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Saginaw Bay Visitor Center

A family enters the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center by the sign

Saginaw Bay Visitor Center

Hours of Operation

January - Memorial Day: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Memorial Day - Labor Day: Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Labor Day - November 14: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
November 15 - December 31: Closed

The Saginaw Bay Visitor Center, located in Bay City State Park on the shores of Saginaw Bay, helps visitors discover Tobico Marsh, one of the largest coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes.

Nestled under a canopy of sheltering hardwoods on the edge of the marsh, the modern visitor center stands on the site of the historic Jennison Nature Center, built in 1940 and named for George B. Jennison, a prominent local conservationist. In 2023, the aging nature center was given a $2 million makeover. The 10,000-square-foot building, with a 100-seat auditorium, now boasts a fully renovated exhibit area and an experiential classroom.

Visitor center information

  • The Jennison Exhibit Hall reveals the little-known treasures of Saginaw Bay: a rich kaleidoscope of wetland resources – fisheries, wildflowers, waterfowl and other wildlife.

    • At the touch of a button see how the bay and its unique coastal wetlands were formed.
    • Compose a symphony of wetland sounds at the marsh music display.
    • Watch the marsh wildlife up close on a big screen through a remote video surveillance camera.
    • Play one of the interactive computer games that demonstrate the importance of the Saginaw Bay area in Michigan's rich history of fishing, lumbering, shipping and agriculture.
    • Inside the center’s auditorium, visitors will enjoy a virtual nature walk through the four seasons of Tobico Marsh, a breathtaking journey exploring the many sights and sounds of the marsh throughout the year.

    The wildlife observation room provides a picturesque view of birds and small mammals in a natural setting.

    The Wolverine

    The exhibit hall also displays Michigan's only known wild wolverine. The wolverine was first seen by coyote hunters who treed it while running hounds near Bad Axe on Feb. 24, 2004, and was then seen in the area for the next six years. Sadly, the animal was found dead by hikers in 2010 at Sanilac County's Minden State Game Area.

    It was the first wolverine ever verified as living in the wild in Michigan. Michigan is known as the Wolverine State because it was a center for trade in the early trapping industry and wolverine pelts from the north and west of Michigan came through the state. Biologists say that if wolverines were native to Michigan, they were extirpated about 200 years ago.

    It is uncertain how the wolverine arrived in Michigan, though DNA evidence indicates it is related to animals native to Alaska. The wolverine was mounted by Bay Port taxidermist Sandy Brown; the mount won an award in 2013 from the state's taxidermy association.

  • The Wetlands Wonders Gift Shoppe is located within the center and run by volunteers from the Friends of Bay City State Park. The shop has a wide variety of educational resources for all ages, as well as a large selection of nature-related gifts.

    Many of the programs we offer would not be possible without help from our partners. They include:

Programs for families and classrooms

Programs for the public

Fun, educational programs available throughout the year.

Weekly program schedule

School programs

We offer a variety of field trip opportunities and school programs.
Learn more and register for a program