*All Month Long!
April 1 - April 30
Open Daily, sunrise to 10 p.m.
Retzer Nature Center

Story Hike
Sponsored by Retzer Nature Center and Bridges Library System

Come out to Retzer to enjoy this Spring’s Story Hike, featuring the children’s book, Finding Wild, by Megan Wagner Lloyd. Set out on the Orange Trail to read the book while enjoying the outdoors at the same time! The Orange Trail is a mowed grass trail with some sloped terrain (approximately .75 mile). Recommended for all ages.

Free. No registration! Learn more!

A partnership with Retzer Nature Center and Bridges Library System. 

Wednesday, April 19
10 - 11 am
Retzer Nature Center

Learn about what you can do to help the Earth and nature by being aware of your surroundings, recycling, respecting wildlife, conserving natural resources, and having fun! Recommended for ages 5-12 and their guardians.

$4/student. Register by Tuesday, April 18

Come unwind under the dome of the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium and meditate for your mental health during Earth Week! View a planetarium show of an amazing sunset as you travel from the Grand Canyon to the North Pole, then relax under a night sky filled with stars with glimpses of the Northern Lights under the dome. After the show, take a quiet hike outside with a Retzer naturalist and discover the tranquil sights and sounds of Retzer Nature Center.

$10/person. Register by April 18 at 7:30 pm.
60 participants max. Sorry, no walk-ins.

Taking a walk in nature is beneficial for our physical and mental health. We experience the most benefit when we are mentally, as well as physically, present in nature. This walk at Retzer Nature Center will feature various examples of practices that we can do to be more fully present to the wonders of nature. Meet at the Discovery Trail entrance. Recommended for ages 10+ with the ability to walk one mile.

Free. No registration!

Friday, April 21
7 - 10 am 
Retzer Nature Center

This 1.5-mile easy hike is a great opportunity to learn about the birds found in Waukesha County and how they fit into our environment, habitat, and county. No expertise is needed and all skill levels are welcome. Bring your own binoculars or borrow ours (limited quantity): cameras are also welcome. The hike is held rain or shine, so dress for the weather and meet in the parking lot area nearest to the Learning Center Building. Recommended for ages 8+.

Free. No registration! Learn more: www.gossbirdclub.org
(Groups of 10+ should call Retzer by 4 pm on Thursday, April 20)

Friends of Retzer Nature Center's Earth Week Celebration Event

Bring the family for kid-friendly activities (inside and outside) focusing on how your actions matter and what you can do to keep our planet safe and clean. The hands-on Recycling Exhibit area will allow visitors to experience the complete route recyclable materials can take in our community and how you can help close the loop on this process.

Free. No registration!

Alaska is a place like no other. For many people a trip to Alaska is a life-long dream. For the people who live there, they depend on and protest an enduring way of life. But there are places in the state so remote, so wild, that few Alaskans have ever gone. Here in the planetarium, we’re going to take you to these places, to a remote wilderness to see iconic animals and landscapes that define the Last Frontier, places that make Alaska… Alaska.

Free, but donations are accepted. Recommended for ages 10+
Shows running every 45 minutes starting at 11 am and last show at 1:15 pm

Volunteer Events for the Earth

Register your family or group online. 
Free admission to any fee-based County Park on Saturday, April 22 with registration and participation.

Plant trees with Waukesha County Parks by joining this annual volunteer tradition! Celebrate Arbor Day and make a difference in your community by planting native trees to enhance and preserve our natural areas. Together our actions go further!

Event is Full! Learn More!