List of nature centers in Missouri

Name Location County Region Summary Audubon Center at Riverlands West Alton St. Charles East Central website, located inside the 3,700-acre Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, operated by the National Audubon Society August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area St. Charles East Central 6,987 acres, operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation Bennett Spring State Park Bennett Springs Laclede Mid-Missouri 3,216 acres, exhibits interpreting Missouri’s springs and the park’s natural environment Big Oak Tree State Park East Prairie Mississippi Southeast 1,029 acres, exhibits on area natural history, logging, drainage of Missouri’s bootheel, 1812 New Madrid earthquake Bonebrake Center of Nature and History Salem Dent Mid-Missouri website, 12 acres, operated by the Bonebrake-McMurtrey Foundation Burr Oak Woods Nature Center Blue Springs Jackson West Central website, 1,067 acres, operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation Burroughs Audubon Nature Center and Sanctuary Blue Springs Jackson West Central website, nature library and bird viewing center, education programs, located in 7,809-acre Fleming Park, operated by the Burroughs Audubon Society of Greater Kansas City Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center Cape Girardeau Cape Girardeau Southeast website, hands-on exhibits including Native American artifacts, freshwater aquariums, located in North County Park, operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation Cave Spring Kansas City Jackson West Central website, 39-acre urban nature center and historic area, formally known as William M. Klein Park Earth’s Classroom Rosebud Gasconade Mid-Missouri website, 179 acres, experiential environmental education center George Owens Nature Park Independence Jackson West Central website, 86 acres, operated by the City The Green Center University City St. Louis East Central website, arts and environmental education organization, located in Kaufman Park Gorman Discovery Center Kansas City Jackson West Central website, operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 37-acre Kauffman Legacy Park Kemper Outdoor Education Center Blue Springs Jackson West Central website, operated by the County in the 7,809-acre Fleming Park Knob Noster State Park Knob Noster Johnson West Central 3,934 acres, visitor center exhibits, nature programs Lakeside Nature Center Kansas City Jackson West Central website, operated by Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation Department, located in 1,800-acre Swope Park, also performs wildlife rehabilitation Lewis & Clark Boathouse and Nature Center St. Charles St. Charles East Central website, includes exhibits relating to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Native American displays and the Missouri River ecosystem Martha LaFite Thompson Nature Sanctuary Liberty Clay Northwest website, 53 acres, adjacent to the state-owned 40-acre Rush Creek Conservation Area Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center Kirkwood St. Louis East Central website, 116 acres, operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation Prairie Oak Nature Center Leawood Newton Southwest website, operated by the City in 115-acre Ironwoods Park, exhibits, live native animals Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph St. Joseph Buchanan Northwest website, operated by the City, natural, Native American and cultural history of Northwest Missouri Roaring River State Park Cassville Barry Southwest 4,093 acres, Ozark Chinquapin Nature Center open seasonally Rockwoods Reservation Wildwood St. Louis East Central 1,843-acre state forest and wildlife conservation area, Conservation Education Center Runge Conservation Nature Center Jefferson City Cole Mid-Missouri website, 107 acres, operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri habitat exhibits and displays, barn and farm exhibits, aquarium, cave exhibit Sam A. Baker State Park Patterson Wayne Southeast 5,323 acres, seasonal programs in the nature/visitor center building Science City at Union Station Kansas City Jackson West Central Science museum, includes nature center with live animals Shaw Nature Reserve Gray Summit Franklin East Central 2,400 acres, run by the Missouri Botanical Garden as an extension Springfield Conservation Nature Center Springfield Greene Southwest website, 80 acres, operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation Twin Pines Conservation Education Center Winona Shannon South Central website, 462 acres, operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center St. Charles St. Charles East Central website, operated by the U.S. Department of Energy, history and clean-up of the Weldon Spring Ordnance Works, 150-acre seeded prairie Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center Joplin Newton Southwest 27 acres, partnership project of Audubon Missouri, the City of Joplin and the Missouri Department of Conservation World Bird Sanctuary Valley Park St. Louis East Central website, 305 acres, sanctuary for birds of prey, nature center, seasonal shows, nature trails, educational programs and picnic pavilions