The Rand Nature Centre was established in 1968 by Mrs. Dorothy Rand in memory of her husband James Rand, an American inventor and philanthropist. The Nature Centre was created for the purpose of preserving an area of natural beauty, where visitors could enjoy Bahamian wildlife and flora and learn about the environmental education and research facility by its first Director, American Naturalist, Dr. Paul Fluck.

The Rand Memorial Nature Centre (RMNC) was constructed by the Colonial Research Institute (CRI) in 1969, and until 1990, was financially supported by this institution. In 1990 it became clear that CRI would no longer be able to financially support this body, and the persons in charge began to look for an organization whose objectives and financial resources would enable the RMNC to be maintained. A letter to The Bahamas National Trust stated CRI’s intent to make the RMNC an independent entity that would be given the CRI’s leasehold in the property, and rights to all improvements made on the property. The entire entity would then be transferred to an organization that CRI felt would be able to best take care of it in the future. This is when a proposal was given to the BNT’s Executive Committee to incorporate the RMNC into the National Park system. Due to the limited resources of the BNT, it was decided that the RMNC needed to become self-sufficient and therefore the Centre needed to increase visitor numbers and increase contact with the general public of Grand Bahama. A 99-year lease was signed, conferring 100 acres of property owned by the Grand Bahama Port Authority to the control of the BNT in February 1992. The Bahamas National Trust assumed responsibility for the facility in 1991 and has continued the vision of its founders.