Adults, Birding Academy, Guided Hikes
Almost all bird species hunt and consume insects at some point in their lives. The relationship birds have with insect populations shapes their habitat use, migration patterns, behavior, and overall survival. During this guided hike, we’ll observe how different species utilize unique adaptations to hunt for invertebrates, from ground foraging...
Families, Free with Membership, Guided Hikes, Wheelchair Accessible
On Sunday afternoons volunteer Nature Ambassadors provide education by introducing visitors to our reptile and amphibian ambassadors, offering guided hikes, and sharing knowledge of our ecosystems. Stop in the Great Hall of our Visitor Center to find out which activities our Nature Ambassadors are offering on this day. Free with membership or admission.
Families, Free with Membership, Raptors, Wheelchair Accessible
Join us in the Great Hall of our Visitor Center to see two birds from our Raptor Program! During this meet and greet experience, you can talk with raptor handlers about the specific skills, traits, and adaptations that are unique to that bird. Our Raptor Program educates about raptor ecology, conservation, and these birds’...
Butterflies, bees, and birds – oh my! Pollinators help keep our world colorful and beautiful, spreading life wherever they go. Join us in appreciating, celebrating, and conserving these marvelous species. Environmental Educator Aubrey Fulsaas will lead you on a journey through the world of pollination, including learning the parts of a plant, identifying native pollinators, and discovering how you can help...
Nature can inspire and help us create enchanting, one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. We’ll go down to the beach as a group to look for our own unique pieces of beach glass. Then we’ll head inside to learn wire wrapping techniques that capture the glass’s aquatic beauty. By the end, you will have your own hand-crafted pair of earrings and a necklace...
Art, Families, Free with Membership, Wheelchair Accessible
Enjoy a performance by the Karmon Blu & David Freeman Duo! Keshena Armon and David Freeman are music and film creatives from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their music is influenced by blues, rock, jazz, and soul. Together they offer family-friendly tunes that are sure to keep the good vibes flowing. Learn more about Keshena Armon. Performances take...
Tuesdays, July 14 – August 4 These four sessions invite you to bring kind awareness to the present moment to live more intentionally. On this journey, you’ll learn mindfulness meditation techniques which have multiple health benefits, including reducing stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels. Each week we will bring awareness to different aspects of our...
Wednesdays, July 15 – July 29 This three-part series will feature eight excellent exercises developed by Professor Cheng Man Ching to improve health, balance and flexibility, reduce stress, and generate well-being in body and mind. Each class will include a warm-up, basic training exercises, instruction, and review of previous material....
Rock on with your friends at the beach! During this 21+ night out, join our Environmental Educators in exploring the fascinating world of rocks, minerals, and fossils. Take a hike to our Lake Michigan shoreline for an up-close look at smoky quartz, fossiliferous limestone, gneiss, and more as you learn...
Adults, Birding Academy, Free with Membership
We welcome all those interested in birding for a guided bird walk on the third Saturday of the month. We’ll search for summer resident birds among the Center’s varied habitats. This is a great opportunity for new birders to learn and practice bird identification. Wisconsin Master Naturalist volunteers will be...
Adults, Birding Academy, Field Trips, Guided Hikes
Embark on a journey down the scenic Milwaukee River and search for birds by canoe. Guided by our Environmental Educators, this river trip will showcase the various species that can be found along the wooded banks, including herons, osprey, orioles, and so much more. Canoes will be equipped with a...
Art, Early Childhood, Families
Create art from treasures you find at the beach! In this child/adult pair program, join Environmental Educator Alison Schrad for a hike down to Lake Michigan to collect colorful and unique beach rocks. Afterwards, we will use the pebbles we collected to create beautiful masterpieces on canvas. Each pair will work together to...
Families, Free with Membership, Raptors, Wheelchair Accessible
Join us in the Great Hall of our Visitor Center to see two birds from our Raptor Program! During this meet and greet experience, you can talk with raptor handlers about the specific skills, traits, and adaptations that are unique to that bird. Our Raptor Program educates about raptor ecology, conservation, and these birds’...
Adults, Guided Hikes, Wellness
Deepen your relationship with the natural world during a guided Forest Bathing Walk through our South Ravine forest. Participants will slowly travel through the forest while receiving a sequence of spoken invitations. These open-ended prompts encourage the participants’ senses to open and experience the environment in a way that supports...
Tree identification is an important tool for understanding a forest's health. The diversity and abundance of certain trees can tell us what actions need to be taken to maintain a healthy ecosystem. In this workshop, you will learn strategies that help with identifying different kinds of trees we find living...
Families, Free with Membership, Guided Hikes, Wheelchair Accessible
On Sunday afternoons volunteer Nature Ambassadors provide education by introducing visitors to our reptile and amphibian ambassadors, offering guided hikes, and sharing knowledge of our ecosystems. Stop in the Great Hall of our Visitor Center to find out which activities our Nature Ambassadors are offering on this day. Free with membership or admission.
Families, Free with Membership, Raptors, Wheelchair Accessible
Join us in the Great Hall of our Visitor Center to see two birds from our Raptor Program! During this meet and greet experience, you can talk with raptor handlers about the specific skills, traits, and adaptations that are unique to that bird. Our Raptor Program educates about raptor ecology, conservation, and these birds’...
RAIN DATE: Saturday, July 25 | 1:00p-2:30p Search our trails using fun clues to find hidden treasures and pieces to your very own puzzle. There will be six treasure chests to find, and each comes with a puzzle piece, an animal artifact, and an educational riddle that will help you...
Adults, Art, Free with Membership, Wheelchair Accessible
Nature has always been a great inspiration to creators, from pre-historic cave painters to contemporary artists. We welcome beginning and experienced artists to join our community to start a new project or work on an unfinished project. Each month, we will focus on a different art medium or nature theme....
Art, Families, Wheelchair Accessible
Monday, July 20 - Thursday, July 23 Middle-school aged writers will immerse themselves in this four-day workshop surrounded by the outdoors to inspire their writing. With the guidance and support of experienced teachers, participants will receive prompts and examples to enhance their motivation and creativity. Word art, sketches, and all...
Mondays, July 20 – August 24 Throughout this six-week series, experience how yoga can improve your overall wellness. During each class, local yoga instructor Chrissy Kruger-Gruendyke will guide you through a series of movements and regenerative poses that focus on breath, balance, and strength. Modifications and insightful visuals make this...
Art, Families, Free with Membership, Wheelchair Accessible
Enjoy a performance by The Ukuladies! Composed of a group of over 30 local performers, their musical selections are an eclectic mix ranging from old favorites and light classical to Broadway and contemporary tunes. This family-friendly performance includes something for everyone. Performances take place at our Pavilion from 6:30pm-7:30pm, or...
Thursdays, July 23 – July 30 Join us for two weeks of inventive play as we explore the intersection of poetry and art. In each class, we will read and write poetry inspired by the natural world, using it as the foundation for Shadow Box collages that we will fashion...
RAIN DATE: Thursday, July 30 | 7:00p-8:30p Enjoy a beautiful summer evening hike through the forest, prairie, and wetland. Learn about Wisconsin’s native nightlife and which plants are in bloom as a waxing gibbous moon guides our way. We’ll listen for the frog chorus at Mystery Lake and, if we’re lucky, may even see a few bats flittering about. We’ll conclude our evening walk from the...