Visitor Centre Hours
Gift Shop & Exhibit Area
Open Friday to Sunday
10:00 to 3:00
Pre-booked Guided Tours
Friday to Sunday
10:00 to 2:00
Office
Gift Shop
1331 Williams Beach Road
Merville, British Columbia
P.O. Box 415
Merville, BC V0R 2M0
- Our gift shop and indoor exhibits area is open for drop-in shopping and self-guided learning Friday – Sunday, 10:00 to 3:00.
- For the protection of our patients and resident animals we do not allow self-guided tours of our property. Thank you for your understanding.
- We offer complete guided, one-hour pre-booked tours of MARS, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 to 2:00. Details below:
Planning a visit to MARS with family or friends?
Let our FAQs make it easy.
What you will see and experience:
- An outside guided tour of our Ambassador Bird enclosures–meet our resident eagles, albino crows, hawk, and owls.
- Stories of rescue, recovery, rehabilitation, and release of our animal patients
- An eagle-eye view into our flight pen
- A native plant garden and wild spaces
- A visit with an Ambassador Bird and bird handler
- A wonderful gift shop with books, toys, puzzles, and wildlife-themed local photography and crafts
- Indoor exhibits featuring raptors, waterfowl, and other native wildlife
- Patient stories that relay the skilled, dedicated work of our rehab staff and volunteers
- Displays with nests, feathers, bones, and other animal artifacts
- For young enthusiasts: Birder for the Day activity, check your grip strength, flashlights and magnifying glasses for taking a closer look
admission by donation
$5 suggested per person.
10 minutes north of Courtenay,
in Merville, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Our Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible
The visitor centre building, washrooms, gift shop and exhibits hall are fully wheelchair accessible. Our parking lot and paths are packed gravel; weather can affect their wheelchair accessibility. The lower parts of our property are inclined and uneven, but it is possible to access these areas by car and we are happy to make accomodations for partial tours. All of our ambassador bird enclosures have accessible viewing ports.
The tour was really fun for the family and the gift shop had really great, unique items. The work they do is really important, I love that there is somewhere amazing to take injured wildlife. Love MARS!
Great organization that do some great things to help rehabilitate animals and get them back to their natural environment. Informative volunteers and a good hands-on information centre.
Great place run by dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to help Comox Valley WiIdlife. Go for a tour...you will see magnificent birds in recovery and a few beautiful resident raptors.
Learn how we can help wildlife and reduce our impact on wild places.
Who should visit?
- People of all ages!
- Families with children, youth, parents, and grandparents
- Groups, teams, and school classes by prearrangement (when we fully re-open).
PLEASE NOTE: NO DOGS, PLEASE
Dogs are not allowed on the property, not even on a leash. Their presence causes stress to our birds.
Thank you for your cooperation.
