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The following is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the United States.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Name Location Summary
Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium Washington, D.C. 1,754 acres, exhibits about the park's forest, plants and animals

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Name Location Island Summary
Hawai'i Nature Center Honolulu Oahu website, offers programs at the Makiki Valley State Recreation Area, Pu‘u ‘Ualaka‘a State Park, and other areas on Oahu, and also ’Iao Valley and Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on Maui
Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Kihei Maui Education center features exhibits about the natural and cultural history of humpback whales and marine life found in the sanctuary

Idaho

Name Location County Summary
Boise WaterShed Boise Ada website, located at the West Boise Wastewater Treatment Facility, hands-on exhibits about water quality and watersheds, partnership between the Boise Public Works Department and Boise WaterShed Exhibits, Inc.
Jim Hall Foothills Learning Center Boise Ada website, operated by the City, education and information about the Boise foothills and the surrounding high-desert environment
MK Nature Center Boise Ada website, 4 acres, also known as the Morrison Knudsen Nature Center, operated by the State
World Center for Birds of Prey Boise Ada 580 acres, headquarters for The Peregrine Fund, Velma Morrison Interpretive Center features live raptors, interactive displays, multi-media shows and live demonstrations

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Name Location Parish Summary
Acadiana Park Nature Station Lafayette Lafayette website, 110 acres, operated by the City
Audubon Louisiana Nature Center New Orleans Orleans website, 86 acres, operated by the Audubon Nature Institute
Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge Monroe Ouachita 4,200 acres, with 40-acre Black Bayou Lake Environmental Education Center and adjacent arboretum
Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center Baton Rouge East Baton Rouge 103 acres, operated by the City, features exhibits about area plants, animals, minerals and a vintage waterfowl decoy carving collection
Northlake Nature Center Mandeville St. Tammany website, 400 acres

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Name Location County Region Summary
Montana Natural History Center Missoula Missoula Western website
Summit Nature Center at Whitefish Mountain Resort Whitefish Flathead Western Operated in cooperative with the Flathead National Forest
Montana Audubon Center Billings Yellowstone South Central website
Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary Red Lodge Carbon South Central website, formerly the Beartooth Nature Center, includes rehabilitated wolves, mountain lions, black bears, bison, elk, bobcat, fox, coyote, eagles, hawks, owls

Nebraska

Nevada

Name Location County Region Summary
Animal Ark (Nevada) Reno Washoe Northwest website, 38 acres, wildlife sanctuary and nature education center, features native North American predators
Clark County Wetlands Park Las Vegas Clark Southern 2,900 acres, operated by the County
Oxbow Nature Study Area Reno Washoe Northwest website, operated by the Nevada Department of Wildlife on the Truckee River
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Las Vegas Clark Southern Encompasses 195,819 acres within the Mojave Desert, visitor center features exhibit rooms, guided hikes, nature programs
Verdi Community Library and Nature Center Verdi Washoe Northwest website, 8 acres, partnership between the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Washoe County Public Library System, Washoe County School District, and the Verdi Community

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

Name Location County Region Summary
Los Alamos Nature Center Los Alamos Los Alamos Northern website, natural history of the Pajarito Plateau and northern New Mexico, includes the Pajarito Environmental Education Center
Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary Santa Fe Santa Fe Central website, 135 acres, operated by the National Audubon Society
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park Albuquerque Bernalillo Central 38 acres
Riverside Nature Center Farmington San Juan Northern website, operated by the City
Southwest Environmental Center Las Cruces Doña Ana Southern website, grassroots conservation organization, features aquarium, information displays, library, education and nature programs

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Name Location County Region Summary
Chahinkapa Zoo Wahpeton Richland Southeast 18 acres, includes the Rodger Ehnstrom Nature Center to enhance understanding and respect for wildlife
Lake Metigoshe State Park Bottineau Bottineau North Central 1,551 acres, includes the Turtle Mountain Outdoor Learning Center which offers ecology, conservation, and outdoor recreation programs
White Horse Hill National Game Preserve Benson North Central 1,674 acres, visitor center exhibits, public workshops, guided nature hikes, bird-watching walks, summer youth programs and conservation programs
Theodore Roosevelt National Park McKenzie West Covers 110 square miles of land in three sections: the North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit, visitor centers feature natural history exhibits and programs in McKenzie and Billings County
Turtle River State Park Arvilla Grand Forks East 784 acres, includes an Outdoor Learning Center

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Name Location County Region Summary
Blackwater Falls State Park Davis Tucker Central 2,358 acres, center open seasonally
Cranberry Mountain Nature Center Elkins Randolph Central Part of the Monongahela National Forest, open seasonally, visitor center in the Cranberry Glades area
Hawks Nest State Park Ansted Fayette Southern West Virginia 370 acres, features the River Nature Center, aerial tram, 9 hole golf course
Pipestem Resort State Park Pipestem Summers Southern West Virginia 4,050 acres, nature center open year round, includes the 1900s-period Harris Homestead with house, barn and meathouse
Schrader Environmental Education Center Wheeling Ohio Northern Panhandle Operated by the Oglebay Institute
Twin Falls Resort State Park Pineville Wyoming Southern West Virginia 3,776 acres, nature center open year round

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Name Location County Summary
National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center Dubois Fremont Museum with focus about the biology and habitat of the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, wildlife viewing tours

See also

Resources