Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Information Center Introducing Our New Gallery Displays!

The Visitor Information Center is entering its second full year of operation. The Friends Nature Store is open and fully stocked with many interesting items. Now, the Gallery is complete and open for visitors. Visitors entering the Gallery experience a full visual and auditory experience. The Gallery displays highlight the importance of the Refuge and its role in the varied habitats and creatures that visit and live here.

As a first stop, Gallery visitors are treated to a salt marsh display. The three dimensional cross section shows life above water, in water, and in the detritus. The story is in the details. The behavior and appearance of the denizens of the marsh are shown in remarkable detail.

The Piping Plover is featured on the beach diorama. This is also a “please touch” experience. Children – and adults! – are invited to handle the items on display. Just past the “Big Window” that overlooks the Refuge is a display that includes information on rising sea levels and the impact this has on the marsh.

A map of the entire Refuge is painted on the floor. Visitors can visually experience other parts of the Refuge by using slide presentations. These imaginative viewers are placed on the map at the geographic location of the feature. Before leaving the Gallery, visitors are introduced to the forests of Forsythe.

Come visit this fascinating Gallery! This presentation only gives you an introduction to what the Gallery holds. To really appreciate it, you must come and see it for yourself. Visitor Information Center Hours of Operation Monday through Friday: 10:00AM to 3:00PM Saturday and Sunday Winter Hours*: 9:00AM to 3:00 PM *Winter hours are for January and February only. Regular hours are 9:00AM to 4:00PM beginning in March and continuing through December. For information, call:

A “Thank You” is extended to Refuge management, staff, Friends members, and volunteers whose conscientious efforts have made the displays in the Gallery possible. The Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Information Center is staffed every day - except for national holidays when the Center is closed – by Refuge Volunteers. Thank you for your time and energy! Gallery Displays Design and Fabrication by Taylor Studios, Inc Harmon Drive Rantoul, IL Text and photographs in this presentation are by Dave Blood Photographs are copyrighted: ©Dave Blood; all rights reserved