Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center Reviews

We had intended on taking out 20 month old son to the park, but it was very windy so we decided to let him check our the conservation center. He loves it! There were a few giant animals for him to check out, birds "flying" from the ceiling, lots of fish to watch, a bee hive and a beaver hut to climb around in. Several of the exhibits were aimed towards little ones, with little doors got them to open and peek inside. Overall, we spent 30-40 minutes and had a great time!

I always enjoy taking the Grandkids to the Cape Girardeau nature center. Wonderful learning experience. On hand exhibits and some live critters. The bee hive in the window is a must see along with some other creatures in the rear of building. Adults will also enjoy this nature center. The Missouri Conservation department has done a great job with this nature center.

This is a fun place to explore & learn with the little ones...and for free! The area is so nice with Cape Girardeau County Parks & picnic areas all around.

They offer interesting events that cater to children, as well as, adults. It's a fun interactive place for kids and offers a lot of information to learn about the area and about wildlife in general.

I attended a hummingbird banding program. It was very well planned and so interesting. Questions were answered; there were activities for children; and great literature. There are always activities going on to appeal to all ages and interests!

Great programming. Girls were engaged with the hunting program and archery. Naturalists and instructors were wonderful. Great activity for scouts and others of all ages.

They put on excellent classes covering everything from hunter safety to Dutch oven cooking. Highly recommend the cooking as you get to eat. The exhibits are top notch. Take the time to review them and you will not be disappointed. There is a fee for the classes and you need to sign up early as they fill up fast.

The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center is a great place to visit when in the area for both adults and families.

Great views and friendly folks. Thank you. I really enjoyed the trip. Spent about 30 minutes at the park.

Came across this by accident -- our chosen route was flooded. A VERY nice nature center, both indoors and out. VERY kid friendly, very informative, and a nice break from being in the car. Good place to take a bunch of kids, too. Missouri Dept. of Conservation does a great job.

Our grandkids had a blast here! There were a lot of activities for them and they all had fun from the youngest (2) to the oldest (9). They were sufficiently worn out by the time we left. And there is no charge!

This nature center has been a family favorite for many years. Now that our kids are grown, I am enjoying the classes and experiences offered monthly. When the grandkids start arriving, we will take them to attend the many programs offered. Just taking a walk thru the center is enjoyable, with lots of interactive displays both inside and out! Great place to take kids of all ages. Wonderful place to go visit for adults too.

Our family has visited the nature center several times - always enjoyable regardless of the time of year. Lots of cool hands-on informational fun unique to SE Missouri. While there is plenty to see and explore inside the center, there are nice grounds with trails outside.

This is a very good place to take kids of any age. The displays are very nice and informative for any age.

This has the nicest public playground I've ever seen.
There are fishing ponds with one stocked just for children.
Nice trails for walking or running
Beautiful place

It is a very nice clean and interesting place. Took my grandchildren 4 and 1 yesterday and they loved it!

Very interesting and enjoyable. My daughter was 7 and she enjoyed seeing the exhibits. We spent about an hour. A place of educational exhibits and entertaining. I would have liked more time to explore, but my daughter was ready to go outside to play. I recommend a visit to learn of nature.

Our little grandson, was quite interested in the live fish, snakes, etc. He also really liked the hands on things there at the Conservation Center.

We loved seeing the two headed snake, the big turtle, and all of nature paths. This is a beautiful place and a great educational place for smaller kids

My favorite place to go for a long walk and hike......inside great place for visitors with children.......I live close ,so I go there all the time ,great place .......

The Conservation Nature Center is a wondervul "green" building full of excellent nature and wildlife displays. Educational programs and materials are excellent, maintaided by well-qualified staff and motivated volunteers. The nature trails are fairly easy to walk even though there are steep sections.

Great place to take your children or grandchildren, a great place to learn more about nature. The staff is very helpful

Very Good nature center with hands on exhibits. Lots of hiking trails some easy some for the brave of heart.

The Nature Center has several indoor exhibits that are should keep one entertained for 45 minutes or so. There are several walking trails that are adjacent to the Nature Center that range from challenging (read long and hilly) to not so challenging (read short and not so hilly). The Nature Center is located in Cape County Park, which has several Picnic Shelters, some playgrounds, a couple ponds, and a pretty decent Disc Golf course.

