Visitors will be welcomed at the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve when it reopens for the season Saturday, May 1. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control facility will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and is closed Mondays.
COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place, including an indoor visitor capacity of 15 individuals in addition to social distancing requirements. All visitors age kindergarten and above will be required to wear a face covering while in the center or enjoying the center’s deck.
In the spring, the center’s large deck overlooking the harbor offers wildlife watchers an unparalleled view of the spectacle of spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds, including federally-listed threatened red knots that depend on horseshoe crab eggs to help fuel their 9,000-mile journey. More information on horseshoe crab and shorebird viewing can be found on the DuPont Nature Center website. Indoor freshwater and saltwater tanks allow a close-up look at a variety of aquatic species, from horseshoe crabs to diamondback terrapins.
The center also offers live views of nesting osprey and wildlife visiting the area through its osprey cam and Mispillion Harbor cam. The live cams can be viewed on the DuPont Nature Center website.
Managed by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, the DuPont Nature Center is located in the heart of Delaware’s Bayshore Region at 2992 Lighthouse Road, near Slaughter Beach, east of Milford. Admission to the center is free and open to the public. For general information about the center, please call 302-422-1329 or visit DuPont Nature Center. For inquiries about the center’s programs and operations, please email
