Nikon and The Brevard Nature Alliance present Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 16 - 20, 2005 -- Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife.

Museums, Attractions & Nature Centers

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Located between the temperate and sub-tropical climatic zones, Florida's Space Coast is famous for its mild weather. However, an occasional cold front does push through in winter, and our seasonal afternoon thunderstorms (not to mention the heat) can sometimes turn outdoor activities into a bit of a challenge. It's best to schedule your outside fun in the mornings during the summer, before it gets too hot and the storms kick up. You can spend the afternoon relaxing at one of our many outstanding air-conditioned museums and attractions and have a great time learning why we call the Space Coast your "Gateway to Discovery."

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Marine Science Center Inhabiting earth for 150 million years, sea turtles have long intrigued people, figuring prominently in the mythology and folklore of many cultures. This fascinating trip will visit two sites. The Marine Science Center is a rehabilitation center for injured marine turtles as well as an important environmental education center. It includes turtle tanks; a 5,000-gallon artificial reef and aquarium; manatee, whale and fish exhibits; a wet/dry lab; nature trails through maritime hammock and boardwalks over coastal dunes. Also on the site is the Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary, a 3,000-square-foot rehabilitation center to provide a place for sick and injured birds. The Marine Science Center is located adjacent to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. 386-304-5545 - www.marinesciencecenter.com - Ponce Inlet ___________________________________ Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Built of bricks to serve as a warning device to mariners and possessing a very special beauty noted by seamen and landlubbers alike, the "Light Station at Mosquito Inlet" stands today in an area still dreaded by mariners. Completed in 1887, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark. At 175 feet, it is the second tallest lighthouse in the U.S. and the tallest open to the public. A climb to the top reveals a breathtaking view of inlet, estuary and beaches. With a glorious shining beacon, maritime museum and lens restoration facility, Ponce Inlet Lighthouse offers a tremendous opportunity to learn of our great maritime heritage. 386-761-1821 - www.ponceinlet.org - Ponce Inlet ___________________________________ Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Memorial Park and Cultural Center The Moores were parents, educators, and leading local and national civil rights activists. The park is dedicated to the celebration of their lives and to promoting awareness of their unique contributions to the early civil rights movement. Serving to stimulate appreciation of African American culture and heritage, the cultural center is located on the property of the original Moore family home site. Dedicated to preserving African American history it is a repository of Moore family artifacts, historical documents, and currently features a timeline of strategic events of the pre-civil rights era beginning with slavery. 321-264-6595 -- www.brevardparks.com/htm/intro_htm.htm -- www.nbbd.com/godo/moore -- Mims ___________________________________ North Brevard Historical Society The North Brevard Historical Society features exhibits of historical clothing, printing presses, Indian artifacts, shells, earthenware and historical books. Arrangements can be made for a member of the NBHS to accompany a walking tour of historic Downtown Titusville. 321-269-3658 - www.nbbd.com/godo/history - Titusville ___________________________________ U.S. Space Walk of Fame Located in historic Downtown Titusville, the U.S. Space Walk of Fame features exhibits commemorating America's space programs, such as the Mercury and Gemini missions. A popular area for viewing launches, the beautiful river-walk features educational and interpretive stations, public art, plaques, sculptures and bronze statues. 321-264-0434 - www.nbbd.com/godo/spaceviewpark - Titusville ___________________________________ U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum Situated at Searstown Mall in Titusville, the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum is operated by the Space Walk of Fame Foundation. The museum is filled with memorabilia from the men and women whose "blood sweat and tears" helped to put astronauts in space. 321-264-0434 - www.spacewalkoffame. com - Titusville ___________________________________ Jungle Adventures Jungle Adventures offers a boat cruise around an island for a close-up view of native Florida wildlife. A tour of the Native American village reveals a fascinating look at Florida's first inhabitants. The endangered Florida panther, alligators, snakes and other Florida animals are featured daily during four wildlife shows. 