List of nature centers in California facts for kids
This is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the state of California.
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 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center | Carlsbad | San Diego | Natural history, ecology and cultural history of the 400-acre lagoon and surrounding area |
| Alum Rock Science and Nature Center | San Jose | Santa Clara | Operated by the Youth Science Institute in 720-acre Alum Rock Park, natural history exhibits, live animals |
| American River Nature Center | Coloma | El Dorado | Operated by the American River Conservancy in Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park |
| Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center | Arcata | Humboldt | 307 acres, marsh ecology and operations of the wastewater treatment plant |
| Audubon Center at Debs Park | Los Angeles | Los Angeles | Operated by Audubon California in the 282-acre municipal park, nature education programs and native plant restoration projects |
| Augustus F. Hawkins Natural Park | Los Angeles | Los Angeles | website, Evan Frankel Discovery Center operated by the city in the 8.5-acre park |
| Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center | Carlsbad | San Diego | Operated by the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation, programs about the 610-acre lagoon |
| Big Bear Discovery Center | Fawnskin | San Bernardino | Visitor center with exhibits, nature playscape, environmental education programs about the San Bernardino National Forest |
| Big Sur Discovery Center | Monterey | Located in 4,766-acre Andrew Molera State Park, exhibits on California condors, operated by the Ventana Wildlife Society | |
| Borrego Desert Nature Center | Borrego Springs | San Diego | Operated by the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association, education programs and store about Anza-Borrego Desert State Park |
| Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center | Oceanside | San Diego | website, natural history of Buena Vista Lagoon |
| Carolyn Parr Nature Center | Napa | Napa | website, managed by the Napa Valley Naturalists, located in Westwood Hills Park |
| Charmlee Wilderness Park Nature Center | Malibu | Los Angeles | website, operated by the City in the 532-acre park, displays on Chumash Indian history, the park’s history as a working ranch, geology, local flora and fauna |
| Chico Creek Nature Center | Chico | Butte | Located in 3,670-acre Bidwell Park, live animals, natural history exhibits, native plant garden |
| City of Watsonville Nature Center | Watsonville | Santa Cruz | website, operated by the City in Ramsay Park, a wetlands area |
| Crissy Field Center | San Francisco | San Francisco | Environmental education programs, located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area |
| Crab Cove Visitor Center at Crown Memorial State Beach | Alameda | Alameda | Exhibits about the marine life environment and importance of San Francisco Bay, aquarium, local history, 2.5 mile beach |
| CuriOdyssey | San Mateo | San Mateo | Formerly the Coyote Point Museum, experiential science and wildlife center with many live animals, native garden |
| David C. Daniels Nature Center | San Mateo | website, education center for the 2,143-acre Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve | |
| Desert Discovery Center | Barstow | San Bernardino | Natural history of the Mojave Desert, 8 acre outdoor trail and classroom, live tortoises |
| Devil's Punchbowl Nature Center | Pearblossom | Los Angeles | Operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, area wildlife, plants and geology, 1,310 acres |
| Eaton Canyon Nature Center | Pasadena | Los Angeles | 190 acres, live animals, exhibits about canyon wildlife |
| Ecology Center | Berkeley | Alameda | Focus on sustainable living, features demonstration home and garden, workshops and classes |
| Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park | Tahoma | El Dorado | 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) park, nature center located in the day use area by the Ehrman Mansion, displays of park birds, mammals, game fish, lake ecology, wildflowers, trees |
| Effie Yeaw Nature Center | Carmichael | Sacramento | website, 77 acres, live native animals, wetlands exhibit, replica Nisenan summer village, operated by the American River Natural History Association |
| El Dorado Nature Center | Long Beach | Los Angeles | website, 105 acres, 2 miles of trails, operated by the City |
| Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve | Watsonville | Santa Cruz | Operated by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, about 1,700 acres, exhibits about the birds, plants, animals and marine life of the watershed. |