Especially great for parents and children however, anyone will enjoy being here. Who doesn't get excited about a 2 headed snakes, or a horny snappy turtle eating, making animal prints on paper, or watching the busy honey bees, or staring out the windows watching the birds do a dance with the squirrels at the bird feeder.

We went with my son's cub scout troop to a program all about birds. The conservation agent that gave the program did very well with 20 kids in the classroom. She taught them different ways to identify species, how to use binoculars, and then took them on a bird finding hike. The kids had a great time and the parents learned a bit as well. There are many different programs throughout the year for varying age ranges. Other than programs there is still plenty to see in the rest of the center including several live animals. Good time for the family.

We recently stopped in to the Nature Center while traveling through the area. Since it was so hot outside, we didn't get a chance to do any outdoor activities but we had a good time escaping the heat inside.

Geared mostly toward children, there are many live animal exhibits and interactive play exhibits. Plenty of learning and exploring opportunities kept my seven-year-old interested and having fun.

Clean restrooms, travel literature, and a small gift shop were also available. We would definitely return if in the area again.

We love to stop by the Nature Center of were in town and not cramped for time. It's cheaper than the mall, and the kids LOVE IT. We homeschool our boys and the Nature a center has kits you can check out for homeschooling as well as backpacks to check out for a hike on the nature trail. Our boys love everything at the Nature Center, especially the bees and the hiking trail. We love the new trail and watching for animals.

The nature center is a great addition to the area. Any questions you have about the flora and fauna of the area will be quickly answered. I try to make the annual Mississippi River float trip, every year. Great six hour float trip!

It was a great Saturday morning activity. We started on the 1-mile trail outside and then toured the indoor facility to cool off afterwards. Trail is very well marked and well maintained. The facility is nice and clean. Our boys really enjoyed it - the two headed snake, bird watching, and bee hive were all big hits. And it's all free!

This place was very interesting and informative in all aspects of nature and the area. We learned how the area was a wooded swamp land and then ditches were dug and turned into farm land.
This place is good for all ages, children to grandparents.

My family enjoyed our brief 2-3 hours tour of the Nature Center. We loved all the games present "Guess which animal makes these tracks?" and we're all over the age of 21. The trails are all very clearly marked (so if you're not into more treacherous hikes, stay on the green-colored names when you see the trail names :) Overall, it's definitely a place you can come and enjoy whether you're a local or a tourist passing through.

We took our eight year old grandson to the Nature Center while he stayed with us during the time his parents were on a trip. Since we were going to have several days with him we wanted our time together to be fun. We knew this would be a place where our grandson could experience the Nature Center and also get some outdoor fun at the playground near the Center. We wanted to keep him busy with things he could do and have fun doing them. The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center is just the place for that. He had so much fun there! The great thing is that it was fun but he also learned some things about nature and animals. Many of the exhibits are hands on and interactive which our grandson loved. We wanted to spend some time walking on the trails, but ran out of time. I think this visit to the Nature Center was one of the highlights for our grandson during his trip here. There are many things for adults to enjoy as well at the Nature Center.

a good educational and scenic attraction with trails and inside creatures to take a look at and activities especially on feeding frenzy days

We visited Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center on Saturday for their Fall Festival from 4-8pm. The event had a Trek N’ Treat Trail where visitors met creature characters (misunderstood animals who seem spooky but are not, such as skunks and black bears) on the trail. The event also featured crafts, games, s’mores and cider. This was a free event with no registration required. Children were encouraged to wear their costumes.

MDC staff and volunteers did an amazing job! This is just one of the many great programs provided by MDC for the southeast region. The nature center is a jewel itself and open Tuesday through Saturday from 8am-5pm. Thank you for all that you do for the community and state!

Great place to take the kids. I took my grandson and he had a good time. Free, close...how could you go wrong?

My little boy enjoyed this visit. didn't take long to view thru, but it is free, taking donations of course. You can see bees come from outside of the bldg. in a clear tube and can fly inside tubes of the bldg. kinda neat to see! nature is around. kids can crawl thru a beaver dam, shoot targets on computer thing, hear animal noises, etc. not too far from Cape Splash... so you can do this before you head there!

This place is great for children to learn about nature and animals. There are many sessions that are free.

This doesnt cost any money to enjoy and is always a family favorite.We pack a little picnic.Go hiking around the trails.Go inside the nature center to look at our favorite displays and things. I love the bees. You can see them really up close and study them without getting stung. The huge fish and two headed snakes are cool also.

