# Urban Ecology Center — Washington Park > 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 — Washington Park, 1859 N 40th St, Milwaukee, WI 53208 - 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/washington-park - 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-washington-park--listing-b4d59251a3a798cea08b8457 ## About 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 indoor slide down to the first floor, and explore the Ecology Room, with fun facts, an interactive cart, a giant wheel that turns through the seasons, and a chart for measuring yourself against five native Wisconsin birds. Outside, families can fish in the lagoon, find the orchard, borrow an activity backpack for self-guided fun, and come back each season for spring birds or winter animal tracks. ## 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 — Menomonee Valley](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/activities/urban-ecology-center-menomonee-valley--listing-b3dc984ad93fa5bf2a151cc9) — 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 — Menomonee Valley · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. 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… - [Twilight & Treat — Washington HS Twilight Center](https://grassyknees.com/milwaukee/activities/twilight-and-treat-washington-hs-twilight-center--listing-3399dd9bc2c869409b867034) — Sat, Oct 31 · 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM · Washington HS Twilight Center · Free · checked Oct 24. Milwaukee Recreation's free annual Halloween celebration at its Twilight Centers, the evening drop-in spaces it runs in Milwaukee Public Schools buildings. Families can… - [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… ## 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)