Seney

After a few gorgeous days' worth of backpacking at Pictured Rocks, Steph and I headed out to the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Before driving the several-mile loop through the refuge's marshland, we stopped at the visitors center – and it's one of the best I've visited! For starters, there is an abundance of taxidermy, and I do mean everywhere. Most of it is at eye-level and is extraordinarily well-done. The mounts represent the native mammals, birds, and fish that call the refuge their home.

 

 

One display has an assortment of the owl species that live in Michigan. Barring a natural history museum, I'm not sure I've seen so many taxidermy owls in one place!

 

Seney is famous for its loons. There's a wonderful taxidermy exhibit that shows an adult loon swimming with its young on its back, as well as a loon diving underwater. It's a display that you have to see firsthand to truly appreciate, because the amount of detail involved is pretty stunning. Amazing, too, is the center's wolf mount. Set in a natural, nonthreatening pose, the wolf stands in a realistic habitat at the edge of recreated water. Beaver tracks are visible in the mud.

Next to the wolf mount is another excellent exhibit at the visitors center: a side-by-side comparison of wolves and coyotes. The display contains photographs of the two canids, as well as tanned pelts and replica skulls, and illustrates well the incredible size difference between them. It's a great hands-on feature that is especially important, as around here, coyotes are constantly mistaken for wolves, and vice-versa.

Perhaps the best part of the Seney visitors center is the "touch table." A common feature of nature centers, this one is likely the best I've seen. 

Touch tables are generally low-to-the-floor and easily accessible by both children and adults alike. They allow visitors to handle objects from nature – things they wouldn't usually find or see – such as animal skulls and bones, antlers, feathers, turtle shells, pelts, and so on. Being able to not only see but touch these items – to feel an otter's dense fur or a raccoon's sharp teeth – opens the door to endless learning.

Accompanied by an extensive collection of furbearer pelts, this touch table even has several older taxidermy mounts. Despite being within reach of young children, they were all in pretty decent shape!

 

If you're ever passing through the Upper Peninsula and are about to embark on the 25-mile "Seney Stretch" – or, if you have already, and want to stretch your legs – I highly recommend a stop at the Seney visitors center. It's both kid- and adult-friendly, there's a great shop full of amazing nature books and field guides, and while you're there, you can take a drive through the refuge. Chances are, you'll see trumpeter swans, loons, ospreys, and bald eagles!