This is a great outdoor activity for families with children. The annual membership is a great value if you visit more than once a year. The membership is also accepted at many other science centers across the country.
Well maintained nature preserve. All animals looked well cared for, all exhibits worked with no missing pieces. Highly recommend.
Ideally this place is good for children but not that great for adults. It was run down and little to no attempt on keeping the bathrooms clean. Especially seeing we are having an issue with covid...
This place is amazing i was very impressed. I am always sketchy about going to places with animals but this place is extremely clean amd the animals are well kept. Tje animals that are there were not caught they all ended up there from being injured and not being able to go back into the wild. There is also alot of learning stations for children.
Very well presented exhibit on the wildlife of New Hampshire. Coming from the UK, we had some concerns about the moral question of keeping wild animals in cages. This was set against the very obvious great condition of the animals on display and the effort taken to educate on the natural world - a video or even holograph would not have the same impact. The reason we give it only 4 stars is that not enough effort is made to explain why the animals, particularly the large animals, are kept in relatively small enclosures. Looking at the negative reviews that focus on the moral question, your responses are very encouraging. Perhaps you should cut out the middleman and make more effort at the Centre to explain why the animals are maintained in captivity from a conservation perspective.
Great exhibits. Kid friendly. A little pricey. Great family time
Very interactive for kids and nice trails to walk. Educational fun and a great regional ambassador animals to see close up.
This place is wonderful. I've been going here since i was a kid and never get sick of it. All the animals here are here because of some injury or something that has made it so they are unable to live in the wild. And all of the animals are native to new hampshire. They also recently added a new interactive attraction for kids which is in addition the one they already had. I definitely reccimnd this place as a fun family outing. They do a new hampshire residents day in the spring where they only charge $5 admission for state residents. It can be crowded that day but it's definitely worth a visit. They doblive animal shows as well. It's all around a great place.
Great enclosures for the animals with water features and lots of shade! And for taking pictures, no cage lines in my pictures because they use thick glass for viewing. Animals looked very healthy especially the lion she was fat :) Loved the walking trails too. It was just lots of fun and we will be back when its not so hot!
Learned so much about all the different animals and their habitat.
Great place to bring kids to learn about science and animals.
Wonderful day trip! Pack a picnic lunch and spend all day exploring all the hands-on exhibits.
Our whole family loves the place! Nice walk, a lot of interesting and interactive information. We love seeing the animals up close
This is by far one the best not so hidden gems of Central New Hampshire! While it functions similarly to a zoo the goal of the facility is to rehabilitate and care for local animals found in the white mountains of NH. The animals who stay are there for medical or other legitimate reasons that keep them from living in the wild and are given wonderful care. The staff that works there is knowledgable and kind, eager to answer any questions about the animals you may have. The path to see all the animals is fun and equivalent to many easy day hikes with spots to picnic, and a wonderful play/learning area for the young and young at heart. It is a place my family loves to visit time and time again, never getting board of the wonderful animals, new things to learn, and great day that always ensues.
Great place to take the children and learn about different wildlife there
Great time! Geared for the whole family. Three trails with the exhibit trail available to wheelchairs. The Eco trail is more heavy duty stroller while the mountain trail is for hiking. Non computer interactive and educational exhibts. Friendly staff. Easy access to river rides.
Years ago I visited and the animals were more active. Most animals were resting. I don't blame them. Even the bird feeders were quiet.
Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit was a nice addition. I hope they come back.
Staff friendly. I recommend a visit!
Beautiful facility. Exceeded expectations. Fantastic new play & learning area for kids (& adults)
I love going to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center! They have all kinds of different animals, it's very informative. They have a nice play area for kids, my grandsons love it, even the teenage ones.
Love this place. Good for kids learning about animals.
Nothing like hearing jackhammers to relax to sounds of nature
Always love spending time here when in New Hampshire. Great for a couple of hours with two small kids. Plenty to keep the little ones occupied. Great playground an indoor play area too!
Family friendly atmosphere. Great walking trails and fun interactive areas. Good for all ages.
Great stop for families with young kids. Rustic zoo...glad we found
Really great experience for kids. They have a wide variety of animals here, including black bears, a mountain lion, and even a pair of bald eagles (that were injured and cannot fly) to top it off.
Additionally, there is a marsh with a variety of frogs and turtles that kids can walk over and around.
Very nice place. Relaxing wandering down the path and learning fun facts on way to see the next animal or exhibit.
Such a great place! I wish some of the animals had partners.
Great place for adults and families.
Highly recommended.!
Very nice walk. Well maintained exhibits and animal habitats. The staff all were very mindful of Covid precautions, and there were frequent hand sanitizer stations along the trail. I wish I had discovered this place years ago!
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is a wonderful place for kids and adults alike. The animals are amazing and they are all rehabilitated from either injuries or abandonment at a young age. The atmosphere of this place is great and I highly recommend going and becoming a member to support all of their community efforts and animals!
The Turkey Vulture is really interesting. Nice walk. Some of the animals are aging out
Great for children. One black bear!
Awesome place to learn about nature and see some really amazing animals up close.
Great place for the kids to learn about their own habitat (New Hampshire!) The staff is incredibly nice and full of information. The animals are loved and I was shocked by how many they have.
