A great place to get away from the city sounds and enjoy nature. Lots of trails so you can wander around and hike a different route every time.

I love this place. A great place to bring your kiddos to. A great learning experience for them, as far as animals to the outdoors. They also have awesome indoor slides.

Absolutely gorgeous grounds and excellent walking and biking trails. Highly underused gem in Milwaukee!

The kids have tons have fun here. They describe it as a fantastic place to learn while having fun. The cool thing is that when you become a member, you can check out equipment. Weve borrowed skis and boots, snow shoes, sleds, a canoe...these are really great places and this one at Riverside Park is staffed with super friendly and awesome people.

Thoroughly enjoyed my day. The paths are well marked & the riverwalk is beautiful. Its free, or join and rent all kinds of equipment canoes, tents/camping equipment, kayaks, bikes, tennis rackets, ect for only $5Great place for bird watching too. Hard to believe this place is in the middle of the city.

The Urban Ecology Center is a magical place for a wedding. The space is so beautiful, you hardly need any decorations. The staff was so knowledgeable and helpful, I knew things were in good hands. I was worried that my laid back, buffet style, potluck dinner would be complicated or not elegant, but the staff at the UEC had so many great tips and knew just the right caterer for the job.I especially appreciated Mary Beth and her team for being so flexible with a Sunday date and how they went above and beyond to make the day special for me and my family.The park and trails made for amazing wedding photos. You can tell the staff really love the parks and getting people outside.

Nice place to walk. A lot of entertainment for all ages.

Amazing community space with free coffee, board games, instruments, animals, but most importantly, its an amazing nature center with all kinds of outdoor programming intended to be accessible to all. With membership you can rent camping, canoeing, and kayaking equipment to take on an adventure or even just launch from the UEC on the Milwaukee River. Lots of incredible environmental education programs and events for kids and adults alike!

So disappointed in this venue for my daughters wedding. We loved the venue and were so excited to hold her wedding here. The staff was unkind and not the friendly staff we had worked with. As the mother-of-the-bride, I spent most of the night cleaning up the lower level so the staff could set up for Sunday. I got to dance the last dance of the evening. Had I known I would have to clean up during the reception, we would have never chosen to hold such am important event at this location. I would not recommend.

With a yearly donation you can become a member of the Eco Center and rent all kinds outdoor equipment from kayaks to snowshoes and more. One of the best places in the Milwaukee areas to get involved and explore the nature around the urban areas.

Urban Ecology Center is a phenomenal resource for the neighborhood. Their borrowing program is such an asset and their programming is lovely and diverse. We even held our rehearsal dinner in their space and they were kind, professional, and accommodating. We would highly recommend them for event rentals and membership.

My grandchildren and I love this place. Its beautiful inside. And equipment to members is free. Skis, bikes, snowshoes, etc, etc.

My fiancé and I had our baby shower here back in April and had the best experience! All our guests were pleased with the location, and parking was simple. Do yourself a favor and book all your events here because everyone is super friendly and care deeply about your happiness.

The perfect park for all four seasons here in Milwaukee hike use a kayak try out some of their camping gear or just simply enjoy all the perfect spots.

My daughter loves going here. She always has fun and learns something new.

Love this place and everything it stands for. The staff is always super friendly and helpful. They host so many events for people from all walks of life, from WERQ dance classes and vegan potlucks, to moonlit kayaking and bike week events. There’s truly something for everyone here.

We had my daughters baby shower at the UEC Riverside. It was wonderful to have such a good space with a full kitchen available to us. All our guests felt truly welcomed, and the staff was very accommodating tot all our needs and last minute requests. Several of the attendees commented on how good it was to be at the UEC (some had never been there before,) and it all contributed to a relaxing but celebratory day. Thank you.

