Urban Ecology Center - Riverside Park

The Urban Ecology Center is Milwaukee's most underappreciated family resource -- a community-based nature center that provides free and nearly-free outdoor programming, equipment loans, and environmental education in three urban parks. The Riverside Park location is the flagship, housed in a LEED Platinum building overlooking the Milwaukee River.

The equipment loan program is the center's most remarkable offering. For a $35 annual family membership (or $5/day for non-members), families can borrow canoes, kayaks, bicycles, cross-country skis, snowshoes, fishing gear, and camping equipment. In a city where kayak rental typically costs $30-50/hour, unlimited access to boats and outdoor gear for $35/year is extraordinary.

Canoeing and kayaking on the Milwaukee River is the summer highlight. The center leads guided paddle trips through wooded sections of the river that feel surprisingly wild for an urban waterway. Herons, turtles, and occasional mink sightings make it a genuine nature experience. Families can also borrow boats for self-guided paddling during center hours.

The nature center itself has a live animal room with native Wisconsin species -- painted turtles, garter snakes, freshwater fish, and amphibians. Staff and volunteers are enthusiastic about sharing the animals with kids, often letting children hold turtles and learn about their biology.

Seasonal programming is extensive: maple syrup tapping and processing in early spring, river ecology programs in summer, fall color hikes, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. Family programs run nearly every week year-round -- check the events calendar.

The center operates three locations in Milwaukee (Riverside Park, Washington Park, and Menomonee Valley), each embedded in its surrounding park and neighborhood. Riverside Park is the most established and has the most programming.

This is not a tourist attraction -- it is a community institution that happens to be open to visitors. The quality of programming, the generosity of the equipment lending model, and the genuine passion of the staff make it one of Milwaukee's most valuable family resources.