For more than 50 years, the Austin Nature and Science Center has educated Central Texas youth about the natural world around us. This wonderful facility—a favorite of ours—is located on the western edge of Zilker Park, at 301 Nature Center Drive. The Austin Nature and Science Center’s parking lot is located off of Stratford Drive, under Loop 1 (Mopac).
Austin Nature and Science Center
When you arrive at the Austin Nature and Science Center, you are greeted in style by this beautiful arch, “Arboreal Passage” by Colin McIntyre, which was part of the City of Austin’s Art in Public Places Program.
A trail takes you to the top of a hill, where you will find the Ashford McGill House, which was built in the 1870s and is now the home of Nature’s Way Preschool.
From there, the nature adventure begins!
Our first stop inside is always the Naturalist Workshop. It’s our kind of place!
My sons’ favorite part of the Naturalist Workshop is the Trade Counter. You can bring special items like rocks, seashells, or seed pods to trade in for points that you can then use to select a new treasure. The Trade Counter is open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
On a recent visit, after checking out the indoor exhibits, we went outside to see the wildlife.
Most of the animals at the center have been orphaned or injured and could not survive in the wild. The wildlife exhibit has helpful signs to teach you about each animal.
The next area is my favorite: Birds of Prey! This exhibit features owls, hawks, and vultures. At the back of the Birds of Prey area, you can access the Zilker Nature Preserve and Trails. The trails have been improved and expanded since we last visited.
Time to explore!
We crossed the dry creek bed (Medicine Wheel Creek according to the map above). We weren’t sure what Lookout Point was but it sounded fun. Up we went! The climb to Lookout Point was pretty steep. It began as a trail and then was rocky toward the top. After enjoying the view from Lookout Point, we returned to the trail entrance since the gate to the nature trails closes at 4:30 p.m. We definitely want to come back again and spend more time on the trails!
For one last bit of fun, we headed over to the Dino Pit, an outdoor paleontology exhibit.
The shovels were irresistible and so was the sand! After a lot of digging excitement, we relaxed for a few moments before leaving for home.
THE RUNDOWN
Austin Active Kids Opinion: A good mix of indoor and outdoor fun for nature lovers of all ages!
Outing Time: 1.5 hours
Outing Distance: On the nature trail, we probably walked about 3/4 mile total to Lookout Point and back.
Reminders: The Austin Nature and Science Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 12 to 5 p.m. Sundays. This facility has no admission charge but donations are appreciated. The trail to Lookout Point is very steep and could be treacherous for very young children or those new to hiking. Use caution.
Austin Nature and Science Center
2389 Stratford Drive
Austin, TX 78746
