Hours of Operation

Daily Hours:

OPEN for summer hours!

Summer Hours (May 29 – August 13):

Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Closed Sunday

Fall Hours (August 14 – October 29):

Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday-Tuesday

Open for the following holidays:

Memorial Day Weekend: Sunday, May 29, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

July 4th Weekend: Sunday, July 3, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Labor Day Weekend: Sunday, September 4, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Hours subject to change, please check back here for the latest updates.

Plan your visit:

See our upcoming programs & events HERE.

Address:

930 Horse Cove Road
Highlands, NC 28741

Phone:

828.526.2623

Admission:

Free! Your admission is supported by the Highlands Biological Foundation,  the State of North Carolina, & Western Carolina University.  Donations are accepted.

Programs:

Learn about our summer camp offerings HERE.

See upcoming events HERE.

Check back later for more 2022 programs!

History

Highlands Nature Center was founded as the museum of the Highlands Biological Station in 1927, and was originally housed as an annex to the Hudson Library. Its present home, the Clark Foreman Museum building, was constructed between 1939 and 1941 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) using native granite from the local quarry and wormy chestnut salvaged from the Nantahala National Forest. Following a renovation in 2001, the Nature Center now offers exhibits and year-round educational programming focusing on the biodiversity of the southern Appalachian region.

Programs

Explore our featured exhibits, special events and year-round school education programming that focuses on the spectacular biodiversity of the southern Appalachian region. If you have questions about hours, events, or other topics, please contact the Nature Center at 828.526.2623.

If you would like to schedule a school or group program, please contact Outreach at 828.526.4123.

Summer Camps

We also offer summer nature camps for ages 4 to 13. Younger campers explore the outdoors and learn about plants and animals through a variety of activities and games. Older campers conduct scientific research, develop team-building skills, and observe nature on adventure field trips into the Nantahala National Forest.