9 inspiring Nature Centers that will take your breath away!

Nature centers! These wonderful places are great for children and "children-at-heart" of every age. Where else will you find so much fun and learning packed into one place? We have highlighted a few amazing nature centers across the country that have some truly unique things to offer and that we would love to visit. Count yourself lucky if you’re able to visit any of these locations this year and explore the natural world.

From Alaska to Florida, from the East Coast to the West, there’s something at these nature centers for everybody. Some of them offer adventure, some of them focus on history, and some have unique things you can’t find anywhere else. And if you can't get to any of these nature centers, discover one of the other great ones in the local area and explore the beauty of nature around you!

1. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage, Alaska

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Gridwood Alaska is an incredible place where you can get up close and personal with bison, elk, bald eagles, and other Alaskan wildlife in a safe and controlled environment. There are ample opportunities to learn from the Conservation Center’s staff and even interact with the animals, including bottle feedings of baby animals and a rambling reindeer named Sven. Children under 12 get in free, and everybody can enjoy the gift shop which includes wool shaved off of the Center’s own bison!

2. The Remington Nature Center, St. Joseph, Missouri

The Remington Nature Center in St. Joseph Missouri is a classic nature center with a real focus on how the local community interacts with their environment. Live beehives and fish tanks are complimented by a huge collection of genuine animal pelts and a long hallway depicting how mankind has changed and grown in the Missouri River Valley.  Plus, you probably won’t find another nature center with an exhibit containing over 200 examples of barbed wire and a detailed examination of how its invention changed the relationship between man and nature. Read more.

3. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, Vermont

In Quechee Vermont you’ll find the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, an impressive destination where you can watch live raptor shows as well as an exhibit exploring how ancient dinosaurs became those very same modern birds. While there are other nature centers with longer trails, the mile of hiking through the beautiful Green Mountains the Institute offers shouldn’t be missed. The Institute also offers a variety of scavenger hunts that will take kids all over the property following various clues. Find out more

4. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Lancaster, California

If you visit the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster you might just think you’ve wondered into Oz. The Poppy Reserve has eight miles of trails on the edge of the Mojave Desert, and the flowers here will do anything but put you to sleep! With a knowledgeable staff that can tell you everything you could possibly want to know about the wildflowers and only a small parking fee, this is one nature center nobody should miss. Even better, if you buy a day pass you can use it for admission to any other California State Park.

5. Daggerwing Nature Center, Boca Raton, Florida

The Daggerwing Nature Center in Boca Raton, Florida has an impressive visitor’s center packed with live animals and interactive exhibits. The center’s employees are also doing real science, so you know everything is up to date. But the real attraction is the chance to see the Center’s namesake, the ruddy daggerwing butterfly, out in its natural habitat by strolling the center’s boardwalks over the Florida swamp. Expect to see plenty of other native flora and fauna from their observation tower, including ospreys and alligators! Learn more.

6. Lost River Cave Nature Center, Bowling Green, Kentucky

Bowling Green Kentucky is home to the spectacular Lost River Cave Nature Center. It’s not every day that learning about nature involves kayaking on an underground river! That’s right, guided tours where you paddle yourself around are available, as well as a more leisurely powerboat tour. While most of the activities are centered around exploring the caves by boat or on foot, if you’re claustrophobic Lost River Cave also offers a Nature Trading Post and an exhibit dedicated to the wildlife in your own back yard. Find out more.

7. Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium, Washington, DC.

Not all of America’s great nature centers are technically in the states. The Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium is in Washington, DC. From its location in the nation’s Capital, Rock Creek offers bilingual exhibits and tips on low-water gardening. Live animal exhibits are complemented by a planetarium and guidance for exploring all 2,000 acres of the District of Columbia’s largest park. And all of this is completely free!

