A new attraction has opened in Abaco, offering residents and visitors a fascinating window into Abaco’s natural world.
Launched on Earth Day this past April, the Exploratorium combines storytelling, science and hands-on learning in a space dedicated to Bahamian ecosystems and the importance of conservation.
Located at the Friends of the Environment (FRIENDS) campus in Marsh Harbour, the Exploratorium’s interactive exhibits delve into our marine and terrestrial environments, from coral reefs and seagrass beds to mangroves, pine forests and limestone caves.
Executive Director Olivia Patterson Maura describes the project as the natural evolution of something that began years earlier.
Prior to Hurricane Dorian, she says, the FRIENDS welcome centre featured a small exhibit of geological displays and fossil history, curated by local geologist and paleontologist, Nancy Albury.
What began as a modest educational space quickly drew interest from both locals and visitors. People working on their boats nearby would come to visit and take a break, says Maura, and school children would come to learn.
“It got us thinking about what could be,” she says, “and the Exploratorium was a natural next step.”
Though that vision was interrupted by the destruction of Hurricane Dorian, it wasn’t lost. And when the time came for FRIENDS to rebuild their campus, they incorporated a dedicated learning centre into its new design.
Inside the Exploratorium, visitors are guided through the story of Bahamian ecosystems in a bright, immersive space. A sweeping, colourful mural spans the room, visually tying together the different habitats and scientific themes.
Around the striking wooden mangrove scuplture at the centre of the Exploratorium, displays unfold like chapters: marine mammals and deep-ocean life, coral reefs and coral disease research, sea grass beds and mangrove systems, coastal nesting habitats, and the coppice and pine forests that define Abaco’s land ecology.
One of the project’s distinctive features is its use of interactive technology. Visitors can scan objects to learn more about them, explore virtual reality experiences of coral reefs or mangrove ecosystems, and engage with multimedia displays designed to reach different learning styles and abilities.
Accessibility is a central priority throughout, with audio and visual options and full wheelchair access integrated into the Exploratorium’s design.
Maura says FRIENDS wanted to ensure the information was accessible in every sense of the word. “Not everyone has the opportunity to go out on a field trip,” she explains. “We hope this exhibit can be a bridge between people and nature.”
The Exploratorium exhibits highlight not just the ecosystems themselves, but the pressures they face and the conservation activities being developed and undertaken locally. Visitors learn how their daily choices and activities connect to wider environmental outcomes.
“We want people to walk away understanding the story of our environment,” Maura says, “the challenges it faces, and ideas for positive change.”
She says the Exploratorium is designed for everyone: Abaco students, educational groups from other islands, as well as the wider community and visitors passing through. It’s the perfect activity for a rainy vacation day, or for anyone with extra time before or after a flight.
Maura says the Exploratorium was funded through grants, foundations, private donations and in-kind support from The Ackerman Family Foundation, The GEF Small Grants Programme implemented by UNDP, Louis Legacy Foundation, Bahamas Caves Research Foundation, The Perry Institute for Marine Science, Moore Bahamas Foundation, Nancy Albury, Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation, Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Kevin Boutte, Disney Animals, Science, and Environment, Dr. Pete van Hengstum, Perry Becker Group, Jolyon Smith, and a number of private donors.
The project reflects a long-term commitment to environmental education as a cornerstone of sustainable development in Abaco, where tourism and fisheries remain central to our local economy.
Looking ahead, Maura says they’re already thinking of ways to expand. Additional displays, rotating exhibits and new research-driven installations are under consideration, allowing the space to evolve alongside ongoing conservation work.
In a place defined by sea and sky, the Exploratorium offers a chance to see Abaco’s natural world not just as scenery, but as a living system.
It provides a window into coral reefs and mangroves, into the hidden life of pine forests and coastal shallows, into the fragile balance that sustains island life.
And it invites visitors to look back through that same window, to see not only the environment itself, but their own place within it, and the role they play in shaping what comes next.
For more information, contact Friends of the Environment at (242) 699-2721 or visit their Marsh Harbour campus directly.
If You Go:
- The Exploratorium is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, at the Friends of the Environment campus on Conservation Lane in Marsh Harbour. Drop-ins are welcome. The last tour begins at 3:30pm each day.
- Self-guided tours take 30-60 minutes. Guided tours are available by advance booking — call (242) 699-2721 to arrange.
- Maximum tour group size is typically around 20 visitors, though larger groups can be staggered to accommodate.
- The Exploratorium is wheelchair accessible, and restroom facilities and parking are available.
All images courtesy of Friends of the Environment.
