About Boston Nature Center

Located just outside of downtown Boston, on the former grounds of the Boston State Hospital, the Boston Nature Center (BNC) is a community-based urban sanctuary. Trails and boardwalks traverse meadows and wetlands, home to over 150 species of birds, 40 species of butterflies, and more than 350 species of plants. Year-round programs help foster an appreciation for nature and the environment.

Partnerships

There is a forest of food in Boston and it is growing at Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center (BNC), thanks to a partnership with the Boston Food Forest Coalition (BFFC).

Climate Action

Boston Nature Center & Wildlife Sanctuary is doing its part to leave a lighter footprint on the environment by utilizing green technology. 

History

What was here before the Boston Nature Center? You may know that this land was once occupied by the Boston State Hospital. But how did it get here, and what was here before that? How have humans changed this place over time? And how has the land affected the people who have lived, worked, and played here? To help answer these questions, the Boston Nature Center, with the help of Mass Humanities, embarked on an extensive history project to tell the diverse and rich story of the land we now steward.

Video

Learn more about Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center and its urban environmental education programs