Looking for a place to view wildlife, walk through a forest, and canoe, all in one stunning spot? Look no further than The Wild Center, the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks. Popular and award-winning as an environmentally-friendly destination for learning about the natural world that makes the Adirondacks so beautiful and unique, The Wild Center is a great place to spend an adventurous day in Tupper Lake.

The Wild Center has a 54,000-square-foot indoor space, full of exciting, visually stunning live and interactive exhibits including real, live otters, multi-media shows and tons of hands-on experiences. Chat with a naturalist while river otters swim or a porcupine munches on lunch. Stand nose-to-nose with a northern pike, learn how maple syrup is made, and how generations of Indigenous people have lived with and off the land.

Outside, The Wild Center also features trails for walking with or without a certified naturalist, guided canoe trips on the river that runs by the Center’s campus, and a staff ready and willing to show you around, and answer questions about anything having to do with the wonderful, wild world of the Adirondacks. Explore the breath-taking "Hopscotch" exhibit featuring local saplings woven together to form a truly immersive art piece created by Stickwork sculptor Patrick Dougherty. Try a behind-the-scenes tour or a special workshop, such as learn to ice fish!

The Wild Walk adds another, taller, dimension to a Wild Center day, by taking visitors up a trail of bridges to the treetops of the Adirondack forest. The Wild Walk experience includes a four-story twig tree house and swinging bridges, a spider’s web where people can hang out and bounce around, and chances to just sit and observe the forest below. There’s an over-sized bald eagle’s nest at the highest point where visitors can perch and watch the life of the forest from a whole new point of view. During the evening hours from November through February each year, this outdoor exhibit transforms into Wild Lights. This seasonal event awes visitors young and old alike, combining the nature the trails normally showcase with countless holiday lights. 

The Center features a full museum store, cafe with outdoor waterside seating in season, and daily special events.

Current Hours and Ticket Prices

The museum's days of operation are seasonal and can be found on their website.

• Adult Ticket (18 - 64): $22
• Senior/Military Ticket (65+): $20
• Youth Ticket (5 - 17): $13
• Age 4 and Under: Free
• Members: Free