The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center Inc

What The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center Inc does

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, Inc. is a Florida-incorporated not-for-profit organization that operates a single environmental education facility at 6767 Crandon Boulevard on Key Biscayne, serving as the entry point to the 165-acre Bear Cut Preserve. Established formally in 1985 but conducting hands-on nature programs since 1969, the center delivers marine and coastal education to over 30,000 children annually through structured school programs (notably with Miami-Dade County Public Schools), family excursions such as Seagrass Adventures, summer camps, birthday party packages, volunteer restoration programs, and a rotating art gallery. The facility itself is a multi-purpose building with exhibit space, a 24-station laboratory classroom, an audio-visual presentation room, and a Seaside Market gift shop, and it incorporates alternative technologies including solar power, passive solar design, and recycled-material construction. The center functions as a cooperative project between Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation Department, and the non-profit support organization.

The center's revenue model blends fee-for-service programs, tiered memberships, donations, and grants, with no general admission charged. Monetized offerings include summer camp at $475 per week, birthday party packages at $375, public/family Seagrass Adventures at $15 per person, and a five-tier membership program ranging from $10 (student) to $1,000 (patron). Material funding is provided by The Children's Trust and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, supplemented by individual donations and corporate sponsorships. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via walk-in visits, pre-registered programs scheduled through third-party platforms (Acuity Scheduling, HiSawyer), school group bookings, and off-site venue events. The organization operates with 11–50 employees, has no parent company or subsidiaries, and does not publicly disclose financials.

Name

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center Inc

Legal name

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, Inc.

Website

https://biscaynenaturecenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center is a Key Biscayne, Florida not-for-profit that delivers hands-on marine and environmental education to Miami-Dade County families, K-12 school groups, and visitors, operating from the entry point to the 165-acre Bear Cut Preserve under a cooperative agreement with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Parks and Recreation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Nature center services
• Marine science camps
• Volunteer conservation programs
• School field trip programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Key Biscayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The center receives generous donations and grants from supporters, which fund free camp programs for underserved children and general operations.
2. Membership Programs: Annual memberships with tiered pricing (Sand Dollar $10 student, Seahorse $95 individual, Stone Crab $250 family, Queen Conch $500 sustaining, Pearl $1,000 patron) providing benefits including free parking, discounts, and exclusive event access.
3. Summer Camp Fees: Summer by the Sea camp at $475 per week for children ages 7-12, with scholarships available for four-week sessions.
4. Birthday Party Packages: Seagrass Adventure birthday party package at $375 for up to 25 guests, including naturalist-guided exploration.
5. Public Program Fees: Public & Family Seagrass Adventures at $15 per person, Hammock Hikes at $15 per person.
6. Gift Shop Sales: Seaside Market Gift Shop selling souvenirs and gifts, with proceeds supporting underserved children's programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center runs a hands-on environmental education and nature program operation at its single facility on the north end of Crandon Park, Key Biscayne, serving as the gateway to the 165-acre Bear Cut Preserve. It sells guided family excursions (Seagrass Adventures, Hammock Hikes), summer camp tuition, birthday party packages, annual memberships, and art gallery exhibits, while subsidizing 30,000+ annual child-program visits and 80 free camper slots via donations and grants.