8. Verdi Community Library and Nature Education Center, Verdi, Nevada

The Verdi Community Library and Nature Education Center in Verdi, Nevada sits between two of the most beautiful landscapes in the country: the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Great Basin Desert. Since it is located in a “transition zone” wildlife from both regions can be found in the area and the Verdi Center is fully equipped to help you understand the unique ecology. Sweeping vistas surround anybody fortunate enough to explore the center’s hiking trails, a real must see. Read more.

9. Greenbelt Nature Center, Staten Island, New York

Great nature centers can be in some of the most unexpected places. Take the Greenbelt Nature Center for instance. It’s located on Staten Island in New York City, although you can scarcely tell that The City That Never Sleeps is all around you. With 3,000 acres of forest and park to explore, the Nature Center is a perfect jumping off point, offering hikes with official Greenbelt naturalists and trail maps as well as brand new interactive exhibits. For millions of people, this isn’t just one of the best nature centers in the country, but one of the most accessible, especially since access is completely free! Learn more.

Share your favorites!
Indiana Search
Find Nature Centers Near You
Find Nature Centers Near You
12501 Harmony Landing Road, Goshen, KY
About the Nature PreserveCreasey Mahan Nature Preserve is a 170-acre non-profit nature preserve dedicated by Virginia Creasey Mahan and Howard Maha... Read More
201 West Riverside Drive, Clarksville, IN
Located on the banks of the Ohio River in Clarksville, Indiana at I-65, exit 0, is the Falls of the Ohio State Park. The 390-million-year-old fossi... Read More
2221 Clifty Drive, Madison, IN
Clifty Falls State Park is located near Madison with entrances on state roads 56 and 62. The park’s waterfalls change moods with the weather ... Read More
3333 State Road 60 E., Mitchell, IN
Spring Mill State Park offers a powerful illustration of the link between the natural and cultural worlds. The water flowing from several cave spri... Read More
3745 Illinois Avenue, Louisville, KY
Our mission is to provide nature education and encourage stewardship in an urban forest. We look forward to your visit! A truly unique community r... Read More
755 Hwy 135 NW, Corydon, IN
About Us: The Hayswood Nature Reserve is really two parks in one. In keeping with the wishes of the donor, Dr. Samuel Hays, 130 acres of Hayswood, ... Read More
1405 S.R. 46 W., Nashville, IN
Nicknamed the "Little Smokies" because of the area's resemblance to the Great Smoky Mountains, Brown County encompasses nearly 16,000 acres of rugg... Read More
7234 Old Forest Road SW, Corydon, IN
O'Bannon Woods State Park (formerly Wyandotte Woods State Recreation Area) lies in the central and extreme southern part of the state, bordering th... Read More
3200 Tucker Station Road, Louisville, KY
Rural land has all but disappeared in Jefferson County– and with it, our only ties to the history of Kentucky’s early settlement. The B... Read More
4850 South State Road 446, Bloomington, IN
ACTIVITIES Boating / 9 Launch Ramps Fishing / Ice Fishing Fishing Piers Fourwinds Resort & Marina Gas Dock Hiking Hunting (Waterfowl H... Read More
1387 U.S. 50 East, Versailles, IN
1. MODERATE (2.25 miles)—Circles upland woods and ravines along the eastern bluff of Laughery Valley, featuring oak, hickory, maple, beech, tulip p... Read More
1902 Easterday Rd. Hwy 36, Carrollton, KY
The Carroll County Conservation District Nature Center is tucked away in the beautiful area known as Camp Kysoc in Carrollton Kentucky. It is opera... Read More
2367 East 10th Street, Bloomington, IN
About Us:Hilltop Garden & Nature Center was first established by IU Biology Professor, Barbara Shalucha in 1948. Hilltop has primarily focused ... Read More
3084 North Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN
About Us:25,800 acres - 8,800-acre lakeWith 26,000 acres of land and water, Patoka Lake is a fine example of lake ecology. An 8,800-acre lake provi... Read More
2075 Clermont Road, Clermont, KY
VisionIsaac Wolfe BernheimIsaac Wolfe Bernheim understood the enduring value of connecting people with nature. It was vision that led him to purcha... Read More
Show More