This was a very educational center. There were many interactive displays, fun for both children and adults. My favorite thing was the live two-headed snake. It was fascinating! There is also a large display window that looks out into the woods & the Nature Center has several bird feeders located so that you can watch all kinds of birds feed.

Fun visit to the nature center. It was quite entertaining and interesting to see all the information about the local landscape. Watching the squirrels was fun and climbing through the beaver dam. The family enjoyed it and the ladies at the desk were so sweet! Check out the two headed snake!

Nice, small museum. Professional displays. Very nice employees. We loved the 2 headed snake. Nice garden & walking trails. We did not go with children and still enjoyed it.

We enjoyed the displays. The honey bees were fascinating. The aquariums and fish made me excited about fishing again. We enjoyed the early history area re-enactments . And in all we had a wonderful time.

From short easy hikes to moderate trails with guided tours, workshops for kids and inyeractive shows in the auditorium this is you tax dollars and donation money well spent! Live reptile exhibits, aquariums, and hands in learning. History of the area as well as conservation education for young and old alike. Take advantage of this free asset!

My 3 year old is getting tougher each day to please but my fellow Trip Advisors recommended this place for educational fun so I knew I couldn't miss. I am telling you that they were all wrong - this place was much BETTER than the humble writings on this page. First, it is clean. very clean. Second, the staff greeted us at the door - yep, good ole fashion customer service with knowledgeable staff! Third, it was interesting. New things around each corner. Who knew they had a two headed snake?! Fourth, it is part of an incredible park that has a playground just around the lake. Not just a ho, hum playground in a park, but a clean, big, well thought out, shaded, fenced in (yep no worries about junior running off) playground with slides, music things, benches for parents (go figure), clean restrooms and water! Take your kids and go to this wonderful and interesting learning place! You'll enjoy the education center and the playground is a bonus! AND ITS FREEEEEEEEE

Love takin the kids for the activities when I can. Lots of educational ones too! Keep up the good work!

Our 5 and 2 1/2 year old grandchildren had a ball when we recently took them to visit the Nature Center. Sitting on the large turtle (fake) as they walk in the door and posing for a picture is a must! There is quite a bit for the children to see and do while they are there. You can sign up to receive texts and you will be notified of upcoming classes, feeding times for the fish and snakes, informational walks, etc. If the grandkids lived in town, we would love to take advantage of those things. It's definitely an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two.

This Nature Center is awesome. Many, many wildlife displays and interesting diaramas depicting local plants, trees, and animals. There's a small theater that offers short films too. Outside, you will find gardens with local flowers and plants. There is a large fishing lake design specifically for children , with a walkway that makes it easy for them to cast a line. Free of charge too !

We stopped at the Nature Center on the way to Bollinger Mill, and enjoyed the displays inside and the helpful advise on what to see and where to go from the Friendly Staff.
We did not take the trails, but they looked interesting.

Our kids had a lot of fun visiting the Nature Center. It is a place we will for sure being going again.

The children and I had a wonderful time on the trails, but had to cut short our visit because we needed to use the bathroom so bad. Please at least a port-a-pot.

Want to see fish up close, see bees at work in an actual hive, listen to the calls turkeys make, or take a nice stroll through the woods? This nature center on the north side of Cape Girardeau should fit you need.

The center, which charges no admission, has lots of hands-on things to do, such as touching animal furs, learning about nature interactively with computers, crawling into an oversized beaver house, or seeing what kind of lures attract what kinds of fish. There is emphasis on what not to do in nature, as well, and how to best see nature and preserve it for the future.

The center has an open-glass area, complete with supplied binoculars, so that you can birdwatch, or look at butterflies or any other critter that happens up, from the comfort of a chair. There is a video to watch, and groups can have workshops here, plus kids (and kids only) can fish in a lake directly in front of the center.

Overall, I found this place to be very informative and not boring. Some of the exhibits were a bit confusing to work (and one was out of order), but no place will be totally perfect. The nature walk outside can be broken up into certain areas, or in a perimeter walk over a mile in length.

The center is not open on Sunday or Mondays, as is very easy to reach. Get off I-55, at Exit 99, onto U.S. 61 South. The entrance is about 1 mile south on the left.

