Anita Purves Nature Center

Located at the north end of Crystal Lake Park, the Anita Purves Nature Center is an environmental education facility open free to the public. Next door you'll find Busey Woods, a 59-acre forest preserve with a boardwalk loop, seasonal ponds and more.

The Anita Purves Nature Center, at the north end of Urbana's Crystal Lake Park opened in 1979 and underwent an expansion in 2005. Today, we welcome more than 50,000 visitors a year.

We offer environmental programs on site and at other locations and staff members are on hand to answer questions during open hours. Join us in every season to experience something new.

The Anita Purves Nature Center has classrooms for programs that are also rentable for public and private events.