Hands-On Nature Study at the Elachee Science Nature Center

Address: 2125 Elachee Dr., Gainesville

Contact: 770-535-1976; elachee.org

Admission: $5 for everyone age 12 and older, $3 for children ages 2 to 12, free for children younger than 2

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

People have been living in the Chicopee Woods since at least 3,000 B.C.E.—first the Archaic Indians, then the Woodland and Mississipian tribes, then the Creek and Cherokee peoples, and finally, the Europeans who settled the area in the 1700s. Today, the Elachee Science Nature Center in Gainesville celebrates and protects the remaining Chicopee Woods. The small but well-formed science center has exhibits on everything from astronomy to local archaeology and is certainly worth checking out, but be sure to make time to explore the surrounding 1,500 acres of pristine woodland, where you can get up close and personal with all kinds of living things, including caterpillars and lichens. Because of the diverse flora and fauna, it’s an ideal place to test your plant and insect identification skills or to take a family nature walk. If you have time, head over to Chicopee Woods Aquatic Studies Center and Chicopee Lake (a ten-minute drive from the main entrance) to explore the lake and its surrounding wetland ecosystem up close. Bring your bird book; this marshy area attracts a lot of avian visitors.

4 Things You Shouldn’t Miss at the Elachee Science Center

1. Make forest creature tracks in the special nature goop in the Waters of Time hall.

2. See constantly updated images of the solar system from space probes in View Space.

3.  Keep your eyes peeled in the lobby so you can spot the chameleon-like anoles.

4.  The mosasaur skeleton gives you a glimpse of the dominant marine predator of the late Cretaceous Period.

Insider Tip

Check out a Discover Nature backpack in the lobby. The themed backpacks are full of information and nature guides so you can identify flora and fauna as you explore the woods.

Required Reading

Right in Your Own Backyard: Nature Math uses poems, stories, and games to make math part of your nature studies.

Fun Fact

The Third Thursday Homeschool series offers hands-on science programs with topics like wildflowers, fungus and lichens, the science of dirt, and more.

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