Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park

About this Nature Center

The nature center features exhibits, a children’s Discovery Room, live animal displays, interpretive gardens, a viewing pond, space for birthday parties and a Nature Discovery Area. The Center hosts year-round programs and special events, including story times, campfires, invasive plant removals and nature walks.

Long Branch stream flows through the woods, past two ponds full of frogs and turtles. Long Branch’s wooded stream valley is home to a diverse population of wildlife including raccoons, foxes, flying squirrels, salamanders and more. A wide variety of butterflies and other invertebrates are also found.

Programs

• View available activities at Long Branch.
• Request a naturalist-led program  for your school, scout troop, preschool, etc. Requested programs for private groups are temporarily unavailable.

Features

Exhibits, classroom (40 person capacity), children’s Discovery Room, live animal exhibit room and a stream & pond.

History

George Washington once owned property and surveyed his “woods” in 1785. It also was once the private home of Mae Hickman, who served for over 50 years as a wildlife rehabilitator and co-authored Care of the Wild Feathered and Furred.

Celebrate Your Birthday

Children 4 and up, join a naturalist at Long Branch Nature Center with up to 17 of your closest friends and discover some neat things about the animal of your choice and even meet a critter up-close and personal! To request a date for your party, 703-228-6535, or longbranch@arlingtonva.us. Birthday parties are temporarily unavailable.