People walking in the snow Give the gift of membership.
People walking in the snow Give the gift of membership.
Snowy Egret standing on grassy island surrounded by water
Snowy Egret @ Clare Carvel

Wildlife Sanctuaries & Properties

Joppa Flats Education Center

  • Newburyport
  • 50 Acres

Plan Your Visit

Celebrate region’s wildlife-rich habitats through guided tours, marine touch tanks, art exhibits, drop-in programs, and interpretive displays.

Directions to Joppa Flats
Hours
Nature Center & Gift Shop
  • Tuesday–Saturday, Monday holidays
  • 8:30 am–4:00 pm

Choose Your Path

Property Regulations

  • Foot travel only; please stay on trails (day passes are available for powered mobility devices)
  • Dog walking and horseback riding are prohibited; please leave all animals and pets at home (service animals welcome)
  • Camping, collecting, smoking, hunting, fishing, releasing of animals, and feeding wildlife is prohibited.
  • Commercial photography needs prior approval; please see all photography guidelines.

Facilities

  • Parking
    Parking
  • Nature Center/Museum, Universally Accessible
    Nature Center/Museum, Universally Accessible
  • Restrooms, Universally Accessible
    Restrooms, Universally Accessible
  • Picnic Tables
    Picnic Tables
  • Electric Vehicle Charging Station
    Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Featured Experiences

  • Holding Horseshoe Crab at Joppa Flats

    Family Drop-in Programs at Joppa Flats

    Throughout the year, Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport offers family-friendly drop-in programs. 

  • American Redstart held be a hand
    American Redstart

    Bird Banding

    Joppa Flats Education Center established its Bird Banding Station on Plum Island, part of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, in May 1998

  • Teen Conservation Club members on excursion

    Teen Programs

    Teenagers on the North Shore looking to help build and strengthen a strong environmental ethic can get real behind-the-scenes conservation experience.

Upcoming Programs at Joppa Flats

See more
See more

Explore Joppa Flats

  • Great Blue Heron flying over tall grass with wings extended.
    Joppa Flats, Newburyport © Richard White
  • Two Semipalmated Sandpipers wading in a shallow pool of water.
    Semipalmated Sandpiper, Joppa Flats, Newburyport © Jesse Costa
  • A Killdeer standing on brown straw.
    © Ken DiBiccari
  • A Snowy Owl on top of some fallen wooden logs making a standing triangle. Bare trees off in the distance.
    Snowy Owl, Joppa Flats, Newburyport © Michael Francis
  • Two people in tan sun hats in a grassy marsh. One is one their knee looking into the grass, while the other is bent over and pointing.
    Joppa Flats, Newburyport © Janice Corkin Rudolf
  • A dozen egrets scattered across a salt marsh on a gray, gloomy day.
    Joppa Flats, Newburyport © Kevin Namet
  • Dozens of birds flying in a V-formation over a salt marsh on a gray, foggy day.
    © Christa Griffin
  • Dozens of white birds flying around 22 black birds on a small patch of land in water.
    © John Harrison

Latest News

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Birders gather by the water at Joppa Flats.
Special Event

Superbowl of Birding 2026 at Joppa Flats

Event Date: Saturday, January 31

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