Have been there many times to walk the trails, and take classes. We have taken classes on Dutch Oven cooking, Lewis and Clark, on pond management, and many others. They have all been free.

I take my class of 1st graders there every summer. They have great programs for children of all ages. The center is very new and has alot of hands-on things for the children to do. There are also some very nice walking trails behind the center.

Educational and entertaining all 20 residents want to go back in the future. The center is good for all age groups rather it be solo, family or group visit.

We have always visited here in the month of November to pick up their Conservation Nature Calendars. They make a great gift for folks that love to keep up with what is happening in nature. (Each day has something factual to tell you about the world we live in. Great for children, too, as a learning tool). We love the Nature Center, the nice park, fishing ponds, and hiking trails. It is a true blessing to have this facility in our city! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and yours!

This is a great place to learn about conservation in Missouri. There are a few nature trails and many hands on exhibits. This is a great rainy day activity location for small kids.

We went there on a Saturday afternoon and it was not too busy. My boys loved it because they have free fishing. We actually caught a fish and had to get help because the fish swallowed the hook.
Overall a very nice place. Cool to see nature.

This attraction is full of activities for the kids, (especially good on a rainy day). There is so much history, about southeast Missouri in the many displays inside Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center. The gift shop is pretty unique, with just about anything you could imagine for a nature lover. (I always purchase their awesome calendars to give as gifts at Christmas. These are always a hit with everyone, and they usually ask me where did I find them). The hiking trails are fun to walk, and the kids can have a learning experience there as well, with all the variety of trees and plants that are native to this area. There are fishing lakes also, if you have time to enjoy them. During the holidays they host the most beautiful Christmas displays throughout the park. Be sure to drive through and see this. It's amazing!

Our younger family members loved all the interactive modules. This nature center encourages learning about nature and our area wildlife. And the best part is, it's free. Your kids will want to visit again and again.

My husband & I were bicycling the Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail & happened upon the trails of White Oak Trace. The trails DO NOT support bicycle traffic. There is a bike rack at the trail head. We did walk our bicycles up to Farklberry Knob & Ridgetop Trail to the nature center. It is a large building that looks quite new. The exhibits were informative & focused on the connections made between swamps and the environment. Classes of school children were coming in for a field trip. That was GREAT to see.
We biked around outside on pavement to several large retention ponds that were surrounded by picnic shelters. One person was fishing off a short pier. They were adding on a sizeable children's playground that was state of the arts. There is a war memorial, too.
We only got to enjoy one trail, but the others sounded interesting: Cottonwood Crossing to Maple Hollow, Wood Duck Swamp, Tulip Poplar Hill, Paw Paw Valley, & Sinkhole Bottom. They range from 1/4 - 3/8 mile long & moderate to steep grade.
ACCORDING TO THE FLYER
Here are the "No-No's": Pets, horses, collecting, littering, hunting, alcohol,biking, skating, jogging, motorized vehicles, walking off the trails
Nature Center Hours: Tues. - Sat. 8am - 5pm; Closed Sun./Mon. Thanksgiving & the following Friday, Christmas, New Year's Day
Area Hours: Open daily sunrise to 10pm
The entrance is free. Donations in the center are welcomed :->

Plan to spend a good chunk of time here. It has excellent displays many of which are interactive. You can draw a picture of what you see with some drawing materials available; do rubbings of animal tracks; climb a tree stand and scroll the seasons of hunting; or take a quiz to test some of your outdoor knowledge. There are also displays with live animals including fish, bees, turtles and snakes.

There are several walking trails on the grounds as well. Two lakes are also on the grounds with fishing available-the smaller of the two is specifically for children. The nature center is abuzz with programs of some kind planned most weeks. It is located adjacent to a park and also across the divided highway from another nice park. There is even a specially designed park for differently abled children that is very near.

The Tupelo Fliers are WONDERFUL...My family enjoys the offroad trails, and I enjoy the amazing photography, all local native Missouri Nature with a great learning experience...

If you happen to be driving on 55S take a brief detour to stop at the MDC conservation center at exit 99. Great display about the Southeast Missouri region and history. If you love nature as much as I do - it is worth your time!

Great experience. The kids loved the interaction of the displays. The staff was helpful and the gift shop is nice.

We have gone here with our kids for years! They have a great indoor area to explore as well as some fun hikes outdoors. They also have beautiful lakes with geese to feed so bring some bread!!!

