Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center

Do you love nature and wildlife? If so, the Anita Gorman Discovery Center is a great place for you to explore. It is located in the heart of Kansas City near the Plaza shopping area. Visitors can check out eight acres of gardens, take a hike, check out the exhibits, and see fascinating wildlife. The gardens include a pond, walkways, and watchable wildlife. The facility is an energy efficient environmentally friendly building that shows guests how to save water, energy, and resources at home. There are two hiking trails that offer breathtaking views of the beautiful landscape. You can participate in six different workshops and other special events throughout the year. In the course of the workshops, you will experience creative fun and learn about a variety of topics. The workshops focus on topics such as wild foods, native plant gardening, stream life, outdoor skills, artistic expression, and the construction of wildlife habitats.

There are native-plant gardens that demonstrate urban landscaping options such as small versions of upland and lowland forests, prairies, and wetlands. Visitors can explore planting areas which include hummingbird, butterfly, wildflower, and water gardens. You can take the Side Walk through their Grow Native gardens. In the course of the walk, visitors can get ideas that will help you enjoy more of outdoor Missouri.

The Anita Gorman Conservation Discovery Center offers its visitors the chance to learn about various outdoor skills. You can learn about skills such as where and how to hike, how to pitch a tent, how to build a campfire, and how to use a compass. Guests will also learn how to identify birds and mammal tracks, how to grow native trees shrubs and wildflowers, and much more. The location has extended hours on the first and third Tuesday each month.