Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in Barnstable provides nature-based education in a new, state-of-the-art structure.

Nestled in the crook of the muscle-flexing arm of Cape Cod, a preserved piece of un-spoiled landscape offers a glimpse into what the region might have looked and behaved like without the influence of inhabitants intent on building a modern society. The first European settlers arrived on the shores with the goal to create substantial shelter and community, and thereby “tame” the environment of their new home. Today at the Mass Audubon’s newly renovated and expanded visitor’s center at Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in Barnstable, that wild and natural landscape has been protected and presented to allow current generations an opportunity to understand and experience the Cape’s delicate and unique natural world.

The site was unveiled last fall as the hard work and insight of professionals, Jill Neubauer Architects, Blue Claw Associates, Bernice Wahler Landscapes, Cape Associates and the santuary’s Director Ian Ives worked in complete collaboration to design, construct and execute the highly functional center that highlights the natural beauty to reveal its penultimate potential. 

“We’re a residential architecture firm on Cape Cod and most of our work is in Massachusetts—a lot of it’s on the Cape. We’re often fortunate to work on sensitive, beautiful sites in the scale of residential architecture, so when I was invited to interview for this project, we were excited because it’s an ideal fit between our residential experience and my passion for the environment, and our ability to create a net-zero building,” principal architect Jill Neubauer explains.

When entering the sanctuary, the 74-year-old Sherman Parker house immediately greets visitors. The building has...