Thank you to the Urban Ecology Center at Riverside Park for hosting our October wedding!  When we started planning our wedding we knew we wanted our own style and values to shine through.  As biologists, getting married in nature (around the campfire circle in Riverside Park surrounded by trees, family, and friends) was perfect, but even more so we loved that by doing so we were supporting such an important mission of connecting people in cities with nature all year long.We found the Center was especially welcoming to us as an LGBTQ+ couple and MaryBeth and the events staff made us feel prepared for the big day (we met early on in the planning stage and again about a month before, plus communications along the way). They helped us create a wedding that showed off some of our Milwaukee favorites to our guests as this is one of the few venues that allows you to find your own catering and bar services.  We had set-up and clean-up help from family and friends we asked in advance (it truly needs very little beyond some plants and lighting, moving kegs/decor back into the garage at the end of the night, etc.).  Using the park and building as backdrop for photos will save you time, money, and stress --plus they turned out beautifully!We would highly recommend this venue to anyone who wants a unique, nature-based wedding in the heart of the city close to hotels and transportation.

A lovely community find that is family oriented. Play board games, let the kids burn some energy up on the slide or runs round the pretty landscaped hiking paths, rent fishing poles/sleds/binoculars to use right on their land.Our family favorite is the monthly animal feeding where kids help feed while learning about the creatures and sometimes get to hold a !

Wonderful place to let a five year old burn off some energy and learn!

School tour today. I have been field tripping with my kids. Mr. Flower was. And incredibly knowledgeable and kind person, going out of his way to engage and entertain. Fantastic visit.

Amazing place! Able to rent equipment for camping or the river. Lovely walk, climbing wall, and seeds for creating my own prairie!

This is a cool but amazing place with unique decor. I love that it is environment friendly with its green initiative.

We hosted our wedding reception at the UEC and were very pleased with the venue. My husband and I live out of state. MaryBeth was very helpful, working with both us over the phone and my mom in person to coordinate the event. I appreciate how accommodating the staff was, including clearing rain water off the tower deck so our guests could enjoy the post-rain sunset. Several of our guests had never been to the UEC before and commented on how nice the setting was.

Walked on the Oak Leaf Trail and stopped in to use the restroom. Always a great place to stop in.

Mr. Flowers did a great job leading us on the trails and we learned so much!

One of my favorite finds in the city. Memberships are cheap and they let you borrow kayaks and canoes!

A beautiful and special place for many fun activities and occasions, and especially for our wedding ceremony and reception.We were so happy with how the UEC staff, especially MaryBeth, went above and beyond to make our day special. From our first planning meetings, to responding to all of our questions and ideas over the months of preparation, and lastly on the day of the event, MaryBeth and other UEC staff ensured that everything was just right.It was important to us to host a low-waste event that highlighted the natural beauty of the park and the UEC building while sharing our love of the outdoors and this location in particular with our guests. MaryBeth and the UEC staff were completely on board with our vision and had a lot of great ideas to make everything work. Were so glad we decided to have our wedding at the UEC, and our family and friends had a wonderful time.

We are so grateful we hosted our wedding reception at the Urban Ecology Center! The venue was gorgeous (lots of natural light, beautiful wood details, stunning Riverside Park, etc.). We took our wedding photos throughout Riverside Park before our reception and they turned out to be beautiful.The Urban Ecology Center staff were so helpful and kind with our friends who came early to set up decorations, twinkle lights, and centerpieces. MaryBeth also recommended an amazing caterer (shoutout to Ball’n’Biscuit) and we received so many compliments that it was the best wedding food our friends had ever had!!Our guests from out of town also enjoyed exploring the building itself and learning about the eco groovy features (solar panels, rainwater flush toilet system, composting, and more!) and all the amazing work this organization does for the city and youth of Milwaukee!If you’re still trying to decide where to host your wedding reception, THIS IS THE PLACE! Your guests will thank you and the planet will be happy :)

Cool place for a wedding reception. Had built in interactive activities for the kids.

Equipment rental here is amazing and staff are friendly.

On Sunday, I attended their Coffee & Canoe event. Before we left, the staff was very helpful in making sure our life jackets were properly secured, and gave plenty of safety information. While on the water, there was always one staff member in the front, and one at the back.The canoes were sturdy and smooth, and the experience was wonderful! I would love to go again. Thank you!!

