The first list of national popular science education bases from 2021 to 2025 was recently released. 

The Beijing Elk Ecological Experiment Center (Elk Garden) located in Nanhaizi Park is on the list and is recognized as a National Popular Science Education Base (2021-2025) and a Beijing Science Popularization Base (2022-2024).

The Elk Garden in Nanhaizi Park [Photo/kfqgw.beijing.gov.cn]

According to reports, the Beijing Elk Ecological Experiment Center currently has more than 60 outdoor popularization science display facilities and exhibition items, including fixed facilities such as the Elk Discovery Monument, the Bird Migration Globe, and the World Cemetery of Extinct Animals, as well as the Deer King Competition Display Box and other movable exhibits, many of which have obtained design patents.

The indoor exhibition area of the Elk Garden is 2,600 square meters, and there are free and open permanent exhibitions such as "Deer of the World" and "The Return of the Elk" that tell the stories of species protection for tourists. 

In addition, the Elk Garden has collected 4,998 plastinated specimens, physiological slice specimens, and 3D model specimens of elk and other deer animals, 216 elk antler specimens, and 346 historical and cultural collections such as handicrafts, paintings and works of calligraphy.

In recent years, the science popularization team of the Elk Garden has developed a series of courses based on the morphological characteristics of elk, such as science education for minors, popular science dramas for schools, and research on the theme of "the past and present of elks". 

Built in 1985, the Elk Garden is China's first free-range elk nature reserve. There are 100 full-time and part-time science staff. Relying on rich resources of science exhibition and education, the garden receives 500,000 domestic and foreign tourists every year.