Diane Wildowsky
Charles A. Dana Discovery Center | Harlem Meer
Location: MAP | Inside Central Park at 110th Street, between Fifth and Lenox Avenues Hours: Open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Contact: (332) 240-3256
The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center is more than just a visitor center.
Located on the north shore of the Harlem Meer, the Discovery Center hosts numerous programs for young minds with its environmental education center, children's workshops, catch and release fishing instruction, holiday celebrations, and more.
In addition to hosting environmental programs for children, the Discovery Center also teaches kids about wildlife firsthand. The Catch and Release fishing program (unavailable until Spring 2024) at the Harlem Meer includes complimentary instruction, poles, and bait. This activity is primarily geared toward children ages 5 to 15.
You can also borrow a variety of lawn games like bocce ball, horseshoes, kubb, cornhole and ring toss, for outdoor play in fair weather.
The annual Central Park Holiday Lighting takes place at the Plaza, adjacent to the Discovery Center. The celebration includes cookies, cocoa, carols, and lighting a flotilla of trees on the Harlem Meer.
There are plenty of benches and places to sit under the shade while enjoying the music from the Harlem Meer Festival that runs on Sundays in the summer. This is a great place to enjoy the view around the Meer with less crowds.
The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center was opened in 1993 as one of the park's main visitor centers. Named after Charles A. Dana, former editor of the New York Tribune and mediator between General Grant and Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, the Discovery Center holds a multitude of educational workshops and community programs throughout the year.