The Nisqually Reach Nature Center has been offering estuarine environmental education at Luhr Beach since 1982. Through the years, our emphasis has changed from general public outreach to our current focus on providing supplemental classroom, laboratory, and field trip opportunities for schools in the Thurston and Pierce counties area and beyond. In a typical year, upwards of 2,000 school kids, mostly in grades 5 through 12, visit the Nature Center with their teachers and parents. We also support and sponsor estuarine research opportunities for South Puget Sound college students.

Our 2,100 sq. ft. facility at Luhr Beach is on the shore of Puget Sound on the west side of Nisqually Delta at the mouth of McAllister Creek. We receive use of our building through a cooperative agreement with the Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, which also maintains a boat launch and fishing pier here at Luhr Beach.

We are organized as a nonprofit corporation, with 501 (c) (3) status. We are governed by a board of directors with members drawn from the local business community,  higher education institutions, and state resource management agencies.