Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center

On the northern end of Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center is an interactive oceanfront learning facility dedicated to the native coastal ecosystem in Greater Miami & Miami Beach. Situated at the entry point of the 165-acre Bear Cut Preserve, this multi-purpose nature center is the perfect launching point for discovery in the great outdoors. The center is named for Marjory Stoneman Douglas, one of the 20th century’s notable conservationists, who was largely responsible for the preservation of the Everglades and other native habitats across South Florida, including Crandon Park.

Discover Bear Cut Preserve

Multiple nature trails wind through Bear Cut Preserve. Start at the Biscayne Nature Center on a self-guided or naturalist-led tour through the surrounding hardwood hammocks, fossil reef tidal pools, mangrove forests and coastal seagrass habitats. You’ll spy everything from butterflies to herons and other wading birds, as well as crabs, fish and marine life. If you’re lucky, you might even spot sea turtles or their nesting grounds. (Keep a respectful distance from all wildlife and be sure not to interrupt their activities.)

Embark on a Seagrass Adventure

A Seagrass Adventure is one of the nature center’s top interactive and educational activities. Designed with families in mind, the program includes wading into the shallow, calm waters along Key Biscayne with a naturalist. Here, amid the seagrass habitat, you’ll have the chance to catch and release marine life in nets and buckets, seeing different creatures up-close. Your net might pull up anything from sea urchins to pipefish and starfish. Programming availability varies, so it’s always best to call ahead and see what’s on offer during your planned visit.

Kids’ Programming & Summer Camps

The Biscayne Nature Center is a not-for-profit with a strong partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The center offers an abundance of educational programming for children, including a popular summer camp led by marine biologists in weeklong sessions from June through August. There’s also a single-day option where your child could experience a variety of activities, which might include the Seagrass Adventure, slogging through muddy mangroves, snorkeling along the fossilized reef, paddleboarding, kayaking, science-focused beach games, art projects and more.

Indoor Science & Art Exhibits

Inside the Biscayne Nature Center, you can explore an interpretative exhibition area with saltwater aquariums, a live small-scale mangrove habitat and interactive stations featuring preserved seashells, sponges, turtle shells and more, as well as Tequesta Indian artifacts. At the art gallery, you’ll find exhibitions featuring works inspired by the area’s natural beauty. There’s also an audiovisual presentation room, demonstration lab classroom facilities and a central amphitheater courtyard for special programming.

Soak up the natural wonders all around you and meditate on this quote from Marjory Stoneman Douglas: “Whatever the universe is, I believe it is all one. And this fragile shoreline, with its mangroves, coastal hammocks and ancient reef, is a precious part of very little that still survives of our unique environment.”