Prairie Park Nature Center — Attraction in Lawrence

A nature center can be incredibly educational and exciting for children and adults alike without putting animals in captivity for the amusement of people. I was hoping this would be a place to appreciate nature -- as found in nature (i.e., frogs in the pond, birds in the trees, etc...) but instead found animals caged and tethered in disgusting conditions.

While a handful may be injured animals that cannot be released into the wild, many more of these animals are very able-bodied and otherwise healthy, but were captured specifically to be put on display, with no need other than to satisfy the curiosity of people.

I disagree that children need to be able to see animals live (in captivity) to fully appreciate nature and all it has to offer. Videos, books, and viewing animals in the wild more than suffice. Caging them for the amusement of people is just inhumane, unnecessary, and disappointing.

Frankly, I'm surprised a city such as Lawrence -- which prides itself as an island of progressivism in an otherwise traditional state -- would not only allow, but actively fund and support, such a facility. Very...

Our visit was in January, so we spent most of our time indoors. Inside there are both dioramas with preserved creatures and live animals, some of whom you can pet. We spent about an hour just looking at small mammals, indoor birds, reptiles, amphibians and some insects. If you don't enjoy arachnids, you can look away from the tarantulas without too much trouble. You can avoid the whole little room of insects and spiders if you want, but we kind of enjoyed the stick insects and little blue beetles. Pancake the ferret has movie star charisma. All he had to do was yawn and we were enchanted by his cuteness! The staff were very knowledgeable and happy to tell you whatever you wanted to know about the animals. The weather permitted us a brief visit outside to the large birds of prey, who all happened to be awake and very near the fronts of their enclosures. It was fascinating to see them up close. We intend to return for more visits in other seasons so we can enjoy the plants and animals...

This is a first class nature center. My wife and I drove from Colorado Springs to attend a graduation at KU. We had a little time to kill so we decided to visit the nature center. We got more than we bargained for in a good way. We went on a walk around the center and observed the many types of birds there and I got some great pictures. The trails are really great and are not overrun. On the day we went (May 13, 2017) there were not many people there. I didn't expect to see all of the animals in the building but it was great. The staff that day was excellent. We had a lot of questions and they were patient and well informed. Even though we were there just before closing, we were never rushed. This is a professional staff and we were grateful for it. It was one of the best highlights of our visit. If we are ever back in Lawrence, we'll return to the...