Forever Explorers

Forever Explorers is a new hands-on, feet-wet experience designed for young-at-heart, lifelong learners who want to explore their coastal environment. Whether you’re new to the area or have called Florida home for many years, you likely know the importance of the natural world to our coastal community…but perhaps you want to learn more! Let Marine Discovery Center’s certified naturalists engage you in a fun and unique … Continue reading Forever Explorers

Bonnet Springs Park – Lakeland, FL

This past October, Lakeland and the surrounding central Florida community was gifted with the new addition of a sprawling park. While this park is free to enter and open to the public, it is unique in that it is a privately developed public park that depends solely on public support. Located on 168 acres of what was once the heart of Lakeland’s developing infrastructure, the … Continue reading Bonnet Springs Park – Lakeland, FL

Nature for All: 2023 ShORE Symposium at the Marine Discovery Center

“Nature for All” is the theme of this year’s ShORE Symposium, set for Friday, April 21. Deadline for Online Registration is Friday, April 14 2023.Day-of registration will be available ShORE — Sharing Our Research with Everyone – returns to the Brannon Center, located at 105 South Riverside Drive in New Smyrna Beach, for a daylong collaboration of local residents, students, educators, researchers, conservationists, artists, elected … Continue reading Nature for All: 2023 ShORE Symposium at the Marine Discovery Center

MDC Features Bats in October Public Lecture Series

Bats are the fascinating and mysterious mammals of the sky and will be featured this Thursday in the Marine Discovery Center’s October Public Lecture Series. Ariel Horner of Casselberry will be the guest presenter on Thursday, Oct 13, at 6:30 p.m. The event will be held in MDC’s Learning Lab. Horner is a volunteer and board member with Florida Bat Conservancy (FBC). She operates Bat … Continue reading MDC Features Bats in October Public Lecture Series

Ponce Inlet Programs in the Park and Educational Programs

Grandparents Day Celebration Saturday, September 10, 2022 @ 10:00 AM Come tour the museum, create a keepsake together with your grandchild and enjoy an old-fashioned favorite snack! This is also an Echo Ranger Event. Ponce Inlet Historical Museum 143 Beach Street, outside on the lawn. Free; RSVP by 7/27 required:Jennifer; Jlagreca@ponce-inlet.org or (386)761-2408 Lecture Series-Natives for Newbies Tuesday, September 13, 2022 @ 10:30 AM Meet Sande Habali of … Continue reading Ponce Inlet Programs in the Park and Educational Programs

Out of this World : Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex 

We are currently the proud parents of an extremely inquisitive 4-year-old whose mind runs a mile-a-minute and the questions fly even faster. Like most parents, we do our best to foster Avery’s interests with as many activities and experiences as possible. Her current fixation is outer space, and luckily we have a front row seat here in Florida to the country’s space program.  With her … Continue reading Out of this World : Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex 

FREE Summer Programs Available for Kids, Teens and Adults

Click here to view the listing of Volusia County’s Lyonia Environmental Center’s education and nature-based indoor/outdoor programs. Click here to view the listing of Explore Volusia’s outdoor environmental exploration programs.  Click here to view the listing of Ponce Inlet’s monthly nature and educational programs. Libraries Offer FREE Passes to State Parks Visiting a state park this summer just got more affordable. The Volusia County Public Library is partnering with the Florida Department … Continue reading FREE Summer Programs Available for Kids, Teens and Adults

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters  Living in a peninsula like Florida, we are surrounded by water and ocean life, but it’s rare that we get to see the animals beneath the waves face-to-face. The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota combines adventure with education to provide the opportunity to meet hundreds of marine species from in and around our coastal communities.  Mote Marine … Continue reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea

How To Festival

Coming soon to a library YouTube channel near you! Local experts, hobbyists and librarians will share their passions and offer instructions during 24 free, online programs offered on May 1 and 2. This year’s How-to Festival will be presented virtually with a collection of how-to videos created by library staff. Round up your family and learn something new together! Participants can pick up tips on how … Continue reading How To Festival

crystal river and Homosassa things to do

History Right Beneath Your Feet

Photos by Kelsey and Scott Walters Crystal River Archaeological State Park  Given Florida’s rich history, it’s likely that just about everywhere you explore has a bit of a past. Dating back to prehistoric times, much of the land we live, work and play on today was once a site of significance to Native Americans.  Ancient middens dot the state’s landscape, with the most notable local … Continue reading History Right Beneath Your Feet