Patuxent Visitor Center | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

National Wildlife Visitor Center

Lots to see and enjoy including...

Kids Discovery Center
Monarch Magic
Wildlife Images Bookstore
Hollingsworth Art Gallery
Family Fun
Visitor Center Bird Blind
Pollinator Gardens

The Visitor Center, located on South Tract, is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – closed on federal holidays.

Image Details

Kids Discovery Center

Located in the Patuxent National Wildlife Visitor Center - 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel, MD 20708

Daily, Wednesday through Saturday: Sessions start at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, and 12:00 pm.

Duration: 35 minutes, each. Larger group special arrangements are possible when scheduled 2 weeks in advance. Lots of exciting learning activities and crafts await you at the KIDS DISCOVERY CENTER! New themes are presented monthly to engage kids (ages 3-10) * and adults in nature-related fun.

Registration Required. Call the National Wildlife Visitors Center front desk 301/497 5772 to reserve a 35-minute time slot for you and your child.

Children, with parent/guardian support, explore and learn about nature and the environment through engaging, age-appropriate activities, crafts and games. Older siblings are welcome to join with parents and work with younger siblings to help them understand and complete the activities.

NOTE: The Kids’ Discovery Center is neither baby-proofed nor appropriate for children younger than 3 due to small items featured in the exhibits and activities. Parents are required to work with their child at each of the parent-led activities.

If interested in volunteering to work with KDC and/or to help develop curriculum activities for children, please call the front desk 301/497 5772 and ask for Barrie!

Program Themes:

February Theme: Groundhogs. Fun facts: Groundhogs can whistle, swim and climb trees! Visit us to do some great fun activities and learn more.

March Theme: SNAILS, SLUGS, & WORMS. They're stretchy invertebrates, sometimes slippery or slimy, and often leave mucus trails in their paths! Visit the KDC this month to learn about these important additions to your garden!

April Theme: GRASSHOPPERS, PRAYING MANTISES, & WALKING STICKS. Come to the KDC this month to discover some insects that can hide in plain sight by easily blending in with their environment! And, did you know that one of these three invertebrates feasts on the other two ... but who?

Registration strongly urged: Call 301-497-5772.
Large groups: michael_cangelosi@fws.gov.

Image Details

Monarch Magic

The monarch butterflies departed our area in the fall and made their way to Mexico for the winter. We look forward to their return north, generation by generation, this spring and summer. Meanwhile, you can come to the National Wildlife Visitor Center to visit our Monarch Magic Station, learn more about these incredible and beautiful migratory insects, and enjoy a full-color educational video about them. (The video runs continuously during Visitor Center public hours.)
Thank you for helping us release 948 monarchs in 2023.

Monarch Magic Opportunity:
Explore volunteering with the Monarch Butterfly Team! Call 301-497-5772 to ask about & sign-up for the next “Monarch Butterfly Team Overview Presentation.” These presentations are for adults, and ages 16-17 with adult registration on file, to learn about what volunteer Monarch Magic docents and Butterfly-Care Providers do

Image Details

Wildlife Images Bookstore

The Wildlife Images Bookstoreis operated by the Friends of Patuxent. Proceeds from sales made at Wildlife Images are devoted to supporting the environmental education at the Patuxent Research Refuge and research missions at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. The Bookstore is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 3:30 PM; closed on federal holidays.

Wildlife Images has an extraordinary selection of:

Wildlife books
Wildlife art items, created by some of the world's best wildlife artists
Wildlife-theme tee-shirts, Children & Adult sizes, and caps
Songbird box kits
Posters
Educational, and one of a kind items
Many other exciting wildlife-related items suitable for everyone who loves the outdoors and cares about the wildlife of the world.

Image Details

Hollingsworth Art Gallery

Each month the Hollingsworth Art Gallery exhibits wildlife-themed art by local and by nationally-known artists.

February 2025
Artists of the Month - Fredrik and James Fatemi

In February we’ll enjoy the father and son’s work of Fredrik and James Fatemi – both of whom share a deep interest in wildlife photography. “Dad” is a research physicist whose interest in photography has been a hobby since childhood. Son James’ interest was sparked in junior high when exposed to his Dad’s “avocation.”

