Summer’s high temperatures may be behind us, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck inside counting down the days until spring. The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s newest permanent exhibition, Nature Trails, is the perfect place to enjoy nature all year long without leaving Chicago.
Nature Trails, which opened this past summer, is an interactive outdoor experience with a one-third mile trail surrounding the Nature Museum.
“We’re proud and excited to bring Nature Trails to Chicagoans and provide a rich way for our guests to connect with the nature that surrounds them right here in the heart of our city,” President and CEO Deborah Lahey says.
Families can visit the Burr Oak and the Black Oak savannahs to learn about the area’s native vegetation such as prairies, savannas, wetlands and woodlands. There is even a bird garden where you can spot local birds. Plus, make sure to check out the urban garden to enjoy the smells of fresh seasonal produce and herbs.
Throughout Nature Trails visitors will find information to use as they journey inside the Nature Museum to exhibitions such as the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, Wilderness Walk and Mysteries of the Marsh.
“(Nature Trails) is a great place to observe and appreciate the nature that surrounds us in our city. We want Nature Trails to inspire visitors to think about how they relate to nature and the environment-even in this urban area,” Lahey says.
Nature Trails is free with general admission to the Nature Museum, so grab a sweater and head to Lincoln Park for an outdoor adventure.
