Wehr Nature Center is a place where everyone belongs. Open year-round, we offer accessible buildings, trails, and park features designed for visitors of all ages and abilities. Wander our more than five-miles of trails traversing five distinct habitats all within a five-minute walk. Enjoy universally designed exhibits, comfortable restrooms, and hands-on unique programs that bring people together through nature all year round.
Save the Date!
July 26 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Join us for an inclusive Open House celebrating Wehr Nature Center’s commitment to equitable access to the outdoors for people of all ages and abilities. This free community event invites everyone to explore nature through accessible experiences, adaptive recreation, and meaningful connections with local accessibility partners.
August 22 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Discover the plants behind your favorite beverages at this leisurely, fun, and educational evening at Wehr featuring local coffee, tea, craft beer, and other purveyors. Live music, food trucks, and more!
All Ages and Abilities
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
9:00 am – 11:00 am
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
8:00 am – 10:00 am
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Featured Program
Join us for a monthly ecology walk at various Milwaukee County Natural Areas, where we’ll learn, observe, and ID native flowers! On our walk, you’ll also learn about the characteristics of the native plant community that we will explore.
Wehr Nature Center inspires all generations to explore and value the plants and animals of our natural world through experiential education, accessible trails, native landscapes and natural areas.
July – September Newsletter
Happy Summer! Wehr’s trails are overflowing with an abundance of green, flowers, interesting insects, and wildlife. In nature the delight is in the details – slow down and see for yourself during your next hike at Wehr.
In the summer issue of Wehr Words, we hope you’ll enjoy learning about Wehr’s efforts to support the next generation of environmental leaders, spotlight the amazing Wehr Astronomical Society, highlight the 16,000+ volunteer hours, and more!
One bird’s mess is another bird’s meal! Wehr’s Wild Turkeys will gladly clean up the stray seed thrown to the ground by busy birds at the feeders. It’s quite a sight to find cardinals, doves, and sparrows eating right alongside these giant turkeys.
See why Wehr Nature Center is “a place for all seasons, a place for everyone.” Explore more than five miles of nature trails through woodland, wetland, prairie and oak savanna on 220-acres of protected land in Whitnall Park at Wehr Nature Center.
This is without a doubt, the best place to birdwatch and see wildlife in the Milwaukee metro area. The nature center is fantastic. The staff is welcoming and the trails are extremely well-maintained. Always something exciting to see!
Access at Wehr Episode 2: tactile mapping and audio tools. We are so excited to work in partnership with ABLE (Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement) to make this dream of having tactile mapping a reality. Use this for free at Wehrnaturecenter.com or ask the front desk when you arrive! Video description: these visuals contain people enjoying the trails, people using the tactile mapping, ABLE’s bag available for pick up, the website, and nature moments including a turkey on the bird feeder and the waterfall.
Meet the Red Spotted Purple.The Red-spotted Purple is a common butterfly in the southern half of Wisconsin. Throughout central Wisconsin, this subspecies and the White Admiral are both present, and sometimes they hybridize. The offspring can have characteristics anywhere between the two subspecies. This butterfly is often found taking nutrients from gravel roads, roadsides, or scat.Even the caterpillars of the red-spotted purples are amazing mimics. They look like bird poop! Swallowtail caterpillars will also often look like bird droppings when they are young, but swallowtail caterpillars lose this characteristic as they get older. However, red-spotted purple caterpillars always look like bird droppings. In much of their range, their caterpillars feed on wild black cherries and other members of the rose family. They are also sometimes found on willows, poplars, cottonwoods, aspens, viburnums, and a few other trees. (The white admiral caterpillars primarily feed on willows, poplars, cottonwoods, and related plants.)Photo is of a butterfly with dark brown wings and iridescent blue edges rests on green leaves amidst blurred foliage.
Enjoy member perks like free parking, discounts on select programs and events, and more!
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