmental Education Institute at the former Beczak Environmental Education Center |
Chip Holt Nature Center | Lakeville | Livingston | Western New York | located on Conesus Lake in Vitale Park, co-sponsored by the Town |
Clark Reservation State Park | Jamesville | Onondaga | Central New York | 377 acres, nature center is operated by the Council of Park Friends |
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve | Staten Island | Staten Island | New York City | 260 acre nature preserve and interpretive center |
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium | Cold Spring Harbor | Nassau | Long Island | Trout hatchery and education center about the freshwater ecosystems of New York |
Connetquot River State Park Preserve | Oakdale | Suffolk | Long Island | 3,473 acres, features the Long Island Environmental Interpretive Center |
Constitution Marsh Audubon Center | Cold Spring | Putnam | Lower Hudson | 270-acre tidal marsh |
Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Ithaca | Tompkins | Central New York | 226-acre Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary, part of the Ithaca Discovery Trail, natural history, observation and conservation of birds |
Cranberry Lake Preserve | White Plains | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 190 acres, operated by the County |
Croton Point Nature Center | Croton-on-Hudson | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 508 acres, operated by the County |
Crotona Park Nature Center | Bronx | Bronx | New York City | 127-acre park, center open for programs and by appointment |
Cumming Nature Center | Naples | Ontario | Western New York | 900 acre preserve, operated by the Rochester Museum and Science Center |
Dana Discovery Center | Manhattan | Manhattan | New York City | operated by the City in the Harlem region of Central Park |
Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center | Grafton | Rensselaer | Capital District | 594 acre park with environmental education programs |
Dyson College Nature Center | Pleasantville | Westchester | Lower Hudson | center for environmental education, operated by Pace University |
Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary | Rye | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 179 acres, operated by the County |
Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center | Voorheesville | Albany | Capital District | Operated by the State in Thompson's Lake State Park |
Eric Humphrey Nature Center | Castile | Wyoming | Finger Lakes | 14,427 acres (58.4 km), open daily, year-round nature programming, operated by the State in Letchworth State Park |
Finch Hollow Nature Center | Johnson City | Broome | Southern Tier | operated by the County, natural history museum and education center, 1 mile trail |
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center | Delmar | Albany | Capital District | 450 acres, operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation |
Forest Park Visitor Center | Queens | Queens | New York City | 538-acre city park, center open by appointment |
Forsyth Nature Center | Kingston | Ulster | Mid-Hudson | supported by the Friends of Forsyth Nature Center and the City of Kingston Parks and Recreation Department |
Fort Greene Park | Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York City | 30-acre park, visitor center exhibits and nature programs |
Fort Niagara State Park Nature Center | Porter | Niagara | Western New York | Open in the summer |
Fort Totten Park | Queens | Queens | New York City | 60-acre park, visitor center with weekend environmental education programs |
Garvies Point Museum and Preserve | Glen Cove | Nassau | Long Island | exhibits on Long Island and state geology, Native American archaeology, 62 acre preserve |
Genesee Country Village and Museum | Mumford | Monroe | Western New York | 19th-century living history museum covering more than 600 acres, includes an art gallery and nature center that is open only on weekends in January and February |
Genesee County Park Interpretive Nature Center | East Bethany | Genesee | Western New York | 430 acres, operated by the County |
Greenbelt Nature Center | Staten Island | Staten Island | New York City | located in the 844-acre LaTourette Park |
Greenburgh Nature Center | Scarsdale | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 33-acre nature preserve with trails, a pond and gardens |
Hansen Nature Center | Henrietta | Monroe | Western New York | located in the 68-acre Tinker Nature Park |
Helmer Nature Center | Rochester | Monroe | Western New York | 45 acres, operated by the West Irondequoit Central School District |
