This state-of-the-art, 5,000 sf facility offers indoor and outdoor classroom and exhibit space on 15 acres within the Idlewild Park Saltwater Marsh. The Center is both an educational facility and community center, informing visitors about the significance of the saltwater marshlands which abut JFK International Airport and Jamaica Bay. Site planning carefully protects the fragile ecosystem by using existing topography to maximize views and orientation to the salt marsh.
The arrival sequence transports the visitor on an elevated boardwalk over a new stormwater biofiltration pool to the main entrance. From the interior classrooms, visitors can step out onto a perimeter deck that overlooks the restored native habitat.