DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve to open April 1

The DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve will reopen for the season at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 1, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced. The facility will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesdays and Saturdays in April, but will be closed Saturday, April 8, for Easter weekend. 

In the spring, the center’s large deck overlooking the harbor offers wildlife watchers an unrivaled view of the spectacle of spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds, including federally listed threatened red knots that feast on horseshoe crab eggs to help fuel their 9,000-mile journey to the Arctic. 

Indoor attractions include the saltwater tanks that allow a close-up look at a variety of aquatic species from horseshoe crabs to diamondback terrapins, and exhibits that describe the environmental and historical importance of the Mispillion Harbor. 

The center also offers live views of nesting osprey and wildlife visiting the area through its Osprey Cam and Mispillion Harbor Cam. Both can be found, along with more information on horseshoe crab and shorebird viewing, at de.gov/dnc.

Managed by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, the DuPont Nature Center is located in the heart of Delaware’s Bayshore Region at 2992 Lighthouse Road near Slaughter Beach east of Milford. Admission to the center is free and open to the public.

During the months of May to August, the center is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, and closed  Sundays and Mondays.

In September, the center is open Wednesdays and Saturdays only. The center is closed from October through March.

For general information about the center, call 302-422-1329 or go to de.gov/dnc. For details about the center’s programs and operations, email Patrick Ruhl, patrick.ruhl@delaware.gov, or call 302-422-1329.