Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center

The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is located in Stuart, Florida and was founded in 1964. Its mission is to " inspire environmental stewardship of Florida's coastal ecosystems through education and research." The center is located on 57 acres on Hutchinson Island, right between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River. It is considered one of the leaders in state and national environmental education and offers programs to people of all ages, as well as a restoration and research program. The center is home to nature trails, a 750,000 gallon fish lagoon, a sea star touch tank pavilion, a children's activity pavilion, the Rays on the Reef Ray Pavilion and the Frances Langford Visitors Center. The site features hardwood hammocks and mangrove swamps, creating the perfect environment for a marine education center. The center is open from Monday through Saturday from 10 am until 5 pm. They offers guided natural trail walks, stingray feedings and non-feeding programs, a lagoon fish feeding program and a sea turtle program. Each of these is at a different time throughout the day, so visitors could enjoy each activity if they spent the entire day at the center. Guided trail walks take visitors on a one-mil look through the Indian River lagoon.