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Anita Purves Nature Center, Urbana

4.3
#7 of 7 in Museums in Champaign-Urbana
Specialty Museum · Hidden Gem · Museum
The Center and the adjacent Busey Woods provide a natural resource to individuals, families and groups interested in learning more about the outdoors.

A facility of the Urbana Park District, the center includes a Field Station, Wildlife Observation Room, Audubon Gift Shop, educator resource room and meeting rooms. Programs, activities, and special events are held at this facility each year.

Located at the north end of Crystal Lake Park, the Anita Purves Nature Center is an environmental education facility open free to the public. Next door you'll find Busey Woods, a 59-acre forest preserve with a boardwalk loop, seasonal ponds and more.
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Anita Purves Nature Center reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.0
10 reviews
Google
4.6
TripAdvisor
  • By TamuSabby
    The Nature Center is primarily built for children and there are lots of fossils and other items for little hands to explore. The outdoor trail through the woods is better for adults; a nice peaceful....  more »
  • By madelineroze
    We rented a room to celebrate the 2nd half of his party (food, cake, games), and it was great!! The facility was clean, quiet, and the grounds were beautifully landscaped. The air even smelled...  more »
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Google
  • By Anne Scharnett
    What an excellent nature center! They have this great outdoor play area full of natural items, such as logs and boulders, where kids can climb, build, etc to their hearts' content! There is an indoor science area that is more suited for elementary aged kids, as opposed to our younger kids, but still had had a lot of things for them to explore. They also have great walking paths through the woods next to the nature center. This is a hidden gem and we will definitely make a return visit!
  • By Joe Krehbiel
    Cool little nature center in Urbana! Feels like something you would visit at a state park but it’s nice to have something like this in town. They have some cool nature exhibits and a nice bird watching area. This is a great spot for kids or anyone interested in local wildlife.
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