Wonderful trails, programs, activities! Very accessible for people with various special needs as well.

I love this place! Staff was awesome as usual!

I’m not sure if the people at the Urban Ecology Center appreciate it when people park in their generous parking lot that’s conveniently situated along the Oakleaf Trail. But that’s what brought me to this clean, modern and beautiful facility.There’s a bridge that lets you look down on the recently renovated Oakleaf Trail, and on it is an unusual sundial that uses your body as its shadow-casting element. How innovative!I want to further explore this entire facility, but so far, I’ve noticed that the staff there is exceptionally helpful and cheerful, and everything is so beautifully designed and up-to-date that I found myself wishing the entire world was like this.Even the bathrooms are ecologically friendly, with composting toilets and some way-cool (and odor-free) urinals that don’t even require flushing.This is certainly a place that I’ll be returning to.

This place is a wonderful place to be. You can go there to hang out, check out the buildings history, and learn about the environment. They have a group of volunteers that you should totally go help out with because everything they do to the park is to help and youll feel great about yourself afterward (also be a little sore). It is also relatively quiet too, so one can spend time there to do homework or work on projects. They have coffee and tea for the public as well.

After a few steps (membership, orientation class), we borrowed kayaks and toured along the Milwaukee River. Marvelous!

Great place and they even host a monthly Vegan Meetup.

Great place for kids and the family to go to.

*Disclaimer, I work here.* And its a magical place. Surround yourself with the caring people and diverse native landscapes at this nature center.

Staff was great when we had a Bearthday party for my son last month. They offeredActivities for the kids that kept them busy the whole 2 hours we had booked. Clean trails. Lots of wild flowers. Very beautiful year round. Will book another party there.

Grandchildren really enjoyed this place. Lots of neat trails.

An amazing program and facility. Well worth a visit.

The Urban Ecology Center is truly a treasure with great programs and an excellent outdoor equipment borrow program.

Milwaukee is lucky to have the UEC! Such an awesome place.

The flagship UEC location, love this place! Really like what they do for the community and enjoy the perks of being a member.

Always a wonderful place to have an event

Great place next to an historic park next to a great river nature area.

Wonderful place to get away and experience nature. Very calming.

Became a member a year ago. Love it. For the small price of a membership you get free equipment rentals year round. Whats not to like? The Riverside building is beautiful and a peaceful place to relax. Ive even taken a few of their courses they offer. Its a great place for the city to gather.

LOTS of great stuff to do, like ride bikes, play board games, and even just sit in the lounge and drink coffee and eat a muffin

What a wonderful place! A great center to experience nature and also keep active. You can rent all kinds out outdoor equiptment throughout the year for a very nominal annual membership (under $40). There are plenty of free activities offered.

Lovely facility, a bit pricey but definite value

Friendly environment for education and having fun

I cant say enough about this wonderful place. Good place to go and take a hike around and then come inside for a game or to see the turtles and frogs. Family friendly.

Really big fan of the Urban Ecology Center. Having a membership offers a number of fun perks, too, like free reign of checking out rentals. The facility at Riverside Park really is a nice place, just be sure to check in advance if there are events going on as most of the seating seems to disappear when thats the case (Ive gone when local coffee salespeople where there to advertise). The grounds are very nice, and during the summer and fall seasons its a great place to walk around at any time of day.

Family favorite! My kids love the games, toys, animals, and especially the slide. My husband and I love the relaxing atmosphere and fantastic mission!

Its a good place to study and it has a small slide for kids and in the slide there is a hatch to go out side.

Gorgeous facility - they have a very handsome snapping turtle & Large!

Beautiful

Very interesting place. We met there for vegan pot luck. Really want to go back and explore the place more.

Fun place love all the nature walks around it

Can borrow various outdoor recreation equipment if you are a member for free. Self sustaining building. Environmentally friendly. Lots of volunteer opportunities and citizen science research. Can utilize the building anytime to relax also if you’re a member.

Excellent organization that cares for the environment

Nice place. lots of resources. good people.

