Wilbur D. May Center

Nestled inside Rancho San Rafael Regional Park on the north side of Reno, the Wilbur D. May Center is one of those rare local gems that somehow gets better every time you visit with kids. Named for Reno entrepreneur and world traveler Wilbur D.

May, the complex combines a fascinating museum, a stunning botanical arboretum, and — seasonally — the Great Basin Adventure children's attraction, all in one sprawling park setting.

The May Museum is the kind of place that makes curious kids (and adults) stop mid-step and stare. Wilbur May completed 40 round-the-world trips before his death in 1982, and his collection reflects it: big-game taxidermy, indigenous artifacts, shrunken heads, ceremonial masks, and global curios fill every corner. There's an air of genuine adventure here that no manufactured children's attraction can replicate.

Kids around 6 and up are particularly captivated.

Adjacent to the museum, the Wilbur D. May Arboretum is free to enter separately and features themed garden rooms — a sensory garden, a xeriscape garden, a children's garden — connected by meandering paved paths. It's beautiful in any season, but spring blooms and fall color are particularly special. Wide paths and flat terrain make it easy with a stroller.

Seasonally, the Great Basin Adventure children's attraction operates in the same park and includes a log flume ride, a vintage carousel, a fossil dig pit, and a petting zoo. These rides are ticketed separately but add enormous value for families with younger children.

Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so plan around the Wednesday–Sunday schedule. Admission is modest, and Washoe County residents often get discounted entry — check the website before you go.