James’ interest in and enjoyment of reptiles, amphibians and birds led quickly to photographing them in local marshes or on family bird photography trips. James has been inspired by and learned techniques from local enthusiasts to develop his own style of shooting. He captures mood or behavior – and emphasizes the perspective of his subjects. James’ work has won recognition in national and international competition including 2nd place in Audubon Youth Photograply Awards 2023. In 2024 he was Nature TTL Youth Photographer of the year! His exhibit in February will include some of his favorite images.

Dad Fredrik’s recent work has also had a wildlife focus – but his other interests include astrophotography, macrophotography and scientific imagery. Their exhibits will be fascinating.

March 2025
Artists of the Month - Christine Brennan Schmid

In March Christine Brennan Schmidt will exhibit favorite photos she’s gathered in from years of wonder at the interplay of color and texture and light in nature though she loves photographing people as well as nature and seeks portraits that catch people at ease revealing their true selves.

Photography is only one of her post-retirement interests and activities. She trained as a chemist and worked for 30 years for the American Chemical Society in project management. She feels it’s no surprise that so many retired scientists take up photography. She knows they are people who are fascinated by the complexities of matter – and turn almost seamlessly to an art that requires patience, appreciation of intricacy, attention to detail, and stunning break-throughs or rewards of discovery.

Schmidt’s life in photography began in her father’s darkroom where she began developing black and white images – but she, like many, stepped away for a couple of decades – earning multiple degrees, working, and starting a family. Today, she works as a professional business and life coach. She accepts shoots for portraits, small events and groups. More recently, she’s been shooting birds and other animals – often while kayaking! Nikon cameras and lenses have been her preferred tools - and lately a Fujifilm X T4. All work is now digital – her easily accessed images in galleries in the cloud – and, if we get a chance to meet her in March, I hope she brings her Celtic harp!

Family Fun

Image Details

The Family Fun section offers self-paced hands-on activities and crafts for all ages, typically volunteer-staffed two days per month (dates, below), and available all month long for independent exploration. Test your knowledge with the Quiz Board or the Match Game. Make-and-take a fun craft project. Learn about nature, the plants and animals at Patuxent Refuge, and what you can do to help wildlife and the environment. There is something for everyone!

This is a drop-in program: come when you wish and leave when you're ready. Look for the Family Fun section in the hallway to the right as you face the reception desk.

Themes

Winter:
Staffed explorations: 10 am-1 pm on 2/14; 2/15:
“Let it Snow! Winter Weather & the Water Cycle.” Have you ever wondered how snowflakes form, where rain comes from, or what a cloud feels like? Come explore your questions with us in mid-February on our volunteer-staffed dates, or come on your own to explore all month long!

Visitor Center Bird Blind

Wish there was a convenient way to view birds at South Tract without intruding into their lives?

Try our bird blind located near the Visitor Center trail door. The slanted viewing port design allows people of all heights to view without revealing their presence. .The blind overlooks an open field with ground modification to mimic a forest floor. A variety of bird feeders have been added to attract a variety of species. Being located on a paved trail allows individuals with limited mobility to use the blind.

Birds seen in the blind’s first month include downy woodpecker, goldfinch, house finch, red-bellied woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch, northern mocking bird, chipping sparrow, doves, red-winged blackbird and humming bird.

Funds for construction were provided by the Friends of Patuxent.

Image Details

Pollinator Gardens

The Patuxent Research Refuge has large pollinator gardens of native plants at the South Tract Visitor Center and at the North Tract Visitor Contact Station. Other small pockets of pollinator plantings are near the Fishing Pier at the north end of Cash Lake and at the Wildlife Viewing Area near Merganser Pond at North Tract. Volunteers help design and maintain these gardens, which provide food and shelter to butterflies, native bees and other insects that pollinate native plants and thus support the local wildlife populations. The gardens are beautiful and bring joy to their many visitors, and are especially appreciated by children and photographers.

Since the seeds choose where they like to grow, the gardens are an ever-changing landscape. As one of the gardeners noted, part of the fun of native plant gardening is enjoying the evolving display that changes with both the seasons and the successional stages of plant species as the landscape matures.

The gardens give visitors a chance to see pollinators in action in their natural habitat. They create an awareness of the beauty of native plants in home landscaping, and demonstrate the vital role they play in attracting beneficial insects as well as birds and other wildlife. The gardens are essentially an outdoor classroom, promoting good environmental stewardship by showing visitors what they can do in their own gardens.