Sandy Point Nature Center

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  40' Mural of Sandy Point Beach, illustrates the local environment near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

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  The displays around the Sandy Point Nature Center are oriented to match the Bay view you see out the windows. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is on right, and this light house is distant on the left.

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  The magnetized mural wall encourages interactive play and supports ranger-led programs about Bay ecology.

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  Rangers can roll activity carts onto boardwalk for a variety of bilingual educational programs.

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  The North side focuses on the Chesapeake Bay's watershed, aquatic life, water-safety and recreation.

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  Boat activities include fishing facts, crab measuring, oyster sorting and dress-up clothes.

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  Viewers place markers on a map of the bay's watershed | Staff can track community access over time

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  The South side focuses on birds, migration and animal habitats in the local environment.

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  Walk-in Osprey Nest explains importance of these migrating birds and their successful breeding in the Bay. Compare Your Wing-Span with other Bay Birds | Imagine You're a Baby Osprey and Bounce Around with the Chicks

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  Migration of Osprey and Monarchs | "I Spy" Garden Magnifies Insects | Meadow & Forest Animal Fun Facts.

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  Beaver Dam uses chewed wood found in the park. Discovery Drawers and side storage are below the branches. Staff questions on tree mural promote bay stewardship | "Leaves" are reusable commitment statements

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  The Beaver Dam discovery drawers are filled with local animal skins, identifying footprints and scat.

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  All graphic elements in the exhibit are co-created in English and Spanish | Typical Magnet Cut-Outs

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  Original Concept Sketch | Corner View as Installed | Full Mural Illustration by Phyllis Sarnoff

The Sandy Point Nature Center, at the foot of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, is one of Maryland's most popular state parks, with over 1 million visitors yearly. Displays educate about the bay's ecology and environment.

This is the first bilingual facility in Maryland's Park Service system. 80% of park visitors identify as Hispanic. Content was completely integrated in English and Spanish to fully include and engage the multi-generational Latino community. 

The 40' curved interactive wall mural of the park's beach front, anchors the nature center. Depicting Chesapeake Bay life in and around the water, the mural is magnetized to support visitor play and a variety of ranger-led programs. Educational content can easily be expanded to focus on any current issues.

Many interpretive activities include: Fishing Boat (Fishing & Crabbing), Beaver Dam (Animal Discovery Drawers), and Osprey Nest (Wings, Eggs and Bay Birds).

Interactive displays are also created to regularly collect visitor data and responses.

The Maryland Park Service, National Park Service, and Chesapeake Bay Conservancy partnered on the development of the Sandy Point Nature Center.