The Wild Center facts for kids
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The Wild Center viewed from Rainbow Bridge
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| Former name | Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks |
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| Established | 2006 |
| Location | Tupper Lake, New York |
| Type | Science museum |
The Wild Center is a super cool place in Tupper Lake, New York. It's located right in the middle of New York state's amazing Adirondack Park. This center used to be called the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks. It's a special spot where you can learn all about nature and the history of the Adirondacks region.
Contents
Discovering The Wild Center's Exhibits
The Wild Center has a huge campus that mixes indoor and outdoor fun. It covers about 115 acres, which is like 87 football fields! You can explore trails and exciting exhibits both inside and outside.
Explore the Wild Walk
In 2015, The Wild Center opened something really cool called the Wild Walk. Imagine walking high above the forest floor! The Wild Walk is a thousand feet of bridges and platforms. It lets you climb up and even over the trees on the center's campus. It's an amazing way to see the forest from a new perspective.
Indoor Adventures and Live Animals
Inside the center, there are five main exhibit areas to explore.
- The Pataki Hall of the Adirondacks: This hall has a special path called The Living River Trail. It winds around the hall with live animal exhibits. You'll see a waterfall and even the center's playful river otters here! The center is home to about 50 different kinds of live animals. Many of them live in this hall.
- The Big Wolf Great Hall: This is where you can find a traditional lean-to, which is a simple shelter. There's also a cool glacial ice wall. This hall is often where the center holds its live animal encounters. You might get to see an owl or another amazing creature up close!
- The Naturalist Cabinet: This area is full of hands-on exhibits. You can touch and explore different collections here. It's a great place to learn by doing.
- Flammer Panoramas Theater: Here, you can watch interesting films about the Adirondacks. The wide-screen theater shows high-definition movies. They explore the region and share exciting reports from scientists. These scientists study everything from moose to loons to high mountain peaks.
- Planet Adirondacks: This is a special display that uses NOAA's Science on a Sphere technology. It shows how the Adirondacks connect to the rest of the Earth. You can see how different parts of our planet work together.
You'll hear the calls of live owls and otters. You'll also hear the splashing of a trout-filled indoor stream. It's like being right in the middle of nature!
Outdoor Adventures and Nature Trails
The Wild Center also has many outdoor exhibits. These take you right into the natural areas around the center.
- Canoe Trips: You can go on canoe trips on the river that flows through the campus. It's a peaceful way to see the wildlife.
- Guided Trail Walks: The center offers daily guided walks on its trails. In the winter, they even provide snowshoes so you can explore the snowy landscape.
Awards and Green Building Design
The Wild Center has received some important awards.
- In 2015, it was a finalist for the National Medal. This is the highest honor a museum can get in the United States for serving its community.
- The center is also the first LEED museum in New York. This means it was built in a very environmentally friendly way. It earned a silver LEED award from the U.S. Green Building Council. The center even has an exhibit that shows how its building is so green and eco-friendly.
Community Programs
The Wild Center is involved in many projects in the Adirondack region.
- It helps with a community maple sugar operation. This teaches people how maple syrup is made.
- The center also hosts an annual youth summit. This event brings together college and high school students. They research how climate change affects the area. Then, they create plans to help their schools and communities. The center works with other groups on this, like the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) and Heureka Science Center in Finland.
Building Design and Opening
The main building and its exhibits were designed by a team of experts. This included The Office of Charles P. Reay with Fish Partners and the St. Louis architectural firm HOK. The Bio Building, another part of the center, was designed by Phinney Design Group from Saratoga Springs. The Wild Center first opened its doors on July 4, 2006.
See also
- Adirondack Museum
