Ribbon-cutting celebration to take place September 9, 2026
Wheaton, Md. – Montgomery Parks is marking the completion of the renovation of Meadowside Nature Center with a ribbon-cutting celebration on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. This project marks the facility’s first major renovation since it opened in 1972. The celebration will take place at Meadowside Nature Center, located at 5100 Meadowside Lane in Rockville, and will include brief remarks and a ceremonial ribbon-cutting followed by tours of the new space and conversations with the center’s raptor trainers on the raptor deck.
“We are excited to welcome the community back to Meadowside Nature Center,” said Miti Figueredo, Montgomery Parks director. “These new hands-on exhibits bring learning to life, and the newly renovated center creates a welcoming place where children and families can explore, play, and connect with nature in new ways.”
The renovated Meadowside Nature Center is free to visit and brings the outdoors in, with new exhibits inspired by the four habitats found in and around Meadowside: meadow, forest, pond, and sky. Visitors can explore refreshed, hands-on spaces designed for discovery, play, and connection with nature, including:
- A new “Nature Nook,” a welcoming space for infants, toddlers, and their caregivers, featuring colorful murals, nature-inspired toys, and a cozy tree hollow for picture books and quiet exploration. The room also showcases the nature center’s animal ambassadors, including a snake, toads, and turtles, complemented by interactive technology that shares details about each animal’s characteristics and history.
- “Habitat Hollow,” an active, exploratory exhibit for children ages 6 to 12 where they can climb, hop, jump, and play their way through Meadowside’s habitats. Kids can scale a forest-themed climbing wall, leap like frogs from boulder to boulder, explore the sounds beneath a meadow, and try an interactive game created specifically for the exhibit.
- Four exhibit learning pods in the main lobby invite visitors to take home native seeds to plant and learn about the animals and ecosystems connected to Meadowside’s forest, water, meadow, and sky habitats. Each learning pod includes content in English and Spanish.
- Fully renovated and accessible restrooms, a new recycling center, and a new “Fox Den” where visitors can go for a break, including nursing or bottle-feeding caregivers and kids who may need a sensory break.
About Meadowside Nature Center:
Meadowside Nature Center is located within the 1800-acre Rock Creek Regional Park. It opened February 19, 1972, as the second nature center operated by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery County Department of Parks.
The nature center offers outdoor and indoor environmental education programming for adults, families, schools, and scouts. Visitors can spend time hiking eight miles of nature trails down to Lake Frank or visit the Pioneer Homestead to learn about a smokehouse and corn crib. Meadowside Nature Center is also home to a variety of raptors, including owls, hawks, and a vulture.
About Montgomery Parks Nature Centers
Montgomery Parks operates five nature program sites, Black Hill Discovery Center, Brookside Nature Center, Locust Grove Nature Center, Maydale Nature Classroom and Meadowside Nature Center. The nature centers provide learning opportunities for youths and adults in a variety of ways, including for schools, scouts and public programs for all ages; special events, summer camps, birthday parties, volunteer opportunities, internships, engaging interpretive exhibits, live animal exhibits, native plant gardens, trails and nature play areas. For more information, visit Montgomery Parks Nature Centers website.
Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages 417 parks and more than 37,000 acres of parkland. Our parks, programs, and facilities promote physical activity, social connection, and environmental stewardship. As part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery Parks is committed to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible park experiences. M-NCPPC has been stewarding public lands since 1927 and has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services.
Accessibility
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice/TTY), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.
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