List of nature centers in Ohio


This is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the state of Ohio.
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.
NameLocationCountyRegionSummary
Adell Durbin ParkStowSummitNortheast, 34 acres, includes the Harold Welch Nature Center
Aullwood Audubon Center and FarmDaytonMontgomerySouthwestOver 200 acre natural area and educational farm, operated by Five Rivers MetroParks
Avon Woods Nature Center and PreserveCincinnatiHamiltonSouthwestOwned and operated by the Cincinnati Park Board
Barkcamp State ParkBelmontBelmontSoutheast1,005-acre park, nature center offers programs during the summer months
Battelle Darby CreekGallowayFranklinCentral14,000 sq-foot nature center featuring a living stream and interactive exhibits, 7,060-acre park, operated by Columbus Metroparks
Beaver Creek State ParkEast LiverpoolColumbianaNortheast2,722-acre park, includes the Pioneer Village and the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center with small live animals, natural history dioramas, displays of insects, arrowheads and nature photography
Beech Creek GardensAllianceStarkNortheast, a sensory garden for the visually and non-visually impaired is provided and maintained at this location.
Blacklick WoodsReynoldsburgFranklinCentral643-acre park with nature center, operated by Columbus Metroparks
Blendon WoodsWestervilleFranklinCentral653 acres, nature center, operated by Columbus Metroparks
Brecksville Nature CenterBrecksvilleCuyahogaNortheast, operated by Cleveland Metroparks in 3,494-acre Brecksville Reservation
Brown Family Environmental CenterGambierKnoxCentral, part of Kenyon College, about 380 acres, gardens, outdoor recreation, programs
Brukner Nature CenterTroyMiamiSouthwest, 165 acres, hands-on exhibits, live native animals, art exhibits, wildlife rehabilitation
Huston-Brumbaugh Nature CenterAllianceStarkNortheast, operated by University of Mount Union, displays on natural history, bird observatory, trails
Caesar Creek State ParkWaynesvilleWarrenSouthwestIncludes pioneer village of over 15 log cabins and other structures and the Caesar Creek Nature Center
Caldwell PreserveCincinnatiHamiltonSouthwest, , operated by the Cincinnati Park Board in Carthage, Cincinnati
California Woods Nature PreserveCincinnatiHamiltonSouthwest, , 113 acres, operated by the Cincinnati Park Board
CanalWay CenterCuyahoga HeightsCuyahogaNortheast, operated by Cleveland Metroparks in 306-acre Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, live small animals, exhibits on nature, industry and the canal
Children's Schoolhouse Nature ParkKirtlandLakeNortheast, operated by Lake Metroparks, open for programs or by appointment
Cincinnati Nature CenterMilfordClermontSouthwestProtects over 1,600 acres in two locations
Dawes ArboretumNewarkLickingCentralOver 1,800 acres, 8 miles of hiking trails and a four-mile auto tour, Discovery Center, education programs
Deer Creek State Park Mt. SterlingMadisonSouthwest, 2,337-acre resort park, nature center offers nature programs during the summer months
Dillon State ParkNashportMuskingumSoutheast, 3,845 acres, programs offered in the summer
Donald W. Meyer Center at Big Creek ParkChardonGeaugaNortheast, operated by the County, 642-acre park
Farbach-Werner Nature PreserveColerainHamiltonSouthwest, operated by the Hamilton County Park District, 22 acres, paved trail, gardens, Ellenwood Nature barn for programs and a gift shop
Ford Nature CenterYoungstownMahoningNortheastLocated in Mill Creek Park, displays of plants and animals of four local habitats, live animals, discovery room
French Creek Nature & Arts CenterSheffield VillageLorainNortheast, operated by Lorain County Metro Parks, nature programs and exhibits, wildlife observation area, indoor playground
Glen Helen Outdoor Education CenterYellow SpringsGreeneSouthwestOperated by Antioch College in 1,000-acre Glen Helen Nature Preserve
Grand Lake St. Marys State ParkSt. MarysAuglaizeNorthwestPrograms offered in the summer, 591-acre park
Grange Insurance Audubon CenterColumbusFranklinCentral, operated by Audubon Ohio, located within the 120-acre Scioto Audubon Metro Park on the Scioto River
Harrison Lake State ParkWauseonFultonNorthwest147 acres with 105-acre lake, camping and trails
Highbanks Nature CenterLewis CenterDelawareCentral, 1,159 acres, operated by Columbus Metroparks
Hocking Woods Nature CenterNelsonvilleAthensSoutheast, part of Hocking College, features an interpretive building, wildlife habitats, ponds, walkways, feed stations and seasonal programming
Hueston Woods State ParkCollege CornerPrebleSouthwest625-acre Acton Lake
Imago Earth CenterCincinnatiHamiltonSouthwest, located in Price Hill, Cincinnati, 16 acre urban nature preserve and education facility at the Earth Center
Indian Lake State Park LakeviewLoganNorthwest, programs in the summer, 800-acre multi-use park
Kiser Lake State ParkSt. ParisChampaignSouthwest, 531 acres with 396-acre lake, nature center
