Richardson Nature Center

We love coming here. The birds are always active, the trails always well maintained, and the staff always friendly. The inside of this place is full of educational materials that children and adults both can enjoy. They host a number of activities throughout the year as well. They have rescued birds of prey that can be viewed, honey bees, outdoor fire pit area, natural plant gardens, and lots more. I also find it neat that they have so much solar on their building.

A great little nature center with animals and bugs like: turtles, hawk, owl, snake, toad, walking stick, and more! There are also walking trails with pretty views, a sledding hill and an area with a stick fort and "good logs to roll over and look for bugs" or so I've been told by the naturalist there :) In the winter you can also go sledding, snowshoeing and kicksledding. Last year, we went kicksledding, for free. I'd never done it before. It was pretty fun to try it. You can check out sleds for free. It's a really cool little place to spend an hour or a few hours.

This os one of my favorite place to go for a peaceful walk. They've done a great job keeping the trails clear and putting a nice variety of native plants. Love it!

Our preschool classrooms at Eden Prairie Montessori have been visiting Richardson Nature Center for over 10 years, and it continues to be one of the absolute highlights of our summer. Each visit is a wonderful experience from start to finish. Upon arrival, we are warmly welcomed and thoughtfully divided into small groups, each led by a Richardson Nature Center staff member. These educators are not only highly knowledgeable and well-prepared, but also incredibly friendly and engaging. The activities offered are always age-appropriate, hands-on, and thoughtfully planned. Whether we’re learning about bee pollinators, catching bugs in the field, or discovering pond creatures, the children are consistently fascinated and inspired. The staff at Richardson go above and beyond to make each visit memorable, bringing learning tools and real-life experiences that spark curiosity and joy. We are so grateful for the partnership we’ve built over the years and can’t thank the team at Richardson Nature Center enough for their continued excellence, creativity, and dedication. We truly love coming here, and we look forward to many more visits to come! With gratitude, Eden Prairie Montessori

Great place for kids. Wooded and prairie trails, nice butterfly garden, live animal exhibits inside along with other interactive and whimsical displays.

MY GOODNESS... this nature center is FABULOUS. The inside absolutely blew my inner artist's mind. I have never seen such a beautiful nature center. The outside nature play area had an abundance of logs and sticks to play with and rearrange and even had a mud kitchen! Seems like the area will have a good amount of shade coverage also during the summer months! We've been to quite a few nature centers and this one is our all around favorite.

Love coming to the Richardson Nature Center and going up to the second floor to the fireplace room. They have big windows to watch the wildlife (mostly birds and squirrels) going crazy. Fun, peaceful, free activity. The paths are all well maintained and easy to walk.

Pretty awesome park! Will definately back! Nice outside area for kids to play in nature with tree logs. Lots of walking trails with many options of distance. Nature center is also nice with some animals and activities inside. Saw lots of animals todays.