Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center

This place is one of the best kept secrets in Orange County for people with little kids. The play room here is open most days and is a perfect place to hang out and chill while the kids play. Most Fridays the ranger is here and does a really fun interactive story time and craft based on one of the many animals inhabiting the back bay. Sadly, this Friday the ranger wasn’t there so we didn’t get to do the usual activities but, as usual, it didn’t matter because my kids still had a blast playing with puzzles, puppets, coloring and reading books in the cool (haunted? *see pic) indoor tree. :)

I stumbled on this place after taking my son for a stroll on the trail. I needed to use the restroom and he was anxious to get out of the stroller. They have a really neat childrens area that is free, clean, and full of nature toys and activities. The restroom was also very clean. We’ll definitely be coming back!

We love this place! If you are looking for things to do with toddlers to do indoors, this place of great — and best of all it’s free!
They are currently renovating a lot of exhibits so when they open it will be even better. They are putting in an indoor touch tank aquarium to mimic the back bay and updating their solar system planets exhibit.
The kids room has tanks with frogs reptiles and a fish tank asking with puzzles crayons and books.
We came when it rained but are definitely coming back when it’s sunny to explore the rooftop viewing area and trails.

This is a beautiful nature/​learning center for children. They have something for every age group. Older children and adults will like the displays about the wetlands. Younger children can choose from coloring, putting together a puzzle, watching live animals (snakes, turtles, fish, bearded dragon, tarantula, etc), reading books and more. The center was clean and organized. This would be a great place to visit if the weather was too hot or wet to play outside. Admission is free! The view from the center is beautiful and relaxing. I believe this is the nicest place of its kind that i have ever visited. Next time we are in the are we will return.

PBS and Huell Howser have both reported about the Upper Newport Bay in the past couple of years, which is why I finally decided to check it out. I loved it! Reasons: The Interpretive Center, The FISH jumping out of the water, the walking paths, the bridge, the Jet airplanes flying overhead made it a surreal experience, fresh air, the sound of nature, trees, free and ample parking, etc.

Great place to take the kids for a little hike. Spend some time in the center also

This center is pretty awesome. Most of the activities and events held here are free and it honestly doesn’t get much better than that. ;) Definitely worth it to set up a play date here and learn about the local animals in a fun interactive way.

Love this place! I had been to the trails here (dogs in tow) and we never had a chance to check out the center. From the parking lot at the trailhead, its easy to miss the center as its built into one of the bluffs, and its not really visible except for the signs pointing you in that direction.
Last weekend, with the blazing heat out, the Muth Interpretive Center ended up being a great place to cool off with the kids. My son (3) and my nephew (5) had a blast for a couple of hours. One side of the center has a small exhibit area with lots of information on the various animals that can be found at the back bay. The other side of the center has a section with toys, puppets, a big play tree to hang out in, and various amphibians and other creatures in tanks. They have a tables where the kids can do crafts, or do puzzles, etc.
Great place to relax before or after checking out the easy trails near the center or, do like we did, and escape the ugly weather outside. Super entertaining for the little ones, very educational, and best of all, its FREE!

Wonderful place for children to learn and explore nature. Great place for adults to relax and enjoy nature.

This nature center is awesome for me and my little guys (age 1 & 3). First, it’s got a small exhibit area that is just about the right size for their attention span. Second, it’s a great place to start a very easy walk from. If you park in the lot and follow the path north of the center, it’s paved and great for strollers and little feet, as long as your little ones know how to quickly get to the side of the path to avoid being run over by cyclists, runners, horseback riders, etc. Thirdly, it has bathrooms and water fountains, which are very important for diaper changes and the recently potty trained. Also, it’s a got a tiny outdoor amphitheater (which I think is covered) that’s an excellent location for lunch or snacks and conveniently near the bathrooms for the inevitable visit. And most importantly, at least to us, it has an activity room (I’m not sure what the proper name is) with all sorts of fun stuff for kids to mess around with, including some live snakes, fish, salamanders (not to messed around with, of course). There are loads of animal puppets complete with a little stage to put on your own puppet show. There are great puzzles, books, crafts– all with a nature theme, just waiting to be played with. They have organized classes in this room that are listed on the website (
), so if you just want to play with your kids doing some different nature themed activities in a relatively quiet space, it’s best to avoid the classes, which I’ve never attended, but looked interesting. Overall, this is a great place to visit with the little ones or use as a base for exploring the upper bay. Please note that although the address listed in correct, the location on the map is wrong. It is located at the corner of University and Irvine Ave. Directions can be found at