Came here for an elementary class field trip. Everyone had a fantastic time. Plenty to see, trails outside to walk & they even had a magic show for the kids. Very clean place & staff was very nice & helpful.

The center has a variety of hands on and displays that those experienced in the outdoors and those who are not the outdoor type will enjoy. The short hiking trail, which is well marked and gravel is worth the time and shows a little bit of the Missouri outdoors.

My grandsons loved the time they spent at the Nature Center! Where else do you get to hold a 2 headed snake in the palm of your hands when you are 5 or 6. The staff are great, a very welcoming place

Our grandchildren always beg to come to the Conservation Center. There are lots of interesting animals to see such as the two-headed snake! We take advantage of the nature trails and ponds surrounding the building. Always lots to learn!

We enjoy going and looking at the exhibits. Children can play and we can sit and watch the birds out the back windows

Great experience, educational, and fun for all ages. Easy access, beautiful surroundings, very well kept.

We enjoy taking our dog on nice long walks on your pet-friendly hiking trail. (We always take waste disposal bags to pick up after our pet, but have noticed that some do not). A simple solution would be to have a pet waste station at the beginning of the trail. It is so nice to have this trail available for people with pets, so let's please try to keep it clean for everyone's enjoyment. A beautifully kept Park and Nature Center.

This was an awesome find and the boys really enjoyed it! My boys are 6 and 3 and they are already begging to go back and it's right beside an amazing playground

Perfect afternoon stop & great way to sneak in outdoor education! Outside they also have an amazing trail that is great for a quick hike, but NO PETS allowed!

If you're looking for a fun, FREE day out with the kids in Cape Girardeau, please visit the Conservation Center. Tons of things to see and do, very hands-on, with trails in the back if your interested in a long or short hike.

Trails are well-marked and some have smooth finished surfaces. One can walk for several miles. Attractive building with interactive exhibits as well as restrooms.

The conservation center is a great place for kids especially elementary age or younger. You can tour and play inside and look at different fish, snakes, turtles and many mounted animals all around. They have different educational exhibits that include props and hands on objects that keep it fun for the kids. They also offer fishing tackle for the kids only fishing pond so take the little ones fishing. Or go visit the playgrounds then come cool down in the conservation center. They also have many special scheduled activities and good nature trails to walk.

My grandkids LOVE to go out there. The live two headed snake is one of their favorite things to see. Then, of course, they have the alligator snapping turtle & fish aquarium. Watching the bees go in & out of the makeshift hive is amazing too. The staff is very knowledgeable & more than willing to answer any questions. During the summer, they offer fishing activities in the lake, target contests, hiking trails to walk & bird watching.

History of conservation , beautiful photos, sometimes there are outdoor activities planned ,speakers, hiking, call ahead

One of the best attractions in Southeast Missouri. We’ve taken the kids there several times. They have several free things going on every month.

Our conservation center is probably the best there is! Great place to take grandchildren when they can at least walk around and be curious. There is always something for everyone to see and do - so much about Missouri nature and wildlife. Almost always local artists' work on display and a great gift shop area. I have been many times and am always ready to go again.

The Nature Center has a good display of information about Southeast Missouri. The walking paths & ponds are also enjoyable. I know that they work hard to educate children about nature in a fun and hands on way but I've never attended one of their events.

Lots of fun things to do for kids and adults. It's an informative, artistic and fun all at the same time. The people that work there, I suppose they are conservation agents, are really nice and are ready to answer any questions you may have. We have taken our son and soon will take our grandson to visit. They also have many programs that you can attend on weekends, evenings and other times. Definitely worth the stop and it would be a nice rest stop if you're traveling down the interstate. It's just a little ways from the interstate.

My 5 yr old and 2 yr old enjoys it. Things for them to learn and look at. Has snakes, fish, bees, and other little vermits. Great place for kids to learn. When the weather is right, you can take a walk on the trails. You can also sign your kids up for classes. Best of all, it's all free!!

they offer many different events thru the year.i've wanted to go to the hummingbird class and the cast iron cooking class but have been working every time they have had it so far

I especially liked how well everything is documented and explained in this nature center. The staff is most helpful if one needs further explanation. One thing that did bother me was the bees digging holes in the top frame of the outdoor entrance. There didn't seem to be a clear enough reason why this was allowed right at the front door. Very eiry. If one doesn't know about these type of bee borers it would be frightening to anyone with bee allergies.