407-568-2885 - www.jungleadventures.com - Christmas ___________________________________ Fort Christmas Historical Park Fort Christmas Historical Park features a replica of the log fort used by pioneers during the Seminole Indian wars. Old pioneer homes, churches and schoolhouses have been relocated to the park to recreate a historic "Florida Cracker" town. 407-568-4149 -www.nbbd.com/godo/ FortChristmas - Christmas ________________________________ Enchanted Forest The Enchanted Forest is the flagship sanctuary for the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program. It preserves a significant sample of the natural communities that were originally found in this region, including xeric oak scrub, mature hardwood forests, wetlands and pine flatwoods. The Education Center showcases universal design, providing accessibility to outdoor natural areas for all people, regardless of age or ability. 321-264-5185 - www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/ -- www.eelbrevard.com - Titusville ________________________________ Valient Air Command Warbird Air Museum The Valient Air Command Warbird Air Museum provides an innovative exhibit of air history. The museum offers an excellent static display of vintage Warbird aircraft, including the VAC Flagship, a Douglas C-47A. Listen to war stories retold by veteran tour guides. 321-268- 1941 - www.vacwarbirds.org - Titusville ___________________________________ American Police Hall of Fame & Museum The American Police Hall of Fame & Museum is the nation's first museum and memorial honoring all police in federal, state, county and local departments. Featuring a memorial to New York City and the victims of 9/11, interactive displays and an indoor gun range, this new attraction displays thousands of law enforcement items. Katabi Helicopter Tours operates on sight, offering the once-in-a-lifetime chance to get an astronaut's eye view of the Kennedy Space Center, spot dolphins, or just enjoy a high-flying experience. 321-264-0911 - www.aphf.org - Titusville ___________________________________ Astronaut Hall of Fame The Astronaut Hall of Fame is the only facility in the nation dedicated to telling the stories of American astronauts and features the world's largest collection of astronauts' personal effects. 321-269-6100 - Titusville ___________________________________ Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers an exhilarating and educational look at the incredible feats accomplished by America's space program. You'll get a close look at the most famous launch pads in the world, first built for NASA's Apollo missions and presently used by the Space Shuttle fleet. The Observation Gantry near Launch Complex 39 offers the best all-around view of the Space Shuttle launch pads, the gigantic Vehicle Assembly Building, and the well-traveled crawler-way over which so much history has passed. The Saturn V Complex brings back to life the awesome spectacle of the largest vehicle ever flown - and the moon landing that still raises goose bumps more than 30 years later. 321-449-4444 - www.kennedyspacecenter.com - Titusville ___________________________________ Audubon Center for Birds of Prey ACBOP is an urban environmental nature center that specializes in the rescue, medical care, rehabilitation and release of sick, injured and orphaned raptors (birds of prey). A leading raptor rehabilitation facility in the Southeast, ACBOP has treated over 8,000 eagles, hawks, owls, falcons, kites and vultures since opening in 1979. The annual release rate of healed 'patients' averages nearly 40% of all admissions, and has totaled more than 3,500 birds of prey, including over 225 Bald Eagles, a significant contribution to their recovery off the Endangered Species List! The Center is a resource for novice and expert birders, as well as a favored destination of school and civic organization tours. 407-644-0190 - audubonofflorida.org/conservation/cbop.htm - Maitland

Brevard Community College Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory Located at the western edge of the Cocoa Campus, the Brevard Community College Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory has been called one of the world's most unique astronomical educational facilities. Underneath the signature 70-foot dome, the building houses a museum honoring space explorers from around the world, a planetarium featuring a first of its kind dual projection system, a fully accessible observatory, a hands-on demonstration hall, an Iwerks movie theatre and laser light shows. 321-634- 3732 - www.brevardcc.edu/planet - Cocoa ___________________________________ Brevard Museum of History & Science At the Brevard Museum of History and Science, colorful dioramas depicting this area from the days of woolly mammoths and saber-tooth cats to the modern era of rockets and Space Shuttles show visitors the rich and diverse history of Brevard County. The museum features the remains of the "Windover Man", the oldest human remains found on the North American continent and a fabulous re-creation of the Windover Dig, one of the most important and productive 'wet' archaeological sites in the nation. See how Native Americans lived and Florida pioneers survived. Walk along the nature trail and see Florida in its natural setting in the 22-acre wildlife sanctuary. 