La Boiteaux WoodsCincinnatiHamiltonSouthwest, , operated by the Cincinnati Park Board, over 2 miles of trails, nature displays, animal mounts, live animals
Lake Alma State ParkWellstonJacksonSoutheast, 292-acre park, nature programs in the summer
Lake Erie Nature & Science CenterBay VillageCuyahogaNortheast, indoor and outdoor live animal displays, planetarium, wildlife rehabilitation, located in 103-acre Huntington Reservation
Lake Hope State ParkMcArthurVintonSoutheast2,983-acre park, includes a nature center
Lake Loramie State ParkMinsterShelbySouthwestPrograms offered year round, 407 acres
Lowe-Volk Park Nature CenterCrestlineCrawfordNorthwest, operated by Crawford Park District, interpretive displays, discovery area, live animals
Maumee Bay State ParkOregonLucasNorthwest1,336 acres, Trautman Nature Center open year round, features interactive displays, an auditorium, research laboratory and viewing windows
Mentor Marsh State Nature PreserveMentorLakeNortheast, , 673-acre preserve, features the Carol H. Sweet Mentor Marsh Nature Center, operated by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Metzger Nature CenterStone CreekTuscarawasNortheast, operated by Ohio Northern University, 70-acre field station for the biological sciences
Miami Whitewater ForestCincinnatiHamiltonSouthwest4,345 acres, operated by the Hamilton County Park District, visitor center features nature displays and a gift shop
Narrows Reserve & Nature CenterXeniaGreeneSouthwest, operated by Greene County Parks, 162 acres, features native plant and animal exhibits, raptor aviary and an apiary
Nature Center at Shaker LakesShaker HeightsCuyahogaNortheast20 acres
Norma Johnson CenterDoverTuscarawasNortheast, 303-acre preserve, picnic shelter, over 6 miles of trails, environmental education programs
North Chagrin Nature CenterMayfield VillageCuyahogaNortheast, operated by Cleveland Metroparks in North Chagrin Reservation, features educational displays, resource library, auditorium and nature shop
Paint Creek State ParkBainbridgeRossSouthwest5,652-acre park, nature center programs offered in the summer
Penitentiary Glen Reservation and Nature CenterKirtlandLakeNortheast, operated by Lake Metroparks, 424 acres, over 7.5 miles of hiking trails, interactive Nature Calls exhibit, wildlife center with native animal ambassadors
Pike Lake State Park BainbridgeRossSouthwest13 acres, programs offered in the summer
Pymatuning State Park AndoverAshtabulaNortheast3,512 acres, programs offered in the summer
Quail Hollow State ParkHartvilleStarkNortheast703 acres, Carriage House Nature Center open on weekends from May through October
Rocky Fork State ParkHillsboroHighlandSouthwest2,080-acre lake, nature programs offered in the summer at the campgrounds
Rocky River Nature CenterNorth OlmstedCuyahogaNortheast, operated by Cleveland Metroparks, over 5 miles of trails along the river, nature exhibits, aquariums
Rotary Nature CenterBowling GreenWoodNorthwest, operated by the city in 100-acre Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve
Salt Fork State ParkLore CityGuernseySoutheastNature center programs offered in the summer, 17,229 acres of land and 2,952 acres of water
Sharon Woods CentreSharonvilleHamiltonSouthwest, 730 acres, operated by the Hamilton County Park District, features educational nature displays and Adventure Station indoor play area
Shawnee Prairie Preserve and Nature CenterGreenvilleDarkeSouthwest, 118 acres, operated by the County
Shawnee State ParkPortsmouthSciotoSouthwest1,095 acres, nature center open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, live animals
Trailside Nature Center in Burnet WoodsCincinnatiHamiltonSouthwest, , 90 acres, nature library, crafts room, meeting space, exhibits and the Wolff Planetarium, operated by the Cincinnati Park Board
Twin Valley Welcome CenterGermantownMontgomerySouthwest, operated by Five Rivers MetroParks, 1,665-acre Germantown Park
Van Buren State ParkVan BurenHancockNorthwestPrograms offered in the summer
Watershed Stewardship CenterParmaCuyahogaNortheast, operated by Cleveland Metroparks in 324-acre West Creek Reservation, citizen science education programs
The West WoodsNoveltyGeaugaNortheast, 902-acre park, nature center open daily, hands-on exhibits about the geology and hydrology of Geauga County
Wilderness CenterWilmotStarkNortheast619-acre main site with 10 miles of trails, interpretive building, astronomy education building, an observation tower, pier and picnic shelters
William C. Kraner Nature CenterNewarkLickingCentral, operated by Ohio Nature Education, educational displays about Licking County cultural and natural history
Winton Centre at Winton WoodSpringfield TownshipHamiltonSouthwest, 2,555 acres, operated by the Hamilton County Park District, displays on pond life, animal characteristics and the water cycle
Woodland MoundAnderson TownshipHamiltonSouthwest, 1,066 acres, operated by the Hamilton County Park District, includes the Seasongood Nature Center with nature exhibits, outdoor observation deck and wild bird viewing area