Story last updated at
The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge consists of almost 5 million acres of headlands, islands and rock pinnacles around the entire coastline of Alaska.
The Kachemak Bay Research Reserve includes a team of researchers, educators and support staff working to develop a better understanding of ecological processes in the Gulf of Alaska with an emphasis on lower Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay.
After entering through a two-story glass lobby, visitors can learn about the birds and marine mammals that live in Kachemak Bay through a room recreating the sounds and smells of a bird rookery. Visitors also may experience distant Alaska islands through an award-winning film. Trained naturalists guide visitors through the lab, and visitors can check out the student mudroom and outdoor amphitheater.
A stroll on the short trail outside leads visitors past the Beluga Slough to Bishop’s Beach. The center offers guided bird-watching and beach walks. Educational classes at the center offer young people from kindergarten through high school a chance to learn about intertidal monitoring.
The Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center is located at 95 Sterling Highway in Homer. Admission is free. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the center is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The rest of the year, it is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Return to Tour Guide
We encourage you to add your comments. To prevent spam, comments with links are manually approved during the normal business day. Please be respectful of others with your comments, bear in mind anyone in the community may be reading your comments.