| Environmental Discovery Center at Spring Lake Regional Park | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | Operated by Sonoma County Parks, 320-acre park, hands-on exhibits about Sonoma County's plants, animals and natural resources, tide pool with live, touchable sea creatures |
| Environmental Nature Center | Newport Beach | Orange | website, Established 1972; 5 acres; hands-on natural science and sustainability programs, field trips, nature camps; LEED Platinum-certified building, seasonal butterfly house |
| Feather River Nature Center | Oroville | Butte | website, operated by the City, exhibits portraying local wildlife, basaltic boulders, paintings, native plant park along the river |
| Galster Wilderness Park Nature Center | Irwindale | Los Angeles | Operated by the San Gabriel Mountains Regional Conservancy, 42-acre park, environmental education programs |
| George F. Canyon Nature Center | Rolling Hills Estates | Los Angeles | Owned by the City and operated by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, 36 acres, exhibits include butterflies, birds of the canyon, insects, plant habitats, animals and wildflowers |
| Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center | Hayward | Alameda | Operated by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, focus is San Francisco Bay wetland and shoreline ecosystems |
| Humboldt Coastal Nature Center | Manila | Humboldt | website, 113 acres, operated by the Friends of the Dunes, natural history of Humboldt Bay |
| Idyllwild Nature Center | Idyllwild | Riverside | website, operated by Riverside County Parks in the 202-acre Idyllwild Park, exhibits and programs on mountain ecology, habitats, flora and fauna, Cahuilla Native culture and the history of the San Jacinto Mountains |
| Jughandle Creek Farm and Nature Center | Mendocino | Mendocino | website, 39 acres, private organization that includes a nature center, overnight lodging, native plant nursery, community gardens, forests, meadows and trails, adjacent to Jug Handle State Natural Reserve |
| Lindsay Wildlife Museum | Walnut Creek | Contra Costa | Natural history museum with live native animals and wildlife rehabilitation center |
| Living Coast Discovery Center | Chula Vista | San Diego | website, private organization located on the 316-acre Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, features aquariums and displays of local marine life and reptiles, a sea turtle lagoon, outdoor aviaries of rescued birds, a shark and ray exhibit, and hiking trails |
| The Living Desert | Palm Desert | Riverside | Botanical garden and zoo dedicated solely to the deserts of the world, 1,200 acres |
| Louis Robidoux Nature Center | Riverside | Riverside | website, operated by Riverside County Parks, ecology of the Jurupa Valley area, changing exhibits on Native American history, native mammals, birds and reptiles, basic astronomy, the environment |
| Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center | Palo Alto | Santa Clara | Operated by the City in the 1,940-acre Baylands Nature Preserve, 15 miles of trails |
| Madrona Marsh Preserve & Nature Center | Torrance | Los Angeles | Operated by the City, exhibits about the plants, birds and animals of the marsh |
| Mary Vagle Museum & Nature Center | Fontana | San Bernardino | website, operated by the City, exhibits of local plants, animals, geology and history |
| McClellan Ranch Preserve | Cupertino | Santa Clara | 18-acres, includes nature museum and environmental education center |
| Nature Center at Avalon Canyon | Catalina Island | Los Angeles | Natural history and conservation of the island, operated by the Catalina Island Conservancy |
| Neal Taylor Nature Center | Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | Hands-on discovery center focused on the natural environment, ecosystems, and cultural heritage of Cachuma Lake, the upper Santa Ynez River and San Rafael Mountain watershed |
| Oak Canyon Nature Center | Anaheim | Orange | 58 acres, live animal and regional natural history exhibits, operated by the City |
| Oak Grove Nature Center | Stockton | San Joaquin | website, operated by the County in 180-acre Oak Grove Regional Park, exhibits of flora and fauna native to the Park, San Joaquin County and the San Joaquin Valley |
| Pismo Nature Center | Pismo Beach | San Luis Obispo | Operated by the Central Coast Natural History Association at 1,050-acre Pismo State Beach, exhibits about the park's natural history, fresh water lagoon and Chumash culture |
| Placer Nature Center | Auburn | Placer | website, interactive exhibits about area natural and cultural history, watershed, energy choices, replica of a Maidu summer shelter |
| Placerita Canyon Nature Center | Santa Clarita | Los Angeles | Located in Placerita Canyon State Park, 12 miles of trails, live animals |
| Rancho Del Oso Nature and History Center | Davenport | Santa Cruz | Located in the ocean end of Big Basin Redwoods State Park, interactive exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the Waddell Valley |
