Visit the WNC Nature Center this weekend! You can buy or renew memberships online at www.wildwnc.org/membership or at the Front and still be able to take advantage of members-only week.
Those who had current memberships when the Nature Center temporarily closed will have their membership extended 199 days, and new members will receive a full year of benefits beginning September 28, 2020. Membership cards are in the process of being mailed out and will be delivered to members before opening day.
“We are so excited to welcome our members back to the Nature Center an entire week earlier than the general public,” says Karen Babcock, Executive Director of the Friends. “Their sustaining support over the past six months has been a lifeline for our organization, and this members-only week is just a small token of our deep appreciation.”
In addition to early entry to the Nature Center once it reopens, Friends of the WNC Nature Center members receive free daily admission to the Nature Center, discounted admission to over 450 zoos, aquariums, and science centers nationwide, and discounts on special events, programs, the Nature Center Gift Shop. Memberships support the daily care, enrichment, veterinary care, and conservation of the animals who call the Nature Center home. To find out more about becoming a Friend of the WNC Nature Center, visit www.wildwnc.org/membership.
Upon reopening, the Nature Center will be open seven days a week from 10am until 4:30pm with last admission at 3:30pm. The City of Asheville Parks & Recreation department released additional information regarding changes that guests will see since their last visit to the WNC Nature Center. To ensure the safety of the public, staff, and the resident animals that call the WNC Nature Center home, indoor exhibits will remain closed, guests should wear face coverings, and signage throughout the facility will remind everyone to maintain distance between themselves and others. To meet public health guidelines, the Gift Shop will be located in the barn, guests will not have the opportunity to make contact with any of the animals, and enhanced cleaning protocols will be in place. Visit www.wildwnc.org/plan-your-visit for more information about what to expect when visiting the Nature Center.
The Friends is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the animals, programs, and facilities of the WNC Nature Center. The Nature Center connects people of all ages with the plants and animals of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Friends of the WNC Nature Center has worked for 45 years in support of the Nature Center, through memberships, gift shop sales, educational outreach, volunteer program, fundraising, and events. For more information on the Friends of the WNC Nature Center, or to join the Friends and support future projects, visit www.wildwnc.org.
