Austin Nature & Science Center Exhibits

The Austin Nature & Science Center offers a variety of educational science and art exhibits and programs all year-round. Exhibits are open to the public during regular visitor hours with no entry fee, but donations are accepted. For more information, please call Visitor Services staff at 512-974-3888.

Wildlife

Learn about a wide variety of native wildlife in our outdoor and indoor exhibits. Visit the Small Wonders and Wildlife exhibits and learn how you can help our animal ambassadors.

Dino Pit

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The Dino Pit is an outdoor exhibit designed to instruct visitors about paleontology. Dig for fossils from ancient Texas.

Naturalist Workshop

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Get in touch with items straight from nature! Come touch and explore furs, rocks, bones, plants, insects, magnifying glasses, and more. Home of the Trade Counter Program (Wednesday - Friday 10am - 1pm; Saturday 10am - 4pm).

Forest Trail

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The Forest Trail is a self-guided exhibit of forty-five trees planted and maintained site-wide to encourage the selection of native trees appropriate for landscapes in Central Texas. Artwork by Robert Obrien.

Honey Bee Observation Hive

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Fascinated by the European honey bee? Check out our indoor exhibit in the Visitors Pavilion to view the inner workings of a living hive. You might even locate the queen bee herself! Bees and care provided by Austin Bees.

Human Sundial

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Our human sundial was created through a partnership with MathHappens, UTeach, and the Austin Parks and Recreation Department. Let your body tell the time as it plays the role of the gnomon, or the piece that casts the shadow on the blocks. Using the stones under your feet, find and stand on the current month, and watch as your shadow tells you the current time (based on Daylight Saving Time).

Human Sundial Tiny Tours Video

Nano

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This 400 square foot exhibit, based on work supported by the National Science Foundation, provides hands-on exploration of small (nano) objects. Visitors can examine the scales of a butterflies wing, build a model of a carbon nanotube, or play with magnets to explore different size substances. You can find this exhibit in our Visitors Pavilion.

Pond Walk

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Take a walk around our site to learn more about our pond system. Look for basking turtles at the Upper Pond. Watch the water flow below from the bridge at the Creek. Meet curious fish at the dock of our Lower Pond.

Seed Library

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Are you an enthusiastic seed saver? Interested in starting a garden but don't know where to start? The Seed Library is a place for the community to share and exchange seeds to grow at home. Bring in seeds you've collected to share and check out different seeds brought in by other members of the community. Learn more about how to save seeds and find other seed saving and exchanging resources HERE.

Pollinator Gardens

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Across ANSC, native and adapted plants are placed for wildlife. Our Pollinator Gardens are home to a variety of plants that bloom throughout the year, creating ideal habitats for native pollinators.

Pollinator Garden Tiny Tours Video

Art In Public Places

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The Art in Public Places program requests proposals from visual artists to design, fabricate, install and de-install artworks to based at city-owned locations around the city, including ANSC. More information about temporary exhibition of public art across Austin, visit the AIPP website.

Permanent Installations

Arboreal Passage

Colin McIntyre, 2011. Forged Steel, stainless steel, copper, bronze, limestone, and oak. Courtesy of Art in Public Places.

Big Snake

Kathleen Ash and Elena Eidelberg, 1997. Ceramic, glass, and wood. Courtesy of Art in Public Places.

Land Before Us

Steffany Bankenbusch, 2019. Acrylic on wood panels. Courtesy of the TEMPO 2D 2019 program.

Past Installations

Wild Imaginations

Jesse Melanson, 2018. Watercolor and digital on vinyl. Courtesy of the TEMPO 2D 2018 program.

Mirror Cloud

Elizabeth Farrell & Clare van Montfrans, 2018. Steel tubing and sheet metal. Courtesy of the TEMPO 3D 2018 program.

Tubascopes

Steve Parker, 2017. Brass instruments, steel and tubing. Courtesy of the TEMPO 3D 2017 program.