321-632-1830 - www.brevardmuseum.com - Cocoa ___________________________________ Alma Clyde Field Library of Florida History The Alma Clyde Field Library of Florida History houses the 60,000-item collection of the Florida Historical Society, the state's oldest cultural organization. The collection contains books on Florida, papers of prominent Floridians, historical maps, photos of people and landscapes, artifacts & family histories. 321-690-1971 - www.florida-historical-soc.org - Cocoa ___________________________________ Brevard Veterans Memorial Park and Veterans Military Museum The Brevard Veterans Military Museum showcases a large collection of weapons, maps, uniforms, medals, newspaper clippings and much more war memorabilia. Artifacts date back to the Civil War. An extensive library is also on-site. 321-453-1776 - Merritt Island ___________________________________ East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame Museum Located at Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach, the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame Museum features a collection of vintage surfing magazines, boards and memorabilia. See the collection that curator Sean O'Hare has accumulated, from shots of the original greats like Pat O'Hare, Mike Tabeling and the McRoberts brothers, to the current celebrities and their humble beginnings. Check out the exhibit on Cocoa Beach native, Kelly Slater, six-time world surfing champion. 321-799-8840 - Cocoa Beach ___________________________________ Brevard Museum of Art & Science Located on the shore of the Indian River Lagoon in the historic Downtown Eau Gallie district, the Brevard Museum of Art and Science contains seven art galleries that feature changing exhibitions of internationally recognized, nationally recognized and regional artists representing a variety of styles and media. The Children's Science Center features more than 35 exciting, interactive hands-on exhibits focusing on the physical sciences. 321-242-0737 - www.artandscience.org - Melbourne ___________________________________ Honor America Inc. Liberty Bell Museum The Honor America Inc. Liberty Bell Museum houses a replica of the Liberty Bell, historical documents, and patriotic memorabilia. Items are permanent reminders of our nation's history, as well as a memorial to military veterans. 321-727-1776 - www.libertybellmemorial. com - Melbourn ___________________________________ Erna Nixon Park & Nature Center The Erna Nixon Park & Nature Center is a 54 acre natural Florida hammock and nature preserve that features a 2,345-foot long elevated boardwalk with 640 feet of trail that winds through three different ecosystems. The nature trail has signage that identifies many different plant species, and a nature center with exhibits is on the site. 321-952-4525 - www.brevardparks.com - Melbourne ___________________________________ Florida Tech Botanical Garden This 30-acre Florida type botanical garden is a picturesque treat, from sandy uplands of pines and palmettos to a lush hammock of hardwoods including oaks, maples, hickories and one of the largest collections of palm trees in Florida. Plant guide and nature trail map are available at the adjacent Evans Library. 321-674-8000 - www.fit.edu - Melbourne _____________________ Florida Eco-safaris at Forever Florida Forever Florida/Crescent J Ranch is a 4300-acre wilderness preserve southeast of Orlando. Here, visitors can see the "Real Florida" aboard comfortable swamp buggies or on horseback on a tour through wet prairie, cypress swamps, grasslands, pine woods, creeks and dense oak hammocks. The tour also passes through a working cattle ranch where a program takes place to preserve the bloodlines of descendants of the original cattle and horses that came to Florida on Spanish galleons during the sixteenth century. Learn about the Florida pioneer turpentine and cattle industries, and the heroic efforts of the Broussard family, who have dedicated considerable time and money to obtain as much of the land surrounding their ranch as possible in order to preserve it forever. 1-866-854-3837 - www.floridaeco-safaris.com - Kenansville ___________________________________ Sebastian Fishing Museum The Sebastian Fishing Museum portrays the history of Sebastian's fishing industry through pictures, video presentations, fishing gear, homemade boats and replicas. 772-388-2750 - Sebastian Inlet State Recreation Area ___________________________________ McLarty Treasure Museum The McLarty Treasure Museum features exhibits from the 1875 Spanish Silver Fleet that wrecked just off the shore and from the encampment that was established by the survivors 772-589-2147 - Sebastian Inlet ___________________________________ Environmental Learning Center Situated on beautiful on Wabasso Island, the Environmental Learning Center is a 51-acre preserve with a nature center and an emphasis on the Indian River Lagoon estuary. Enjoy hiking, nature walks and hands-on activities for all ages. On the same property is a historical building, the former home of poet Laura Riding Jackson. Environmental Learning Center - 772-589-5050 - www.elcweb.org - Laura Riding Jackson Home - 772-589-6711 - Wabasso