What We Do
About
The Cape May Point Science Center (The Center) stands nestled among the dune grasses at New Jersey’s southernmost point, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Delaware Bay to create one of the country’s most vital and bio-diverse ecosystems.
In the middle of the Atlantic flyway is a renowned ecological intersection of marine, insect, and avian species. Within a few square miles, you can experience the beauty and wonder of the world’s biggest butterfly migration, the largest concentration of one of the world’s oldest creatures, horseshoe crabs, and critical habitat of migratory and predatory birds, including raptors, hawks, owls, and eagles. Devoted to environmental protection, restoration, and conservation throughout the region, The Center advances its mission by providing unique opportunities and funding for advocacy, education, and research.
The Center has found its home in the 38,000 square-foot Victorian structure that debuted as the Shoreham Hotel in 1889. Throughout its history, the Hotel served many purposes, including its' critical refuge for enslaved people seeking freedom after crossing the water from Delaware. In 1909, It became Saint Mary by the Sea, the summer retreat for the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Lovingly maintained by the Sisters for more than 100 years, The Center would not be possible without their preservation of the building and dedicated stewardship of nature. With widespread community support and under the leadership of top researchers and scientists, The Center builds on Cape May Point’s century-and-a-half-long legacy of providing a restorative backdrop for recreational, spiritual, and educational retreats.
The Cape May Point Science Center is a New Jersey 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Mission
Located in one of the world’s most biodiverse and vital regions, The Center’s mission is to provide unique opportunities and funding to advance ecological research, education, and advocacy and encourage the protection of our piece of nature’s heaven. The Center further aims to uncover and preserve history, and the building it calls home, and the community of Cape May Point.