# Penitentiary Glen Nature Center and Nature Play > Place to go for families in the Cleveland area (OH). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Nature Center and Wildlife Center 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; Nature Store 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m… - Where: Penitentiary Glen Reservation, 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd., Kirtland, OH 44094 - Ages: All ages - Price: Admission is free - Schedule: Nature Center and Wildlife Center 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; Nature Store 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; park 6 a.m.-11 p.m.; Nature Play sunrise to sunset. Centers closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve at noon and New Year's Day. - Organizer: Lake Metroparks - Official page: https://www.lakemetroparks.com/parks-trails/penitentiary-glen-reservation/ - Last checked: Sat, Oct 24 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/cleveland/activities/penitentiary-glen-nature-center-and-nature-play--listing-2b2fea24b306c6c07d47b8fc ## About Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Kirtland is a state-designated Watchable Wildlife site with forest, fields, wetlands, 8.5 miles of trails and a deep gorge settlers likened to a prison. The nature center, in the old Halle estate horse barn, has the interactive Nature Calls exhibit and a Window on Wildlife for watching birds; admission is free. Outside, Nature Play is an acre of hands-on spots for imaginative outdoor play, open sunrise to sunset. The Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center next door treats nearly 2,000 injured or orphaned animals a year and shares its work through education. Free sensory packs with child-size noise-canceling headphones, fidgets and visual schedules can be borrowed. On scheduled run days the Lake Shore Live Steamers' miniature trains carry passengers to the gorge rim. ## Similar picks in Cleveland - [Drop-by: Spooky Skulls and Skeletons — Rocky River Nature Center](https://grassyknees.com/cleveland/activities/drop-by-spooky-skulls-and-skeletons-rocky-river-nature-center--listing-fb8e2e3340442969436ae86f) — Sat, Oct 24 (+1 more date) · 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM · Rocky River Nature Center, Rocky River Reservation, North Olmsted · Free · checked Oct 24. Rocky River Nature Center sets out animal skulls and skeletons for Halloween weekend. Families compare species to see what they have in common and what makes each one unique… - [Story Walk: Turkeys — Rocky River Nature Center](https://grassyknees.com/cleveland/activities/story-walk-turkeys-rocky-river-nature-center--listing-922eec325414414362c780ee) — Sat, Nov 7 · 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM · Rocky River Nature Center, Rocky River Reservation, North Olmsted · Ages 3–4 · Free · checked Oct 24. 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