List of nature centers in Wisconsin


This is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the state of Wisconsin.
NameLocationCountyRegionSummary
Aldo Leopold Nature CenterMononaDaneSouthern Savanna21 acre main site, exhibits on renewable energy, climate science, sustainability, naturalist Aldo Leopold, phenology, weather
Barkhausen Waterfowl PreserveSuamicoBrownLake MichiganOperated by the County, 920 acres of forest, meadows and wetlands, West Shores Interpretive Center
Bay Beach Wildlife SanctuaryGreen BayBrownLake Michigan700 acre urban wildlife refuge
Beaver Creek ReserveFall CreekEau ClaireMississippi/Chippewa RiversOver 400 acres, includes the Wise Nature Center, citizen science center, butterfly house, observatory, youth camp, obstacle course, field research station, and charter science school
Bethel Horizons Nature CenterDodgevilleIowaSouthern SavannaLocated on over 548 acres bordering Governor Dodge State Park, operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Blue Mound State ParkBlue MoundsDaneSouthern Savanna1,153 acres
Brillion Nature CenterBrillionCalumetCentral Sands PrairieLocated on 40 acres within the 4,800 acre Brillion Wildlife Area
Cable Natural History MuseumCableBayfieldLake Superior Northwoods, museum operates 2 nearby properties
Camp Five MuseumLaonaForestLake Superior Northwoods4 acres, includes a logging and forestry museum, historic logging equipment and riverboats, a petting zoo and a nature center with animal, plant and geology displays
Central Wisconsin Environmental StationAmherst JunctionPortageCentral Sands Prairie200-acre teaching and learning center about the environment, operated by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources
Chippewa Moraine State Recreation AreaNew AuburnChippewaMississippi/Chippewa Rivers3,063 acres, exhibits about the area's geology, natural and cultural history
Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center at The Ridges SanctuaryBaileys HarborDoorLake Michigan1600 acre preserve
Crossroads at Big CreekSturgeon BayDoorLake Michigan125-acre preserve, features indoor and outdoor laboratories, a greenhouse, a specialized botanical and environmental library, an observatory and astronomy center, a historical center developed and maintained by the Door County Historical Society, offers experience-based programs in science, history and the environment for learners of all ages
Devil's Lake State Park Nature CenterBarabooSaukSouthern Savanna9,217 acres, known for its 500-foot-high quartzite bluffs along the 360-acre Devil's Lake, exhibits on park's geology and natural history
Fallen Timbers Environmental CenterBlack CreekOutagamieCentral Sands Prairie456 acres, owned by six area school districts and operated by CESA 6, hands-on learning for students
Gitche Gumee Nature Center in Pattison State ParkSuperiorDouglasLake Superior Northwoods1,225 acres, exhibits about the park's cultural and natural history
Gordon Bubolz Nature PreserveAppletonOutagamieCentral Sands Prairie775 acres, 8.5 miles of trails, environmental center
Havenwoods State ForestMilwaukeeMilwaukeeLake Michigan237 acres, includes Environmental Awareness Center, urban arboretum, trails, education garden
Hawthorn GlenMilwaukeeMilwaukeeLake Michigan23-acre nature center, features nature museum, live native animals, operated by the City
Hawthorn HollowSomersKenoshaLake Michigan40 acre nature sanctuary and arboretum, owned and operated by the Hyslop Foundation
Heckrodt Wetland ReserveMenashaWinnebagoCentral Sands Prairie76 acre urban nature reserve
High Cliff State ParkSherwoodCalumetCentral Sands Prairie1,187 acres, located on Lake Winnebago, seasonal General Store Museum and nature programs
Horicon National Wildlife RefugeMayvilleDodgeSouthern SavannaOver 21,000 acres, features the Horicon Marsh International Education Center
House In The WoodDelavanWalworthSoutheast Glacial PlainsOutdoor education and retreat center, features live animals, 23 acres of lakeshore, forest, prairie and marsh habitats
Hunt Hill Audubon SanctuarySaronaWashburnLake Superior Northwoods400 acres of forests, meadow, bogs and glacial lakes
International Crane FoundationBarabooSaukSouthern SavannaLive crane exhibits, an interactive education center, guided and self-guided tours, a research library, visitor center, over four miles of hiking trails set among 100 acres of restored tall grass prairie, oak savanna, and wetlands
Interstate Park Ice Age Interpretive CenterSaint Croix FallsPolkLake Superior NorthwoodsWisconsin park is 1,330 acres and the Minnesota park is 298 acres
Jordan Park Nature CenterStevens PointPortageCentral Sands Prairie271 acres, operated by the County
Kemp Natural Resources StationWoodruffOneidaLake Superior Northwoods235 acres, research and teaching facility operated by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Wisconsin at Madison
Kettle Moraine State ForestCampbellsportFond du LacCentral Sands PrairieHenry S. Reuss Ice Age Visitor Center located in the Northern Unit, exhibits to learn about the frozen history of Wisconsin and the effects of the glacier
Kickapoo Valley ReserveLa FargeVernonMississippi/Chippewa Rivers8,569 acres, trails, visitor center with exhibit gallery, environmental education classes
Lac Lawrann ConservancyWest BendWashingtonSouthern Savanna Region137-acre nature preserve, outdoor education programs, plans for learning center
