Marinelife Center of Juno Beach
Marinelife Center of Juno Beach
Over 20 years ago, long-time Juno Beach resident Eleanor Fletcher started what is now the Marinelife Center of Juno Beach. Eleanor and her husband Robert had a real estate business in Juno Beach. Eleanor began to notice the abundance of sea turtles nesting on our shore in spring and summer. She was curious about why so many hatchlings headed landward after hatching, rather than back to sea, and as a result, began some of the earliest research on sea turtles in our area – one of the most active nesting beaches in the world! Eleanor became known as “The Turtle Lady” throughout the area.
As Eleanor Fletcher learned more and more about the sea turtles, she began to see that they were threatened by the encroachment of man as he moved and built closer and closer to the shoreline. She decided that educating children about the sea turtles and the need for conservation and protection was the best hope for the sea turtles to survive over the long term. She began giving classes, first in her home, then above the real estate office as more and more children enjoyed her programs.
Around 1983, with involvement of some of the area’s prominent residents, the Children’s Museum of Juno Beach was incorporated, moving into what had been an old home in Loggerhead Park, thanks to the County’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Reflecting an expanded mission, the name was changed to The Marinelife Center of Juno Beach in 1990.
The Center now hosts over 10,000 school children each year through field trips, outreach programs, summer camp and other educational experiences. In addition, another 75,000+ casual visitors come to the Center each year to see the exhibits and the sea turtle hospital – the only sea turtle hospital between Orlando and the Florida Keys!
In 2001, the Center is beginning a fundraising campaign to build a new state-of-the-art marine veterinary hospital, museum and visitor center, to be located in Juno Beach Park. Expected completion is 2006.
In 2005, the Marinelife Center of Juno Beach changed its name to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center.
The Marinelife Center of Juno Beach is a non profit education and conservation facility located on the ocean in Palm Beach County, Florida USA. The facility houses a variety of exhibits, live sea turtles and other coastal creatures. Exhibits include a giant Leatherback sea turtle, salt water aquaria and displays of local wildlife, as well as educational displays about south Florida’s marine environment.
The nature center includes a marine-oriented gift and book shop, featuring an excellent selection of children’s educational books and unique gift and craft items. Park amenities include a guarded beach, nature trails, picnic pavilions.
Marinelife Center facility began construction in the Spring of 2005! See the support page to become a member or adopt a turtle.
