Charles A. Dana Discovery Center

Located on the north shore of the Harlem Meer is the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, a visitor center run by the Central Park Conservancy.

The Conservancy offers free educational and community programs, exhibits, tours, and holiday celebrations at the Dana Discovery Center. While the building looks historic, the Dana Center is Central Park’s newest building. It was constructed in 1993 as part of a major restoration of the Harlem Meer.

The Dana Discovery Center offers Discovery Kits, Lawn Games, and Catch-and-Release fishing pole rentals for free. To make group reservations, please fill out this Dana Center Group Reservation Request form.

Things you can do here

  • Activities

    Catch-and-Release Fishing

    Borrow fishing poles for catch-and-release fishing in the Harlem Meer.

    Tags: Kids and Families

  • Events

    26th Annual Central Park Holiday Lighting

    Celebrate the season with our 26th Annual Holiday Lighting in Central Park! Meet Santa and friends, sing carols on the Plaza, and warm up with hot cocoa while enjoying a variety of seasonal activities. The event concludes with lighting a flotilla of trees on the Harlem Meer.

    Tags: Best for Kids / Kids and Families

  • Kids & Families

    Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Clean Money Music

    Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Guides

    Picnic Guide

    Central Park is home to lawns, benches, and picnic tables across its 843 acres, providing countless great picnic spots.

    Tags: Kids and Families / Wildlife

  • Activities

    Open to All: The Story of Central Park’s Gates

    Visit the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center to learn the story of Central Park’s original entrances and examine how they welcome visitors into this space.

    Tags: Staff Picks

  • Activities

    Lawn Games

    Borrow a variety of lawn games like bocce ball, horseshoes, kubb, cornhole and ring toss, for outdoor play in fair weather!

    Tags: Kids and Families / Health & Fitness

  • Kids & Families

    Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Double Dutch with Double Dutch Dreamz

    Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Kids & Families

    Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Family Yoga Class with Harlem Yoga

    Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Events

    Halloween Entertainment and Activities

    Come dressed in your Halloween costume and join us for crafts, not-so-spooky stories from our friends at the New York Public Library, and magical entertainment from Rogue the Magician.

    Tags: Staff Picks / Kids and Families

  • Guides

    A Guide to the Perfect Central Park Date

    New Yorkers and visitors alike often regard Central Park as one of the City’s most romantic destinations. We’ve put together a guide to the Park’s most magical places to bring your beloved.

  • Kids & Families

    Harlem Meer Movement: Funkaerobics with Go Hard Dance

    Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Kids & Families

    Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Los Pleneros de la 21

    Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Arts & Entertainment

    Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Sing Harlem!

    Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Arts & Entertainment

    Harlem Meer Summer Festival

    The 2023 Harlem Meer Summer Festival has concluded.

    Tags: Families / Summer / Staff Picks / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Arts & Entertainment

    Harlem Meer Movement: Silver Sneakers Dance Class with Go Hard Dance (Seniors Only)

    Tags: Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Events

    Halloween on the Harlem Meer

    4:00 pm

    Come see the Harlem Meer get spooky! Join us for a host of FREE family-friendly activities. Costumes encouraged!

    Tags: Staff Picks / Kids and Families

  • Arts & Entertainment

    Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Pia Paez

    Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

  • Tours

    The North Woods Foliage

    11:00 am

    Escape the chaos of New York City in Central Park’s North Woods, an idyllic woodland oasis showcasing cascades, streams, and thriving greenery.

    Tags: Art & Architecture / Wildlife / Plants and Trees

  • Activities

    Discovery Kits

    Young explorers are invited to borrow an official Central Park Conservancy Discovery Kit or take away a complimentary Discovery Journal from our visitor centers!

    Tags: Kids and Families

  • Kids & Families

    Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Beginner/Open-Level Vinyasa Yoga Class with Harlem Yoga

    Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors

    • Also in the area

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  • Park History

    Harlem Meer Performance Festival Nears 30 Years of Music and Dance

    Since 1993, the Harlem Meer Performance Festival has been a cultural cornerstone of the community surrounding the north end of Central Park.

    Tags: Summer

  • Programs and Events

    The Hair-Raising History of the Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla

    The Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla returns to the Harlem Meer in late October with family-friendly entertainment, crafts, and more.

    Tags: Fall / Best for Kids