Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center

About Us:

The Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center is an ecology education and community center devoted to helping central Connecticut residents explore and understand the natural world. The Town of Wethersfield Parks & Recreation Department operates the center with support from members and volunteers. 

The visiting center features animals, small exhibits, library, gift shop, air-conditioning, and wheelchair accessibility. Ages 2+ are welcome with an adult, and the suggested donation is $3 for residents and nonresidents. The center is located in the Griswoldville neighborhood's Mill Woods Park with wooded trails, wildflower meadow, picnic areas, playground, and historic mill pond sites.

Educational programs are offered on- and off-site for audiences of all ages: monthly nature seminars, astronomy nights in the park, parent-toddler classes, summer and school vacation camps for grades K-7, dog training, field trips, and more. Current programs are listed in the Program Guide, with recent additions announced above. Guided visits for classes, home schoolers, scouts, special needs, and adults also may be arranged through the office.

The center also supports a number of community functions. Space is available for birthday parties, meetings, and organic garden plots. The center is a warming shelter for residents with pets during certain emergencies. Staff and volunteers are active in renewable energy, water conservation, recycling, open space preservation, and park clean-up initiatives.

The town established the Wethersfield Nature Center in 1974, operating from the community center and Wintergreen Woods Preserve. The Moeller Memorial Home, built in 1930, was renovated to house the center in 2005. It was rechristened in memory of lifelong resident and author, artist, and advocate for natural preservation, Eleanor Buck Wolf.