This is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the state of Iowa.
To use the sortable tables: click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.
Name Location County Region Summary Anderson Conservation Area Red Oak Montgomery Southwest website, operated by the City of Red Oak, 244 acres, 2 miles of trails, 15 acre pond, includes Wolfe Nature Center with environmental education displays and a meeting room Annett Nature Center Indianola Warren South Central website, 160 acres, operated by the Warren County Conservation BoardAppanoose County Conservation Board Nature Center Centerville Appanoose South Central Operated by the County in 144-acre Sharon Bluffs State Park Bailey's Ford Park Manchester Delaware Northeast website, 105 acres, includes a nature center, operated by the Delaware County Conservation Board Benton County Nature Center Vinton Benton Southeast website, operated by the Benton County Conservation Board in 187-acre Rogers Park Calkins Nature Area Iowa Falls Hardin North Central website, 76 acres, operated by Hardin County Conservation, includes the Calkins Interpretive Center with Native American and natural history artifacts Conard Environmental Research Area Kellogg Jasper South Central Operated by Grinnell College, 365-acre facility for class use in the study of ecology and student and faculty research, summer camp DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge Missouri Valley Harrison Western 8,362-acre refuge (46% in Iowa, 54% in Nebraska), visitor center exhibits, education programs Dickinson County Nature Center Okoboji Dickinson Northwest website, operated by the Dickinson County Conservation Board, located in 60-acre Kenue Park Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center Sioux City Woodbury Northwest Located in Stone State Park, managed by the Woodbury County Conservation Board, features interactive prairie, wetland & woodland exhibits, live native animals, bird viewing area, butterfly and wildflower gardens E.B. Lyons Nature Center Dubuque Dubuque Northeast Located in the 1380-acre Mines of Spain Recreation Area, exhibits on the history and features of the park, bird and butterfly garden, native prairies, woodland flower gardens, hiking trails, historic Junkerman farm site Eden Valley Nature Center Baldwin Jackson Northwest website, located in 201-acre Eden Valley Refuge, includes live snakes, a wildlife diorama, rock collection and taxidermy displays Fontana Interpretive Nature Center Hazleton Buchanan Northwest website, operated by the Buchanan County Conservation Board in 134-acre Fontana Park, includes nature exhibits, outdoor live native wildlife on display Fossil & Prairie Center Rockford Floyd North Central website, operated by the Fossil & Prairie Conservation Foundation, center open seasonally, park open year-round, fossils can be found in the former quarry site Gilbertson Conservation Education Area Elgin Fayette Northeast website, includes the Gilbertson Nature Center, 345 acre park, petting zoo, late 19th century period farm house, farm tool and antiques displays Grimes Farm Marshalltown Marshall South Central website, over 160 acres, operated by the Friends of Grimes Farm Hartman Reserve Nature Center Cedar Falls Black Hawk Northeast 300 acre reserve, over 6 miles of trails, an entity of the Black Hawk County Conservation Board Heery Woods Nature Center Clarksville Butler North Central website, operated by the Butler County Conservation Board, exhibits on area natural and cultural historyHitchcock Nature Center Honey Creek Pottawattamie Southwest website, operated by the Pottawattamie County Conservation Board, located on 1,268 acres Hurstville Interpretive Center Maquoketa Jackson Northeast website, operated by Jackson County Conservation, features restored prairie and 18 acre wetland, wetland and prairie dioramas, exhibits about Iowa's mussels, rocks, endangered species, birds of prey and migrating songbirds Indian Creek Nature Center Cedar Rapids Linn Southeast website, Iowa's only private nature center with over 400 acres, 7 miles of trails, year-round public and private educational programs, and sustainable living exhibits. Home of a Nature Explore certified outdoor classroom, titled "Sense of Wonder Trail" Jefferson County Park Fairfield Jefferson Southeast website, operated by the Jefferson County Conservation Board, 190 acres, nature center displays include Indian artifacts, Iowa mammals fur collection, a 150-gallon fish aquarium and a turtle tank Johnson County Conservation Education Center Tiffin Johnson Southeast website, operated by the Johnson County Conservation Department in 1,082-acre F.W. Kent Park, 27-acre lake Jones County Nature Center Center Junction Jones Northwest , located in 217-acre Central Park Kennedy Park Reception & Nature Center Fort Dodge Webster North Central website, located in 400-acre John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, operated by the Webster County Conservation Board Kuehn Conservation Area Earlham Dallas South