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Local Links for Biodiversity—Washington, DC
Museums and Nature Centers:
Brookside Nature Center
Wheaton Regional Park
1400 Glenallen Ave.
Wheaton, MD 20902
Phone: 301-946-9071
Featuring exhibits and programs on local wildlife, the Brookside Nature Center is set amidst the forest and meadows of Wheaton Regional Park. A system of trails, a pond, and a nineteenth-century cabin and smokehouse are located on the grounds. Brookside offers environmental education programs and nature camps. Visitors can also explore the adjacent Brookside Gardens.
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
1850 Dual Hwy., Suite 100
Hagerstown, MD 21740-6620
Phone: 202-653-5160 (Georgetown Office)
The C & O Canal stretches from Georgetown, in Washington, DC, to Cumberland, Maryland, rising to an elevation of 605 feet in Cumberland. The canal has a unique natural and cultural history. Visitors to the canal can learn about geography, geology, ecology, history, and the physics of canal building. National Park Service rangers conduct boat trips and guided walks. The Park Service has developed curriculum materials focusing on the canal, and rangers offer teacher workshops.
Discovery Creek Children's Museum of Washington
4954 MacArthur Blvd., NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202-364-3111
www.discoverycreek.org
The Discovery Creek Children's Museum is located on 12 acres of wilderness, and includes the last remaining one-room schoolhouse in Washington. Its primary focus is to instill environmental awareness and a sense of stewardship for the environment. Discovery Creek offers environmental education programs for students and families, teacher workshops, and nature hikes and camps.
George Washington Memorial Parkway/Theodore Roosevelt Island
National Park Service, Turkey Run Headquarters
McLean, VA 22101
Phone: 703-289-2500
www.nps.gov/gwmp
The George Washington Memorial Parkway and its adjacent parkland provide a natural buffer along the banks of the Potomac River. The parkway features a diversity of habitats, including wetlands and forest of Theodore Roosevelt Island; the woodland trails, situated 250 feet above the river, at Turkey Run Park; and the wetlands of Dyke Marsh. Rangers offer nature walks, environmental education programs, and kids' camps.
Gulf Branch Nature Center
3608 North Military Rd.
Arlington, VA 22207
Phone: 703-228-3403
www.co.arlington.va.us/prcr/scripts/nature/nature.htm
The nature center is located in a wooded stream valley, and features a children's discovery room, Native American exhibits, and exhibits of Arlington flora and fauna. The nature center has on display a demonstration beehive. Programs include environmental/heritage education, Junior Naturalists, and various guided hikes.
Hard Bargain Farm Environmental Center
2001 Bryan Point Rd.
Accokeek, MD 20607
Phone: 301-292-5665
Visitors to the Hard Bargain Farm can learn about freshwater and estuariane ecology, while observing a local working farm. Located in Piscataway National Park, the farm itself is surrounded by 330 acres of forest, wetlands, and Potomac River shoreline. Programs include environmental education, a summer teacher institute, and a bi-monthly newsletter.
Hidden Pond Nature Center
8511 Greeley Blvd.
Springfield, VA 22152
703-451-9588
www.co.fairfax.va.us/parks/hiddenpond
Hidden Pond Nature Center, located on 400 acres of forest and wetlands, features exhibits on freshwater aquatic systems, and includes live animal presentations, a hands-on table, and a lab.
Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
1361 Wrighton Rd.
Lothian, MD 20711
Phone: 410-741-9330
www.jugbay.org
The sanctuary features a nature center, six miles of trails, and a boardwalk, as well as a rare stand of wild rice, once common in the D.C. area. Staff members conduct research on plant and animal communities and monitor the health of the Patuxent River. Programs include environmental education, guest speakers, canoeing, and volunteer opportunities.
Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge
US Fish and Wildlife Service
14344 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
Woodbridge, VA 22191
Phone: 703-490-4979
The Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 2,277 acres of forest and marshland. While its primary purpose is to protect the threatened bald eagle, the refuge also promotes biodiversity through wildlife education and public use. Programs and services include environmental education, curriculum materials, videos, films, and slides, and various trails.
National Aquarium
Department of Commerce Building
14th St. & Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20230
Phone: 202-482-2825
www.nationalaquarium.com
The oldest aquarium in the United States, the National Aquarium houses more than 1,200 marine creatures in 70 tanks. Audio-visual presentations, a sea creature touch tank, and the 2:00 pm shark and piranha feedings (every day except Friday) are some of the programs the aquarium offers.
National Colonial Farm
The Accokeek Foundation
3400 Bryan Point Rd.
Accokeek, MD 20607
Phone: 301-283-4201
www.accokeek.org
The National Colonial Farm combines modern, organic farming practices with eighteenth-century rural, colonial life in Maryland. Costumed interpreters guide visitors through a colonial farmhouse, a tobacco barn, an animal farm, and the Ecosystem Farm, an organic vegetable farm. The farm demonstrates the importance of adapting farming practices to the environment by producing sustainable harvests of vegetables in an ecologically sound manner. Located in Piscataway Park, visitors can also explore the nearby Native Tree Arboretum and the American chestnut research site.
Prince William Forest Park
On Route 619 West, off I-95, exit 150B
18100 Park Headquarters Rd.
Triangle, VA 22172
Phone: 703-221-7181
www.nps.gov/prwi
Prince William Forest Park consists of 17,000 acres of deciduous forest, bisected by Quantico Creek and once home to Native Americans. The Turkey Run Environmental Education Center offers day and overnight programs, and ranger-led programs are available during the summer.
Rock Creek Park
3545 Williamsburg Ln., NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-895-6070
www.nps.gov/rocr
Rock Creek Park encompasses forests, meadows, and streams and is located in the heart of Washington, D.C. The park features a nature center, numerous biking and walking trails, horseback riding, the Rock Creek Gallery, and the Carter Baron Amphitheater. Park rangers administer the Junior Ranger program, and offer guided walks, wildlife kits, and a planetarium program.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
10th St. and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: 202-357-2700
www.mnh.si.edu
The National Museum of Natural History is an excellent resource for exploring natural science, geology, and anthropology. In addition to the permanent and temporary exhibits on everything from alligators to zebras, the museum features a discovery room for younger children, a naturalist's center for older children and young adults, and an IMAX theater and the Insect Zoo, for visitors of all ages. Museum educators offer a variety of activities for students, teachers, families, and the general public.
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
3001 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-673-4950
www.natzoo.si.edu
The national zoo houses exhibits that highlight various ecosystems, including the Amazonia Exhibit and Wetlands Exhibit at the Bird House. Animal exhibits include Invertebrates, the Reptile Discovery Center, and the Think Tank, an interactive exhibit showing personal examples of animals thinking. ZOOlab offers hands-on experiences for all ages.
United States National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-245-4565
www.usna.usda.gov
The National Arboretum, featuring the Aquatic Garden, Asian Collection, and National Herb Garden, is an ideal place to explore the world of botany. Programs include garden tours, lectures, flower shows, picnic areas, and educational programs.
United States Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: 202-225-8333
www.usbg.gov
The U.S. Botanic Garden includes the Conservatory and Bartholdi Park. The Conservatory features a wide variety of living exhibits, including seasonal exhibits. Approximately 4,000 plants are on display. Bartholdi Park is an outdoor garden demonstration landscape and includes the historic Bartholdi Fountain. USBG and the National Fund for the USBG jointly sponsor all education and public programs.
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