NJ Audubon's Nature Center of Cape May

NJ Audubon's Nature Center of Cape May The Nature Center of Cape May offers marine science, natural history and environmental education.
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Does the thought of adding a pond to your backyard both excite and terrify you at the same time? How do you even start? ...
06/22/2026

Does the thought of adding a pond to your backyard both excite and terrify you at the same time? How do you even start? Is it affordable? What about mosquitoes?

The Cape May Bird Observatory, with support from the Diane Cornell Wildlife Gardening Project, is excited to host Katie Fisk on Saturday, July 18th at the Nature Center of Cape May to answer all your questions about adding a water feature to your backyard. Katie has been an Environmental Educator for over 20 years, using her passion for wildlife gardening to connect people with the world around them.

If you join us, you’ll learn tips and tricks from someone who has done it all, from a container pond on an apartment balcony to a 40-gallon hard-shell pond to a 150-gallon custom pond using a liner. You can do this!

This is a FREE program, but pre-registration is required. https://njaudubon.org/event/diane-cornell-wildlife-garden-project-diy-ponds/

We are just three weeks away from the Catch of Cape May! Please join us for our biggest annual fundraiser on July 11th f...
06/20/2026

We are just three weeks away from the Catch of Cape May! Please join us for our biggest annual fundraiser on July 11th from 5-9pm at Harborview Park. Your ticket purchase and participation in our amazing auction raises funds to support nature center programs like summer camp, school field trips, and outdoor family experiences.

A huge thank you to all the businesses, artists, and volunteers who have donated incredible items to our auction this year. You won’t want to miss it!!

Get your tickets today!
https://njaudubon.org/cocm/

Curious what creatures emerge on our beaches once the sun goes down? Join us for Nighttime on the Beach to find out! Gr...
06/15/2026

Curious what creatures emerge on our beaches once the sun goes down? Join us for Nighttime on the Beach to find out!

Grab your flashlights and get ready to scurry around the beach with Nature Center Naturalists to catch one of the beach's fastest and fiercest predators, the elusive ghost crab. Plus, learn about ghost crab habitat, how they move, and what they eat. Do you think you can catch one?

Where and When:
📍Mt. Vernon Ave
🗓️ Thursdays
🕰️ 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM

For more info and to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/28857825575

06/11/2026

We are excited to announce the arrival of our newest resident.🐙

Stop by our Aqualab for the chance to meet the octopus and discover many other fascinating marine animals, including fish, crabs, and seahorses.

Looking for an even more memorable experience? Join us for our annual fundraiser, Catch of Cape May, on July 11 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM and bid on our exclusive octopus encounter: Night Out with an Octopus.

You and up to 10 friends will have a private meet and greet with the octopus at the nature center. You will help feed the octopus dinner and then get ready to watch a movie! We will set up a screen and seating area outdoors and play the new “Remarkably Bright Creatures” movie for your group's viewing pleasure. We will provide snacks like popcorn, candy, and refreshments.

All funds raised support the yearly operation and education programs at the Nature Center. You can purchase tickets to the Catch of Cape May here: https://njaudubon.org/cocm/

Our first Harbor Safari program of the season did not disappoint! There is so much life to discover on the Cape May Harb...
06/05/2026

Our first Harbor Safari program of the season did not disappoint! There is so much life to discover on the Cape May Harbor which has made it the ideal outdoor classroom of the Nature Center of Cape May.

We are so excited that our annual fundraiser, the Catch of Cape May, will be returning to the Harbor on July 11th. Please join us at Harborview Park from 5-9pm for food and drinks, live music, an exciting auction, and good times with like-minded people. Your attendance will help raise critical funds that allow the Nature Center to continue to provide programs like Harbor Safaris to Cape May residents and visitors. Approximately 700 people learn about the ecological value of the Harbor through our Harbor Safari programs each summer.

You can purchase tickets to the Catch of Cape May here: https://njaudubon.org/cocm/

And sign up to join us for a Harbor Safari here: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/28857825575?aff=ebdsshcopyurl

Here's your PSA to stop using "Anti-Fish" language. If you think you might be using anti-fish language, keep reading to ...
06/04/2026

Here's your PSA to stop using "Anti-Fish" language. If you think you might be using anti-fish language, keep reading to learn some helpful alternatives.

❌"Swimming in circles"
✅"Schooling for safety, like Atlantic Silversides"

❌"Only dead fish swim with the stream"
✅"Often, progress requires going against the current"

❌"Bigger fish to fry"
✅"More urgent matters to attend to, such as protecting our coastal ecosystems"

No trout about it, at the Nature Center of Cape May, we appreciate all the marine life that call the Cape May Harbor home. Want the chance to get up close with marine life? Join us for one of our Harbor Safari programs, where you’ll have the chance to encounter these amazing species as we seine the shallows of the harbor.

Harbor Safari runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 AM to noon, with no two programs ever the same. There’s always something new to discover! Recently, naturalists at the Nature Center of Cape May have caught Atlantic Silverside, Summer Flounder, Northern Pipefish, Hermit Crabs, and more. Come explore the harbor for yourself!

Photo by Jack McDonough

What treasures does the sea leave behind at the water’s edge? Join us for an hour of "beach combing the cove" tomorrow m...
06/02/2026

What treasures does the sea leave behind at the water’s edge? Join us for an hour of "beach combing the cove" tomorrow morning to find out!

Each week, starting tomorrow, June 3rd, we will explore one of the area’s ever-changing coastal habitats - the beach, ocean, and dunes of Cape May’s “The Cove” beach. We’ll scour the shallows, comb the shoreline, and walk along the dunes in search of hidden treasures and signs of wildlife.

When and Where:
📍Cove Beach, Cape May, NJ
🗓️ Every Wednesday, June-August
🕰️ 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

Pre-registration is required. More info can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-jersey-audubon-nature-center-of-cape-may-28857825575

Channel your inner horseshoe crab! What better creature to take life advice from than this keystone species?Here's some ...
06/01/2026

Channel your inner horseshoe crab! What better creature to take life advice from than this keystone species?

Here's some life lessons you could learn from a horseshoe crab:

- It's ok to be misunderstood! Horseshoe crabs are often deeply misunderstood. Many people are afraid of horseshoe crabs, despite them being completely harmless!

- Always support those around you. Horseshoe crabs are a vital component of our coastal ecosystems, supporting countless migratory bird species, sea turtles, and even humans!

- Accept help when you need it! Accepting help from others is not a bad thing! Horseshoe crabs depend on helpful humans who flip them over when they are stranded on their backs.

Horseshoe crab spawning (or mating) season is in full swing! Be sure to lend a helping hand to any horseshoe crabs you see stranded or stuck on their backs. Plus, make sure to give our migrating shorebirds some extra space as they fuel up on our shoreline!

🌅What inspires you about horseshoe crabs?

Address

1600 Delaware Avenue
Cape May, NJ
08204

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+16094273045

Website

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