Product overview

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center is a not-for-profit environmental education center and museum offering hands-on nature programs and the arts. The organization operates as a single facility providing environmental education through programs including Seagrass Adventures, Summer by the Sea Camp, Laboratory Classroom experiences, and volunteer restoration programs. The center also maintains an Art Gallery with rotating exhibitions and hosts community events such as EarthFest. Core offerings include educational field expeditions for schools and families, seasonal camps, birthday party packages, membership programs, and a gift shop. The facility serves as the entry point to the 165-acre Bear Cut Preserve and has been conducting hands-on nature programs since 1969, providing programming for over 30,000 children annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seagrass Adventure Hands-on guided educational program where participants wade into seagrass beds with nets to discover and observe marine life including seahorses, shrimp, and fish. Offered to families and public groups as a paid excursion.
• Summer by the Sea Camp Week-long summer day camp for children ages 7-12 featuring marine science, seagrass adventures, mangrove exploration, kayaking, snorkeling, paddleboarding, yoga, and arts activities led by marine biologists and naturalists. Funded by The Children's Trust and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, with scholarships available for four-week sessions.
• Birthday Party Package Birthday celebration package that includes a Seagrass Adventure guided experience for up to 25 guests, with naturalist-led exploration of marine life and use of the facility's picnic areas. Priced at $375 plus a $50 cleanup fee if applicable.
• Laboratory Classroom Indoor nature laboratory with 24 hands-on scientific exploration stations covering marine organism anatomy, metamorphosis, photosynthesis, adaptations, weather, climate, and natural disasters including hurricanes. Available to school groups and visitors as part of educational programming.
• EarthFest Community Celebration Annual community-wide Earth Day celebration event featuring live music, an eco village, a recycled fashion show, arts and crafts, and environmental education activities. Produced in partnership with the Village of Key Biscayne.
• Botanical Breeze Art Exhibition Solo art exhibition featuring pastel paintings by artist-in-residence Jacqueline Roch, characterized by bold color choices and a tropical realism style. Displayed in the center's art gallery.
• Art Gallery Exhibitions Rotating art gallery showcasing local and regional artists, including Miami Watercolor Society exhibitions and solo shows of artists such as Purvis Young and Xavier Cortada. Located within the nature center facility.
• Biscayne Day: Notes from the Shallows Exhibition Plein air painting exhibition created during an Adventure Painting residency at the nature center, depicting seagrass ecosystems. Co-facilitated by Bridge Initiative and The Guild of Adventure Painters.
• Weeding Warriors Volunteer Program Monthly volunteer program for invasive plant removal and habitat restoration at the Bear Cut Preserve, enabling adults and teens to control invasive species and contribute to park biodiversity.
• International Coastal Cleanup Event Annual marine debris removal volunteer event held at Bear Cut Preserve as part of the International Coastal Cleanup, the world's largest one-day volunteer effort for oceans and waterways.
• Annual Membership Program Five-tier annual membership program offering free parking, discounts on programs and merchandise, exclusive event invitations, and a quarterly newsletter. Levels include Sand Dollar ($10 student K-12), Seahorse ($95 individual), Stone Crab ($250 family), Queen Conch ($500 sustaining), and Pearl ($1,000 patron).
• Seaside Market Gift Shop On-site gift shop selling nature-themed souvenirs and gifts, with proceeds supporting free programming for underserved children at the nature center.
• Virtual Programs Online educational programming including virtual summer camp activities covering science, art, poetry, and movement activities accessible remotely to broader audiences.
• Theater and Presentation Programs Guest speaker events and movie presentations hosted in the center's audio-visual presentation room, supplementing nature and arts programming for visitors.
• Public & Family Seagrass Adventure Publicly scheduled two-hour guided seagrass exploration for families and the general public, wading through shallow seagrass beds to observe marine life with nets. Priced at $15 per person with limited capacity.
• Donation Program Tax-deductible donation program supporting environmental education, with proceeds funding free camp scholarships and programming for underserved and inner-city children.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ children served annually through environmental education programming
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Village of Key BiscayneflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2026Producing partner for EarthFest 2026: Our Power, Our Planet community-wide Earth Day celebration. Brings together families, students, and neighbors for environmental education and stewardship activities.
• O, MiamiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 October 2025Poetry organization partnership for Ode to Marjory workshop where participants write and paint postcards celebrating the coastal sanctuary. Postcards sent to county commissioners and mayor's office in support of the center.
• Miami Watercolor SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2025Host venue for Miami Watercolor Society's 51st Fall Anniversary Exhibition featuring members' juried artwork. Free and open to the public October-December 2025.
• Xavier CortadaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2025Eco-artist partnership for Seahorse Society project celebrating 50th Anniversary of Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves, dedicated to protecting threatened seagrass meadows.
• Miami-Dade County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative project partner operating the nature center and Bear Cut Preserve as an educational facility. Miami-Dade County Public Schools brings school groups for field trips and structured educational programs.
• Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative project partner managing the Crandon Park and Bear Cut Preserve where the nature center is located. Provides facilities and recreation programming support.
• Bridge InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-facilitator of inaugural Adventure Painting residency at the nature center, partnering with The Guild of Adventure Painters for the Biscayne Day: Notes from the Shallows exhibit.
• The Guild of Adventure PaintersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-facilitator of Adventure Painting residency, working alongside naturalists to create art inspired by seagrass ecosystems.
• Miami Plein AireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly plein air painting outings collaboration with artist-in-residence Jacqui Roch, launching new series of outdoor painting events at Crandon Beach.
• Purvis YoungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured artist exhibit showcasing iconic paintings by Purvis Young, displayed in the art gallery with daily viewing hours.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park: Adjacent Key Biscayne state park offering beach, nature trails, and ranger-led educational programming — highly comparable as a neighboring natural asset on the same Key Biscayne barrier island.
• Coral Reef Park Senior Center / Deering Estate Foundation: Miami-area nonprofit cultural and environmental education facility offering nature programs, school visits, memberships, and special events — comparable as a South Florida nonprofit combining nature education with arts and cultural programming.
• Oleta River State Park: Large Florida state park north of Miami offering nature trails, kayaking, and outdoor education programs — comparable as a regional outdoor nature education venue with similar guided programming.

Direct peers

• Loggerhead Marinelife Center: Florida-based nonprofit marine education and ocean conservation facility offering hands-on seagrass and marine life programs, summer camps, school visits, memberships, and gift shop revenue — closely comparable in marine science programming and nonprofit funding model.
• Pine Jog Environmental Education Center: Florida-based nonprofit environmental education center affiliated with Florida Atlantic University delivering school programs, summer camps, teacher training, and nature-based youth programming — comparable mission, audience, and nonprofit operating model.
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: Miami-based nonprofit botanical garden and environmental education center offering hands-on nature programs, school field trips, summer camps, membership tiers, and community events on a preserved natural site — directly comparable in mission, visitor programming, and South Florida location.

Broad incumbents

• Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science: Miami science and education museum offering exhibits, school programs, membership tiers, and visitor programming — overlapping as a Miami-based informal STEM/environmental learning destination and donor-funded nonprofit.
• Everglades National Park (Visitor/Concession Programs): Federal national park with extensive visitor education programming, ranger-led programs, school partnerships, and nonprofit support organizations — comparable as a large-scale nature education and conservation site in South Florida.
• Miami Seaquarium: Long-running Miami marine attraction offering marine life exhibits, educational programs, and visitor experiences — comparable in coastal South Florida marine education market, though operated on a for-profit basis.
• Zoo Miami: Major Miami-Dade County zoological park and conservation education institution with memberships, camps, school programs, and gift shops — significantly larger in scale but overlapping audience and educational programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/biscaynenature
• Facebookfacebook.com/BiscayneNatureCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/biscaynenaturecenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center Inc