Central Operated by the Dallas County Conservation Board, 600 acre preserve, includes Bear Creek Nature Center, open by appointment Lake Meyer Nature Center Fort Atkinson Winneshiek Northeast website, operated by the Winneshiek County Conservation Board, adjacent to 160-acre Lake Meyer Park Lime Creek Nature Center Mason City Cerro Gordo North Central website, partnered with the Cerro Gordo County Conservation Board, includes live animals Lost Island Nature Center Ruthven Palo Alto Northwest website, operated by the Palo Alto County Conservation Board on 1,200-acre Lost Island Lake Macbride Nature Recreation Area Solon Johnson Southeast website, 485 acres, operated by the University of Iowa, includes the School of the Wild, Wildlife Camps, and Macbride Raptor Project Mahaska County Conservation Center New Sharon Mahaska South Central website, operated by the Mahaska County Conservation Board, located at the 220-acre Russell Wildlife Area, features live animal displays, hands-on activities, interactive dioramas of Iowa's forest, prairie, and wetland ecosystems, fossils Mitchell County Conservation Nature Center Osage Mitchell North Central website, operated by the Mitchell County Conservation Board in the L.R. Falk Wildlife Area, over 250 acres Muscatine County Environmental Learning Center Muscatine Muscatine Southeast website, operated by the Muscatine County Conservation Board in the 85-acre Discovery Park, includes live animals, interactive natural history exhibits, outdoor live raptor enclosure Nature Encounter Center at Willow Lake Recreation Area Woodbine Harrison Southwest website, operated by the Harrison County Conservation Board, 220 acres Neal Moeller Environmental Education Center Denison Crawford Southwest website, operated by the Crawford County Conservation Board at 359-acre Yellow Smoke Park Oakland Mills Nature Center Mt. Pleasant Henry Southeast website, operated by the Henry County Conservation Board in Oakland Mills County Park, includes outdoor displays of live native wildlife Osborne Visitor, Welcome and Nature Center Elkader Clayton Northeast website, operated by the Clayton County Conservation Board in Osborne Park, features over 200 acres, historic 2 ½ story hotel, blacksmith shop, general store, grain elevator and railroad depot Pioneer Ridge Nature Area Ottumwa Wapello Southeast website, 995 acres, operated by the Wapello County Conservation Board Pocahontas County Conservation Board Nature Center Pocahontas Pocahontas Northwest website, operated by the Pocahontas County Conservation Board Prairie Learning Center Prairie City Jasper South Central Museum and education center for the 8,654-acre Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Prairie's Edge Nature Center Cresco Howard Northeast information, operated by Howard County Conservation, includes live animals Soaring Eagles Nature Center Clinton Clinton Southeast website, over 2 miles of trails, restored prairie area, one room schoolhouse, located in a 1938 barn, exhibits about the land’s homesteading history and natural history South Bluff Nature Center - Bellevue State Park Bellevue Jackson Northeast Displays on the plants, animals and geology of 770-acre Bellevue State Park Starr's Cave Nature Center Burlington Des Moines Southeast website, operated by Des Moines County Conservation in 184-acre Starr's Cave Park and Preserve Story County Conservation Center Ames Story South Central website, located in 200-acre McFarland Park Swiss Valley Preserve Center Peosta Dubuque Northeast website, 476 acres, operated by the Dubuque County Conservation Board Tama County Nature Center Toledo Tama South Central website, operated by Tama County Conservation in 277-acre Otter Creek Lake and Park Voas Nature Area & Museum Minburn Dallas South Central website, operated by the Dallas County Conservation Board, 372 acre park, exhibits of rocks, fossils, and minerals across the United States and around the world Wapsi River Environmental Education Center Dixon Scott Southeast website, 225 acres, managed and operated by Scott County Conservation with programming assistance from Clinton County Conservation Washington County Conservation Education Center Ainsworth Washington Southeast website, operated by the Washington County Conservation Board in 125-acre Marr Park Water’s Edge Nature Center Algona Kossuth North Central website, 124 acres, operated by the Kossuth County Conservation Board on 54-acre Smith's Lake, includes aquariums Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center Toddville Linn Northeast website, operated by the Linn County Conservation Board in the 790-acre Wickiup Hill Natural Area Wildwood Nature Center Fayette Fayette Northeast website, operated by the Fayette County Conservation Board, 7 acres, features live Iowa mammals and birds of prey, nature displays and mounted native animals and birds
References
Iowa Conservation Education Coalition Iowa Association of Naturalists
External links Map of nature centers and environmental education centers in Iowa