Ledge View Nature CenterChiltonCalumetCentral Sands Prairie105 acres, operated by the County
MacKenzie CenterPoynetteColumbiaSouthern Savanna250 acres, includes logging and conservation museums, native Wisconsin wildlife, an observation tower and an arboretum
Marsh Haven Nature CenterWaupunDodgeSouthern Savanna46 acres, located at the north end of Horicon Marsh
MaywoodSheboyganSheboyganLake Michigan135 acre city-owned park with an arboretum, ecology center
Mead Wildlife AreaMilladoreWoodCentral Sands PrairieEducation programs at the Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center
Mequon Nature PreserveMequonOzaukeeLake Michigan438 acres with over five miles of trails, an observation tower, and the PieperPower Education Center
Mosquito Hill Nature CenterNew LondonOutagamieCentral Sands PrairieOperated by the County on 430 acres
Navarino Nature CenterShioctonOutagamieCentral Sands PrairieEnvironmental education facility located within the 1,000 acre Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Navarino Wildlife Area
Necedah National Wildlife RefugeNecedahJuneauCentral Sands Prairie43,696-acre refuge, habitat for waterfowl and sandhill cranes, visitor center exhibits, programs
Neustadter Nature Center at Collins MarshCollinsManitowocLake Michigan4,200 acre state wildlife area, facilities include a nature center open by appointment, a screened-in shelter and 110 foot tower
Norskedalen Nature and Heritage CenterCoon ValleyVernonMississippi/Chippewa Rivers400 acres, includes preserved original late 19th century log and stone buildings, artifacts brought with the settlers from Norway, Native American artifacts, a hands-on nature room, an arboretum, and the Skumsrud Heritage Farm
Northern Highland-American Legion State ForestSaynerVilasLake Superior NorthwoodsCrystal Lake Nature Center at Crystal Lake Campground, over 232,000 acres
North Lakeland Discovery CenterManitowishVilasLake Superior NorthwoodsIncludes 12 miles of trails
Northwoods Wildlife CenterMinocquaOneidaLake Superior NorthwoodsWildlife rehabilitation center with resident animals, guided tours and education programs
Point Beach State ForestTwo RiversManitowocLake MichiganOpen weekday afternoons from Memorial Day through Labor Day
Pringle Nature CenterBristolKenoshaLake MichiganLocated within the 197 acre Bristol Woods County Park
Raptor Education GroupAntigoLangladeLake Superior NorthwoodsTours available in the summer of the raptor rehabilitation area
Retzer Nature CenterWaukeshaWaukeshaSouthern Savanna335 acres, operated by the County
Richard Bong State Recreation AreaKansasvilleRacineLake MichiganMolinaro Visitor Center features displays, live animals and hands-on exhibits about the recreation area
River Bend Nature CenterRacineRacineLake Michigan743 acres
Riveredge Nature CenterSaukvilleOzaukeeLake Michigan389 acres of prairies, forests, ponds and marshes along the Milwaukee River
Sanderling Nature Center at Kohler-Andrae State ParkSheboyganSheboyganLake Michigan988 acres
Schlitz Audubon Nature CenterMilwaukeeMilwaukeeLake Michigan185 acres along the shore of Lake Michigan
Schmeeckle ReserveStevens PointPortageCentral Sands Prairie275 acres, located on the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
Seno Woodland Education CenterBurlingtonKenoshaLake MichiganOperated by the Kenosha/Racine Land Trust, education for schools, educators, landowners about forestry and the national habitats of forest, prairie and wetland
Thousand Islands Environmental CenterKaukaunaOutagamieCentral Sands Prairie350 acres
TreehavenTomahawkLincolnLake Superior NorthwoodsResidential natural resources education and conference facility owned and operated by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources
Trees for TomorrowEagle RiverVilasLake Superior NorthwoodsNatural resources specialty school, programs for families, schools, groups, teachers, adults
University of Wisconsin–Madison ArboretumMadisonDaneSouthern Savanna1,260 acres, visitor center exhibits, public and education programs
Upham Woods Outdoor Learning CenterWisconsin DellsJuneauCentral Sands Prairie310 acres, public and residential environmental education center, operated by the University of Wisconsin-Extension, 14 buildings including a nature center and a raptor enclosure housing educational birds of prey
Urban Ecology CenterMilwaukeeMilwaukeeLake MichiganCares for 70 acres of urban land, offers environmental education and citizen science programs
Washington Island Art & Nature CenterWashington IslandDoorLake MichiganArt gallery, exhibits on island natural and cultural history
Wehr Nature CenterFranklinMilwaukeeLake MichiganOperated by the County, located within 200 acre Whitnall Park
Welty Environmental CenterBeloitRockSouthern SavannaLocated in Beckman Mill County Park
White Cedar Nature Center in Peninsula State ParkFish CreekDoorLake Michigan3,776 acres
Whitefish Dunes State Park Nature CenterSturgeon BayDoorLake Michigan865 acres, exhibits about the ecology, geology and cultural history of the park
Wildwood Wildlife ParkMinocquaOneidaLake Superior NorthwoodsZoo and nature center with over 750 animals
Willow River State ParkHudsonSt. CroixMississippi/Chippewa Rivers2,891 acres, includes Willow River Nature Center
Woodland Dunes Nature Center and PreserveTwo RiversManitowocLake MichiganNearly 1,400-acre preserve

Defunct centers