Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center

Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center is the hands-on nature and history center inside Deep Creek Lake State Park at 898 State Park Rd, Swanton, MD 21561, on the shore of the lake. Run by Maryland DNR with help from the park's volunteer group, it is a good stop for families, school groups and anyone curious about the wildlife and history of Western Maryland.

Exhibits and Live Animals

The roughly 6,000-square-foot building is filled with displays on Deep Creek Lake, its watershed and regional conservation. Aquariums hold native fish and other aquatic species from the lake and river, and a live underwater camera lets you watch fish below the surface. Reptile and amphibian displays include daily up-close encounters, and a monarch butterfly rearing tank supports the center's monarch migration project with local schools. Kids can press their hands into a black bear paw print, touch fossils and use a microscope to look at the lake's underwater life. A replica mine tells the story of coal extraction at the former Old Brant Mine, part of the region's past as a logging and coal mining area.

The Aviary and Outdoor Spaces

Outside, a working aviary houses nine non-releasable birds of prey, including a turkey vulture, a great horned owl and a golden eagle. Each was injured or hand-raised and cannot survive in the wild, so they now serve as ambassadors in Maryland's Scales and Tales program. The grounds also include an outdoor classroom, an insect hotel, the Discovery Sensory Trail, native plant gardens and science stations.

Programs, Shop and Groups

Park naturalists lead campfire programs, talks and hikes through the year, and schedules are posted on the volunteers' website. School groups can book spring and fall field trips that are often tailored to Maryland environmental education standards. The Nature Shop sells field guides, nature books, toys and regional souvenirs. The building has ADA-accessible restrooms (see also the Public Restroom – Deep Creek Lake State Park Beach / Discovery Center listing).

Check the event schedule before your visit so you can catch a raptor or campfire program.

Call Us!

• Website
• (301) 387-7067