Great place for a walk on the woods with the kids. Great educational opportunities about your own backyard
This little zoo of the local animals is just as great as ever, the five dinosaur animatronics that are there through the summer are a nice bonus though. The kids love seeing the animals, but most of all they enjoy the playground section in the middle. Sometimes they have out an animal or two, when we went it was an owl, for the visitors to see up close. Also it is a blue star museum which is a bonus.
Great nature preserve / zoo. All animal enclosures were clean. Animals seemed happy and healthy. A few miles of trails and good hiking as well.
really great fun outdoor adventure that's educational enjoyable for the whole family we love packing lunch and eating in the beautiful garden.
If you love animals true to NH, if you love short walks, love gardens, love shopping this is a must visit for you. There are exhibits for every age. This is a wonderful place to go for walks. There are a few hiking trails. Options are available along your adventure. We love the huge playground, some days we venture to the local artist store and gardens but walking through is our favorite no matter how many times we have been. Enjoy
We had a great with our 3 kids and our daughters friends. It was nice to just walk thru at our own pace. The staff was very friendly and took the time to answer any questions the kids asked. The live animal shows were very informative. A few times I saw the staff picking up to make sure the trails stayed cleaned. We can not wait to go back later in the summer.
Visited for the first time in August 2017. Was really impressed with this place. The animal habitats were ample and preserved as their natural habitat. There were so many different fun activities for the kids to do and learn about. Very interactive center. There is also a great playground there as well. Definitely look into membership because you'll want to visit more than once
amazing place, as good or better than most science or even just kids museums in new england!
Very impressed with the natural habitat for the animals
Enjoyed it great place to see aniamals in natural setting
It's definitely more interesting for 5-9 age group, my 12 year old wasn't as happy, but it was amazing to see the Mountain Lion and the owls.
This place has expanded quite a bit since I was a kid, while keeping the essentials that made it memorable. Three generations of my family had a great time there last weekend.
Well I love to see some of the bird the frogs the sounds the creatures make, it remains me of Jamaica my home land, we have some of these animals and creatures there,I love it
so much,looking forward to visit again
Each and every time we visit the center it never ceases to amaze us. At certain locations there is a need for personal interaction with staff providing more information and answering questions. Static exhibits are boring and uninteresting. The animated prehistoric reptiles were stimulating. An impromptu meeting with staffer handling an injured raptor and the information she provided while standing in the rain was exceptional. Please watch your prices!
Such beautiful trails to follow to see each animal who is there for some sort of rehabilitation
Had a fun visit there with my kids. We saw a presentation with a live porcupine which was cool. The presenter was very engaging. We spent about two hours total, just drifting around the main loop looking at everything there. The mountain lion and bobcat were pretty neat to see.
Good time considering the closures from the covid19 adjustments
My wife and I went there with our there children. There was enough to keep us entertained for hours. I highly recommended going there.
I love this place! It's like a zoo. You see different creatures and read little cool facts about New Hampshire's wild life on the way of the paths you walk. But, it's not only just all walking. You could also visit the play ground they have so your kids could have fun and an educational time.
Great activity for the kids in the area, very friendly staff
Amazing place to go. Daughter loves it and so do I. Highly recommend getting the season pass, saves you money in the long run if you plan on going frequently
Lots of cool exhibits with wonderful animals. It was a gorgeous way to spend a fall day.
Nice easy walking trails to watch & learn about local animals. Beautiful location and you drive past an amazing covered bridge.
Went for free on nh day had a blast love the science center we go every year!!
Love it here! Fun and educational. Definitely get a membership of you plan on going more than once a year. Very good value.
Such a beautiful place. Awesome for all ages - great place for learning, exercise, and fun. Variety of animals, plants, and things to do! Love coming here.
Such a cool walk through a forest with great exhibits for kids.
A must to see with the whole family! My first job when it opened nearly 50 years ago. Lots to see and discover.
We have now been 3 times. My husband and I love going when we are in the area. Looking forward to going again next year
A great educational/outdoors experience for families of all ages. This is also a great field trip destination. My first grade students love this trip!
Very nice place, clean and informative. Different from other places - lots for kids to learn hands on. I was a little apprehensive due to the cost and not many animals but felt like it was worth every penny. I would recommend packing a lunch and taking advantage of the trails - make a full day out of it.
Very nice area for walking. Lots of hands on activities to increase knowledge. There is a small picnic area towards the beginning of you wanted to bring some food to eat. There is also a small cafe, if you didn't bring your own food.
Went here as part of a weekend getaway. Small place for the price, BUT the money helps the conservation efforts so it's very worthwhile. The lake tour is awesome too as long as you don't mind a little spray.
This is such a cute place to bring the kids. We had such a great time! I would definitely go back!
Fun, family friendly zoo. This facility is built and maintained to be a very natural setting for the animals. They have native species to New Hampshire like fox, fishers, deer and black bears. You get to enjoy a beautiful walk in the woods while learning about the local wildlife. They also recently built a wooden kids play area that my 13 yr old and 5 yr old love. Beautiful facility, animals areas well maintained, friendly staff. We are annual visitors.
Both new and old exhibits are fresh and informative.
Great small zoo / science center with wildlife that's native to New Hampshire. Great place to visit with kids as well.
All the animals are from that area which is cool! Also they all were either abandoned as babies or hurt to where they can't be released. All the enclosures were natural and decent size for the 1-2 animals in there. It is a beautiful nature walk with shade from the trees the whole way, also very educational through out the entire walk.
nhnature.org
