The Bay Model Visitor Center is three-dimensional hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and Delta that was once used for research by simulating tides, currents and river inflows. The Model is over 1.5 acres in size and represents an area from the Pacific Ocean to Sacramento and Stockton, including: the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays and a portion of the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta. The mission of the Bay Model is to provide environmental education that focuses on current events and allows visitors to learn about how natural and cultural resources are affected by man-made changes to the Bay and Delta. Visitors learn about the water resources of the State of California and the role of how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages these resources. The facility has a self-guided tour however, with advance reservations scheduled groups can receive ranger guided tours around the model, explaining how engineers and scientists conduct laboratory tests to seek solutions to the problems of maintaining the bay's water environment. Permanent exhibits include a 12-minute oreintation video and a 1 hour audio tour. These programs are available in English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. An exhibit on Sausalito's World War II shipyard Marinship 1942-1945 is housed within the building, which was formerly the outfitting warehouse for the shipyard. There are educational programs for all ages. Park Rangers conduct a variety of educational workshops throughout the year for teachers and non-formal educators. You can see pelicans in the fall and winter. Waterfowl is abundant in the winter. Harbor seals are best seen in the fall and winter.

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