The Interpretive Center at Gulf State Park

The Interpretive Center is also located along the 11-mile stretch of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, 1.2 miles to the east of the Lodge. The building will be one of the park’s primary learning destinations, joining the Nature Center and Learning Campus as a major draw for visitors, school groups, and researchers. The facility is designed to target Living Building certification and demonstrate the park’s commitment to environmentally-friendly architecture. Visitors will be able to learn more about the dune ecosystems, interact with exhibits, and treat the space as a launch point to safely cross Perdido Beach Boulevard. The Interpretive Center buildings will have space to accommodate small meetings and retreats, indoor and outdoor gallery space for interpretive exhibits, a small kitchen, and restrooms with compostable toilets. The site design takes up a small portion of the permitted site and introduces a entry plaza with a shade trellis and swing benches, boardwalks leading to the Interpretive Center, a sand-level water interpretation area for all ages, an amphitheater for learning and socializing, as well as boardwalks to the pedestrian bridge which connects to the park’s trail system.