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 Board |
| Appanoose County Conservation Board Nature Center | Centerville | Appanoose | South Central | Operated by the County in 144-acre Sharon Bluffs State Park [1] |
| 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 history |
| Hitchcock 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 290 acres, 4 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 | website, 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 |