Yesterday was a beautiful weather day in the mid 60's. We enjoyed a nice walk on the Maple Hollow hiking trail. Several people were out also enjoying the Conservation Nature Center and all this attraction has to offer.

I like it was free and the lady at front was nice. It would nice it had tours of the plce and the trails.

Very educational and fun place at No cost!!! Has some live animals, nice walking trail. Our guide Dustin was the best.

The first time I came here I was 6 or 7 and it was a great place, there are alot to interact with and lol at. Then last year I went back over the summer when I was 14 and I still love the place there is a two headed snake which really interested me. The place is good for kids and teens who are interested with wildlife.

This is an exceptional place to enjoy nature. It doesn't matter your age, you will enjoy going here. Stop by and see for yourself! *Please vote for me.*

They publicize their events (age/interest related) well in advance and if you need to register or not to attend. The staff is always willing to answer questions about the activities. Our Granddaughter looks forward to participating in her age group activities. The Nature Center is a family friendly place to visit.

We went on a special day -display and sale of native plants. The there was also a kind of fair. People sold ceramic pots and bird houses. There were many fish tanks with huge native fish from Mississippi River -sturgeons and catfish.

They have lots of things going on at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center anytime of the year, but springtime is the perfect time to go check it out along with the park, hiking trails, and fishing ponds.

We were driving to Springfield, MO and we made a stop at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau. This was the first time we had ever seen a two-headed snake. It was well worth the side trip. The staff were very knowledgeable regarding the snake.

If you need to entertain kids, learn a little about nature, or just kill some time. I think the best time to go is late spring when the flowers are blooming and the bee's are pretty active in their hive. Yesterday was pretty cold, they weren't very active.

We stopped in here for the first time in a few years. Still clean and the staff is still friendly. It's pretty cool inside and they have fun classes/activities for kids and adults. There's a small gift shop inside that has some cool stuff. There's a big glass section facing the woods that allows you to view birds and whatever stops by. There's also a honey bee hive that you can watch. The hiking trails are really nice. If you go here, try to hike at least some of the trails they offer. They are pretty easy (there's even a blacktop wheelchair accessable section) and offer great photo opportunities. I don't care for hunting or trapping or any of those types of "typical area" activities but this place has something for everyone.

Great, free place for all ages. Lots of animal displays, etc. My three year old son could go weekly.

This is a very informative and beautiful facility. The staff are very friendly and helpful. There is so much for the kids to do here and it is all free. They even get to rent out a fishing rod and bait to fish in the pond out front. The rental is free as well. There are trails for hiking here if up to it. You can easily spend half a day or more if so inclined. The kids will definitely not get bored. There are interactive exhibits, fish tanks, movies, crafts, etc. If ever in the area, this is a must visit.

The nature center was a nice "find". We had car problems and time to burn while waiting for the repairs and we came across a flyer for the center. It had a nice interpretive center aimed at children but still enjoyable by adults, and a nice little pond that they allow kids to fish. It has a number of walking trails, ranging from relatively flat, to short, steep incline/declines that provided a nice workout for an older person. The staff we came in contact was extremely friendly and knowledgeable.

Loved the walking trails! The staff were very friendly and the exhibits were pretty neat. Will take the kids next time we're in the area!

The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center is a gem! There are lots of activities here for kids as well as adults. You'll want to check out their brochure online before going so you will know what's going on. Free fishing is always available for kids in the kids only fishing pond. The nature center even provides poles and bait! We love the trails!

Made a stop here from St Lpuis headed to Nashville. The Nature Center is owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation. A nice small lake to fish, pollinator gardens and trails to hike. Inside the Center there are native snakes, amphibians, turtles, and viewing spaces to outside bird feeders where we saw groundhogs and raccoons. Also a few play areas for small children. A great place to spend some time while passing through the area. Also very nice restrooms!

We took our 5th grade classes to nature center last year and they all had a blast! They really enjoyed getting to explore the ponds and interact with the animals. The guides were very knowledgeable and were very patient with our kids and their thousands of questions. Looking forward to this year's trip!