One if the best places for weddings!

Friendly staff. Cool place! Looking forward to my next trip!

The Urban Ecology Center is amazing! The building is unique, beautiful, and kid-friendly, and filled with education information about the local environment and ecosystem. Plus, this location is right by a bike path and large park, so theres plenty of space to explore. They host events for kids and adults!

Great setting to learn about ecology in!

This is just an all around great place for your kids, you and the environment! Go here and have a great time.

We chose UEC to host our wedding and it was perfect! We used the outdoor location for the ceremony, and held the reception inside. We got so many comments on how beautiful it was! All the wood inside really made it feel natural and inviting. We were able to keep decorations to a minimum because it was so pretty! Guests were able to walk around outside, look at animals in the animal room, and kids had lots of fun going down the slides in between the ceremony and reception.The staff was helpful, and the event coordinator was very easy to work with. We highly recommend hosting your event here!This is also just a really awesome place to go visit. We were very happy to support UEC and bring make more people aware of this amazing community resource!

Love it. Peaceful place to hang out play with the kids.

It is a Very Nice Place.

An amazing educational and recreational resource for all things related to nature and the outdoors - right in the heart of a major metropolitan city!Where else can you drop your kids off at an educational and exciting summer camp, borrow a kayak or canoe, then spend an afternoon on the river?Staffed by some of the friendliest people around, Milwaukee doesnt know how good they have it with this community gem.

Beautiful place for our family and friends to gather. Warm and inviting

We like this place very much, specially kids like it here. This is by the Milwaukee river and walking trail.

One of the most interesting and educational places Ive been to recently. They have: an impressive solar array (44.4 kW), tiered compost, rain collection and filtration, water table friendly construction, recycled materials utilized everywhere, a small native animal museum, classrooms, gardening, a rooftop bee colony, citizen science programs, volunteer opportunities, summer camps, an observation tower / climbing wall, yard equipment rentals, boat rentals (its built right next to the Milwaukee River), and more I cant remember offhand. Free parking.

I love them and their presence in the community

I used to work there and it is amazing to see the people when they come in the door.

A great place 2 learn nature sciences. It could open earlier on Sun. Rather than noon seems 2 late.

Always a good time here with my daughter! Highly recommend family fun!

Atmosphere is awesome. If youre a member you can hang out there. They have discussions on interesting environmental topics and are an important environmental advocate in the community. They also offer equipment rental if youre a member for free.

What a beautiful gem of a place. The community is luck to have it and the lovely, dedicated staff who run it.

Such a cool place to visit. It is right on a bike path a path back to a creek or river. Very nice area.

Love it great place

The Urban ecology center is peaceful, the receptionist is welcoming and patient! So many great times I have been here. And as an educator I can thank UEC for saving me from the weather. There is much to explore and learn. With a lookout tower and trails too! Handicap accessable. Quiet. Great views.

Great community resource. Go visit the reptiles, have coffee, play an instrument. Join the club!!!

A precious, vibrant exertion on behalf of everyone in this city.

This place is great to host meetings and small reunions or get-togethers. It is also a wonderful and unique science classroom.

They are so friendly here, and have created a nice spot in the urban environment for wildlife to flourish.

Love the trails and super nice staff

Nice visit& hike around the park

Such a cool place!!

Great informative program for school aged children, upbeat enthusiastic workers who really enjoy their jobs.

Best place. Good service for a good cause

Wonderful gem of native Wisconsin Prairie land. I love walking thru the rolling hills the noise of the city completely dissapears. The eology center is super cool to go in and check out any day. There is a coi pond in front, with a green roof a beehive. Talking with an employee there about their restoration efforts and native herbs on the grounds is insperational.

Great people and TOTALLY worth the membership fee

Good service and a great deal with an affordable annual membership free and access to multiple types of Outdoor Equipment. The kayak worked very well

Great place to learn about and observe the wild side of Urban Milwaukee.

A true gem in the middle of the City. Plus you can borrow cross country skis, snow shoes, kayaks and canoes if youre a member!