Whenever I visit a new place, my first stop is always the destination’s education or visitor center. The people at these centers are usually friendly and helpful and always have a wealth of information that they are willing to share with me. The best education centers, however, are also full of fun! They offer interesting exhibits, hands-on learning, and unique experiences. We have lots of these places in Massachusetts, but The Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport is my favorite.

The Joppa Flats Education Center is run by Mass Audubon. It is a great place to visit to learn about birds, marine creatures, and other animals.
Thomas Brady/Google Reviews
Stop in for a visit or join in on a nature tour. Joppa Flats runs a number of free or low costs programs for individuals, families, and groups.
My family’s favorite part of the education center is the touch tanks.
Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center/Facebook
Joppa Flats runs several free programs where visitors of all ages can learn about tide pools and experience what it is like to touch and hold moon snails, hermit crabs, sea urchins, and other marine creatures. There are also some outdoor animal encounters to discover.
Joppa Flats is the place to visit if you enjoy the art of birdwatching.
Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center/Facebook
Each week, a group called Wednesday Morning Birding meets at the flats and travels to a nearby location to view beautiful and majestic birds. The birding group is so popular that it is now in its 27th year.

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The educational center also holds special birding excursions where families can spend a morning learning about local birds.
Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center/Facebook
They even provide equipment!
Joppa Flats also has a fantastic gift shop where you will be able to find the perfect present for any nature lover.
Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center/Facebook
It is full of books, puzzles, toys, apparel, and other unique gifts.
Joppa Flats also takes part in operating research and conservation programs out in the community. One of these projects is the Bird Banding Station on nearby Plum Island.
Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center/Facebook
This station serves as an important place for volunteers to gather information about the wide species of birds that inhabit the area. On select days, you can visit the banding station and learn more about the research process.

If you have been to Joppa Flats, we would love to know what you thought about it. Are there other parks with fun visitors or education centers that you would recommend? More information about Joppa Flats can be found at the Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center website and the Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center Facebook page. To make the most of your birdwatching experience, I suggest that you bring along a good pair of binoculars and a bird log to make notes of which species of birds you see.  

If you get hungry while visiting Newburyport, you should stop in for some delicious donuts at Olives’s Coffee and Bakehouse or have a meal at Park Lunch.

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Joppa Flats, Newburyport, MA 01950, USA