# Urban Ecology Center — Menomonee Valley

> Place to go for families in the Milwaukee–Waukesha area (WI). Times are Central Time.

- When: Building: Tue–Thu noon–6 p.m.; Fri noon–5 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; closed Sun and Mon.
- Where: Urban Ecology Center — Menomonee Valley, 3700 W Pierce St, Milwaukee, WI 53215
- Ages: All ages
- Price: Admission is free
- Schedule: Building: Tue–Thu noon–6 p.m.; Fri noon–5 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; closed Sun and Mon.
- Organizer: Urban Ecology Center
- Official page: https://www.urbanecologycenter.org/branches/menomonee-valley
- 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/milwaukee/activities/urban-ecology-center-menomonee-valley--listing-b3dc984ad93fa5bf2a151cc9

## About

The South Central branch, a 'green' community center in a former tavern at 37th and Pierce, beside Three Bridges Park and the Hank Aaron State Trail along the Menomonee River. Families can try the building's mini scavenger hunt: find the snake-shaped door handle, the mosaic mural made by neighborhood children with three moons for the three branches, the exposed wall of the original tavern, the Solatube skylights and the rainwater collection containers. A visitor guide helps, and activity backpacks can be borrowed for exploring the park outside.

## Similar picks in Milwaukee

- [Scarecrow Lane at Retzer Nature Center](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/activities/scarecrow-lane-at-retzer-nature-center--listing-944019f65f4d2179aa514832) — Oct 24 – Oct 31 · Retzer Nature Center, Waukesha · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. A self-guided fall hike past more than 42 creative, one-of-a-kind scarecrows set up along Retzer's trails by the Friends of Retzer Nature Center. Start near the Discovery…
- [Fall Story Hike: The Acorn and the Oak — Retzer Nature Center](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/activities/fall-story-hike-the-acorn-and-the-oak-retzer-nature-center--listing-fd4aaafb0293c15dd66d564f) — Oct 24 – Oct 31 · 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM · Retzer Nature Center, Waukesha · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. A self-guided story walk on Retzer's roughly 0.6-mile White Trail: read Rhonda Accardo's picture book The Acorn and the Oak page by page and learn about oak trees and their…
- [Urban Ecology Center — Riverside Park](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/activities/urban-ecology-center-riverside-park--listing-2f028879102acdaf6e5f4756) — Building: Tue–Thu noon–6 p.m.; Fri noon–5 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; closed Sun and Mon… · Urban Ecology Center — Riverside Park · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. The Urban Ecology Center's East Side branch sits in Milwaukee County's Riverside Park between Riverwest and the East Side, on the Oak Leaf Trail with an observation tower. The…
- [Urban Ecology Center — Washington Park](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/activities/urban-ecology-center-washington-park--listing-b4d59251a3a798cea08b8457) — Building: Tue–Thu noon–6 p.m.; Fri noon–5 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; closed Sun and Mon. · Urban Ecology Center — Washington Park · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. The North Central branch of the Urban Ecology Center in Washington Park, recently expanded. Inside, kids can climb the tower to look over the park and neighborhoods, ride the…
- [Operation Recon Nature – Veterans and Families](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/activities/operation-recon-nature-veterans-and-families--listing-bbc480158d683be8cf919ffd) — Sat, Oct 24 (+2 more dates) · 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM · Wehr Nature Center, Franklin · Free · checked Oct 24. A free monthly nature walk for veterans from every branch, including active duty, reserve and retired personnel, and their families. Participants share camaraderie on Wehr's…
- [Retzer Nature Center](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/activities/retzer-nature-center--listing-47e06c29b900f73292a7e81e) — Trails 6 a.m.–10 p.m. daily. Office/building: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.–3… · Retzer Nature Center, Waukesha · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. A 483-acre Waukesha County nature center of prairies, woodlands, wetlands, gardens and trails, once the retirement home of John and Florence Retzer, who planted more than 26,000…

## More for families

- [This weekend in Milwaukee](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/this-weekend.md)
- [Things to do with kids in Milwaukee](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee.md)
