Prairie Park Nature Center

We're so grateful to the staff at Prairie Park Nature Center for collaborating with the community to protect the native landscapes in the park. Thank you for your important work!

Great, somewhat hidden spot, with a picnic table pavilion and 1/2 mile walk to a lovely lake - Lake looked to have a launching ramp (boat), which people were fishing off of (didn't see any boats and can't say I'd imagine boating would be good here, but kayaking could be nice).

Fantastic experience! The space was very well designed with lots of excellent signage and tactile opportunities for kids of various ages. It was cool to see black-footed ferrets as well as many other Kansas natives. Additionally, all of the animals seemed to be healthy and engaging with their habitat with little to no signs of stress.

They also had excellent signage for how to care for orphaned animals you may find as well as on the impact of pollution.

The only gripe I might have would be the gift shop selection, but that did not negatively impact our experience in the least.

My family really enjoys the trails to walk on. It is a nice little jaunt around Mary's lake and back up to the nature center.

Inside the nature center itself, they have all kinds of different animals as well as taxidermy and furs to feel. There is a classroom and they teach kids about different local animals.

Highly recommend going at least once! Extremely friendly and informative folks there.

I absolutely love this place!! First off, it is free to explore. The animals are amazing! I could have spent all day just chatting with them. The grounds are nicely kept up with moved paths, paved areas and the beautiful lake! I think this is now my favorite place in Lawrence and I cant wait to come back here and bring my husband!

The Nature Center is a wonderful place to visit with kids! They’ve got lots of critters for the kids to learn about, some local and some exotic. Their staff is always helpful and willing to educate kids by showing them the animals up close. There are prairie dogs, birds, snakes, reptiles, lots of turtles, and even spiders and scorpions! Everything is presented very nicely and it provides young folks an educational experience about their local environment and wildlife. If you’re looking for something fun for the whole family, the Nature Center is a great place to go!

What a surprise! We found this nature center on Google and tried it for a quick stop. Very glad we did. The center is a great place especially for kids but also adults. The walking trails are nice and relaxing. Wish we lived closer.

Great place to take a walk and/or fish. My family love walking around the "lake". More like a big pond.

Excellent place to learn about some of the native animals of Kansas with several animal ambassadors living in the center. The center is an excellent resource to educate children on recognizing and respecting our native species. The center highlights the importance of protecting and preserving our native species and their ecosystems. I highly recommend all parents take their children to visit.

Great place to take the Grands. Lizards, Snakes and birds and the staff were great. Didn’t get to walk the trail as it was raining. Will definitely be back.

I came to check out the ferrets and stayed exporting the nature center and really lovely trail and lake. Great place to be in nature on a nice day.

Came for a birthday party, this was a great place for the kids. A little diamond in the rough, the staff is very friendly and helpful, and answered all the kids questions. Next time we come to Lawrence we will definitely stop back!

Fun and exciting place to spend time here. Nice exhibits, well organized and clean. Friendly staff there to answer all your questions. I would recommend this place to explore and relax while veiwing what is there.

Fun walking trails here. Get in touch with mother nature. Serene and peaceful.

I love this place! Great place for taking baby for a walk in the shade. Can pop into the nature center to see the prairie dogs and catch some A.C. The rehabilitated birds are always exciting to check out. The lake is beautiful, and the dock is fun. Its close to parks for swinging after, and we always see some kind of wildlife out there! Great place!

Great nature center with 5 species of live owls. Free and fee programs. Also has walking trails, playground, lake for fishing and gift store. One of my favorite places in Lawrence.

Nice spot for a quick run/walk, beautiful views of wildlife, family friendly.

Pat is wonderful with the little ones and I learned too!

The live bird area at the center is unbelievably good. This place is really the gem of Lawrence. I loved looking at the owls and the majestic bald eagle. Moonshine and Sova are literally the cutest owls. I have visited this place 5-6 times after finding out about it couple of months ago.

Always a nice place to take a stroll. Nice trail around the lake with wildlife to see.