Lakeside Nature Center, Galesburg

About Lakeside Nature Center

Lakeside Nature Center in Galesburg invites visitors to explore wooded nature trails, view a pollinator prairie plot, and visit a habitat garden and certified Monarch Waystation. The center features a historic Bur Oak Base and displays a mural painted by local artists. The facility hosts Illinois Department of Natural Resources resource trunks available for educators and groups, including the Aquatic Illinois Trunk, Illinois Birds Trunk, Illinois Insects and Spiders Trunk, Illinois Invasive Species Trunk, Illinois Tree Trunk, Illinois Wild Mammals Trunk, and People and Animals from Illinois' Past Trunk. A Field Trip Pack for Early Childhood Educators and an Amphibian and Reptile Field Trip Pack are also available. These teaching tools correlate to Illinois Learning Standards and suit classroom teachers, school clubs, after-school programs, youth groups, homeschool educators, conservation groups, religious organizations, day care centers, and camps. The nature center operates during scheduled nature programs in Galesburg.