| Randall Museum | San Francisco | San Francisco | Owned and operated by the City's Recreation and Parks Department, focus is nature, science, arts and crafts, live native and domestic animals and interactive displays |
| Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary | Tiburon | Marin | Operated by the National Audubon Society, 911 acres, adult and children's nature programs |
| Rotary Nature Center | Oakland | Alameda | website, operated by the City, interactive exhibits about Lake Merritt and Joaquin Miller Park, includes freshwater viewing ponds, five habitat islands, a geodesic dome for injured birds |
| Sacramento River Discovery Center | Red Bluff | Tehama | website, located in the 488-acre Red Bluff Recreation Area in Mendocino National Forest, ecosystem of the Sacramento River watershed |
| Sanborn Science and Nature Center | Saratoga | Santa Clara | Operated by the Youth Science Institute in 3,688-acre Sanborn Park, exhibits include animal mounts that populate the Santa Cruz Mountain Range, earthquake and geology displays, an insect zoo and an organic garden |
| San Dimas Canyon Nature Center | San Dimas | Los Angeles | website, 138 acres, enclosed wildlife sanctuary containing live animals indigenous to Southern California |
| Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History | Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | Exhibits include natural history and geology of the Santa Cruz Region, Ohlone culture, marine life of the Monterey Bay, nature programs |
| Santa Fe Dam Nature Center | Irwindale | Los Angeles | Operated by the San Gabriel Mountains Regional Conservancy, exhibits on the plant life and wildlife of the alluvial fan of the San Gabriel River, 70 acre lake |
| Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve | Idyllwild | Riverside | Operated by Riverside County Parks, 9,000-acre reserve, visitor center exhibits and interpretive programs |
| Shipley Nature Center | Huntington Beach | Orange | website, 18 acres, located within Huntington Beach Central Park, owned by the City, area natural and cultural history, native plants |
| Shorebird Park Nature Center | Berkeley | Alameda | website, operated by the City in a strawbale building, focus is marine life, conservation and education, 6 acres |
| Sooky Goldman Nature Center | Beverly Hills | Los Angeles | Located in 605-acre Franklin Canyon Park, exhibits and programs about the park's natural and cultural history |
| STAR Eco Station | Culver City | Los Angeles | website, environmental science museum, exotic wildlife rescue center and haven for endangered and illegally trafficked exotic animals |
| Stoneview Nature Center | Culver City | Los Angeles | Managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation; part of the Park to Playa Trail |
| Sulphur Creek Nature Center | Hayward | Alameda | Managed by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, wildlife education and rehabilitation facility, live native animals |
| Tilden Regional Park | Berkeley | Alameda | 2,079-acre park, includes the Tilden Nature Area Environmental Education Center |
| Topanga Nature Center | Topanga | Los Angeles | Located in 11,000-acre Topanga State Park, exhibits about the flora, fauna and geography of the area |
| Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary | Modjeska Canyon | Orange | Owned and operated by California State University, Fullerton, includes a natural history museum and interpretive center, two ponds, bird observation porch and feeders, hiking trails, gift shop |
| Turtle Bay Exploration Park | Redding | Shasta | 300 acres, includes the McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Turtle Bay Museum and Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp |
| Vasona Science and Nature Center | Los Gatos | Santa Clara | Youth science and nature education facility operated by the Youth Science Institute in the 150-acre Vasona Park |
| White Point Nature Education Center | San Pedro | Los Angeles | Operated by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, 102 acres, hiking and handicap accessible trails overlooking the ocean and Catalina Island |
| Whittier Narrows Nature Center | South El Monte | Los Angeles | Operated by the County, exhibits about the plants and animals of the river environment, includes live displays, 400 acres |
| Wilderness Park Nature Center | Arcadia | Los Angeles | website, operated by the City, features live animals on display and a pond |
| Yosemite National Park - Nature Center at Happy Isles | Yosemite Valley | Mariposa | Open from May-Sep, located at the Happy Isles bus stop |
Resources
- California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education
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List of nature centers in California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.