Free but too short . The kids go upset because we only got to do a few things . For younger kids they would love it

Nicely done facility. Lots of great exhibits and animals to see. The kids really like the interactive things. On the day I was there, they also had some outside exhibits going on. The kids really liked walking the grounds

Wonderful displays, educational for kids in a fun interactive way. Very clean, staff are present but now very available for questions, grounds a beautiful.

My husband & I took our grandson when he was around 2 1/2 years old. He had a wonderful time. The Conservation Nature Center is so interactive, especially for the little one, with plenty of interesting information and displays for adults as well. From the huge turtle sculpture with sat on and took pictures, to the live two headed black snake, the wild ground hog we observed through a window overlooking the woods to the faux “beaver dam”, we all 3 had a fabulous time and spent a little over 2 hours at the center!

They have a lot of fun stuff for the kids to see and do. My grandson's love to go there. They are not open on Mondays. It is right beside Cape County Park so they kids can make a fun day out of their visit! They have a huge beaver dam that the kids can get in and play. This place is very nice and clean.

This is a great side trip off the beaten path of Cape Girardeau's downtown main attractions. Not far off the Interstate 55 exit is this interactive museum which tells the area's natural history. It allows kids to crawl, observe, feel, listen, and be a part of most of the displays.Various creature or animal cut outs allow for fun photos which will delight the younger set . The center is a good first step to teach them to respect nature. And it's free!

The center and surrounding area is very pretty but unfortunately maintenance staff was using a gas powered leaf blower for my entire two hour visit. Must have scared away the birds because I did not see any and certainly would not have been able to hear them. The trail he was clearing was also relatively free of leaves to begin with. It certainly was not covered to the point where you could not tell where the trail is. Constant noise was really unpleasant. Disappointing visit.

We took our granddaughter there and found out we enjoyed it as much as she did. There is plenty to do and look at. Many of the displays provide interaction and observing nature. It is a fun place for the whole family.

Visiting from out of town for husbands conference and I was looking for something fun to do with the kids. We were greeted at the door by 2 friendly women who gave us some information. They have lots of interactive displays that are very informative, but short descriptions and at a level my kids wanted to read and could understand. While we were walking on the trails we came across a snake and the kids wanted to know what it was. We went inside and the front desk called the animal specialist, Jordy, to come talk to us. She asked us a few questions, what color and where we saw it, we figured out it was a king snake. Jordy then invites us to the back and brought out a king snake for the kids to touch. She answered all their questions. The staff is very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed our visit.

The Cape Girardeau County Park system makes an attractive entrance into Cape Girardeau. The grandkids really enjoy the nature center. There are monthly scheduled activites for children and adults.
The Master Gardener Spring Seminar is held there in March annually, and it includes a sale of native plants.
There are a couple of hiking/walking trails on the overall Park grounds that are pretty and make for good family activites.
Thanksgiving to New Year the Park hosts a drive-through festival of lights, and you can tune your radio to accompanying music.
The County Park system also has free reservations for the shelters. We live in this county, and hosted a college graduation party at one, and it was a wonderful shelter facility.

This is a testimony of all the people who pulled together to create this conservation center. Cape Girardeau has so much to offer in the name of history. Historical buffs would appreciate this.

Great place to take kids. Hands on displays of animals, plants life, and eco system. Many good programs throughout the year. I went to a Bluebird class that taught us how to identify and care for bluebirds and their nests. We built a bluebird house to take home and put up in our yard. Handouts were given out to help with being successful in raising bluebirds in the house. No cost for the class. They also have hummingbird banding demonstrations open to the public, nature arts and crafts projects, and many more special programs throughout the year. Neat, free, fun, educational activities for the family.

Five adults visited Nature Center during Saturday morning visit. We all liked the Center. It is truly a hands on touching Center. It is very children friendly. In fact there was a toddler workshop in one of the side work rooms. This is a family oriented Center - highly recommend visiting.

We were in Cape For A Doctor Appointment and had arrived A couple of hours Early And while looking for Something to do we Found the Most Wonderful Conservation Nature Center We All Had A great Time inside and out on the trails My Favorite was Watching the Bees. My Daughter Loved the games and My Grandson Loved seeing all the animals We Really enjoyed our Visit and are planning on going back Soon

This is a great place for younger children to get introduced to the animals of the area. The staff is very knowledgeable. Sometimes the animals don't act like they want them too Good place to visit for an afternoon with kids!!!.

