Living Coast Discovery Center Announces Grand Opening of New Back to Nature Exhibition on Saturday,
CHULA VISTA, CALIF. – The Living Coast Discovery Center, a nonprofit zoo/aquarium on San Diego Bay in Chula Vista, has announced its newest exhibition, Back to Nature, which will open to the public on Saturday, Mar. 18. The special exhibition features a variety of new animal ambassadors and interactive features to help nature-lovers of all ages unplug, unwind and reconnect with their wild roots.
With Back to Nature, guests are invited to rediscover the incredible wildlife that surrounds us in San Diego, one of the most biodiverse counties in the continental United States. Visitors will also take a step back in time to learn about the history of Sweetwater Marsh, including its early Kumeyaay residents, and Gunpowder Point, where kelp was harvested to produce gunpowder during World War I. They will also take a nostalgic look at the growth and evolution of the facility now known as the Living Coast Discovery Center from the 1980s to today.
The exhibition will feature a wide variety of native and non-native species, including animals that have “invaded” Southern California (like wild parrots) as well as those that have adapted to live in cities (like mice), and threatened wildlife that needs the public’s help to survive (like sea turtles and butterflies). The Living Coast has also brought back the Mouse House, which was a fan favorite when the center first opened its doors in 1987.
Back to Nature guides guests through the Living Coast’s indoor and outdoor exhibit spaces to explore animals and interactive elements by theme, including Jewels of the Ocean, Bayfront Residents, Urban Jungle, Species Invaders, Native Pollinators and From Kelp to Power. The new Back to Nature exhibition animals join the sharks, rays, sea turtles, reptiles, owls, eagles and other marine and terrestrial animal ambassadors that call the Living Coast home year-round.
Kids and teens participating in the Living Coast’s spring and summer wildlife camps will get to explore the Back to Nature and Native Pollinator Garden with new camp themes and animals. Spring camps run from Mar. 20 to Mar. 31. Registration is open now at http://www.thelivingcoast.org/programs/day-camps/.
The public grand opening for Back to Nature will be held on Saturday, Mar. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special animal encounters and presentations throughout the day in addition to the regularly scheduled animal feedings. Living Coast members are invited to a special VIP preview celebration on Friday, Mar. 17. Advanced reservations (with member I.D. number) are required. Contact membership@thelivingcoast.org for more information.
Back to Nature is included with admission to the Living Coast and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 4.
About the Living Coast Discovery Center
The Living Coast Discovery Center, a 501(c) 3 educational zoo and aquarium located within the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge on San Diego Bay, began operating as a non-profit in 2010 after assuming operations of the Chula Vista Nature Center. The Living Coast Discovery offers hands-on exhibits and up-close encounters with more than 350 plant and animal species native to Southern California coastal habitats, including endangered sea turtles, sting rays, leopard sharks, jellies, shorebirds, reptiles and a large collection of raptors such as hawks, falcons, owls, American bald eagle, golden eagle, and more. More information about the Living Coast Discovery Center is available at www.thelivingcoast.org or (619) 409-5900.
