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.
Visit the Conservancy's ongoing exhibition at the Dana Center, Open to All: The Story of Central Park’s Gates, presented in conjunction with the dedication of the Gate of the Exonerated—the first and only addition to the named gates since 1862. It tells the story of Central Park’s original entrances and examines how they reflected ideas about the population served by the Park, and where (and how) they can enter.
Things you can do here
Events
27th Annual Central Park Holiday Lighting
Celebrate the season with our 27th Annual Holiday Lighting in Central Park! Hosted by the Greensward Circle, come 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 the lighting of 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
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
Kids & Families
Harlem Meer Movement: Funkaerobics with Go Hard Dance
Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
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
Summer on the Harlem Meer: Play
12:00 amExplore recreational opportunities for all ages!
Tags: Staff Picks / Nature Lovers / Kids and Families
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
Activities
Catch-and-Release Fishing
Tags: Kids and Families
Kids & Families
Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Double Dutch with Double Dutch Dreamz
Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
Tours
Central Park Nature Walk: The North Woods
2:00 pmEngage your senses, calm your mind, and immerse yourself in the Park’s greenery.
Tags: Art & Architecture / Wildlife / Plants and Trees
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
Events
Halloween on the Harlem Meer
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
Kids & Families
Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Family Yoga Class with Harlem Yoga
Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
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
Arts & Entertainment
Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Pia Paez
Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
Kids & Families
Summer on the Harlem Meer: Nature
11:00 amDiscover the Meer and its residents!
Tags: Staff Picks / Nature Lovers / Kids and Families
Arts & Entertainment
Harlem Meer Movement: Silver Sneakers Dance Class with Go Hard Dance (Seniors Only)
Tags: Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
Kids & Families
Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Beginner/Open-Level Vinyasa Yoga Class with Harlem Yoga
Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
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
Arts & Entertainment
Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Sing Harlem!
Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
Arts & Entertainment
Harlem Meer Performance Festival
Perform in the 2024 Harlem Meer Performance Festival!
Tags: Families / Summer / Staff Picks / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
Kids & Families
Harlem Meer Summer Festival: Los Pleneros de la 21
Tags: Families / Summer / All Ages / First-Time Visitors
Also in the area
Read more
Restoration and Maintenance
Hand-in-Hand with Harlem: The Conservancy's Four-Decade Restoration of Central Park's North End
In the 1980s, the Conservancy turned its attention to the Harlem Meer and went on to address the needs of Central Park’s north end over the next four decades. Throughout all of this work, the communities surrounding the Park have been vital partners in the care and maintenance of their backyard.
Tags: Conservancy Staff / Playgrounds
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
Park History
Portals in Time: The Story of Central Park’s Named Gates
Central Park has 20 named gates, spread around the Park’s six-mile perimeter. Most of these gates are named to honor the people and professions—merchants, artisans, inventors—that made up the City in the 1860s. Learn how these named gates came to be, and how they reflect the intention that the City’s premier greenspace should be a place that celebrates all New Yorkers.
Tags: Park Design / History
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