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    Trailside Nature and Science Center

    4.8 (29 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Trailside Nature and Science Center Photos

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    Fluorescent Rocks
    Florence C.

    Free admission. Great for kids. Trailside's vast outdoor area features a whole lotta nature- a butterfly garden, woodlands, fields, lakes, streams, and 13 miles of hiking trails for humans and dogs which sometimes get a little muddy after some rain. These areas don't look that exciting until mid-spring. Their small indoor museum has 3 levels and an elevator for strollers and wheelchairs. A huge beech tree thrusts through the center as a main showpiece. It's surrounded by small exhibits that could spark interest with rocks and minerals, different birds' eggs, and taxidermied woodland creatures and bald eagle- they see you! They know what you did! On the 2nd floor Library, children can read books from the 1960s onward about animals and nature with plenty of tables and seating. On the lower level, a Discovery Room features a live snake, a fluorescent rock exhibit, and a sand pit table where children can uncover a fossil and sift for seashells. This room also has several toy bins of dinosaur figures and toddler puzzles. Within the same floor, an accessible unisex bathroom has hand sanitizer and hand soap. Year-round, they offer several day camp programs and live shows including magicians, animals, and live music for toddlers to 6th grade and families. These have different rates for Union County residents and those out of county. Their website lists program details and registration info http://ucnj.org/parks-recreation/trailside-nature-science-center/. Parking's free and easy, just like your mom. =)

    Gift shop and front desk
    Andrew L.

    Took the kids to this place for a friend's daughter's birthday party. It's not as big as other sciences centers but it something to do for kids. They have a small party room for you to host a party. You do have to provide your own food and drinks though. When the party started the hostess takes the kids into a library area where they explain all the different types of animals found in the wild. They showed them a turtle and snake where the kids participate to pet them. They hostess also read stories to them as well. After we were done with the party, the kids explored the three levels of exhibits they had. Its not a big place so you can finish the exhibits within a hour. I guess they have a guided tour outside but we did not go because it was cold outside and not properly dressed to be outdoors. Overall, its a nice place to take the kids if they are bored at home. I would recommend kids about 10 years and under would enjoy it more.

    It's all about the science and nature!
    Annabelle L.

    Came here for a 4 year old birthday party. There is a private party room which people can book for parties. The party started out with kids gathering in the classroom (away from the party room) with two hostess and learned the different reptiles such as snakes and turtles. After an engaging interactive discussion, the hostess brought out the live animals and let the kids pet them, which my 9 and 6 year old enjoyed. Afterwards, they used hand sanitizer and then head over to the party room. It's a cute small trailside science center. It has 3 floors of observation and some activities. Some were live animals and some were fun facts. There's plenty of parking and of course a trail activity which I heard is great for group observation or just anyone would like to take a walk. It's a great exercise and also pet friendly too. Because it was cold in late January, we decided to venture indoors after the party.

    Dan N.

    One of my favorite places to go as a child- my dad brought us here on weekends to look at the turtles, stop by the planetarium, and look at dead stuffed animals. It used to freak us out a little, but it was fun. A lot of the stuff was old and run down back in the day, but we didn't really care. Lots of trails to hike and a great place for families to hang out for the day. The boxes that you reach into that have secret things inside like fur and shells used to scare the crap out of us. Good memories.

    2008 photo of the Deserted Village (Feltville) in the Watchung Reservation ~ the mill and village were built around 1845.
    Jan R.

    The Watchung Reservation is Union County's best place for hiking and seeing a diversity of animals, plants, mushrooms and natural beauty. In autumn, Lake Surprise is spectacular ~ there's no need to drive out of state to see the colorful foliage! There are 13 miles of hiking trails in the 2000+ acres that the reservation is in. There are some wildlife viewing spots that are great when you have your camera and/or binoculars with you. There are so many different areas to see and each is so very different during the changing seasons. The pine forest was one of my favorite places in the 70's & 80's when you would feel the big change in light and temperature as you walked through it. Now, a lot of sunlight filters through; it's still nice, but not as unique as it used to be. Trailside Nature & Science Center has many interesting exhibits and programs for children, especially during the summer months. This is the location of the Wildlife Sunday's in the spring. Behind the building is an area with stepping stones that have the tracks that many of the animals in the reservation leave. I've been going there since I was a child, when the original Trailside Museum was built (in the late 60's). When my son was 5 years old, I enrolled him in a few summer programs through the museum (back in 1983). One took place in the Deserted Village (historic village of Feltville), built in 1845. I sat under the pine trees on a soft bed of pine needles enjoying the quiet while he was learning about Pond Life. It's fun to drive over to the Watchung Stables and watch the riders practice and on occasion, watching people going on the trail rides. The stables are open to the public. All in all, for a place that's close to home, I give it a 5 star rating because you leave feeling more at peace and in touch with nature. Here is the link in the county's website: http://ucnj.org/community/parks-community-renewal/parks-facilities/watchung-reservation-history-trail/

    Trailside Nature & Science Center
    Anton K.

    Renovated in 2006, the 4,500 square foot, three level facility houses a modern interactive nature museum and science center. The Night Theater is an audio visual experience that allows the viewer to experience the sights and sounds of nature at night and is highly entertaining for children of all ages. There is also a 250 seat auditorium used for various programs complete with a large theater screen. The center piece of the museum is a 34' American beech tree which along with the other exhibits gives the center a nature immersion experience. There is plenty of taxidermy staged in habitat settings including a woodland stream which runs into a large aquarium with fish. Children are drawn to it. There is a children's Discovery Center for really young children which can keep them entertained with interactive play.The Land of Lenape is also eye catching. For adults like myself, I enjoyed The Bird Migration, Eggs and Nests, and Minerals exhibits. The well stocked library with free WIFI and computers was an unexpected surprise. Want to see the first NJ dinosaur, Hadrosaurus or the Cranford Mastodon, they have that too. Trailside has many nature related programs which are available year round for toddlers, 3-4 years, 4-6 years, middle school and high school students, as well as, adults. After exploring the museum and science center spend some time on one of the 13 miles of hiking trails which are peaceful, secluded and manageable. Trail maps are available at the trailside museum or online. I walked the Ruth Camstein Yablonsky self-guided geology trail and learned about basalt, puddingstone, glacial erratics, red and gray shale and how they were formed in the Watchung Mountains. Qcodes allow you to use your cellphone to get even more information. You can spend a hour or a day in this wonderful nature experience.

    Jayson H.

    Free and has excellent hiking trails. Museum has 3 levels and they offer classes too. Did I mention it's free. Open even during winter times. Great for students and little kids.

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Great appt to take the kids on a rain day. Don't expect the liberty science center but I was pleasantly surprised.

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Such a great place to learn about wildlife, and experience beautiful, clean nature.

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    19 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Definitely a great place to visit if you want to learn more about animals. The exhibits that they have here are very impressive.

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    14 years ago

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    18 years ago

    They recently redid the Trailside Nature Center, and quite frankly it's breathtaking. A must stop if you're in the area!

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    Ask the Community - Trailside Nature and Science Center

    Review Highlights - Trailside Nature and Science Center

    I grew up roaming around (and loving) the Watchung Reservation and so it's nice to pass some experiences along to my daughter.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    Trailside Nature and Science Center - parks - Updated May 2026

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