The museum in the Visitor's Center includes live reptiles from New Jersey, a children's touch table, educational materials, natural history exhibits, and a wildlife viewing area.  Display cases feature bird nests, New Jersey fossils and arrowheads, and an animal skull collection. Decorating the museum's walls are interactive displays that help children learn about nature's cycles and the Rancocas Watershed. In the live animal area, visitors of all ages can enjoy observing several species of native turtles and snakes up close.  Depending on the time of year, there may even be a chrysalis and/or newly-emerged butterfly to watch.

The Rancocas classroom is used for a variety of environmental education programs, photography exhibits, and social activities. When you enter, look up at its 3-D mural of hawks in flight.  Each season features displays that correlate to some of Rancocas' programming--maple sugaring in late winter, the arrival of spring in April and May, day camp activities in summer, monarch and bird migration in fall, and animal survival strategies in winter.  During the late fall through the holiday season, the Rancocas Photo Exhibit is on display.  Photos taken on the nature center grounds by volunteers and visitors offer a personal look at the preserve.  To view the variety of programming offered year-round, click on Calendar of Events. 

To go directly to the Rancocas Nature Camps page, Click here.

 

During your visit to the center, browse through our nature store.  Our stock includes a wide selection of nature-related items and books perfect for birders, botanists, gardeners, wildlife enthusiasts, teachers, and kids.  We carry one of the finest selections of natural history books in New Jersey, along with optics (binoculars and magnifiers), field guides, bird feeders, bird seed, bird and bat houses, juvenile books, and educational toys.    In addition, seasonal clothing and gear, featuring the New Jersey Audubon logo, are for sale.  New Jersy Audubon members receive a 10% discount on all merchandise (optics feature their own discounts).  For your convenience, the Rancocas Nature Center accepts cash, checks, and major credit cards.

New this year is the Rancocas 2011 Calendar with event dates pre-loaded and photos taken by volunteers, staff, summer campers and program participants.  Also new are Rancocas Nature Center Tee Shirts and Sweatshirts.  Currently there are specials on "Get into Bird Watching Kits" and "Bird Feeding Packages."

Click here to go to Rancocas Grounds.