The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center provides environmental education and activities. It is also one of four visitor centers in Central Park.

Perched on the northern shore of the Harlem Meer is Central Park's newest building — the first in its history to be built specifically as a visitor center.  The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center opened to the public in 1993 and offers a wide variety of the Conservancy's free education and community programs, seasonal exhibits, and holiday celebrations.   

Catch-and-release fishing at the Harlem Meer has become a favorite family and community pastime. The Discovery Center provides poles, unbarbed hooks, and bait.  

Catch-and-release fishing at the Harlem Meer

Adjacent to the Discovery Center is a small plaza where many community programs take place.  These include the Harlem Meer Performance Festival, the Halloween Pumpkin Sail of candlelit Jack O'Lanterns across the Meer, and the annual Holiday Lighting event.

Location

• Inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues

  Details

  • Visitor Center offering Family and Community Programs
  • Hours 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Tuesday - Sunday
  • Catch-and-Release Fishing (April to October)
    Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (last pole distributed at 3:00 pm)
    Sunday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (last pole distributed at 1:00 pm)
  • For more information, call 212-860-1370

  
  

  
  The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center is host to many Central Park Conservancy seasonal exhibits, community programs, and holiday celebrations, often in collaboration with other City cultural institutions.

  Sailing pumpkins on the Harlem Meer in celebration of Halloween