Hudson Highlands Nature Museum Goes Wild
Published Apr 15, 2008
Children get a close-up look at nature at Hudson Highlands.
What was founded in 1959 as the Museum of the Hudson Highlands is now known as the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum.
“We changed our name because many people didn’t know what we were, and now they know that we are all about nature,” says Marian Goldin, marketing and development assistant at the museum. “We offer several programs that illustrate the natural diversity of the local and regional environment, using the living outdoor classroom of forests, streams, meadows and farm fields. This is quite a place.”
The Orange County museum – which serves more than 30,000 people each year – operates an Outdoor Discovery Center in Cornwall that covers 177 acres, plus a Wildlife Education Center that is about a mile away.
“At our Wildlife Education Center, we house several animals native to the Hudson Valley that are living in natural habitat settings,” Goldin says. “Plus we have wetlands and ponds on site. It’s great that we own all the property and it cannot be developed, because we need to keep open spaces before it’s too late for anyone to enjoy them anymore.”
The museum headquarters also offers an environmental pre-school area and a nature art gallery. There are also several miles of walking trails on the grounds.
“Our mission here is to educate children and adults about our environment,” Goldin says. “We are dedicated to the natural history of the Hudson Highlands, in this part of New York where the Hudson River cuts through the Appalachian plateau. It is an area of dramatic natural beauty and geographic diversity.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
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