There’s a place in Austin where nature is a hands-on experience. Where kids are not only allowed to touch stuff, they’re encouraged. And best of all, it’s free!
Inside the Austin Nature & Science Center
Where things that crawl, swim, walk and fly are celebrated and racks of antlers, bins of bones, a table of fur pelts and a bowl of snake skins are at your fingertips.
Have you ever wanted to touch a bowl of snake skins? Me, neither!
Where real snakes rule and rubber snakes drool, a wacky lizard hangs upside down near his own personal heat lamp, and a fat bobcat poses for pictures.
Now this is a lizard I could hang with.
And then there are the live birds of prey, a coyote, a few foxes and a skunk in rehab. There’s also a dinosaur pit where you can dig for replica fossils, a lake surrounded by wildflowers, and 14 foot tile mosaic lizard that climbs a wall.
They have a dinosaur pit! Can you dig it?
The Austin Nature and Science Center is located on the western edge of Zilker Park, which has a wide range of outdoor activities, as well. If you have children, you need to add this to your list of “go to” places in Austin. Pack a picnic, hit a playground, and explore the Science Center all within the boundaries of Zilker Park. It’s cheap, it’s fun, and it’s a great way to spend an afternoon with your kids. They’ll have so much fun, they won’t even know they’re learning.
There's so much to touch and see at the Austin Nature & Science Center.
Inside NanaBread's Head 
Looks like fun! Now I associate you and snakeskins with the story you posted about high school! Why wouldn’t you want to touch a bowl of snakeskins??? :)
Ugh! Don’t get me started again! The only good snakes are rubber toy snakes.
Sounds like a cool place!! The kids would have loved it when they were little. Rubber snakes can be aloooot of fun, especially hidden in drawers and shoes….
As long as they’re in someone ELSE’S drawers and shoes!
umm.. 2nd picture down. Is that actually a framed picture of different types of animal poo?!?! If so… LOL!! That would’ve been an awesome gag gift for one of my bros!
And a bowl of snake skin!! blech!
~Wendy
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