Events

Welcome Summertime with a guided public tour of the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery! Join a Naturalist to learn the difference between the Rainbow and Brown Trout raised at the hatchery, then visit the raceways and discover the amazing trout-raising process! And for just a quarter, you can feed the fish, too! Tours will meet at the large trout aquarium inside the Conservation Education Center.

Tours will be held four times daily at 10am, 11am, 1pm, and 2pm on Tuesdays through Fridays, beginning May 26th and continuing through Friday, September 4th. (The Hatchery will be closed for state holidays on June 19th and July 4th.)

All ages are invited, and no registration is required. For questions, call us at 417-334-4865 ext. 0, or email Shepherd@mdc.mo.gov.

Discover what’s for dinner at Burr Oak Woods as the nature center’s amphibians, fish, and turtles enjoy their feast every Tuesday and Friday. The snakes are fed on the second and fourth Wednesday (June 10 & 24).

Nature printmaking is the art of creating lifelike images on paper or fabric with found objects from nature. MDC Naturalist Pat Whalen exhibits nature prints from his personal work and programs he presents at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. His prints will be on display in the west wing hallway through August. 

Columbia Missouri Artist Christine Doerr’s art is inspired by a lifetime shaped by nature, travel, and service, from the Ozarks to the Mediterranean. Rooted in the landscapes of Gans Creek, it highlights both beauty and its environmental vulnerability. Her art will be on display in the lobby through June.

After finding painted rocks around Jefferson City, Janet Bonnot joined the JC Rocks movement in 2018. Her nature-inspired rock work is on display in the west wing hallway through June. No registration required. All ages

Read a picture book as you walk along the Nature Center trails. The StoryWalk®, available June 17-30, is provided in partnership with the Springfield-Greene County Library. All ages. No registration required.

Cold. Damp. Dark. Drip-drip-drip. Rocks. If these words get you excited, join us as we spelunk, or explore, a cave system in Missouri. Teens will be guided by a local cave expert and learn about the cave system and the unique wildlife and organisms found there. Afterwards, teens will resurface and enjoy a variety of stream-related activities on Apple Creek. A packing list and an email containing pertinent details will be sent out prior to the program.

Please sign your teen up for only one session.

Dive into the world of fish! Learn how fish swim, breathe, and survive underwater. Ages 3 to 6. Registration required.

Do your little ones enjoy being in nature? Appreciate the natural world through a story, songs, movement, and play as you sit under the canopy for a “nature” adventure. Come see the topic we are exploring this month, which is fish and other aquatic critters. Siblings are welcome. Meet the naturalist at the West End Picnic Site. Please dress for the weather.

Dive into the world of fish! Learn how fish swim, breathe, and survive underwater. Ages 3 to 6. Registration required.