Discover Nature Events

Artwork on display in lobby.

Walk-in (ages 5+) The Discovery Center is joining multiple Kansas City area conservation partners in the City Nature Challenge, an international effort for people to find and document plants and wildlife in cities around the globe. Our kickoff is Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27. Participants will make observations by taking photos and uploading their observations using the free mobile app iNaturalist. The objective is to create a snapshot of the biodiversity that can be found around the metro area! Naturalists will be at the Discovery Center on Friday and Saturday to assist you. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.

Walk-in (all ages) Come celebrate Missouri's native plants! Join us for a day of learning about the wide variety of native plants that can suit your landscaping needs. Explore easy ways to plant native seeds of grasses and flowers. Discover how our native trees can add long-lasting value and beauty to your landscape. Marvel at how Missouri's wildlife benefits from native plants. We will be giving away free native plant and tree seedlings for you to take home and plant. Stick around for a guided landscape tour along with opportunities to ask experts for advice on how to improve your landscape with native plants. There will be activities for the whole family! If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.

Mushrooms and birds are some of the best things about spring! Join Mycological Society and Greater Ozarks Audubon member Dan Liles to explore our trails and identify fungi and birds. This 2-mile hike is rated easy to moderate difficulty. Dress for the weather.

Carnivore, Herbivore, or Omnivore? Let’s learn all about what, how, and why Missouri mammals are eating! Together we’ll investigate a few awesome animals, looking at their teeth, their habitat and their scat to determine what they might be eating. Afterwards, each participant will be able to make and accessorize their very own slime to take home inspired by one of the animals they learned about.

All materials will be provided, including disposable gloves for slime making. It is recommended to bring an old t-shirt or smock for slime making.

Please register each individual who will be making slime. Parents who will not be making their own slime do not need to register. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

What looks like a spikey dinosaur patrolling the murky bottoms of our southeast Missouri swamps is actually the largest species of freshwater turtle in North America. Join us as we dive into the natural history of this turtle and separate fact from fiction.

Artwork on display in lobby.

Volunteer Naturalist Myra Scroggs will help you find migrating birds during this indoor and outdoor program. Ages 7 to adult.

Have you ever walked by a wildflower and wished you knew what it was? Well, this is your program! April showers bring an abundance of colorful May flowers to our Missouri landscape. In this program, you will learn how to identify these flowers and enjoy a short walk around the nature center trails and grounds to find these beautiful blooms. Afterwards, cool down by enjoying some dandelion iced tea and dandelion cookies.

Walk-in (all ages) April showers bring May flowers, and lots of them! Native plants are blooming left and right this time of year. Join our native landscape specialists for a springtime walk around the grounds. This program is in partnership with Deep Roots KC. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.