High Rock Nature Center | Staten Island | Staten Island | New York City | operated by the City in 94-acre High Rock Park, open by appointment |
Higley Flow State Park | Colton | St. Lawrence | Adirondack Region | Open in the summer |
Hoyt Farm Nature Center | Commack | Suffolk | Long Island | operated by the Town as part of Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve |
Hudson Highlands Nature Museum | Cornwall | Orange | Mid-Hudson | two locations, the Wildlife Education Center with exhibits and live animals and the Outdoor Discovery Center with trails |
Indian Creek Nature Center | Canton | St. Lawrence | Adirondack Region | about 350 acres, trails and education in the Upper and Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area, operated by North Country Conservation-Education Associates |
Inwood Hill Park Nature Center | Manhattan | Manhattan | New York City | 196 acres, open to the public on weekends from April through October |
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge | Basom | Genesee | Western New York | 10,828 acres, exhibits and nature programs offered at the Visitor Contact Station in partnership with the Buffalo Audubon Society, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge |
Kaler's Pond Nature Center | Center Moriches | Suffolk | Long Island | open seasonally |
Kathryn W. Davis Riverwalk Center | Sleepy Hollow | Westchester | Lower Hudson | Hudson River environment and art programs, adjacent to Kingsland Point Park, operated by the Hudson River Valley Environmental Education Institute |
Lenoir Preserve | Yonkers | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 40 acres, operated by the County |
Lime Hollow Center for Environment and Culture | Cortland | Cortland | Central New York | 400 acres |
Lloyd and Carol Bull Nature Center | Herkimer | Herkimer | Central New York | part of Herkimer County Community College |
Madden Outdoor Education Center | Carmel | Putnam | Lower Hudson | 120 acres, operated by Putnam-Northern Westchester BOCES |
Marine Nature Study Area | Hempstead | Nassau | Long Island | 52 acre preserve devoted to environmental education and natural history |
Marshlands Conservancy | Rye | Westchester | Lower Hudson | operated by the County, 147 acres |
Mendon Ponds Park | Honeoye Falls | Monroe | Western New York | 2,500 acres, operated by the County |
Minna Anthony Common Nature Center | Wellesley Island | Jefferson | Thousand Islands | Locate in Wellesley Island State Park |
Minnewaska State Park Preserve | Kerhonkson | Ulster | Mid-Hudson | 21,106 acres, nature center is open on weekends seasonally |
Mohonk Preserve | New Paltz | Ulster | Mid-Hudson | over 7,000 acres, exhibits and programs at the Visitor Center |
Montezuma Audubon Center | Savannah | Wayne | Western New York | 198 acres, operated by Audubon New York and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area |
Mud Creek Environmental Learning Center | Ghent | Columbia | Capital District | operated by the Columbia County Soil & Water Conservation District |
Orchard Beach Nature Center | Bronx | Bronx | New York City | Located in Pelham Bay Park, open seasonally |
Paul Smith's College Visitor Interpretive Center | Paul Smiths | Franklin | Adirondack Region | Operated by Paul Smith's College, about 2,700 acres |
Pember Museum | Granville | Washington | Adirondack Region | natural history museum and 125 preserve |
Pfeiffer Nature Center | Portville | Cattaraugus | Western New York | 648 acres in 2 properties |
Point Au Roche State Park | Beekmantown | Clinton | Adirondack Region | |
Prospect Park Audubon Center at the Boathouse | Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York City | 585-acre park, center is a partnership between the Prospect Park Alliance and Audubon New York |
Quogue Wildlife Refuge | Quogue | Suffolk | Long Island | 305 acres, managed by the Southampton Township Wildfowl Association, includes Charles Banks Belt Nature Center |
Red House Nature Center at Inlet Pond County Park | Greenport | Suffolk | Long Island | operated by the North Fork Audubon Society in the 55-acre county park |
Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve | Depew | Erie | Western New York | Operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 292 acres |
Robert Moses State Park | Massena | St. Lawrence | Adirondack Region | Nature center being rebuilt |
Rockland Lake State Park | Congers | Rockland | Lower Hudson | Nature center open in the summer |
Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History | Jamestown | Chautauqua | Western New York | includes the Roger Tory Peterson Art Gallery and his personal library |
Rogers Environmental Education Center | Sherburne | Chenango | Central New York Region | 600 acres owned by the state, center operated by the Friends of Rogers |
Rye Nature Center | Rye | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 47 acres, city-owned facility supported by the Friends of Rye Nature Center |
Salt Marsh Nature Center | Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York City | Located in 798-acre Marine Park, operated by the Salt Marsh Alliance |
Sam's Point Preserve | Cragsmoor | Ulster | Mid-Hudson | 4,600 acres, features the Sam’s Point Conservation Center, managed by the Nature Conservancy |
Shaver Pond Nature Center | Grafton | Rensselaer | Capital District | Operated by the state in 2,357-acre Grafton Lakes State Park, open occasionally |
Sheldrake Environmental Center | Larchmont | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 60 acres, located on Sheldrake Lake |
South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center | Bridgehampton | Suffolk | Long Island | 70 acres, natural history museum, live animals |
South Shore Nature Center | East Islip | Suffolk | Long Island | 200 acres, operated by the Seatuck Environmental Center, Orr Wildlife Learning Center open on weekends |
Spencer Crest Nature Center | Corning | Steuben | Southern Tier | 250 acres, operated by Corning Community College |
Sterling Nature Center | Sterling | Cayuga | Central New York | 1,428 acres on 2 county-owned sites, operated by the Friends of Sterling Nature Center |
Stony Kill Farm | Fishkill | Dutchess | Mid-Hudson | 1000+ acre working farm and environmental education center, operated by the Stony Kill Foundation |
Suffolk County Environmental Center | Islip | Suffolk | Long Island | 70 acres, operated by the Seatuck Environmental Center at the Scully Estate |
Sweetbriar Nature Center | Smithtown | Suffolk | Long Island | 54 acres |
Taconic Outdoor Education Center | Cold Spring | Putnam | Lower Hudson | Operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in 14,086-acre Clarence Fahnestock State Park |
Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum | Elmira | Chemung | Southern Tier | |
Teatown Lake Reservation | Ossining | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 834-acre preserve located in the towns of Yorktown, Cortland and New Castle |
Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center at Jones Beach State Park | Wantagh | Nassau | Long Island | 10,034-acre park, displays about marine habitats including the South Shore Estuary Reserve, the seashore and the dune environment |
Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center | Oyster Bay | Nassau | Long Island | website, 12 acres, operated by Audubon New York |
Tifft Nature Preserve | Buffalo | Erie | Western New York | website, 264 acres, operated by the Buffalo Museum of Science |
Trailside Nature Museum | Cross River | Westchester | Lower Hudson | operated by the County, collection of mounted animals, American Indian artifacts, educational exhibits, interactive displays, and nature-oriented artwork, situated on the 4,400-acre Ward Pound Ridge Reservation |
Twin Cedars Environmental Area | East Avon | Livingston | Western New York | 59 acres, operated by the State, outdoor facilities only [1] |
Up Yonda Farm | Bolton Landing | Warren | Adirondack Region | 73 acres, operated by Warren County Parks and Recreation |
Van Cortlandt Park Nature Center | Bronx | Bronx | New York City | 1,146-acre park, center open seasonally |
WaterFront Center | Oyster Bay | Nassau | Long Island | Sailing and marine environmental education center |
Waterman Conservation Education Center | Apalachin | Tioga | Southern Tier | 96 acre main site, manages four sites in the Tioga County area and one site in the Broome County area |
Weinberg Nature Center | Scarsdale | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 10 acres, part of Scarsdale Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department |
Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge | Brookhaven | Suffolk | Long Island | 2,550 acres, visitor center exhibits and programs |
Westmoreland Sanctuary | Bedford Corners | Westchester | Lower Hudson | 640 acre wildlife preserve and museum |
Wild Center | Tupper Lake | Franklin | Adirondack Region | Formerly the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, 81 acres, natural history museum and education center |
Woodlawn Beach State Park Nature Center | Blasdell | Erie | Western New York |