Lowell Park Nature Center

09/06/2026

🦋 Nature Fun with Little Ones: Monarch Edition! 🐛

We had such a wonderful Friday learning all about monarch butterflies! Dee Lahey, a Monarch Watch expert for over 20 years, joined us to share her incredible knowledge and passion.

Here is a look at our morning:

📚 Read a book to learn about the monarch life cycle

🐛 Met real caterpillars up close

🎨 Made butterfly rings & life cycle bracelets

🏷️ Headed outside to watch Dee tag and release two male monarchs!

As our two butterfly friends took flight, the kids wished them "safe travels" on their long journey south. 🧡🖤

What a magical morning exploring nature together!

09/04/2026

Check Out Our Seasonal Newsletter: Autumn at Lowell Park

Summer at the Ruth Edwards Nature Center was full of energy, welcoming 777 visitors through our camps, paddleboard trips, and weekly craft activities! Now, as the autumn leaves start to change, our team is getting ready for a fall schedule full of interactive community workshops, monthly homeschool....

09/03/2026

🍄🍄🍄 UPDATE: SOLD OUT 🍄🍄🍄

Only 1 spot left for our Family Fungi Workshop next Saturday night. Don’t miss out on learning about these and many more. 🍄

Our local trails are absolutely bursting with incredible wild mushrooms right now! Grab the last available spot and join us for an unforgettable evening featuring:

🍕 Pizza & Visual Intro: Start off with a delicious slice (no mushrooms on the pies!) and a fun, family-friendly rundown of our region's forest mushrooms with guest speaker Connor Ross.

🌿 Expert Guidance: Learn from Connor, Environmental Services and Outreach Coordinator at Anita Purves Nature Center and Grand Detour native, who brings a wealth of local ecology expertise!

🥾 Guided Forest Hike: Head out onto the trails together to spot and identify species growing right on our trees and forest floor in real time.

With space strictly capped at 30 to keep the trail experience intimate and hands-on, that final spot won't stay open for long!

🎟️ Claim the final spot now before it's gone! Registration in comments!

09/02/2026

Event Description:Volunteers will assist with a cleanup and improvement workday at the Page Park Disc Golf Course. Work will primarily include picking up sticks and limbs, clearing debris from fairways and walking areas, light course cleanup, and assisting with other miscellaneous tasks as needed th...

09/02/2026

🌻 Wild & Free Saturdays are back!

Join us this Saturday from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM for hands-on, nature-inspired creativity.

Check out our brand-new arrowhead and rock display, explore animal artifacts, and play with our sensory blocks!

Over in the studio space, we’re setting up sunflower art projects tailored for all skill levels. Whether you want to trace using our lightboxes, freehand draw, or work from a template, there's no right or wrong way to create. 💗

We’ll have watercolors, tempera, crayons, markers, acrylics, real sunflower seeds, and recycled materials ready to go.

Bring your curiosity and your imagination, we can’t wait to explore with you!

09/01/2026

Discover Local Rocks & Arrowheads at the Nature Center!

Stop by and check out our new discovery display featuring a fascinating collection of rocks, minerals, fossils, and local artifacts!

Take a closer look at sparkling Keokuk geodes, fossilized marine limestone packed with ancient sea life, and petrified wood.

Plus, explore a special crate of locally found Native American arrowheads and stone tools! A historic handwritten note saved with the collection notes that these points were found along the north side of the Rock River near the Grand Detour bridge back in the 1930s and 40s.

Come explore the unique textures, shapes, and history up close!

Join us for this week's programs:

🦋 Friday (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM): Nature Fun for Little Ones – Monarch Edition!
🌻 Saturday: Wild & Free Autumn Series – Sunflower Mosaic Art!

08/27/2026

We had the MOST incredible event last night! ✨🌸🍄 Our hearts are so full.

It was wonderful to welcome such a great group to the Lowell Park Nature Center for our clay jewelry making workshop. The room was buzzing with creativity, laughter, and connection, everything we hope to foster.

Check out these beautiful, finished pieces inspired by the forest. So many mushrooms, flowers, and even little starry nights!

Thank you to everyone who shared their time and creativity with us. We can't wait for the next event!

08/25/2026

Thank you for your inspiration, Dolly Parton. 🌎💗