Meant to appeal primarily to young people, the Center's dedication ceremony was conducted entirely by children. Today, the Rock Creek Nature Center is the major information center and focal point for activities related to the park's natural and cultural history. Exhibits tell about the park's wildlife and forest, and a library, open to all, has many books on natural history. A Discovery Room will encourage hands-on activities. An observation beehive is located on the back wall of the exhibit room.
Visitors can watch the bees at work in the hive, visible through glass panes.
The hive is connected to the outdoors by a plastic tube. Guided nature walks and curriculum based environmental education programs take place daily. The Center hopes to instill an affection for wild places, the ability to find a sense of wonder in them, and discover the joys of the outdoors. Programs attempt to teach the concepts of ecology, to identify the local flora and fauna, and to understand man's interrelationship with nature. The Center and all programs are accessible to wheelchairs.