Granddaughter chose this as our last day of school adventure. Though while on the nature walk got in a tremendous thunderstorm still was a very memorable afternoon. Enjoyed the exhibits indoors. Lots for youngsters to learn if they take the time to look and read.

We take the grandkids here often. It's a good, educational place to visit. The place is clean, and the exhibits are well maintained.

The nature Center provided several activities for our group. They had varieties of activities suitable for every age group. We utilized the playground, kid's fishing lake and trails to keep them busy and engaged. the staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

I have used the several trail and attended meetings at the Nature Center and its ground, but best use would be to take grade school children to use the interactive displays or attend a weekend event instructed by wildlife officials. Can find the schedule of event on the Nature Center web page. Some events are annual as the wildflower sales in the spring. Bird and butterfly watching and other interesting events are schedule to match the season.

Educational, entertaining, great gift store, informative for every age! They are represented at local events, the fair, schools, and more. What a perfect way to represent & showcase Missouri!

We have taken our grandchildren here several times when visiting, They have a number of educational programs for all ages, but we just like to drop in and walk around, looking at the exhibits (lots of hands on, ok to touch things), playing with puppets, coloring wildlife pages, pushing buttons at each exhibit for explanations, and birdwatching (with binoculars provided), out the back windows. There are hiking trails around the park area, also ponds for fishing, a fabulous playground in the adjacent park. The gift shop has an impressive assortment of wildlife books, cookbooks, identification guides, and gifts. No admission is charged, but we like to buy something each visit to support their efforts.

The Nature Center is even fun for adults!!! Lots of thing to see. The bees were the most interesting thing to me. Alot of learning for the kiddos.

Please note that the visitors center is closed on Sunday and Monday. The rest of the park is open. Trails were nice with lots of wildlife to see.

The Cape Girardeau Conservation Center is a great place to visit if you want to get some experience in a natural setting, but without driving too far out of town or having to hike too far. It's great for those with limited mobility, or those traveling with young children. There are some lovely nature trails that are not too difficult, as well as the beautiful walking path around the pond. The nature center building is a must see, with loads of information about local wildlife, with fun hands-on educational activities for kids.

The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center is such a hidden gem in our local community. They have all sorts of interactive events for children, and most of these are free activities.They have a small gift shop and very clean restrooms. Attentive staff who enjoy showing you around. If you are in our area, stop by and enjoy!

Always a treat for the grandkids, and grandparents! Many interactive displays, and programs! Great hiking trails also!

Beautiful park area, great information center, home school helpers with wonderful educational classes, great workers, knowledgeable people that love to help you there.

We went to the Discovery Playhouse, Nature Center, & then the Lazy L Safari. This place was great. We spent about an hour here, it was free, and there were several free booklets that the kids got to take home with them. Really enjoyable.

My 7 year old is a real nature lover so he really enjoys going there. They also have a well stocked kids pond for fishing and they have pled you can check out! Inside, the displays are interesting and educational for anyone who wants to know more about Missouri wildlife.

This is a fantastic place that is geared towards children - small to large! So much to see and do and totally interactive.

Loved this place, the staff are very friendly and ready to help with all your needs, the breakfast is delicious and you have a wide selection, slept on a very comfortable queen bed, took a swim in the indoor pool, then chilled in the hot tub, its a a great place to stay

We took our dog for a nice afternoon walk. This is a really beautiful area located close to everything in our city. The people who take care of this nature center and park do a wonderful job.

They have a two headed snake, a beehive (you can see the bees through a clear panel), animal furs you can touch, animal footprints that you can make rubbings of, displays of American Indian pottery/tools and free info about a variety of animals

The nature center itself is interactive for all ages and the trails are an easy hike. Be sure to check out the two headed snake inside. They also offer several different programs throughout the year, so sign up for their newsletter and come back again and again.

They have a two headed rat snake, which my kids thought was awesome. The staff are very helpful and knowledgeable.

Whether it's spring, winter, fall, or summer, there is always something to do! From maple syrup education to learning about the travels of Lewis and Clark, there is something for everyone! Plus the Christmas lights display is a must see! The Nature Center is the best I've ever visited! Don't miss out on seeing the two-headed snake!

Conservation center is the best in South East Missouri. Well kept trails, nice pond, they have the rods and reels for free. the inside of the Conservation center is educational and fun for all ages. Be sure to check out the observation bee hive.