Governors Island
NYC Audubon Naturalist Gabriel Willow leads a bird outing from the steps of our Nolan Park house on Governors Island. Photo: NYC Audubon
NYC Audubon has a seasonal island home, just a few minutes by ferry from lower Manhattan! Governors Island, a 172-acre island in New York Harbor, is now open to the public year round. Excellent habitat and a diverse variety of birdlife make it a birding hotspot, with over 220 species listed on eBird.
Visit Us on Governors Island
Spring through fall, NYC Audubon occupies one of Governors Island’s historic houses, Nolan Park House #17. Visitors can talk birds with us out on the porch of the house, make bird art, check out our exhibitions, and come bird with us. Stay tuned for details on next year's season!
Visiting the Island on your own? Learn about the birds and birding spots of Governors Island in our helpful online guide.
Visitors to Governors Island from lower Manhattan or Brooklyn must reserve their ferry tickets in advance. View Governors Island ferry information and make a reservation. NYC Ferry also offers service to Governors Island.
Note on Accessibility:
The ferry from the Governors Island Ferry Terminal in lower Manhattan to Governors Island is wheelchair-accessible, as are most paths on the Island. However, the path directly to NYC Audubon's seasonal environmental center is a brick path with a very uneven surface. Nolan Park House #17 is itself unfortunately not wheelchair-accessible; several steps lead to the first floor gallery space. View more detailed accessibility information for Governors Island.
Note on Accessibility:
The ferry from the Governors Island Ferry Terminal in lower Manhattan to Governors Island is wheelchair-accessible, as are most paths on the Island. However, the path directly to NYC Audubon's seasonal environmental center is a brick path with a very uneven surface. Nolan Park House #17 is itself unfortunately not wheelchair-accessible; several steps lead to the first floor gallery space. View more detailed accessibility information for Governors Island.
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An image of two windows of NYC Audubon's seasonal environmental center on Governors Island treated by window film.
Bird-Friendly Glass on Governors Island
As part of our residence on Governors Island, we’ve made our seasonal home in Nolan Park a model for bird-friendly building design. We’ve created a crucial, real-world display of bird-friendly retrofit options using temporary, external window films, tapes, paints, and more.